Severed Ties

Valerie’s fingers pressed firmly into the thick muscles of her father's broad shoulders, expertly kneading away the residual tension from the evening’s tense family dinner. The heavy scent of mahogany and aged scotch filled Marcus Thorne’s quiet study. Marcus leaned back in his tufted leather chair and let out a deep, rumbling sigh. A knowing smirk played on his lips. He wasn't buying this sudden