“You took advantage of an innocent lady.” Robin growled and withheld the rest of his speech.
“Those Thorne women,” Finn said, “they’re quite irresistible.”
“Apparently.”
“Don’t pretend you were a saint where Sophia was concerned.”
“Sophia wasn’t entrusted into my care, Finn,” he said. “And I was in love with her.”
Finn grinned. “So am I.”
Robin looked confused. “You’re in love with my wife?”
“I’m not in love with Sophia, you idiot. I’m in love with Claire.”
“Oh, yes, I remember you confessed that the other day.”
“So, my problem is that this is most assuredly going to be a six-month birth.” He did some math in his head. “And there’s no doubt the child is mine. I need to protect Claire from the tongues that will wag.”
“You’d have to take her out of the country to do that.”
That wasn’t a bad idea, actually. He could protect her from Mayden that way too.
“Her father is going to kill you. You might want to be out of the country so he won’t skin you alive. Her mother might boil you in oil.”
“I think that’s witches who do that. Not faeries.”
“Oh.”
“What do faeries do?”
“No idea. But I’d wager it’s hideous. And painful.”
Finn shrugged. “Her mother likes me. I saw her last night. She already knew about the pregnancy. Though she suggested that we not tell Ramsdale until after the wedding.”
“She already knew?”
“Yes, that’s why she stayed in the land of the fae so long. To help Claire sort things out.”
“I see.”
“We have another problem.”
“Don’t tell me Marcus is pregnant too. Because that will be three Thornes expecting.” Robin chuckled. It was good to hear his brother chuckle. He hadn’t done it for a very long time.
“No, it’s Mayden. He tried to kill Claire last night.”
“What?”
Finn went on to tell Robin what had happened the night before. By the time he was done, Robin was the one pacing the floor.
“So, what do we do?”
“How many of Mayden’s debts do you own? Enough to break him?” Robin asked.
Finn had started to buy up Mayden’s debts years ago, and the ones that Finn hadn’t bought, Robin had. The man owed more money than he would ever earn in ten lifetimes.
“I think it’s time to call in the debts,” Robin said grimly.