The Wrong Bride (The Windsors, #1)(37)

Hannah inhales deeply and looks at Ares before turning to me. “I trust both of you,” she says, her gaze drifting between us. She smiles at Ares, her gaze filled with longing. “I know you’ve been put in a difficult situation, but I won’t doubt the love between us, Ares. We’ve been together for five years. In the grand scheme of things, three years is nothing — not compared to the rest of our lives.”

She turns to me then, a pleading look in her eyes. “Had it been anyone else, I’d have been insecure and scared, but I know you’ll never hurt me. You would never betray me in that way, and I know you’ll never see Ares as your husband, no matter what label the world is forcing you two to wear.”

I nod, giving in. This isn’t a battle worth fighting. Besides, Ares might be my husband for now, but he’ll end up being hers in the future. I can see it in his eyes. Even now, it’s her he’s imagining a future with. The promises he made me crumbled the second he laid eyes on her. They always have.

Hannah hesitates, her eyes on mine, and for a moment I wonder if she’s seeing straight through me, if she can sense my reluctance, my heartbreak. “Raven,” she says, her voice tense. My heart starts to race as I force a smile on my face. Just before she’s about to speak again, her phone rings, saving me from questions I might not have an answer to.

Hannah glances at her phone and grimaces. “I need to go,” she says reluctantly. “I’m supposed to be on set today.”

Ares tenses, hearing the words she isn’t saying. If she’s expected to be on set, then she must have known long ago that she wouldn’t be on her honeymoon today. What kind of game is she playing, and how long is Ares going to let her get away with it?

I watch as Hannah walks up to him. She rises to her tiptoes to kiss him, and I grit my teeth, pure venom rushing through my veins. Ares averts his face at the last minute, making her lips brush against his cheek instead.

She narrows her eyes at him, but in the end, she chooses to remain quiet. “I’ll see you later,” she tells him, her voice soft. “Let’s have dinner and talk things through, okay?”

He nods and watches her as she walks away, leaving both of our futures in disarray. The door closes behind her, and Ares inhales deeply as he takes a seat on the sofa, his gaze unfocused.

I should give him space, and I should respect his boundaries, but I won’t. This is war, and I won’t go down without a fight.

My steps are filled with confidence as I walk toward him and place my knee on the sofa between his spread legs, leaning in the way I did yesterday. The regret with which he looks at me has me hesitating, but in the end, hope wins.

I place my hands on his shoulders as I lean against him, towering above him. “My words still stand,” I tell him, my voice soft but firm. “I won’t let you cheat on me. If you want to be with Hannah once our three years are up, then so be it. But until then, I need you to be faithful to me. You might think that you can sneak around and won’t get caught, but that isn’t a risk that’s worth taking. If you cheat on me, I stand to lose as much as you do. I won’t let it happen.”

He wraps his hands around my waist, his gaze filled with emotions I can’t read. He’s never looked at me this way before. “I hear you,” he says, his voice soft. “I won’t break my vows, Raven. I won’t lie to you and tell you that I’m not tempted, because I am. It would be so easy to pretend that you and I aren’t married at all — that we’re just roommates, that you’re still just my fiancee’s little sister. But I won’t.”

I exhale shakily and nod at him, relief washing over me. This is as much as I’ll ask for. So long as he’s faithful to me, I’ve got a chance.

One chance is all I need.





Chapter Twenty-Four





Ares





I straighten my tie absentmindedly as I stand in front of the mirror, feeling conflicted. I had that same dream about Raven again last night, and it really fucked with me. Usually I’d shake it off and remind myself that I can’t control my subconsciousness, but I haven’t been able to get it off my mind all day, and I’m feeling so fucking guilty.

Seeing Hannah made me feel even worse.

I’ve loved her for as long as I can remember, yet now I’m married to her sister. It feels like I’ve betrayed her in the worst way, and the last thing I want to do is lust after Raven too. It’s fucking insane. Within the span of a few days, my entire life derailed.

“Where are you going?”

I tense at the sound of Raven’s voice and look up, my eyes meeting hers in the mirror. She’s leaning against the wall next to the door, her arms crossed. Just looking at her has me feeling conflicted. She looks beautiful in that long silk robe she’s wearing, her long hair draped over her chest. It’s odd to have her in my home. She fits in so perfectly, yet having her around is disorienting.

I watch as she pushes away from the wall and walks toward me, her hips swaying. I’ve managed to avoid her for most of the day, locking myself up in my home office instead, but I should’ve known I couldn’t keep it up.

I turn around to face her and force a smile. “Dinner.”

Raven pauses in front of me and grabs my tie, pulling it loose. “Is that so? With who?”