The Wrong Bride (The Windsors, #1)(7)
Raven walks across the catwalk wearing a tight dress that leaves very little to the imagination, and I take a moment to admire her. She works just as hard as Hannah does, if not harder, yet she never lets anyone she loves down. I know how often my sister shows up at her office unannounced, and my grandmother does the same. I can’t help but wonder why Hannah can’t be more like her. They’re sisters, but they’re so different.
My mind drifts back to the time my grandmother first mentioned a marriage between the Windsors and the Du Ponts. Back then, it was Raven they wanted me to marry. I sigh as she turns and walks back across the stage, a sense of inexplicable loss washing over me.
“Mr. Windsor!”
I force a smile onto my face as I turn toward the organizer of today’s event, making the necessary small talk. So much in show biz is about seeing and being seen, and I’m sick of it. I’m tired of the pretentiousness, the fakeness, of living in a world of make belief. I’m craving genuineness.
“Several of your models walked our stage today,” Jonas tells me proudly. “Windsor Media truly is a powerhouse. Is there anything you don’t own? You’ve got your hands on several popular magazines, one newspaper, the fashion industry, and, of course, your production studio. I’m not sure how you do it all. I’m honored you were able to make time to attend my event today.”
I nod and try my hardest to hold a conversation with him, but I keep thinking about Lexington. Is something truly going on between Raven and him? I’m just about to make up an excuse to cut off the ass-kissing that’s been going on for far too long when the conversation behind me catches my attention.
“I’m afraid I can’t.” I tense and turn around at the sound of Raven’s voice. She’s upset, but she’s smiling brightly at the man standing in front of her.
“Excuse me,” I tell Jonas, a hint of annoyance simmering underneath the surface of my polite expression. What could possibly have made Raven upset?
“Just a single date,” the man says. “I’ll pay you more money for it than you earn in a year.”
My jaws lock involuntarily, anger curling my hands into fists. I force myself to relax the moment my eyes meet Raven’s, a hint of relief in her expression. I smile at her, never taking my eyes off her as I slide my hand around her waist, pulling her into me. “There you are, Raven,” I murmur, before turning toward the man standing opposite us.
He looks enraged for a moment, but then recognition hits, and he averts his gaze. “Mr. Windsor,” he says, his tone much more gentle than before.
I know exactly who he is, but I’ll be damned if I acknowledge him. I stare at him blankly for a moment before turning back to Raven.
“We spoke recently regarding a script I sent to Windsor Media,” he reminds me. He’s a well-known director, and I’d just been about to approve the funding for his new movie since Hannah really wanted the lead role. Too bad.
My thumb moves in circles over Raven’s waist, and she leans into me, her body pressed against mine. Raven is one of the strongest women I know, so her taking solace in my presence can only mean one thing. This isn’t the first time this asshole is harassing her.
“All I remember is hearing you propositioning Raven. It’s interesting, because you cannot afford to offend her.” I chuckle humorlessly. “You want to pay her more than she earns in a single year for one date? She’s the highest paid model in the world, and you? Well, I’m not sure who you are. I do know you cannot afford to come within five feet of her, and if you do… I’ll make you pay the price.”
His eyes widen and fill with regret as he stares at Raven. I don’t even want him looking at her. She deserves better than this kind of bullshit. “I didn’t know,” he says, his voice soft.
I tighten my grip on Raven and smile. “Now you do, so fuck off.”
He nods and walks away, his jaws clenched, but I don’t give a shit. All I care about is the smile on Raven’s face.
“Still convinced you don’t need a bodyguard?”
She looks up at me, a hint of exasperation in her gaze. “Ares. I wasn’t in any danger, so what’s the point?”
I let go of her and shake my head. “How often does this happen?”
“It’s super rare,” she tells me, but the way she looks to her left briefly betrays her lies. She’s done that when she lies for as long as I’ve known her.
“You shouldn’t be left alone at these types of events. You didn’t bring a date?”
There’s only one man I’ve seen her with in recent years, but he recently got married, much to my relief. There’s something about Silas Sinclair that I just don’t like, and it isn’t the fact that he’s one of the few people that are completely untouchable to me. I’ve tried to get Grandma to ditch his firm as our security provider, but she won’t budge on it. I’m not sure what it is about him, but I suppose it’s the way he looked at Raven, or rather, the way he didn’t. Raven deserves to be the center of someone’s universe, but she was barely even on his radar. His heart was clearly set on someone else.
“No. It’s just me tonight. My manager will be joining me shortly, but he’s backstage right now.”
My eyes roam over her, and I shake my head. “I never understood it, you know? How come you’ve never been in a serious relationship? How does a woman like you stay single?”