Page 41 of The Tiger's Secret Baby (Savage Shifters Special Ops 4)

I said, “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll be there at five.” And then he hung up. There was no “hello, how are you?” and no “good-bye.”

I was also afraid that I had irrevocably hurt my relationship with Rose. She had been quiet lately. In the past, she and I were always close. Now, I felt as though a barrier had been put up between us.

She had asked about her father in the past. I should have just told her about him. I thought that she was too young to understand, even though I had always known she was very smart and very mature.

When I told her that her father called, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. She could barely contain her excitement, although she was very careful not to lord it over the other kids. She would never do anything to hurt them or try to make them jealous. She was such an amazing child.

A couple of hours before she was supposed to go with Damian on their dinner date, she asked if she could speak with me privately.

I was actually afraid. I was afraid that she was so upset with me that she would want to live with her father for a while. Of course, I would have let her. It would only be fair to give them time together. Damian would be an incredible father.

“Mom, I’ve been thinking. I was super mad and sad that you didn’t tell me about Dad and that you didn’t tell him about me. There were lots of times when I wished that I had a dad, too, even though I was happy that I had a mom.”

“I understand, Baby Girl.”

“You’re a good mom and I know you do what you think is best,” she continued.

I just nodded.

“I’m not mad any more. I’m still sad, but I’m not mad at you,” she said.

I hadn’t realized that I was crying until she hugged me and said, “Please don’t cry. I still love you. You’re the greatest Mom ever.”

I hugged her so tight that she said that I was going to break her ribs.

“It’s a good thing that shifters heal a lot faster than mundane humans, then, isn’t it?” I joked.

She smiled.

“I love you, too, Baby. I promise I won’t keep any big secrets from you anymore.”

“I know. You’ve learned your lesson,” she said, solemnly.

I just smiled at her. She hugged me again, and then went to hang out with her siblings until her father came.

I didn’t wait outside with her. I couldn’t bear to see the anger on Damian’s face when he looked at me. Instead, I just watched her from the window.

The other kids were happy for Rose, but I think they were just a tiny bit jealous, too. I had always done my best to not single out anyone. I treated all the kids and Rose exactly the same. After all, they all were my children, whether I bore them or not.

However, I think in this situation, they all felt like outsiders. I was Rose’s biological mother and her biological father came to pick her up for dinner.

The kids did a great job hiding their feelings though, and I ordered pizza and cinnamon sticks for them. That seemed to cheer them up a little bit.

I was so glad that Rose forgave me. At least I didn’t lose her. I was positive that I had lost Damian. I had never stopped loving him. Throughout these last ten years, I had thought of him every day, missing him, and wishing that he was still a part of my life.

I was so afraid that if he knew about Rose, he would be a part of my life just because of her. I wanted him to love me, too.

Rose was ecstatic when she got home. I was waiting in the living room for her, and then we went up to my bedroom to talk. She told me that her dad’s favorite color was bright orange, and that he liked watching action movies, although she said that he likedScooby Dooas much as she did. “He told me that no one ever gets too old forScooby.”

I agreed with him on that part.

She told me that Damian was still upset, but said, “I think he still loves you. He’s just confused. You know how men are.”

I had to laugh at that. I had no idea where such a sexist thought came from, but she said it so matter of factly and in such a tone of voice, that one would have thought that she was a forty year old woman.

After I tucked her into bed, I changed into my large t-shirt settled in between my silky soft Egyptian cotton sheets.

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