The Devious Husband (The Windsors, #6)

by Catharina Maura

I wonder if he knew how much I needed those monthly poker nights, if he saw something no one else did.

In part, I think I kept our rivalry going because I knew she wouldn’t really let me into her life any other way, and it provided a much-needed escape for me.

“I’m ready to collect the favors you’ve all come to owe me throughout the years,” I say. “Every single one of them, at once.”

“I would like to marry your sister, and I will need all of your support to make it happen.”

“You knew,” I murmur, my shoulders sagging in relief. Lex chuckles, and Luca shakes his head. “Xavier, we’ve known for far longer than you could possibly know,” Zane tells me. “Why did you think we kept inviting you to our poker nights?”

Though she’d never admit it, Sierra stopped being herself when you two stopped sabotaging each other. She smiled less and began to read more, like she needed an escape more than she used to. You bring out something in her that no one else can,

Words. Knowing Dion, very few words will be exchanged if he thinks I’m mistreating his sister.

“I see you’ve brought reinforcements. Sit, boys.”

“I’m here to present you with an offer,” I begin, terrified of saying the wrong thing and losing my one chance with Sierra forever. “No,” Anne says. “You’re here to steal my beloved granddaughter from me.”

“I don’t know if it’s love, but I can’t imagine marrying anyone but her.”

“For years, I’ve watched him quietly protect her without ever being overbearing or enforcing his own agenda. He’s always offered her invisible support, never shaking her sense of independence or undermining her strength and business prowess.”

She’ll be able to just be herself with him, without having to fear she’ll overshadow him. Sierra needs that — someone who appreciates her strong personality.”

My expression must convey my utter horror, because my brothers all chuckle at my expense, earning themselves glares from my sisters-in-law.

The only good thing about him is his looks, and I’ll be damned if I sleep with the devil, let alone marry him.

“You’ll marry him.” The betrayal stings — I’d expected all my sisters-in-law to be on my side. “Over my dead body,” I snap. “Well,” Grandma says, sighing. “As it turns out, it may well be over mine.”

He should know better than to make Sierra wait, but then again, she’s never walked into my office during working hours. She’s only ever broken in, wreaking havoc for me to find the next day.

“There won’t be any need for discretion, Sierra. I won’t look at anyone but you, won’t touch anyone but you. For as long as you’re my wife, I’ll be loyal and faithful to you, and I expect the same in return.”

I don’t know what’s going on between you and him, but it ends now. Don’t fucking test me on this. The only bed you’ll find yourself in is mine, Sierra.”

Don’t fucking test me on this. The only bed you’ll find yourself in is mine, Sierra.”

“Then I’ll wait a million years and a day, Kitten. I’ll wait forever if I need to, so long as you understand that you’re mine as much as I’m yours.”

“Fuck every goddamn misconception you insist on having, and listen to me. I will never, ever, cheat on you. I am yours, and yours only, Sierra, whether you like it or not.”

“Maybe I haven’t been clear enough,” he says, his voice soft. “You’re mine, Sierra Windsor. You can avoid me all you want, but there’s no avoiding this marriage. I’m being as patient as I can be, Kitten, but you crossed a line today. You never should’ve let him touch you at all.”

“You were born to frustrate the fuck out of me, weren’t you?”

“That humble philanthropic persona he portrays at events is all just a sham. He’s ruthless, unyielding, and, dare I say it, unscrupulous.” “Ah,” Grandma says, her eyes twinkling. “A match made in heaven.”

You might as well get used to being around him, because you’ll be seeing a lot of him.”

“Windsors don’t divorce, Sierra,” she says, smirking. “Not because it isn’t possible, but because the matches are always right — even if Grandma has to scheme and trick us into thinking we were making our own choices.”

“But what I won’t do is pretend I don’t see what Grandma sees. He’s a perfect match for you, and deep down, you know it too. You’re just too scared to admit it, to put your heart on the line.”

“You know what Xavier is like,” she continues. “He loves to hide behind that facade he’s crafted. It’s all my fault, but he tends to be scared to say the wrong thing, so unless he loses his temper, he just doesn’t really say anything at all.”

“Like you wouldn’t want to have a chat with the man Valeria will someday marry. They’re just trying to prove a point, making sure that I’m aware they can get to me at any time if I don’t treat their sister right, so yes, let them in.”

“He knows it’s us. I told you guys this was a stupid idea.” “How do you know?” I hear Luca ask. “He hasn’t asked a single question, and though he has a black belt in jiujitsu and Krav Maga, he hasn’t used any of his signature moves — which is a good thing, because he’d have broken several of our bones.”

We do not trust you unconditionally — we don’t trust anyone unconditionally when it comes to Sierra’s happiness.”

He doesn’t have a bad bone in his body, so the sight he’s presenting me with is honestly more endearing than anything else. I have no doubt these men would hurt me severely if I were to mistreat their sister, but right now, there’s no need for me to fear them.

“Don’t resent her for not reciprocating your feelings, or for not responding the way you might want. She’s a romantic, but she’s slow to trust, and she might not let you in easily. If you can win her over, she’ll love you for the rest of your lives. She doesn’t love easily, but she loves deeply.”

Promise me that even if she shatters your heart into pieces, all those broken shards will still belong to her, and you’ll give her a chance to put them back together.”

“Honestly, just release him,” he says, sounding defeated. “Dion was right. He’s fucking smitten with her. What were we even thinking?”

I deeply regret to inform you that I have decided not to leave you at the altar, much to your disappointment, I’m sure.

I’ll be waiting at the altar; a million years and a day, if that’s what it takes. Forever yours, Xavier

“You’ve met your match, sweet girl, and I’m beyond grateful I get to live to see you marry him.”

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

“There’d be nothing accidental about it, Xavier,” she whispers. “You’ll be lucky if you survive the night.”

“How will you make it through the photos and the cake cutting, let alone our first dance? You’re a terrible actress, Mrs. Kingston.”

If I look even remotely excited, it’s because I was planning how to kill you in your sleep. Do you have a preferred way to go? Poison, perhaps?”

“I’d love to suffocate between your thighs.”

“I’m going to enjoy finding ways to make you all flustered. I didn’t think you could get more beautiful than the way you look when you glare at me, your gorgeous eyes sparkling and your cheeks all flushed… but this? Yeah, this’ll become my new favorite pastime.”

“That craziness? I get it from my mom, who is walking toward us right now.”

“So you’re telling me you didn’t slash all of Xavier’s tires recently?” Xavier’s dad asks. I throw him my most innocent look. “His tires? How would one even go about slashing those?”

“You don’t have a thing to be sorry about — except maybe my poor tires.”

“About as much as your jewelry, I suppose.” “Don’t be ridiculous. My jewelry is priceless. Your tires were replaceable.”

I got exactly what I wanted, Sierra. You.”

Truth is, I just want to carry my wife over the threshold and into my home, but there’s no way she’d let me if I told her that.