Page 59 of Sugar Baby
What?
Both surprised by the newcomer, we turn to look over our shoulders.
“Mum? What are you doing?”
“Trying to fix this mess. Don’t you see you belong together?”
I stand up to face Francesca. Sophia does the same.
“I don’t understand,” Sophia murmurs.
“Cain is my choice for you, Sugar. Your father might disagree, but that is of no consequence.” She waves her hand dismissively. “You have here a strong, capable alpha who adores you. He has tried to hide it, but I see the way he looks at you. I’ve observed him, and I approve. Cain, you had a terrible childhood, but you can’t let that stand in your way now. Fight for her, or don’t fight at all, and accept that she is a grown woman with a mind of her own and a heart as big as it gets. She has more space in there than you know. She can love more than one.”
“What?” Sophia chokes out, her cheeks going red.
“Oh, please,” Francesca scoffs. “I am a woman of the world, not to mention your grandmother had many lovers. She was an alpha female, strong and independent. It is one reason why her father, my grandfather, disowned her and took her children from her. He called her a disgrace to the Calabrese family name. He was old-fashioned and such a…man.” She spits out the last word, making Sophia snicker.
Francesca goes to her and takes her hands. “I feel it here,” she places their hands over her heart, “that you and Cain are meant to be, but if you have others vying for your heart, don’t choose. Have them all,cara. I’m sure Cain can share you as long as he has you, no?”
Her dark eyes pin mine, and I gulp. She’s put me on the spot with a question I can’t answer. Sharing Sophia with other men was never on the table. There again, having her to myself wasn’t either.
When Sophia turns her head and her gaze lands on me, I meet it, and it all becomes clear at that moment.
“Yes, I can do that.”
Sophia smiles, and Francesca laughs with joy.
“I knew this would work. Don’t worry about Aidy, I will sort everything out, and he will be thrilled with this arrangement.”
Yeah, I’m not so sure. My arse-kicking will turn into a death by slow, torturous means without a doubt now. But to see Sophia so happy makes it all worth it.
ChapterThirty-Six
Sugar
I’m not sure what to think about everything that just went down with my mum. I knew she was up to something with Cain, but I wasn’t really expecting this. And I definitely wasn’t expecting her to say have them all. This is what I’m wrestling with right now, and as I watch her walk away, I turn to Cain.
“Uhm, it’s not as easy as that.”
“Figured.”
His face closes off as he looks out over the lake, but I step into his space and touch his cheek. “Don’t shut down. Hear me out, please.”
He turns to face me again, and I can see that he’s trying. It’s a start. His automatic response is to shove everyone away, so he doesn’t get hurt. Now that I know that, I can work around it. He needs reassurances and for me to make him feel secure.
“My dad introduced me to an alpha, Carter Hayes. Somehow, he got it right. We are meant to be together. We both feel it. We both know it. He is going to be my prime alpha when we mate and start our own pack.”
“Oh,” he croaks.
“Wait,” I chide him. “There’s more.”
“Great.”
His grim features make me smile. “It’s not bad, or at least, I don’t think it is.”
“Is this where you’re going to tell me that Trent is part of this grand plan?”
“I am. Carter is aware of Trent and also of Nico.”
