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

“It’s been a while since Grandma called us all together like that so urgently,” Sierra says as we walk toward the main house together. “The last time she did that it was to announce your upcoming wedding.”

“Do you have any idea what it might be about?”

Sierra shakes her head. “No clue. I asked my brothers as well, and they have no idea.”

My phone starts to ring and groan as I stare at my caller ID. I have no doubt my mother is calling about something related to Hannah, and I don’t want to hear it.

“Who is that?” Sierra asks, glancing at my phone. She rolls her eyes when she sees my mother’s name and declines the call for me, but my mother calls me straight back. She’s so relentless. If I don’t pick up, she’ll just keep calling, until she wears me down.

“Mom?”

“Raven, sweetheart. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours.”

Normally I’d have made excuses, but I don’t have it in me today. “What is it, Mom?” It doesn’t sit well with me that she’s calling me sweetheart when every conversation we’ve had since I got married was hostile.

She hesitates for a moment. “I heard Hannah and you had an argument? She’s been incredibly upset and told me that you and Ares… that you’re together?”

I grit my teeth for a moment and take a calming breath. “Is that so? I assume you told her to accept the fact that she chose to walk away from him? Did you remind her that I’m married to Ares? What exactly is so surprising about be being with my own husband? Surely she isn’t thinking anything immoral. You raised her better than that, didn’t you?”

Sierra’s lips fall open, and then she grins wickedly, nodding to herself. I roll my eyes at her and continue to walk.

Mom falls silent for a moment before clearing her throat. “Ares and you are coming home for your father’s 60^th birthday, aren’t you? Will you be spending the weekend with us?”

I hesitate. When Ares and I agreed to go to my father’s birthday together, we’d only just gotten married. Things weren’t so complicated yet, so messy. I’m not sure either of us should be around Hannah for an entire weekend. I don’t want to put a downer on Dad’s birthday, and we’re bound to get into an argument. “Yes,” I tell her, resigned. I can’t keep running away from my family. At some point, we’ll have to learn to co-exist.

“Please be on your best behavior. Try not to aggravate your sister, okay? She’s been having a hard time lately, and it’s taken a toll on her health. I’m worried.”

Anger takes root deep within me, and I tighten my grip on my phone. “Sure,” I promise. “I hope you told her the same thing, Mom. I won’t provoke her, but don’t expect me to tolerate her toxic behavior for even a single second, because I won’t.”

“Toxic?” Mom repeats, outraged.

“Don’t even bother denying it,” I warn her. “I neither have the time nor the patience to deal with any of the excuses you’ll make for her. I’ll be there this weekend, and I’ll bring my husband.”

“Raven!”

“I need to go, Mom. I’ll speak to you later.”

I end the call and put my phone away, ignoring Sierra’s gleeful stares. “Damn, girl,” she says, grinning. “It’s about damn time.”

I shrug. “I’ve tried being sweet, Sierra. I’ve been kind and patient, taking into account everyone’s feelings but my own. Enough is enough.”

She grabs my hand and entwines our fingers, a proud smile on her face. “You’re made of steel, yet you were always so malleable around your family. They got too used to you bending backwards to keep the peace, but it’s time you put yourself first. You’re not alone anymore, Rave. You never were, but you’re officially a Windsor now. We’re your family now.”

I smile at her. “I hear you, babe.”

She grins. “I know you do, but I’ll repeat myself until you take it to heart.”

I squeeze her hand in thanks as we round the corner and walk into Grandma’s living room, where the rest is already waiting for us.

Ares’s gaze drops to our joined hands, and he narrows his eyes. “Let go of my wife,” he warns, his tone unyielding.

Sierra stares him down. “She was mine before she was ever yours. You wanna fight me, bro? Who do you think she’ll back?”

I pull my hand out of hers and shake my head as I walk over to Ares, who instantly grabs both of my hands, holding them in his as he smirks at his sister.

“You’re both so childish,” I mutter as I glance around the room. We’re still missing Luca, and, of course, Dion, who’s in London.

Ares wraps his hand around my waist and leans in. “You know it’s your fault, right? You turn me into a childish, petty fool.”

I look up into his eyes and grin. “And it’s my greatest accomplishment.”

“Ugh, you two are so disgustingly cute together,” Lex says, groaning.

Zane grins when Luca walks in with Valentina, his secretary, and waves them over as we head into the dining room. Val smiles at me and rushes toward me. “Rave!”

I hug her tightly and then step back to assess her outfit. “I love this dress on you.”

She smirks at me. “I only wear the best of the best, and this designer? She tops them all.”

I chuckle as she twirls around in the dress I designed for her, a deep sense of pride settling in my chest.

“Kids,” Grandma calls, her eyes moving over all of us. “As you may have guessed, I have an announcement to make.”

We all tense, knowing that whatever it is, it’ll affect all of us. Grandma smiles, her gaze pausing on Valentina and Luca for a moment.

“Luca,” she says. His spine straightens, and he nods. “Your engagement has been decided.”

Both Valentina and Luca tense, and I watch them curiously. Their relationship has always intrigued me. She was assigned to him by Grandma, and he’s always hated her for it, yet she’s the only one he relies on. For years, I was certain love would bloom between them, but it never did.

“Who is it?” he asks, resigned.

“Natalia Ivanov, daughter of Nikolai Ivanov and heiress to an oil empire. Oil is an industry we have yet to enter, and this will be our in.”

“Natalia Ivanov?” he repeats. “The socialite? She’s a spoiled materialistic airhead.”

Grandma narrows her eyes at him. “She’s your soon-to-be fiancee. She’s a sweet girl, Luca. You’ll see.”

He grits his teeth and turns around without another word, his steps loud on the marble floor as he walks away, slamming the door behind him. Valentina stares at his retreating back, hesitating for a single moment before she goes after him. Grandma watches them and smiles to herself. Something about that smile doesn’t sit well with me. Is she… is she playing some kind of game? Surely not?

“Well,” she says, sighing. “That went about as well as I could’ve hoped for.”

“Ivanov?” Zane asks. “Really, Grandma? He’s right, you know. That girl is always throwing a tantrum in public, causing unnecessary drama. She’s in no way fit to become a Windsor.”

Lexington nods. “She’s a terrible fit for Luca,” he agrees. “He doesn’t have the patience for her kind of behavior.”

“Yeah, Grandma,” Sierra says. “This is… this is not a good idea.”

Grandma merely smiles and holds her hand up. “I took the liberty of having dinner served,” she tells us. “Let’s speak of this no more. Let’s eat, instead.”

We all exchange looks, none of sure what to do or say. “Aren’t you worried?” I ask Ares. He smiles at me and shakes his head. “No,” he murmurs. “Grandma truly does know best.”

The way he looks at me makes the butterflies in my stomach go wild, and I can’t help but blush as I smile back at him.

Yeah, she certainly was right about the two of us. Let’s hope Luca is just as lucky.