Seeing her ex-idiot boyfriend, Howard, after all this time, yet not having to face his attitude or his inherent cruelty because Raphael saved her. He’d even managed to force the idiot man to apologize to her. A miracle if there ever was one.
And now Raphael’s father had just spitefully announced that Raphael was already married.
Drama. Drama. Drama. Totally exhausting.
Raphael stood up, his grip on her hand firm. “I’m not already married, Father. Stop trying to make waves where there are none.”
Francine stood up beside Raphael. His father’s tone was like that of her mother when her pride had been pricked. Much like her attitude about today’s wedding.
“You might as well be married,” the elder Boudreaux said. “The arranged marriage papers were signed when you were five years old. They are still binding.”
“Except you kicked me out of the Boudreaux family a decade ago and your new spare son, Alex, can fulfillthatobligation. Surely you resubmitted the paperwork when you booted me out.”
His father tilted his head to one side as if looking at a curiosity in an Earther circus sideshow. “You didn’t return here today intending to grovel your way back into the family?”
“No. I’m a bounty hunter. I plan to keep my job.”
He pointed a gnarled finger at Francine’s engagement ring. “Where did you get that family heirloom?”
“Well, after you allowed it to be stolen from the Boudreaux collection, I made a point of getting it back.”
“How?”
“What does it matter? I did a favor for the person who purchased it, unaware it was stolen. I got it back. You’re welcome.”
“I did not say thank you, Luther.” The man looked angry that Raphael had reclaimed a prized piece of family jewelry. Curious.
“I go by Raphael now.”
“Well,Raphael, you still didn’t return this family jewel after reacquiring it.”
Raphael’s eyes narrowed. “Was this jewel stolen or did you sell it?”
His father’s expression hardened.
“Or worse, did you use it to pay someone off? A blackmailer, perhaps? A gaming enforcer?”
“How dare you?!”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking when I found out it wasn’t in the family safe anymore. Either way, I’m keeping the ring. It was given to me a long time ago.”
“The ring wasn’t hers to give.”
“You’re wrong. It was the only thing Mother did have to give to me.”
Raphael’s father narrowed his eyes and turned to Francine. “If you marry him, you’ll regret it.”
“No, I won’t. I’ll never have any regrets. Raphael is the finest person I know.”
The old man laughed. It was a grating, unappealing sound. “That’s not saying much, is it? Aren’t you the same Francine Hayward Duvall who was kicked out of your family for doing something disgraceful? That’s why you stick up for him. He helped you get into this little wedding affair so you could get back intoyourparents’ good graces again, didn’t he?”
Raphael released her hand and stepped forward, going toe to toe with his father.
The old man stood his ground, but his expression faltered.
In a tight voice, Raphael said, “Get away from her and do not speak another word to her, ever. Do not ruin this wedding reception because of your misplaced arrogance. You are a sad old man who gave away your chance to make amends with me long ago. You’ve spent over a decade furious that you were unable to bend your middle son to your will and too proud to ever back down or apologize for driving me away. That’s all on you.”
Francine put her arm around Raphael, wanting to comfort him. The sorrow in his tone as he spoke his mind to his father was hard to miss, even though he said it in a voice low enough that she barely heard him.
