Page 33 of Secret Baby Daddies
“What the actual fuck is going on? Am I hallucinating?” Hunter gestured at the front of the shop. “Was Jace Silver sitting behind the counter at my mom’s flower shop?”
I pulled her all the way into the corner by my succulents.
“I think I might be hallucinating, too.”
She grabbed my shoulders. “What is happening?”
“I don’t know! I really don’t.” I quickly ran through what all had happened and winced when I saw the frown on her face. “What?”
“They want to have you stay in their mansion, financially support you, and spoil you with amazing orgasms? The monsters.” Hunter rolled her eyes. “I get that you have things you want to do but there are worse things they could do, babe. Let them support you. They’ve got all that money and they want to spend it on you. Have fun.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head.
“And be in debt to them? And give up all control in my life?”
“Is this a daddy issue thing?” She saw my face harden and swore. “Sorry. Ignore me. Do whatever you want, Harley. Just make sure you’re thinking about what you’re going to need to raise a child. Think about how you feel about them, too. Don’t miss a chance at happiness over your issues. That’s all I’ll say.”
I pointed to the doorway.
“If that’s all you have to say, you can go. I don’t have issues. I don’t havedaddyissues. I’m perfectly normal and healthy and able to do this on my own.”
Hunter stood still, staring at me. The more time that passed, the higher her eyebrows rose. Finally, when they were damn near at her hairline she shook her head.
“Do you feel good about that?”
I groaned. “No! I’m sorry. I’m just mixed up and you didn’t give me the answer I thought you would. Just tell me I’m right and pat me on the shoulder.”
“Never going to happen. I wouldn’t be a real friend if I did. Now I’m going to do as you said and go. Relax a little.” She hugged me and slowly backed away. “Since you can’t drink or smoke, maybe try yoga. Tantric yoga could be fun. Take your new boyfriends out and get all limber together.”
I sank onto the stool at my workstation and blew out a shaky breath. I kept swinging from one extreme to the next. I wasn’t fool enough to tell myself I didn’t want Jace, Luc, or Maddox. I did. If they were normal, blue-collar men I would’ve gone right along with being with them. They weren’t normal men, though. They were millionaires, closing in on billionaires. They could crush me without batting an eye and take everything from me.
As if the fates themselves were looking down on me with mischief in their gazes, my phone rang and it was my father’s ID that popped up on the screen.Never Answerwas a pretty direct message but my fingers still hovered over the button to answer the call. Because Hunter was right. I did have daddy issues and a part of me was still hoping he’d call one day and be able to explain everything away, that he’d be able to come in and be the dad he’d never been.
I knew the truth, though. My dad was never going to be a good dad. He was never going to be anything. I sent the call to voicemail and then turned it off completely. I’d cut him off years earlier but he still tried to reach out once or twice a year. His timing that day couldn’t have been worse.
“Everything okay?” Jace watched me from the doorway with a curious look on his face. “You’re staring at your phone like it slapped you.”
All the warm and cozy feelings I’d felt turned into cold trails up and down my back. How had I even started to believe theywouldn’t try to control me? Knowing my dad was reaching out soured everything but at least it reminded me to protect myself.
“Yep. Everything’s fine.”
“Bullshit.” He took a few steps into the room. “You’re upset.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Little girl. Don’t lie to me. I might like your sass and your bratty side but I don’t like lies.” His eyes were hard as he ran them over my body, as if he was looking for a physical injury. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”
Frustration at the entire situation built in me until I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“That’s the issue! You think you have the right to demand things from me! Men like you are all the same. You take and you take until you’re done and then you let someone else take out the trash!”
“Men like me?”
I threw my hands up.
“Rich assholes. Men who have so much money they can buy and sell people. Men who do whatever they want to the people in their lives and get away with it!”
He crossed the room like a prowling wolf, huge and commanding.
