Page 187 of Theirs to Tempt: The Marriage Claim

I squeeze my eyes shut. I’m relieved it isn’t Lucian or Caleb. And I’m stupidly disappointed too.

My beautiful girl. I love you more than all the stars in the sky.

My chest tightens. Once more, she must be having trouble sleeping through the night.

Then another message appears.

And, sweetheart? Tell Lucian and Caleb thank you for what they just did.

Chapter Fifty

Sophie

For several seconds, I stare at Mom’s message.

Tell Lucian and Caleb thank you for what they just did.

Across the table, Piper leans forward and reads the message. “What did they do?”

I frown at the words, as if that will help them make more sense. “I have no idea.”

“Call her,” Piper encourages.

“You don’t mind?”

Grinning, she reaches for a slice of cheese. “I want to know too.”

I press the Call button before I can invent possibilities worse than whatever the truth is.

“Sweetheart.”

The warmth in her voice loosens my tension. She sounds stronger than she has during some of our recent calls, and for one precious second, I’m grateful for that.

“Aren’t your husbands wonderful?”

“I…”

“I saw an email from the financial office. At first, I thought there might be a problem with the payment for the next treatment cycle, but it was exactly the opposite.” She pauses. “Your husbands established a medical fund in my name. The clinic will automatically draw from it for my treatments, medications, and anything else the doctors approve. Of course I asked how long it would last.”

My stomach knots.

“And they said at my current level of care, it would last at least ten years and that it would cover many trips back home between cycles.”

Ten years.

My brain races.

Ten years isn’t a payment.

It’s a fortune.

I reach for my wine but don’t drink.

“They didn’t say anything to you?”

“No.” My mind is reeling. Why did they do this? “But I’m glad they did. Now we can all stop worrying about it.”

“You made a good choice, Sophie. With your two men.”