The Secret Fiancée (The Windsors, #5)

by Catharina Maura

“I’m right behind you, Raya. Take to the skies, sweetheart, and trust that I’ll be there to catch you if you fall.”

“That’s my girl, my clever wife.”

“Oh my God,” I whisper, in shock. “I’m flying.” “You’re flying,” he reaffirms. “You’re doing this.”

“I just know this is the kind of memory that’ll last me a lifetime, and I love that the first time I did that was with you.”

“I taught you to fly because I want to share all the things I love with you. For the longest time, flying was what I loved most of all.”

“Raya, I hope you know that I’m choosing you every single second of every day. I’m sorry if it seems I’m not always present with you, but know that I’m trying to be, that I’m trying to give you all of me.”

“I love you, Lexington Windsor. You don’t have to try so hard, you know? You’re perfect for me, just as you are.”

I want to do more than try with her — I want to love her, the way she deserves.

she feels like home.

Her continuous reassurance is a soothing balm to my wounded soul, the words taking away the lingering doubts my nightmare left me with.

Somewhere along the line, she took what’s left of me.

“Sometimes love isn’t loud and obvious, Raya. Sometimes it’s in the little things, hidden behind layers and layers of exterior protection. Love isn’t always communicated verbally, but that doesn’t make it any less real.”

“That said, you deserve to be loved in the way you need to be loved, angel. That’s something I learned with your mother. You wouldn’t believe it, but I hate dancing. I do it because it’s what makes her feel loved. I wouldn’t have known that if she’d never told me.”

I’m not in love with Jill or hung up on her — I’m fucking traumatized. Because of her, all these feelings I have for you terrify me, and darling, I don’t quite know what to do about it.”

“Your drones have all undergone rigorous testing by Windsor Motors employees, and three interns were selected,” Lex says as he addresses our class.

“Raya… Lewis,” he says, grimacing like it causes him physical pain to say my maiden surname when he wants to call me Raya Windsor.

“I don’t pity you,” I tell him, my voice soft. “I just love you, Lex.”

“My love for you isn’t transactional. It isn’t conditional.”

You deserve the best of me, not just what’s left of me.”

“Raya Indira Windsor,” he whispers, pulling away. “I think you may well be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“You do realize people think I’ve been cheating on my poor wife this whole time, thanks to your…” he gestures toward my hair, “ferrets.”

“Do you think I could? How nutritious do you reckon your pussy is?”

“I’m proud of what you’ve built, and I’m beyond proud to be your wife.”

“I’m counting down the days, Raya,” he tells me, his voice soft. “Until I can tell the world you’re mine, until I get to see your ring around your finger every day.”

“We acquired a famous milkshake company!” Amy tells us excitedly. “They make my favorite milkshakes, so I couldn’t be more excited!”

“They’re my wife’s favorite,” he says simply. “I want her to have access to them whenever she wants, and she doesn’t really like dairy, so we’re changing the formula nationwide.” He runs a hand through his hair. “We’re also rebranding. I’m renaming the chain Little Fairy, and I’m calling the chocolate and salted caramel option Mrs. Windsor.”

“The milkshakes are a love letter to your wife,”

“You have your own wife,” I snap. “Leave mine alone.”

“Lex,” Raya says, seemingly lost in thought as she eyes the front door Zane left open for us behind him. “Do you think you could jump from here all the way into the house?” I follow her line of sight and shrug. “No idea. Let’s find out, darling.” I step back and make the jump, just about making it inside and nearly stumbling over, only to find all my brothers standing in the hallway, their phones out and the biggest grins on their dumb faces. They all burst out laughing at the same time, money exchanging hands quickly.

“What did you tell me that time you flew Celeste and me to our island?” Zane asks. “You said you were never going to be… what?” Whipped. I said I’d never be whipped. Damn it. “Fuck off, all of you,” I murmur as I grab Raya’s hand and pull her past them.

“You’ll be marrying Xavier Kingston.”

He’d convince himself he used the inside information to fuel their rivalry, when more often than not, he just cleared the path for her, opening up opportunities and eliminating competition, so the only one she ever had to compete with was him. Sierra has sabotaged him to the point of getting arrested multiple times, and every single time, he had her released and all charges dropped before any of us could even act.

Xavier Kingston is madly in love with my sister, and I’m not sure he even realizes it.

“He might know how you like your coffee, but he doesn’t know what makes you moan. You’re mine, Raya. Remember that.”

“You own me, Raya. Every fucking inch of me, and you fucking know it.”

“Sit down next to him with your husband’s cum soaking your panties, little fairy. Drink his coffee, smile at him, make me jealous. Do whatever you want, Raya, but do it with my cum dripping out of that beautiful pussy.”

“I love you,” she says, catching me by surprise. She turns to face me and cups my face, our eyes locking. “I love you, Lex. Only you.” I love you, too. So fucking much it hurts. The words are at the tip of my tongue, but I’m scared to say them,

She’s everything, and fuck, I don’t deserve her.

“I have a dare for you,” he says, his forehead dropping to mine. “Kiss me before we head in. I know you’ll tempt me once we make it to your bedroom and turn me into the kind of sinner that breaks all your father’s rules, but that could be hours from now. What if I can’t survive until then? I need fuel, Raya.”

My husband doesn’t fear a single thing in this world, other than, apparently, my parents catching him kiss me. “You issued that dare all by yourself and now you act surprised I’m standing so close to you,” I mutter under my breath.

“Your mother has my number,” he tells me when I turn to walk out. “I’ll always be waiting for your call, Raya. I’ve waited twenty-two years to meet the daughter that was taken from me, and I understand this is overwhelming. Call me when you’re ready to talk. Every story has two sides, Raya.”

My grandfather once told me he gave the third to his protégé, and he promised me he’d introduce me to him someday.

Bob Lewis is the protégé my grandfather used to talk about.

“Put away those claws, Kitten,” he tells her. “You don’t want to accidentally damage your new toy, do you?”

The monthly payments of $10,000 that I found in Bob’s background check. Years and years’ worth of it. That’s where it went. The one suspicious thing I found in his records was an attempt to protect Raya. Guilt crashes through me as I realize my suspicions were always misplaced.

“I’ll leave my wife in your care,” he says, grinning. Then he pulls me close and cups my face, our eyes locking as he leans in and kisses me, not a single care for who’s watching.

I stare at the women in the room, equal parts in awe and terrified of how swiftly and ruthlessly they acted. Their husbands seem to share my feelings, because they stare in shock.

I see the suspicion in his eyes, and it hurts more than I’d ever let on. I’m tempted to tell him that I’m not her, that I’d never harm him or his family, and the fact that he thinks I would is ridiculous.

Sierra needs you at 453 Kingsley Road. Come alone. Don’t tell anyone.

Waking up Lex clearly wasn’t a good idea, considering his exhaustion and current mental state, but I wasn’t going to rush out without our Head of Security by my side.