Howard Thorne finally cracked and confessed.
"Don't you dare let this slip. I'm just helping her through a tough time. If she doesn't get engaged to me, her stepmom is going to sell her to a gambler. That bastard works at Second Uncle's distillery. He's into drinking, whoring, and gambling—rotten to the core. Marrying a man like that is a dead-end, and besides, Kelley Xavier's grades are so good. It would be a real shame if she didn't go to college."
"And you're sure the Xavier family will agree to you swooping in?" Patrick Thorne asked calmly.
Howard Thorne puffed out his chest, his tone full of conviction. "As long as the Xavier family isn't blind, they'll definitely agree. I'm a hell of a lot better than that gambler."
