The Wrong Bride (The Windsors, #1)(13)

Something about the way she says it hits me hard, and a dull ache spreads across my chest. I know they’re both just drunk, but I’ve never seen Raven look at me this way.

“And why is that, Cupcake?”

She looks away and rests her head against Sierra’s, the two of them cuddled up in the backseat. I sigh and keep my attention on the road as I drive us home, confused. Raven and Sierra mostly keep to themselves, and the last time I caught them drunk or hungover was when they were in college. Why the hell did they drink so much tonight? And what the hell did I do to deserve their hatred when it’s me who picked them up at three in the morning, without a single complaint?

I park my car in front of my condo absentmindedly, and it isn’t until the girls rush out of the car and toward my front door that I realize I should’ve taken them to the main house instead. Shit.

“Open it!” Sierra orders, her eyes still flashing with anger.

“If I do, will you stop being mad at me?” I can’t even recall the last time my little sister was mad at me. Even though I’m ten years older than her, she and I have always been close. I’m not sure what’s going on today.

Raven walks up to me and places her hand on my upper arm. “Why won’t you let us in?” she asks, her voice carrying a hint of agony. Oh fuck.

“I will, sweetheart. Of course I will.”

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her along to the front door, unlocking it with my fingerprint. Sierra throws a glare my way as she rushes into my house, kicking off her heels before running to the kitchen.

“Come on,” I tell Raven, but she shakes her head.

“I don’t wanna walk,” she says. “You carry me.”

I chuckle, surprised by her cute voice and her petulant expression. Raven has never asked me for help, and she’s never acted spoiled this way. It’s kind of endearing.

“Okay, Cupcake.” I reach down and place one arm behind her knees as I lift her into my arms. She giggles and rests her head against my chest as I carry her to the sofa. The way she looks up at me… there’s no hatred in her eyes now, but in the car I was certain that’s exactly what I saw.

“Why are you two so mad at me today?”

I place her on the sofa carefully, and she shakes her head. “Secret.”

“Since when do you keep secrets from me?”

Raven laughs, the sound melodious. “I’ve kept secrets from you for years.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me one.”

Her eyes roam over my body, pausing on the gray sweatpants I’m wearing. “Every time I see you wearing those, I wonder what they’d look like if your dick is hard. Would I be able to see every contour?”

My eyes widen, and I cough nervously. That is not what I expected her to say. “You what?”

Raven merely shrugs and bends over to take off her shoes, giving me a clear view of her breasts. She’s not wearing a bra. Fuck. Did she go out like that? Silas’s bodyguards better have done their goddamn job, so help me God.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to,” she singsongs.

I look away and clear my throat. “I’m going to check up on Sierra,” I tell her, before escaping in the same direction my sister disappeared in. My heart races all the way to the kitchen. Raven has never once acted inappropriately with me. She’s never even given me an sign that she sees me as a man at all. What the fuck? What’s with the sweatpants comment?

“Sierra?” I call.

I sigh when I find my sister asleep on my kitchen floor, clutching a block of cheese that she’s clearly taken a big bite out of. What’s wrong with both of my girls tonight?

My thoughts are whirling as I carry Sierra to my bedroom. Even in her sleep, she’s mumbling that she hates me. What in the hell have I done to earn their ire? I try to think back to anything I may have done or said in the last few days and come up blank.

I carefully put Sierra in my bed and tuck her in before heading back to the living room, my steps hesitant. I’ve always been so comfortable around Raven, but tonight I’m nervous.

“Rave?”

I find her sitting on the sofa, her legs crossed. She looks up at the sound of my voice and smiles. “Ares.” The way she says my name has always been different. It’s always been sexy, but even more so tonight.

She pats the seat next to her, and I shake my head. “Let’s get you into bed, sweetheart.”

“No,” she says, her expression petulant. “Come sit.”

I sigh as I do as she asks. “What’s up, Rave? Why do you seem so upset tonight? Why does Sierra insist that she hates me?”

She looks at me and tilts her head, clearly drunk. “You wanna know?”

I nod, and she smirks as she draws her knees up before turning toward me. Before I realize what’s going on, Raven climbs onto my lap and places her hands on my shoulders, straddling me.

I groan softly at the feel of her ass on my thighs and wrap my hands around her waist. “What are you doing, Cupcake?”

“I want to sit here, Ares.”

“You can’t.”

“I know, but I’m going to do it anyway.”

“Raven, how much did you drink today?”

She pulls herself closer, and I grit my teeth. She’s sitting right on top of my dick, and though I’m trying my hardest not to, it’s all I can think of.