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“Who was that?” I whisper before Dad can make his speech, but the moment my mother looks over at me, I swallow back the rest of my words.
“Listen to your father,” she snips, then turns her attention to the crowd. When I look back at the tables, I find the stranger is gone and my mother has visibly relaxed. Confusion swirls like a hurricane in my gut. It doesn’t make sense that she would act like that if it was just a guest that wasn’t invited. We’ve had party crashers before, and none have had my mother in such a state.
An idea dances in my mind, taunting me, but I push it back down and focus on my father. He clears his throat and lifts his flute to his audience.
“I want to thank everyone for being here today,” he starts. “My daughter has been the light of my life since the first moment I laid my eyes on her. And now, at sixteen, she’s only burning brighter with each passing day.”
My chest tightens, and my eyes burn as I look up at him. The man who always loves me, no matter what. He’s the best father a girl could ask for.
“And as she celebrates her day with friends and family, I would like to take this moment to wish her a lifetime of love and happiness. My sweet, intelligent girl will do great things one day.” The pride in his tone causes a lump to form in my throat. I can’t respond. There are no words to ever explain how much I truly love my dad.
“And just remember,” he says then as he leans in, “if you ever bring a boy home, he’ll have to pass my tests before anyone else’s.” The joke rings through the room and people laugh. But even as I smile up at Dad, there’s a dark, niggling in the back of my mind. My mother has done something. I don’t know what it is, but there is something off about the man that came to see her and how she’s been acting.
I don’t want to admit it.
But I can’t deny, the idea of her cheating on my father is the only thing that burns bright in my mind as the party continues late into the night.
10
FINN
Bradford Thorne is home and I’m not looking forward to talking to my father. As much as I hate being the youngest, I despise the fact that I’m being given a task of walking into an arranged marriage.
I zip up my hoodie and make my way into his office. I was summoned to the den this morning and I didn’t get a chance to taunt my new toy. She was so deliciously fearful last night. I was hard as a rock just being close to her. Even Jarred couldn’t deny that she’s alluring. She doesn’t yet know about our dynamic. I’m not sure I want her to know, but if I’m meant to be her husband, it’s only fair for her to learn that she’s not getting just one partner to please, she’ll have two.
“Finn,” my father says as I step into his office. “Nice to see you up so early.” A chuckle vibrates through his chest. I don’t react to his taunt, and I can tell it pisses him off because he scowls as I slip into the chair opposite his desk. I don’t greet him, and I don’t want to make small talk. “How is your bride?” The question I’d been waiting on comes quickly. Guess Dad isn’t beating around the bush either.
“She’s fine.” I have no idea why he’s even asking me about her when he can summon her himself. He knows I’m angry with him, but he continues to try making this better. He can’t. There’s nothing in this world he can say or do to fix the contract that confirms I’m to be married in a month’s time.
“Finn,” Dad sighs. “This is for the better of the company. You know that I can’t do much to change it. Once that document was signed—”
“I don’t care about the company,” I bite out as I push forward. I lean my elbows on my thighs and meet his glare dead on. “I never wanted this in the first place. Yes, I’ll work at Thorne Industries, but it never was my choice to do so.” He knew this. All my life I’d wanted to travel. There wasn’t anything that could keep me here—until Jarred. And now, I will have a wife to ensure I remain in Thorne Haven. My father will never allow me to leave. The legacy that remains in this house, in this town, it’s ours. I should be proud of it, but I’m not.
“There’s no choices here, Finn.” He shakes his head, as if he’s disappointed in me. As he always is. Damien being the eldest is the apple of my father’s eye, then it is Cassian who obeyed without question. Me, on the other hand, I never listen to anything he tells me. I live my life the way I want to, and nobody can stop me. Even though he continues to try.
