The Wrong Bride: Ares and Raven’s Story (The Windsors)

I tighten my grip on my phone, my anger simmering just below the surface. “You know how Grandma feels about our weekly dinners. What do you mean, you can’t make it?” I ask Hannah.

“I’m sorry, Ares. I’m stuck in a meeting.” She sounds apologetic, but it just doesn’t ring true to me.

“You’re stuck in a meeting every single week, Han. I’m tired of making excuses for you.” It’s obvious that my grandmother hasn’t been happy with Hannah recently. She made that abundantly clear during our breakfast date this week, and I’m done defending Hannah.

She has shown no real interest in our wedding, and she’s constantly declining invitations to spend time with Grandma. Family is important to me, and it’s the one thing I need us to be on the same page about. But we aren’t. Nothing is more important to Hannah than her career, and I’m worried that won’t change once we get married.

“Ares, I’m already sacrificing so much by getting married to you. Are you seriously kidding me right now? Do you know how many roles I’ve had to decline because we can’t get our schedules to align? Why can’t you be more supportive?”

I grit my teeth and run a hand through my hair. “How could I possibly be any more supportive, Han? I’ve agreed to keep our relationship a secret for years so you wouldn’t be accused of nepotism by your colleagues — or inundated with gossip pieces about me handing you the roles that build your career. I’ve supported you from the sidelines, quietly, and all I’ve asked for in return is that same level of support. I don’t need you to support my career, Han, but I need you here with my family. I need you to be there for our weekly dinners, and I need you to attend some of our charity brunches every once in a while. I need you to start acting like we’re a family.”

“Ares,” she snaps. “Are you seriously trying to say that you built my career for me? You may have given me the roles I wanted, but I wouldn’t have succeeded if I wasn’t talented. Don’t take that away from me.”

I look up at the ceiling and inhale shakily. “You aren’t listening to me,” I say, my voice soft. “I never said I built your career, Hannah. I said I gave you the roles that allowed you to do so. There’s countless talent, but there are few opportunities. I’ve literally invested in entire movies just because you wanted a specific role. I’ve never asked you for anything in return, but I’m asking you now. I need you to start prioritizing my family and me.”

“This is such bullshit, Ares. Why can’t you just be more understanding? Why do you bring up our relationship being a secret every single time, anyway? How come you can’t understand my need to keep my private life private?”

Why is it that every time I try to talk to her about the way she lets me down, the situation gets turned around and I end up being the villain?

“Han, I can’t do this again. Let’s just not talk about this, okay? I need to go anyway, or I’ll be late for dinner.”

“Fine!”

I let my eyes fall closed as I end the call, unsure how we even got here. Things used to be so good between us when we were younger. I’d blame the fame, but it hasn’t changed Raven.

I’m in a shit mood as I walk through my home and toward the main house, where my grandmother lives. Family dinner has always been the highlight of my week, and Hannah used to love it just as much. When did that change? When did she stop caring about being a member of this family?

I pause in surprise when I see Raven sitting at the long table, right next to Sierra, Lex on her other side. They’re joking and laughing, and a deep sense of longing hits me right in the chest.

She’s been ignoring me lately, her replies short whenever I text her. I’m not sure what’s going on with her, but I suspect she’s embarrassed about how she acted when she got drunk. I wish I could convince her that it didn’t matter to me, that it changed nothing.

Sierra says something to her, and she bursts out laughing. It’s hard to explain, but seeing Raven sitting there fills me with a strange kind of jealousy. This… this is what I wanted with Hannah. I wanted her to be part of this family, to laugh with my siblings.

“Ares. Come take a seat,” Zane calls. I tear my gaze off Raven and walk toward my usual seat between Zane and Luca.

“I’m fucking starving,” Zane says, glaring at me. “What took you so long?”

“Probably arguing with Hannah again,” Luca adds.

“Boys!” Grandma shouts.

I glance over at her. Grandma is seated at the head of the table, as usual. She’s the glue that keeps us all together, and I hate that I’m letting her down. Ever since our parents died in a plane crash fifteen years ago, she’s taken on both of their roles. I know it isn’t easy for her, but she does her best and she gives us her all. She doesn’t ask much of me, yet I continue to fail her.

Grandma smiles at me, but I see the disappointment in her eyes. I know she’d been planning to talk over some wedding details with Hannah tonight, and I can’t think of one valid excuse for her absence that I haven’t already used before.

