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

I frown as I scroll through the comments on the last campaign I posted while I walk to the main house. It’s a simple photo of me holding a bottle of perfume, but it’s got some strange comments. Or rather, the comments are quite ordinary, but the usernames are all extremely weird.

Iwanttokissravensfoot: is the perfume as sweet as you are?

Fanofthedimplesonravensback: I love the way you’re smiling in this photo. What will it take for you to look at me the way you look at that bottle of perfume?

Obsessedwithravenssmile: I want to be in your photos too, you know? I’ve never been jealous of a bottle of perfume before, but I am today. You’ve turned me into a fool.

Iwanttolickravensknee: I want to fuck you with nothing but that perfume on, Rave. Just you on our bed, my face between your legs, and the subtle scent of perfume in the air.

ravenshusband2409: does that perfume smell like you? If so, I’m buying all available inventory so I can have a part of you when you aren’t with me… and so no one else can.

Ravenisthequeenofcupcakes: if this was your signature scent, I reckon it’d smells like cupcakes and sunshine.

ravenismycupcake: you’re so beautiful that it hurts. I’m going to make this photo my phone’s background so I get to see you smile at me like that all day.

Ravenismywifestayaway: I’m running out of patience. I need everyone to know that you’re mine.

I chuckle as I pull up my messaging app.

Raven: I think my favorite is the “I want to lick Raven’s knee” one. It’s… weirdly unique.

Ares: is this one of those moments where honesty is required? Because if not, my official statement is… it wasn’t me.

Raven: That’s too bad. There was this one comment that I was quite intrigued by. It was something like: “I want to fuck you with nothing but that perfume on, Rave. Just you on our bed, my face between your legs, and the subtle scent of perfume in the air.”

Raven: but if it isn’t you, then that’s too bad. I suppose there’s no need for me to bring a bottle of perfume home with me.

Ares: It was me. It was all me. All of them. I confess.

I burst out laughing and shake my head.

“Wow. I can’t remember the last time I saw you laugh like that.”

I look up to find Sierra smiling at me. She hooks her arm through mine and pulls me along. Grandma called both of us over, and that isn’t exactly uncommon, yet I’m nervous about it this time. It’s the first time I’m seeing her as Ares’s wife. True to her word, she gave us one month to spend together — and not a day more.

“So,” Sierra says, wiggling her eyebrows. “How has it been? Did you manage to make my dumb brother fall for you yet?”

I chuckle and shake my head. “It’s only been a month, Ser.”

She shrugs. “Have you fucked him, at least? That’s probably the easiest way to get to his heart.”

My cheeks heat as I think back to the way he felt inside me, the way he touched me.

“Oh my god, you have!”

I throw her a warning look. “Do you really want to hear about me sleeping with your brother?”

She rolls her eyes. “Hell no. I didn’t ask you for details. I just wanted to know whether you’d done it yet or not. What should we call this? Operation Honey Trap?”

I chuckle and shake my head. “This one is Operation Happily Ever After.”

“Awwww,” she gushes. “I love that. Look at you, Rave, being all romantic and shit. Do you finally get the appeal?”

I shrug. I won’t admit to her that I do. Sierra is the most romantic person I’ve ever met, and if she isn’t working her ass off being a total badass CEO, she’s reading romance novels or watching rom coms. Because of that, she has some insanely high standard that she thinks we should all aspire to. I wonder how long it’ll take her to realize that the fictional men she adores so much are all written by women.

“Girls!”

We both smile as grandma holds her arms open for us. “Dibs!” I shout as I make a run for it, rushing into Grandma’s arms before Sierra has a chance to beat me to it. Grandma chuckles and hugs me tightly.

“Ugh,” Sierra groans. “I can’t even call you a grandma snatcher anymore, because she’s your Grandma now too.”

I smirk at her as I pull away from Grandma. She leads us into her living room, and this time, it’s Sierra who dashes forward. She grabs the plate of cookies that was waiting for us, and without hesitating for even a single moment, she empties to plate into her handbag.

I look at her in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

She stares me down, a victorious, smug look on her face. “Yeah. I did what I did.”

Grandma wraps her hand around my waist and leans in to whisper in my ear. “I hid some for you. I’ll send them over later.”

“What was that?” Sierra asks instantly, her eyes narrowed.

I giggle. I can’t help it. Being around Grandma always makes me feel so… free. I wish I felt this way around my own family.

“Come on,” Grandma tells us. She has us sit down, and then she hands each of us a box. “I suppose it’s too early to give you yours, Sierra, but I know what you’re like, and I didn’t want you to harass Raven about hers, so you get yours early. Open it.”

We both open our boxes and gasp simultaneously. Each box contains a priceless Windsor heirloom jewelry set. They’re iconic pieces that are often lent to museums, and I never thought I’d own one myself.

“You, my sweet Raven, will inherit all of the Windsor jewelry. You’ll become this family’s next matriarch, and there’s no one else I’d rather have at the head of this family.” She turns to Sierra then. “And you will, no doubt, become the matriarch of the family you’ll marry into.”

Sierra grins. “Want to give me a clue about who you chose for me?”

Just like the rest of her siblings, Sierra has always known she’d marry someone Grandma chose for her. Unlike her brothers, though, Sierra is not all that opposed to it. Courtesy of her romance novels, I suppose.

“You’re not ready,” Grandma says. “And I don’t think I am either. Do you want to leave Grandma so soon?”

She shakes her head and moves over to sit next to Grandma, her arm looping through her grandmother’s. I watch with a full heart as Grandma presses a kiss on top of Sierra’s head. This is what I’ve always wanted — to be part of this family, truly.

“Tell me, Raven. How has marriage been treating you so far?”

“Oh,” Sierra says. “I’d say it’s treating her real well.”

I throw her a wide-eyed warning look, but the way Grandma smiles tells me she definitely understood Sierra’s insinuation. “It’s been good. Thank you for asking, Grandma.”

She nods. “You two got one month of no interruptions or family obligations, but your time is up now. You must make a formal announcement, which will result in increased media attention for you. Considering your job, I think you’re uniquely equipped to handle that. With it, will also come formal engagements. There will be many events you must attend as a Windsor, even if it’s just to make a quick appearance. I know how hard you work, Raven, but your schedule is about to become even busier. I will not even allow you to miss our weekly family dinners going forward, much less anything else. The family’s reputation is important, and many of our businesses have thrived because of our network. We must maintain that.”

“I know, Grandma,” I reassure her. “I’ll be fine, I promise. I’ve attended so many charity events with you that I’m not at all concerned about it.”

Grandma nods. “Nor am I. Ares and you make a great couple.”

Grandma hesitates for a moment, as though there’s something she wants to ask, but then she seems to think better of it and shakes her head. “Wear that to the next formal event you attend,” she says, a smile on her face. “It’ll send a strong message to anyone that knows us.”

I stare at the diamond necklace, my stomach fluttering. So far, Ares and I have existed in our own little bubble. What will it be like to walk on his arm, to be widely known as his wife?

I bite down on my lip nervously. The first event we’re scheduled to attend together is a movie premiere… in which Hannah was the lead star. I’m not looking forward to it, but I think I’m ready.