Page 30 of Redeeming His Omega Mate

I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. She must have been worried when she returned and didn’t find Aria at home. “I’m sorry for taking her out without asking, Tala. I apologize for making you worry,” My voice was low and sincere. “She was upset after breaking the flower vase, and I just wanted to cheer her up.”

“It’s not your job to make her happy, Damian,” she shot back coldly.

Her words hit harder than I expected. I stilled, searching her face for any faint trace of softness. But there was nothing.

Her expression was a fortress and just as cold as her words. “She said her father had never been in the picture.”

Tala’s expression hardened. “You took her out just to question her about her father?”

I held her gaze, unflinching. “No, I took her out because she was upset. But it was hard to miss the way she talked about it, like it was normal—like she’s used to not having a father around.” My voice dropped lower, edged with frustration I couldn’t quite suppress. “Why is that, Tala?”

Her jaw clenched, and she folded her arms across her chest. “Because that’s how it is. End of story.”

I stepped closer. “It doesn’t make sense. You don’t just leave a child without answers unless there’s something you’re hiding.” I searched her eyes, looking for a crack in her composure. “Who is Aria’s father?”

Her eyes flickered with something. Guilt? Fear? I couldn’t tell. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“You don’t get to ask that, Damian,” she said tightly. “Not after everything.”

I frowned. “Everything?”

“You don’t get to show up and pretend you care about my life, about Aria’s life when you never cared before.” Her voice wavered slightly, but her resolve remained firm. “You’re not entitled to those answers.”

I swallowed the sharp retort that rose in my throat. She was right about one thing. I didn’t have the right to demand anything from her. But that didn’t stop the growing suspicion from festering in my mind.

“I don’t get it, Tala,” I said after a moment.

She arched her brow. “You don’t get what?”

“One minute you’re hot, the next you’re cold.”

Her lips curled into a faint, humorless smile. “I’m pretty sure I’m warm right now.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

She said nothing, and frustration gnawed at me. My gaze flickered across her face like I was trying to solve a puzzle. Maybe I was. We’d shared a moment earlier. It was something real. I thought I was finally chipping away at the wall she’d built between us. But now, it was as if she’d used the hours apart to rebuild it, higher and stronger.

“Earlier this morning—” I began, but she cut me off.

“No. I don’t want to talk about this morning.” Her voice wavered, just barely. “It was a momentary lapse of… confusion. It shouldn’t happen again.”

A momentary lapse of confusion? Right.

”And that’s not what we should be talking about right now,” she continued. “I don’t want you taking my daughter anywhere, Damian.Or asking her any questions. I just want you to leave us alone and mind your own damn business.”

“Are you mad about this morning or about me taking Aria out?” I asked.

Her eyes narrowed. “Why would I be mad about this morning?”

“Because…” I took a step toward her, and she instinctively stepped back. “You don’t want me to know the truth.”

She scoffed. “And what truth might that be?”

“That you still want me as much as I want you.”

She laughed, sharp and forced. “You’re delusional, Damian.”

“Am I?” I started to take quick and purposeful strides towards her. Her eyes widened for a moment, and she started to back away just as fast.

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