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

Raven has barely spoken a word since we arrived, and I’m worried. She’s been smiling for photographs and she’s answered every question that’s been thrown at her with humor and grace, but she’s been acting distant, even though she hasn’t taken her hand out of mine unless she had to.

My heart races as we head up to the private balcony that we’re watching the screening from. I don’t recall ever being so anxious about someone’s well-being. I never worried much about Hannah, not even when she acted jealous about any of the actresses under my management, because I always knew she had nothing to worry about, and I had nothing to feel guilty for.

It’s different with Raven. I need her to be okay, regardless of whether or not her worries are warranted.

We take our seats, and I lift our joined hands to my lips, kissing the back of her hand tenderly. She looks at me, and that look in her eyes hits me straight in my chest. She looks hurt and so fucking sad, and I have no idea why. All I know is that I must be the reason for it.

I tighten my grip on her hand and lean in to press a kiss to her shoulder, before moving my lips just below her ear. “What’s going on, baby? Give me a moment of honesty. Tell me why your beautiful eyes are filled with sorrow.”

She turns her face, her nose brushing against mine. I smirk and tilt my head, stealing a kiss. I expected her to kiss me back, but instead, she pulls away.

I frown, and she shakes her head. “Raven,” I murmur, gently grabbing her chin to keep her eyes on me. “What’s going on?”

Her eyes widen as she looks past me, and I have no doubt that Hannah just took her seat right next to me, but I couldn’t care less. All I care about is the pain in my wife’s eyes.

“Ares,” she whispers, her voice breaking. She leans in, her lips brushing against my ear. “I just… I don’t want to hurt her. She’s my sister, Ares, and yeah, she’s not been the best version of herself lately, but I love her. I remember what it felt like to see you with her at these type of events, and I don’t want her to feel that same kind of pain. But simultaneously… I’m jealous of the way she keeps looking at you, the photos the two of you kept taking, the interviews you just did together. I’m… I’m just so jealous, and I hate myself for it.”

My eyes widen, and she pulls away, her cheeks flushed. Fucking hell. This woman. I thought she’d want to make it clear to Hannah that I’m hers, that our marriage isn’t the farce Hannah hoped it’d be. I was so certain that she’d want to stake her claim, yet here she is, suffering in silence because she doesn’t want to hurt her sister.

Fuck. I think I’m done for. I think I’m falling in love with my wife. Hell, I think I may have been in love with her for far longer than I’d ever admit to myself.

The movie starts, but all I can focus on is my wife. She stares ahead, her spine straight, and I’m fucking mesmerized. She looks beautiful in this dress and I love every second of seeing her in it, yet I can’t wait to get her home so I can fuck every single insecurity out of her.

Hannah leans into me and smiles. “Do you remember this scene?” she whispers, just loud enough for Raven to hear her too. “You flew out to meet me on set, and you watched me film this. Afterward, we went to that vineyard that gave us the idea to get married in one ourselves.”

Raven tenses, and I tighten my grip on her hand.

“I still remember the way you laid me down in that meadow we found as we toured the surrounding areas.”

Raven bites down on her lip and pulls her hand out of mine, and I grit my teeth as I glance at Hannah. “Enough,” I snap, my voice quiet.

Hannah grins at me provocatively. “Don’t pretend you can’t remember. I still recall how impatient you were. We should visit that vineyard again and reenact some of those memories.”

I stare at her in disbelief. My wife, who has every fucking right to me, is sitting next to me quietly because she doesn’t want to hurt her sister. Meanwhile, Hannah is purposely making stabs at Raven’s heart.

“Have some fucking respect,” I warn her. “Need I remind you that I’m married? To your sister, no less.”

She shrugs. “It’s just a title and a piece of paper. I don’t give a shit, Ares. We both know that the second you and I are alone in a room, you’ll forget all about the fact that you’re married. You always do.”

Raven inhales sharply, and I glance at her to find her blinking back tears. She stares ahead, her expression completely blank, but she can’t hide from me. Fuck.

I rise to my feet and the handful of people on our balcony look up, surprised. “Leave,” I say simply. “My secretary will find you seats to watch the movie from.”

Everyone stands up, questioning looks on their faces, yet they know better than to utter a word of complaint. They leave quietly, led out by Dom, but Hannah remains in her seat.

“Get out,” I tell her.

“Me?”

“Are you going to leave on your own two feet, or will you require the help of my bodyguards?”

She rises to her feet, her eyes wide. “Are you serious? You can’t throw me out.”

“Watch me.”

I nod at one of my bodyguards, and Hannah freezes for a moment. “Are you insane?” she asks. “I’m the lead star of this movie.”

I shrug. “Then I strongly recommend you watch your movie from elsewhere, because you won’t be watching it here, with my wife and me.”

Raven rises to her feet and places her hand on my arm. “Ares,” she says, her voice soft. “Leave it be.”

I glance at her and wrap my arm around her waist. “No,” I tell her simply, before turning back to Hannah. “Out.”

