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

I stare up at Raven’s office building, thinking back to the last time I was here. I’d come to pick her up because I needed a present for Hannah’s birthday, and she’d been more distant than usual. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking on my part, but could it be that she was acting that way because she didn’t want me to marry Hannah? I shake my head and run a hand through my hair as I walk in. Lately, my mind has been a mess. Perhaps it’s all been cognitive dissonance, a way of convincing myself that there really could be something between Raven and me… or maybe there’s some truth to my suspicions.

The lady at the reception desk rises to her feet when I walk in, her eyes widening. “Mr. Windsor,” she says, sounding surprised.

“Hello. I apologize for barging in unexpectedly. Could you tell me where I can find my wife?”

She smiles then and points at one of the doors. “Raven is in her office.”

I nod in thanks and push Raven’s office door open, my smile melting off my face at the scene in front of me. My darling wife is standing by the window, her face inches from Diego Massimo’s, a famous fashion designer who is far too fucking handsome for his own good.

What in the fuck am I walking in on here? Why the fuck is he standing so close to her? A rush of pure violence courses through me as he looks up at me. Raven’s hands are on his shirt, and she steps back when she sees me, putting some distance between them.

“Ares?” She sounds shocked, as if I’m interrupting something, and jealousy uncurls in my stomach.

I grit my teeth and walk up to her, my arm wrapping around her waist as I pull her into me roughly. Her eyes widen and I smile at her despite my anger, my free hand wrapping into her hair. “Cupcake,” I say through gritted teeth.

She looks up at me, her eyes filled with questions. “What are you doing here?” Her voice is soft and carries a hint of confusion. I thought she might be happy to see me, but it’s clear that she’s not. Perhaps I’m not the only one with lingering connections from the past.

I smile humorlessly as I tighten my grip on her hair and lean in, my nose brushing against her. “Why? Can’t I surprise my wife at work?” I ask, my voice loud enough for Massimo to hear me calling her my wife. Then I lean in further, my lips brushing over hers. Raven inhales sharply, and I capture her bottom lip between my teeth for a moment, sucking down on it before I tilt my head to kiss her fully. She melts against me as my tongue brushes over her lips, opening up for me. Fucking hell. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of kissing her, of claiming her as mine. Raven’s arms wrap around my neck as she rises to her tiptoes, and I smile against her lips, pulling away a little to look at her.

Laying my claim in this way in front of Diego is a petty move, but I don’t give a fuck. Especially not when she smiles at me like that.

“This is definitely a pleasant surprise,” she murmurs. Relief washes over me at her words and the lack of worry or guilt in her eyes. She wouldn’t touch me this way if there was anything between them.

Raven glances at Diego and steps away a little, but I keep my arm wrapped tightly around her waist, refusing to let her go. “This is my husband, Ares Windsor,” she tells Diego.

I recognize the displeasure in the man’s eyes as he stares at us. He’s got a thing for my wife, no doubt. “I suppose the rumors are true, after all,” he says, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment.

Raven smiles and looks up at me. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her smile this way. “Diego and I are collaborating on a new fashion line. We’re co-designing some pieces that I’m really excited about.”

I nod and brush her hair out of her face, overcome with an intense need to mark her as mine somehow. I don’t want there to be any ambiguity when she’s around other men. I want it to be clear that she’s mine, and I can’t make sense of it, because I’ve never been a particularly possessive man. “I can’t wait to see your designs, Cupcake. I have no doubt they’ll be phenomenal,” I murmur.

She grins up at me, and I smile back at her, my irrational fears put at ease. It seems like she doesn’t even realize how Diego feels about her, and I’m glad she doesn’t.

“I want a bit of your time today, Rave. I brought my laptop so I can wait for you while you work.”

Her eyes widen. “Oh! Well, I’m actually just about done. I can do the rest of my work from home.” She turns to Diego and smiles at him as she steps away from me. “I’ll wrap up the revisions we discussed today and send them over to you.”

He glances from me to her and nods reluctantly. I have no doubt he’d been planning to ask her out for dinner after this meeting of theirs, but that isn’t happening on my watch.

“Then I will see you again soon, beautiful,” he says, nodding at me politely as he walks out. I turn toward Raven when the door falls closed, barely able to contain my annoyance.

“Why was he standing so close to you?” I snap.

There’s a knowing look in her eyes, and she smiles at me so fucking sweetly. “I was fixing his tie for him.”

“Don’t do that again,” I tell her, clenching my jaw. “The only man you’re touching is me.”

Her eyes widen in surprise, and for a moment, I expect her to tell me off. Instead, she grins. “Is that so, Ares?” Her hands move to my tie, and she plays with it, straightening it for me. “What if I have needs you can’t fulfill?”

A need for pure violence rushes through me at the thought of her with some other man, and my hands wrap around her waist as I lift her up. A soft gasp escapes her lips as I carry her to her desk, placing her at the edge of it before I spread her legs to stand between them. The skirt she’s wearing rides up her thighs, and I catch a glimpse of her bright red underwear.

“Cupcake, there’s no need I can’t fulfill,” I promise her. My hands wrap around her thighs and I pull her flush against me, letting her feel my rapidly hardening cock. “You will not turn toward anyone but me, you hear me? If you want sex, I’ll give it to you. I’ll fuck you right here on this fucking desk if you want me to. Don’t even fucking dream of being with anyone else. Am I making myself clear?”

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 those 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 her 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 need 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.