Lucien(13)
“Let me guess, your father is Dexter,” Luc murmured, referring to Wyndermere’s favorite villain-slash-blade-carrying-hero, Dexter Quimby.
“Raven, stop looking at Luc like that.” Elise exhaled sharply. “Raven was the model for Dexter Quimby.”
Raven’s evil smile deepened. “My father is Apollo.”
Luc felt a headache forming. Whatever he’d expected, this was not the simple luncheon he’d predicted. “As in the Greek Sun god?”
“Uh, no. As in the leader of the Apollo Temple of Love. My father has a small commune in California where he keeps his harem.”
Luc stared at Elise. She could have told him some of this before they’d walked into the restaurant. “Where is your father?”
Raven answered. “Wyndemere couldn’t make it. He was dissecting someone on page seventeen. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it. When you’re introduced, of course.”
“Naturally. Why wouldn’t he,” Luc muttered under his breath.
“He may even let you touch his scalpel.”
“Raven,” Elise warned. “You’re not going to scare this one away.”
At Luc’s surprised expression Raven explained gleefully, “Her last boyfriend and page three hundred and twenty-six of The Seven Blades of Death.”
A sound from Elise’s mother drew his attention away from Raven and Luc glanced at Moonbeam’s purplish face. He couldn’t help but think the hue of her cheeks complimented her outfit. “What happened on that page?”
“Well, it’s funny you should ask—”
“Raven!”
“I’ll tell you about it later,” Raven promised.
Elise sighed as the waiter arrived. “I tried to tell you, Luc.” She sipped her water then smiled up at the waiter. “Raven, did Mom tell you what she wanted to eat?”
Raven placed his and Moonbeam’s order, then Luc and Elise ordered.
Moonbeam made a slight noise and Raven sighed. “When she gets done with you, Luc, I’ll still be here.”
Elise tugged on Luc’s arm and looked imploringly up at him. “You’ll tell him everything, won’t you, darling? Raven’s a romantic, he’ll understand our feelings for each other.”
Moonbeam sucked in a deep breath and Luc suspected she was seconds away from exploding.
Raven’s smile disappeared. “Are you telling me that you two are actually in—”
“Married,” Moonbeam erupted. “Elisabeth Wyndemere Hamilton, you know better than to go and do something so stupid as to… get married! Of all the foolish things you could do! Subjugating yourself to a male dominated institution is the most idiotic notion you’ve ever had. Didn’t you read those articles I gave you?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then why would you allow yourself to be manipulated into giving up your independence and losing your femininity in an institution created by man and governed by man? Have you no dignity? Raven, talk to your sister. Tell her what a mistake she’d be making. Elisabeth, don’t get married. Have an affair. It’s much easier and you don’t have to get the government involved and when it sours you can walk away without having to drag it through the courts. Please, Elisabeth. Think. Do you really want to get married?”
“Mom, I—”
“Are you pregnant,” Moonbeam demanded.
“She better not be,” Raven ground out.
“I am not pregnant.”
“Well, why not? You’re not still—”
“Mother,” Elise interrupted loudly. “I am not pregnant. Luc and I are getting married on Saturday.”
Moonbeam scowled at Luc. “Are you blackmailing my daughter into marrying you? I saw that talk show where men just like you blackmailed their employees into—”
“Mom,” Elise snapped. “Luc is not blackmailing me.”
Moonbeam looked as baffled as Luc felt. “But, Elisabeth, why would you and Luc agree to do something so binding as marriage? Why not handfast like your father and I did?”
Elise picked up Luc’s hand, laced their fingers together, and dug her nails into his flesh. “Lucien, we have to tell them. They’ll understand.”
“Um, Elise, I’m not sure if that would be the wisest—”
She silenced him a look of warning. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, Lucien.” The enunciation of his name was more pronounced—sweeter, almost like an endearment. “Mother will understand your feelings. She’ll understand why you couldn’t bring yourself to cheapen your feelings for me by having an affair.” She punctuated the word ‘feelings’ with sharp jabs of her nails in his flesh.