“You’re late, sweetheart,” Grandma says, and I nod in apology. We never start eating until we’re all here, so I kept them waiting.

“Let’s dig in,” I say, indicating that Hannah truly isn’t coming, and Grandma purses her lips as she nods in agreement.

My brothers don’t hesitate for a moment, but what surprises me is that Lexington isn’t serving himself first, like he usually would. No, he’s filling Raven’s plate while Sierra looks on gleefully. I stare at them, my eyes moving between them as a sinking feeling settles in my stomach. Something is definitely up between them, and I don’t like it one fucking bit.

“Ares,” Grandma says, and I force myself to look away from Lex and Raven. Much to my surprise, Grandma doesn’t look angry. Instead, she looks curious. “I take it Hannah couldn’t make it?”

I nod, ready to be lectured about the value of family and the importance of our weekly dinners, but she merely nods. “No matter. Raven is here.”

I glance back at Raven and nod. Yeah, she is. Over the last couple of years, she’s attended more family dinners than Hannah ever did. Is that how Raven and Lex became so close? Is she here for him, and not for Sierra?

“Why are you so quiet today?” Zane asks. “No celebrity gossip today?”

“Yeah man,” Luca agrees. “I live for the drama you encounter at work. Fill us in.”

I shake my head, irritated. My brothers are such fucking gossips. Honestly, they’re the worst, and I don’t feel like entertaining them today.

I eat my food quietly, my gaze moving back to Raven and Lex every few minutes. She’s barely said hi to me today, and she’s only taken her eyes off Lex whenever Sierra talks to her. It’s like the rest of us don’t even exist.

I breathe a sigh of relief when dinner ends peacefully, with no talk of my upcoming wedding and no lectures from Grandma.

Raven rises from her seat with a smile on her face, and I watch as she disappears through the veranda doors, no doubt heading for Grandma’s swing.

Lexington looks around in confusion, clearly searching for her. Before I even realize what I’m doing, I find myself following Raven. I’m not sure why, but I don’t want to leave her alone with Lex.

I find her sitting on the swing, her gaze on Grandma’s countless plants, a soft breeze making her hair dance. She looks up at the sound of my footsteps, her eyes widening in surprise.

“Oh,” she says. “Ares.”

“You sound disappointed.” I sit down next to her and push the swing into motion. She looks enchanting tonight, in that yellow summer dress, the shoulder straps nearly nonexistent. Did she wear that for Lexington?

“No, not at all.”

I glare at her inadvertently. “Were you waiting for Lex?” Her eyes widen just a fraction, and I tilt my head in question. “Hmm?”

“I… no.”

I nod. “Good. I love my brother, but he’s not for you. He’s a fuckboy. He won’t get serious with anyone other than the woman Grandma chooses for him.”

Raven bursts out laughing and shakes her head. “Um, are you worried about me?”

I nod.

“Don’t be. Besides, what makes you think I’m after a serious relationship? How much longer are you going to see both Sierra and me as children?”

I grit my teeth and turn to face her. She smiles provocatively, and I lean in, placing a finger underneath her chin to lift her face to mine. “Don’t you even fucking think about it, Raven.”

She merely smiles at me and lifts her brow. “I’m an adult, Ares. So is he.”

I see fucking red at the thought of her in his bed and grab her chin, keeping her captive. “I don’t give a fuck whether or not you’re an adult, Raven. You’re not fucking my brother, you hear me?”

She looks at me defiantly. “Or what? You might be Sierra’s brother, but you aren’t mine. You have no right to interfere in my sex life.”

“And I won’t — so long as the person you’re fucking isn’t one of my brothers.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “Why would you care?”

I let go of her and look away, caught off guard. Why do I care so much? “Family is important to me,” I end up saying. “Grandma loves you, and so does Sierra. You’re as much part of this family as Hannah is, perhaps more so. I don’t want you to mess up our family dynamics because of lust. Once things end, it’d be awkward for both of you, and it’d affect us all.”

She looks at me as though she’s trying to read me, and for a moment I worry she’s seeing straight through my lies.

“Oh,” she says eventually. “Right.”

She sounds hurt, disappointed. Fuck. Why the fuck couldn’t I just keep my big mouth shut? Why is it that I always lose my cool around Raven? For years now, she’s brought out the worst in me. She makes me act fucking crazy, and I can’t figure out why.