The Secret Fiancée (The Windsors, #5)

by Catharina Maura

“When you asked me if my mom would teach you her biryani recipe, and you told me you’d thank my dad for teaching me how to dance the foxtrot. When you kissed me, Lexington, and then told me you’d wait for as long as I needed you to. Did you know then?” He looks at me with clear guilt in his eyes. “Yes.”

“I’ll agree to that, so long as we’re clear on one thing: you’re mine as much as I’m yours, and I do not share. You can hide our marriage as much as you want, but it doesn’t make it any less real.”

but he wants me — and he doesn’t seem particularly pleased about it.

“Three years from now, I want a divorce.”

“I fully respect your choices and your boundaries, Lexington. You made it abundantly clear that you have no interest in love or relationships, but someday, that’s exactly what I want for myself. I understand that it won’t be with you, and I won’t push for things you won’t give. All I ask is that you let me go eventually, so I can find someone who’ll love me like you won’t.”

“We’ll see about that,” he growls. I smile up at him humorlessly. “It wasn’t a suggestion. It’s a demand.”

“Oh, it appears Zane has successfully locked both cars in the driveway. I apologize, Lex. Ares was obstructing my cameras at the rear of the house while Luca obscured the camera at the front door. Well, I’ll be… they blinded me. Such impertinence. Those boys are quite simply… rascals. Such rascals. I shall turn on the watering system this instant.”

“Fucking great,” I murmur. Not only did I program too much sass into my AI, but my brothers also show no signs of being deterred.

My past has come back to bite me in the fucking ass, and no matter how hard I run, I can’t escape the absolute torture my brothers are about to put me through.

we don’t, under any circumstances, lie to our wives. There are very few occasions during which lying is acceptable, and I’ve listed those for you below.”

I frown when there’s only one word on his list: never. “Funny,” I murmur. “Real funny how fucking whipped you all are.”

“Raya seems like a really nice girl, and from what I’ve heard, she seems to be a perfect fit for you. Don’t push her away before ever giving your marriage a real shot, and don’t even bother lying to us and pretending you don’t like her. You don’t have time for a teaching position at Astor College — you took it because she intrigues you.”

“I’m incredibly concerned, because not only is that man our professor, he’s also a completely unattainable billionaire, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Let me make one thing abundantly clear,” he says, his tone sharp and his eyes locked with mine. “I’m engaged, and I won’t tolerate any rumors that could even remotely upset my future wife.”

“We’re on different teams,” Adam grumbles.

“He wouldn’t have chosen mine simply to split us up, would he?

“I think my sister may be there, and if you’re really unlucky, you’ll find that throughout the afternoon, all of my sisters-in-law will find completely random excuses to drop by and meet you. They’re all very excited to welcome you to the family.”

Lex wanted me to give you this.” She steps forward and hands me the bouquet with the sweetest smile on her face. “I doubt he’d ever admit it, but he spent hours yesterday walking through my husband’s greenhouse and observatory, cutting each flower in your bouquet by hand before binding them all together.”

“Welcome to the family, Raya. I’m so excited to have another sister. You have no idea.”

I read in The Herald that Lexington bought a ridiculously priced yellow diamond at a prestigious auction, so now we just wait for that diamond to rock up on someone’s finger.”

My fiancée confuses the hell out of me. I thought I’d be grateful for the distance she’s clearly keeping, but instead, it just makes me fucking miserable.

“I love hearing you call me Professor Windsor,” I murmur. “But I think I prefer hearing you call me Lex.”

“Let me be clear, Raya. You’re going to be my wife, and I’m going to spoil you rotten. If I want to send my wife something as simple as flowers in her favorite color, I’m going to do so — regardless of who’s watching. I’m going to treat you so incredibly well, you won’t lack for anything, nor will you yearn for anything.”

I’ll make it so she won’t crave love, won’t even realize it’s absent. I won’t let my past touch her.

“It’s true that I wasn’t interested in a relationship, but as it turns out, you are the exception to that rule, Raya. I’ve given you space because I’ve been thinking about what you said, what you demanded. I don’t know if I can give you what you want, but I’d like to try being in a real relationship with you. I owe it to you to try.”

That one night with her made me feel more alive than I have in years. I can’t let fear deprive me of that.

my little fairy… I promise you, I’ll try. I’ll try to be what you want me to be, to give you what you need.”

“It would make me so happy if you’d give us a real chance, Lex. I’m not asking you to change, you know? I’ll take you as you are.”

I hold up my pinky and smile. “I promise I’ll come home the second I’m even remotely unhappy, okay?” Dad hooks his finger around mine, sealing my pinky-promise. “These kinds of promises are unbreakable,” he reminds me, a smile breaking through. “So I know you’ll keep your word.”

“Khush raho,” she whispers, tears in her eyes. Be happy.

Dad grabs my hand and holds it tightly, hesitating for one beat, and then another, before he places my hand in Lexington’s, his own covering both of ours. “That’s one half of my heart you’re holding,” he tells Lex, his voice trembling. Lex nods solemnly and tightens his grip on my hand. “I’ll treat her with care, always.”

“You look breathtaking,” he whispers, stepping closer to me.

I missed this — the way he makes me feel, the way he touches me.

“Mrs. Windsor,” he repeats, the sweetest smile on his face as he straightens and grabs my hand.

“You’re just so beautiful, Raya.”

“Dance with me somewhere more private, my little fairy.”

“If there’s anything you don’t like, we can just redecorate. I want to make sure you feel at home here. There’s a lab at the back of the house too, with any and all equipment you could possibly want. Nothing is off-limits to you, Raya.”

“I dare you to just be in the moment with me. Don’t think about the past or the future and just be here with me.”

“Kiss me, Lex. Make me forget about everything but this moment with you. Keep me from overthinking.”

“With pleasure, Mrs. Windsor,”

“Tell me how you’d like to be kissed, my little fairy.”

“Examining your new belongings, Mrs. Windsor? What’s the verdict?” “I haven’t decided yet,” she tells me, her voice husky. “I can’t. I don’t have the full picture, you see.” “Fuck,” I moan when she slides her hand down my chest, hooking her finger into the waistband of my pants.

“I told you I’d wait for as long as you wanted me to, Raya. That hasn’t changed. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

My enchanting little fairy.

“Fuck. You’re literal perfection, Raya,”

“Don’t hide those perfect little sounds from me, darling. Let me hear you. Show me I’m pleasing you.”

“If you’ll let me, I’ll worship every inch of you, Raya.”

Raya Windsor will be the death of me, and I’ll die a happy man.

“I can’t,” she breathes. “I’ve never⁠—” “You will,” I tell her, tearing her lace underwear off her entirely. “I wasn’t asking, Raya.”

“I’m never taking mine off again, and I don’t want to see you without yours. I understand you can’t wear it on your hand at school, but I still want it on your body at all times. I’ll buy you a necklace to hang it on, little fairy.”