The Wrong Bride (The Windsors, #1)(51)

She pushes me off, and I sit up, my cock tenting in my boxers. “I’ve got a campaign that’s going live in Asia now. As part of my contract, I’m required to engage with the content on social media for an hour.”

I run a hand through my hair and groan loudly. “You’re kidding me.”

She shakes her head and starts to scroll through her phone. “It’s awful timing, I know. I just…”

I pull her back against me and kiss her, my hand balling into her hair. “Fuck the campaign,” I whisper in between kisses. “I’ll pay the penalty. I’ll do anything if you’ll just let me keep kissing you.”

She giggles and pushes against my chest, her expression admonishing despite the lust in her eyes. “No,” she tells me. “That’s not who I am. I hate being irresponsible like that.”

She sits up in bed, and I groan as she puts her no-nonsense work face on. Yeah, there’s no way she’ll let me kiss her now.

I sit back next to her, our shoulders touching as I try my hardest to calm my raging cock. I don’t recall the last time I wanted someone this desperately. I don’t think I ever have.

Raven gasps and then bursts out laughing, her cheeks turning rosy once again. My curiosity piqued, I lean in over her shoulder and glance at her phone.

“What the fuck?” I yank her phone out of her hand and stare at the dick pic in her Instagram DMs. “Who the fuck is this?”

Jealousy more intense than anything I’ve ever felt before steals my every thought, replacing it with images of Raven and some boyfriend she’s hidden from me.

“No idea,” she says, stealing her phone back. “I get these all the time.” I watch as she deletes the message and moves on to the next one, completely unfazed and entirely unaware of my burning jealousy.

What the fuck is even wrong with me? I have no doubt that Hannah received countless similar messages and I’ve always simply disregarded it as part of her job, but I’m finding it impossible to do the same with Raven.

“Raven.”

She raises her brows in question, and I reach for her hand, entwining our fingers.

“Where the fuck is your wedding ring?”

Her eyes widen, and she looks away. “I took it off.”

“What do you mean, you took it off?”

She pulls her hand out of mine and slips it underneath the covers. “It just… it’s very much Hannah’s style, but it isn’t mine. It doesn’t feel right to wear it.”

I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts, yet finding it impossible to do so.

“Next week,” I tell her, my tone harsher than I intended. “We’ll buy you a new ring next week, and you will wear it.”





Chapter Thirty-Two





Ares





I glance at the clock and frown. It’s nearly ten in the evening, but Raven still isn’t home. This is the third day in a row she’s been working this late, and I’m worried. She’s overworking herself. She uses our home gym every single morning and leaves home with nothing but a disgusting looking green smoothie. Then she works a full day doing whatever modeling gigs she’s got scheduled in before she goes to her own office and works there for several hours. She works too hard, and she barely eats. She doesn’t get enough rest either. This isn’t sustainable, but I don’t know how to get her to take better care of herself.

Part of me is also concerned that I made her uncomfortable when I kissed her, and that perhaps that is the reason she’s been coming home so late. She seemed into it, but I know what she’s like. She’s had too much time to overthink it now, to feel guilty when she shouldn’t.

My phone rings, and I instantly smile, thinking it’ll be Raven. She’s taken to calling me while she’s in the car home, and it’s become one of my favorite parts of the day.

But it isn’t her.

I stare at my phone screen, unsure whether I should pick up or not. In the end, I decide to take the call.

“Ares?”

“Hannah.”

“God, I missed you so much. I just… why have you been declining my calls? I know you’re mad at me, Ares, I get it. I really fucked up this time, and I know I hurt you, but please don’t ignore me like that. You know I can’t take it when you do that.”

I lean back on our brand new sofa and sigh. “Has it ever occurred to you that my needs might differ from yours? Yeah, Han, I know you can’t take the silent treatment, but what I need above everything else is space.”

She’s silent for a moment. “Ares, I… what’s gotten into you? You… you’ve never treated me this way before. I really am sorry, honey. I swear to you that I didn’t know they’d make Raven do this. I didn’t mean to get us entangled in this crazy situation. Do you really think I wanted you to marry my sister? Do you have any idea how upset I am she let it happen at all?”

I clench my jaw and run a hand through my hair. “It isn’t her fault. You don’t get to blame her for your choices.”

“Ares! None of this would’ve happened if she’d just stayed away. I’m not sure what she was thinking. I suppose it’s Mom and Dad’s company she’s after.”