Free Theirs to Treasure (Beyond Monogamy Book 1) by Marissa Dobson Page B

something this morning. Tomorrow she has another round of treatment so if you can come down to see her today while she’s feeling better that would be good.”
    “I’ll go now.” She stood and came around the desk, closer to him.
    “Mathew told you about what the doctor said, but remember she doesn’t know.”
    “I won’t say anything, Dad. I also know we need to keep things upbeat for her and not stress her out. This hasn’t been the first time we’ve been through this.” She forced herself to smile because she was going to have to when she got downstairs.
    “This time it’s harder.” The sadness leaked through his voice.
    She nodded. “I know, Dad, I know.”
    “You go ahead and see her, I need to get a little air.” He strolled from her office before she could say anything.
    As she headed downstairs to her parents’ room, she realized this cancer was taking a toll on all of them. No matter what anyone said, when someone in the family was fighting a battle against cancer the whole family fought. Everyone had to be strong, supportive, and pick up the slack for the others. Their family had always been tight knit, but this had brought them even closer.
    She came to stand in front of the double doors leading to the first floor master suite that was her parents’ bedroom, took a deep breath and pushed the thoughts of losing her mother from her mind. This was no time to give in to the loss of not only her mother but also her best friend. She had to be brave. With her emotions in check, she knocked lightly on the door and pushed it open. “Mom.”
    “Come sit with me.” Her mother, Amy, patted the bed next to her.
    “Mom.” Her voice cracked before she pulled a tight rein on her emotions again.
    “I’m fine, sweetie. Now I want to talk to you about these new clients.”
    She came to sit next to her mother and took her hand in hers. “You three shouldn’t be worrying about the company, London and I have everything under control.”
    “I’m not worried about it. I know you’re a perfectionist and won’t give up until everything is just right. Child, you work too hard.” She squeezed Paris’s hand. “I heard you’re working with Aiden Dalton, and I just want you to know that if he’s too… grabby or anything, I want you to turn it down. We don’t need clients like that. I don’t care what your fathers say about what it will do for the business, I won’t have you working with people like that.”
    “Oh, Mom, he’s not like that at all.” She couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across her face. “He’s so sweet, and nothing like what the media made him out to be. He’s kind and attentive. Kain and Cody are just as great.”
    “Child, is there something you want to tell me?”
    She had planned to keep her attraction to Aiden, Kain, and Cody a secret, but she wanted the intimate moment with her mother. “With every question they answered, I felt drawn to them. They were answering just as I’d want the man…men…I spend my life with to answer.”
    “Then why are you here? You should be there, getting to know them. Maybe you’re the right person for them.”
    “Mom—”
    “Paris, don’t you sit there and tell me you’re here because of my treatments. I’m going to be fine, I don’t give a shit what the doctor said.” Paris stilled under her mother’s hand. “Don’t think I don’t know what they said.”
    “What are you talking about?” She tried to act as if she didn’t know. Maybe her mother was talking about something other than the timeframe the doctor mentioned to Paul.
    “Daughter of mine, we’re too much alike. You can’t lie very well. I know the doctor said I wouldn’t live through winter if this treatment doesn’t work.”
    “But how?”
    “Doctor Vander stood in this very house and said it. Paul thought I was resting and Mathew was working, but I was hungry and went to get something to eat. They were standing in the foyer when Doctor Vander stopped by