The Wrong Bride (The Windsors, #1)(48)

She looks up at me and nods, her eyes filled with an emotion I can’t quite name. She’s never looked at me this way before. Maybe that night when she was drunk wasn’t just a fluke. Maybe a small part of her truly does want me.

My thoughts fill with images of her underneath me, her pussy wrapping around my cock, her heat and tightness driving me mad. Maybe… my dreams could come true after all. I’ve never dared think of her this way, but she’s my wife now.

Raven clears her throat, a blush staining her cheeks as she averts her gaze, flustered. There were hints of insecurity and doubt in her eyes, and I can’t quite understand why. Can’t she feel how fucking hard she makes me? It’s impossible for her not to realize what kind of effect she has on me.

Now, more than ever, I want her to know that she’s the only one on my mind. I keep thinking of the words that tumbled out of her lips when she was on the phone with her mother, and each time her words reverberate through my mind, my blood fucking boils. I need Raven to know that I can barely think straight when I look at her. Thinking of someone else when she’s in the vicinity is near impossible, but how do I make her see that?

“What are you even doing here?” she asks, her voice trembling.

I let go of her and force my thoughts to calm. “There’s somewhere I want to take you today. I suppose it’s a surprise of some sort,” I tell her, my voice soft.

“Where?”

I offer her my hand, and she takes it hesitantly. “You’ll see.”

Raven is silent as I lead her to my car, and I wonder what she’s thinking. Did I overstep with what I said to her just now? Fucking hell. Why is it that I always lose my patience with her? The mere thought of her sleeping with someone else had me seeing red, and it’s leaving me feeling confused. I’ve never had this issue with Hannah. I couldn’t care less how many men wanted her and simply considered it part of her job, but I can’t make that same distinction with Raven.

I can’t make sense of the way my wife makes me feel. I should be heartbroken over the way my relationship with Hannah ended, and perhaps I should be somewhat resentful about my marriage with Raven, but I’m not, and I’m not sure why.

“Where are we?” she asks as I park the car in front of the building one of my friends owns.

“You’ll see. Let’s go.” I walk around the car and open her door for her, offering my hand. It’s odd, because Hannah and I never held hands. She was always too scared to be photographed with me that way. Yet somehow, I won’t take no for an answer with Raven. It’s a simple thing, but I want her hand in mine when we’re together.

Raven entwines our fingers, and I smile to myself as we walk in. “I want you to know that I have every intention of keeping my promises to you, Rave. You told me my home doesn’t feel like ours, and you’re right. So let’s fix that, okay?”

She looks up at me in surprise when she realizes where I’ve taken her. “Castello Designs,” she murmurs. I smile as my friends, Selena and Damien, walk up to us to greet us. They’re a husband and wife team that does some of the best architecture and interior design I’ve ever seen. Selena’s eyes drop to our joined hands, and she smiles. “If it isn’t Mr. and Mrs. Windsor,” she says, grinning. “I’m honored you chose us to design your home.”

Raven looks up at me with a questioning gaze, and I smile reassuringly. “They’re friends of mine, so I told them about us ahead of our formal announcement.”

My wife grins at me, and something about that smile of hers sets my heart ablaze. I don’t think I’ve seen her look even remotely as happy ever since we got married, and I only have myself to blame for it. I need to do better.

“Selena, Damien, meet my wife, Raven Windsor.”

Raven Windsor. I love her first name paired with mine. It’s a strange thing to enjoy, but I love saying it.

I thought Selena would treat Raven with the same coldness she’s always treated Hannah with, but I worried for nothing.

They refused to work with Hannah, and though I could have, I never pressured them into doing it for me. I didn’t have high hopes when I called them a few days ago, assuming they’d refuse to work with Raven too, but much to my surprise, they were more than happy to do so. I’m not too sure what made them change their minds, but I suspect it has everything to do with Raven. The odd thing is that I don’t think they’ve ever met.

Selena takes Raven away to discuss remodeling plans, and Damien claps me on my back with a knowing look. “We’ve got this,” he promises. “We’re going to build her a home so nice, she’ll never want to leave.”

I smile at him and nod. I fucking hope so. Raven deserves the world.





Chapter Thirty-One





Ares





Hannah: I miss you, Ares. How long are you going to ignore my messages? You said we could be friends, but now you won’t even speak to me.

Hannah: I got the lead role in Stars That Shine. I know you had something to do with that. I know you still care, Ares. I promise I’ll respect your boundaries. I know how you feel about marriage — I know that better than anyone else. Is it so bad that I still want you in my life? Is it so bad for me to think that you want the same?

She’s been texting me every day since we had dinner, but I have yet to respond. I’m feeling oddly conflicted. On the one hand, I’m mad at her for leaving me at the altar the way she did, yet on the other hand I’m oddly relieved. I shouldn’t be, but I am.