Page 25 of Theirs to Tempt: The Marriage Claim

The casual endearment spreads an unwelcome warmth through me.

I clench my jaw hard, increasing the headache I woke up with.

“We have dinner reservations. Tonight. Eight o’clock.”

“I have plans.” The lie is nothing more than self-preservation. I won’t allow him to think I’ll bend to his will.

When he doesn’t respond, I sink into the chair behind my desk and toy with a fidget spinner.

The silence expands, becoming unnerving.

I should feel like I won, but I don’t.

When he speaks, his words are final. “Your driver will pick you up at seven thirty.”

When I start to respond, I realize the line is dead.

Even more annoyed, I glare at the blank screen.

Damn him.

Elena returns with coffee and drops into the chair across from me.

Her drink is enormous. Honestly I didn’t know they made one that size.

Grinning, she slides mine across to me and then takes the lid off hers and licks the cream.

“Okay. You’re fortified,” she says after I take a couple of sips and lean back in my chair. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

While she watches wide-eyed, I bring her up to speed, starting years ago with Lucian ruining Adrian’s proposal. And then I end with some of the details of the bet.

“Holy shit! You have to be kidding me. You’re telling me your dad gambled you away? And never freaking told you?”

“That’s about it.”

“And now you have to marry this Lucian dude?”

I roll the cup between my palms. “Yeah.” But I don’t tell her about Caleb. Even I don’t believe that part.

“And your mom’s treatment depends on it?”

If the word treatment is a euphemism for mom’s life.

“Damn, Sophie. What are you going to do?”

I exhale and put my cup down. “Figure something out.” Even though I’m no closer to having an idea than I was at three a.m.

We talk for a couple more minutes, and I know we’re running out of time before my first client arrives.

Wrapping up, I give her the code to the alarm, and her unique PIN. Like me, she doesn’t need to write them down.

“I take it the alarm is Lucian’s doing?”

“More like Caleb’s.”

Mouth near her straw, she pauses. “Who is Caleb?”

Hells bells. Why had I mentioned his name? Finally I respond without revealing too much. “His business partner. Like he handles security.” With brawn and dark, intense eyes.