Hannah grits her teeth, her eyes flashing with anger. “You’ll regret treating me this way, Ares. We’ve always had our ups and downs, and this is no different. Don’t go too far, because I promise you, you’ll regret it.”

Then she walks out, my bodyguards on her heels.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Raven says, her eyes filled with worries. “The last thing we want to do is create a scandal. Next thing we know, all the news outlets are reporting on a family dispute between the three of us. It might not be easy, but we have to take the high road here.”

I turn to my wife and gently cup her cheek, my heart racing. “You’re fucking insane if you think I’m going to sit there and watch you choke back tears. You’re my wife, Raven. She’s nothing but your sister to me. I don’t give a fuck about my past with her, and I don’t want to hear about it either. I certainly won’t fucking sit here and let her hurt you, because we both know that’s exactly what she was doing.”

I pinch her chin and raise her face to mine. “You’re my wife. You’re not someone anyone can offend or hurt. Certainly not on my fucking watch.” I bury my hand in her hair and tighten my grip as I roughly pull her closer. “When are you going to realize that you fucking own my heart?”

Her eyes widen as a hint of disbelief flashes through them. Yeah, I suppose I’ve never quite admitted to her that I’m falling hard and fast. I let my fingers trail over her scalp before grabbing a handful of her hair and fisting it in my hand. I bring her face closer to mine before I lean in to kiss her, my touch rough and punishing. Raven moans against my lips and slides her hands up my chest until she’s got her arms wrapped around my neck.

I pull her dress up before lifting her into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist as I deepen our kiss. “The fact that she managed to hurt you at all makes me feel like I’ve failed you.” I push her against the wall, the sounds of Hannah’s movie playing all around us. All anyone would have to do is look up, and they’d see us, but I don’t give a fuck. “Fuck what she said. Fuck the past. I’m yours, Raven. I will never leave you. No matter what.”

I lower my lips to her neck, my teeth grazing over her skin before I suck down on it, marking her as mine. “I’m fucking obsessed with you,” I admit. “Every little thing you do, every smile, every sigh that leaves your lips. All of it.”

My hand delves underneath her dress, and I smirk when I realize she isn’t wearing underwear. “This,” I groan against her lips. “I love this about you. You always want me just as badly as I want you.”

My fingers trail over her pussy, and my cock twitches when two of my fingers slide into her with ease. “You’re always so fucking wet for me, baby. Tell me, my love, have you always wanted me this way?”

She looks at me, her eyes heavy with desire. “Always.”

Her hands move up my neck until she’s got them buried in my hair. Fucking hell. Just one touch, and she’s got my heart racing. I’m impatient as I unbuckle my belt and free my cock, sliding it against her pussy eagerly.

“I love everything about you,” I whisper as I align my cock, pushing just the tip in. Raven moans, and I wrap my hand over her mouth.

“I love your smile.” I push in halfway, and her eyes fall closed as her legs tighten around me. She pushes against me, trying to get me in all the way, but I hold on to her hip tightly, withholding what she wants.

“I love your moans.” I push in a little further and brush my index finger over her lip. She opens her mouth, and I push two fingers into it. I nearly lose it when she sucks down on them, as though she wishes she had my cock in her mouth, her eyes on mine.

I push into her all the way, already fucking ready to come. “I love your heart,” I whisper as I place both hands on her ass, pulling almost all the way out.

“Fuck, Raven. I think I love you.” I thrust into her hard, and she cries out.

“Ares, oh God,” she moans.

I chuckle as I press my lips against hers, kissing her and swallowing down her moans as I fuck her slowly, deeply.

I drop my forehead against hers and inhale shakily. “Yeah, baby. I think I’m fucking in love with you.”

“Ares,” she moans, her eyes finding mine. Her gaze is filled with cautious hope mixed with lust, and she’s never looked more beautiful. “Say that again.”

I pull almost all the way out of her and hold still, my eyes on hers. “I love you, Raven. I love you.”

I push into her slowly this time, inch by inch, until I’m deep inside her, my eyes never leaving hers. My right hand moves between us, until I’ve got my fingers drawing circles around her clit. “I love the way your lips part slightly when my thumb brushes over your clit, the way you start to pant for me, your eyes silently begging. Making you come is one of my favorite hobbies, baby.”

She bites down on her lip as my touch becomes rougher, more impatient. All the while, I continue to fuck her slowly, the whole world fading away. I don’t give a fuck that there are hundreds of people watching a movie just below this balcony. All I can see is my wife.

“I think I’m addicted to your pussy.”

“I think I’m addicted to you,” she whispers.

I flick her clit roughly, pushing her right to the edge. “I’ll keep you hooked, baby. I’ll keep feeding your addiction, so you’ll never leave me.”

I watch as her breathing comes quicker and increase the pace, fucking her hander, moving my fingers faster, until she unravels for me.

“Ares,” she moans. I wrap my hand over her mouth as she comes, my name on her lips. Yeah, I’m fucking done for. I’m in love with her. I push her against the wall harder, fucking her with quick, rough thrusts. She takes all of me, and I come seconds after she does, my forehead dropping to hers.

“Ares,” she whispers, her voice husky. “I love you, too.”