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She frowned slightly. “Don’t wanna talk about that.”
“But I do. And you want to be my good girl, don’t you?” He was playing on her need to please.
“I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Why did you think you would be a bother? Did someone tell you that? Maybe when you were a child? Your mom? Your dad?” She’d never mentioned her dad.
“Daddy left. Everyone always leaves.”
Finally.
“He took off. Mama said it was because I was naughty and noisy.”
Damn that bitch. He ground his teeth together.
“Mama left too. I didn’t think she’d really go.” The hurt in her voice killed him. No wonder she had trust issues. Had everyone let her down?
“What about the boys’ father? What happened to him?” She hardly ever spoke about him.
“Died.”
“I know, baby. But how?”
“Car accident. Driving too fast. I didn’t love him but I was sad when he died. I guess he would have left anyway. He didn’t love me either. I was just a bit of fun to him.”
He kissed the top of her head.
“What was your childhood like?”
“Scary.” She shuddered. “Lonely.”
He grew tense, and she whimpered. He rubbed her back soothingly.
“Scary, why? Did someone hurt you?”
“Always had to be careful. Couldn’t let people close. Couldn’t bring them home. Mama said they might take me away if they knew.”
“Who?”
“The police. Mama didn’t want me telling anyone about her drinking or her boyfriends. She had lots of boyfriends. She said people wouldn’t understand.”
He ran his hand up and down her back as she trembled. Lots of boyfriends, huh?
“Where did you live?”
She shrugged. “Lots of places. Trailers, apartments, different towns. Once we lived on the streets for a while until Mama found another boyfriend.”
Jesus. That was no way for a child to grow up.
“Was that way until I got older and found a job. Then things were better.”
Right, the child had taken care of the parent. A parent who later abandoned her when she needed her.
So was she concerned about bothering him because she was worried he’d do the same? Abandon her or kick her out if she caused problems?
She stiffened in his arms and he could feel her closing up again. “Can I have a drink?”
“Yes, pet.” He ran his hand over her hair before reaching down to grab a bottle of water from his play bag, which the sub who’d cleaned up the scene for him had delivered. “Here have a few sips of this. Slow and easy. Good girl. How do you feel?”
