Page 48 of Shadows and Whispers

“I love my mother but she’s a cliché. Rich wife who prides herself on looking and embodying the part. She and I are two very different people.”

“How so?”

I toyed with the silverware placed near my glass. “I bet my mother was very animated about the idea of a marriage between us.”

He grinned salaciously. “She was.”

“That’s because she’s wanted this for me since the day I was born. Both my sister and I.”

“Really?”

I huffed. “Yes. My mother married into money and the very second my father put that ring on her finger, she became the perfect socialite. Every expectation and detail that came along with the lifestyle she gladly embraced with every fiber of her being. When Chris was born, she’d hired a team of people to care for him and the rest of us after she popped us out one after the other. We were groomed to be the perfect family. Etiquette training, social clubs, private schools. If it was considered socially acceptable for the upper echelon then that was what she gave. Naturally my siblings and I were expected to marry, create heirs that would be the perfect clones of us, and follow in her and my father’s footsteps. Christian did everything he was supposed to do. Cole…” I cringed and my eyes shot up to his which darkened a little so I moved on.

“The only reason my mother agreed on allowing me to dance was because it looked good on my social resume. Jona was forced into horseback riding which she hated. She had no interest whatsoever in becoming an equestrian. I loved to dance and my mother loved it too until it got in the way of her perfect family blueprint. After college I was supposed to drop my hobby and marry a respectable young man who was well off and would allow me to be his trophy wife with my only aspirations being planning social events and popping out babies. If I were lucky, my husband wouldallowme to consider a career that didn’t emasculate him or demand too much of my time so that I was readily available to appease his every desire.”

“Hmmm….” Elias’s eyes flickered with amusement.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“That was a lot. I’m just allowing it to digest.”

“If you think it’s a lot for you, imagine living it as your reality. I love my mother and she loves me but I’m not her. That’s where the conflict lies so I’m sure the minute you hit her radar as my potential future husband she was instantaneously overjoyed at finally getting her wish.”

“But she’s not.”

“Not what?”

“Getting her wish.”

“How isn’t she? I’m marrying you.”

“You are but I don’t want a Stepford wife. I damn sure don’t want a woman whose soul ambition in life is to feed and fuck me and give me children. You’re a beautiful woman Cress but who you are is more than what I can see. You’re insanely talented and very intelligent. I wouldn’t dare take the one thing away from you that makes you whoyouare. So she’s getting a marriage but she’s damn sure not getting all the other bullshit.”

I drummed my fingers on the table, smiling smugly. “A progressive man.”

His expression was teasing. “Something like that.”

“Darling…” my mother sang.

And here we go.

My eyes shot over to Elias who winked and stood.

“Let me get your chair for you, Mrs. Devereaux.”

My mother plastered on a perfect smile as she took a minute to fully engage Elias while he pulled out her chair. My mother was dressed in Chanel from head to toe. White silk because it was a color of purity and new beginnings. She had to make a great impression on my future husband. Me marrying Elias was her new beginning. A way to rectify how I’d let her down in the past. After she was seated and draped the chain of her very expensive bag over the seat of her chair, she leaned toward me and squeezed my hand.

“Cress, sweetheart. It’s so good to see you.”

“Same.”

Carmen entered with a bottle of wine which she placed on the table and opened, pouring a small amount in my glass. “Please let me know if this meets your expectations.”

Before I could comment, my mother was out the gate full speed with her polished dramatics. “Who are you, dear? Is Maurly not working this evening?”

“Mom…”

“What?” she offered unapologetically. “Wealwayshave Maurly.”

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