The Devious Husband (The Windsors, #6)

by Catharina Maura

“You’re such a good girl,” he tells me, and my cheeks flush instantly. “Why can’t you always be this good?”

“My sweet little liar,”

“Yeah, right,” she says. “There is no way in hell that Xavier Kingston is ever letting you go. That man is playing the longest con I’ve ever witnessed.”

I always knew she wasn’t meant for me, that she’s too good for me, but I’ve never been able to contain my selfishness when it comes to her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” “You, if I’m lucky.”

“Are you going to mess around, or are you going to fuck your wife?”

I’ve never wanted and feared something in equal parts, but that’s exactly how I feel about her.

“Him?” I ask, pointing at my husband. “You want to teach him when I’m the one that’s been begging to learn your recipe? What did he do to deserve that?”

“I wanted to get to know the woman that raised you while I still could, and I didn’t want you to feel like I was using her to force you to spend time with me — nor did I want to encroach on your time with her.”

“Baby, you don’t want to see what happens when I truly get jealous.”

“You said I didn’t want to see what happens when you’re truly jealous. Turns out, I do.”

“Such a perfect fucking pussy, and it’s all mine

“Smile at Graham all you want, baby, but you’ll do it remembering who you belong to.”

I don’t want you to be patient with me or choose your words carefully. The man that just fucked me on this conference table? That’s the man I want.

I want your raw, unfiltered truth, your insecurities, your jealousy. I want every single thing you dislike about yourself, every single thing you try to hide. I want all of you — all the little things that make you who you are, not who you pretend to be.

“Don’t do that,” he says, his tone pleading. “Don’t dismiss your needs simply because I failed to meet them.”

“Don’t dismiss your needs simply because I failed to meet them.”

“but I’m learning the hard way that though words can hurt, the words we leave unspoken can cut just as deep. There are so many things I want to say but can’t, things you need to hear, and because of it, you’re hurting.”

“It’s annotated,” I say, trying my best to mask my outrage when I recognize his handwriting. I hold up the book and raise a brow. “What is this? A declaration of war?”

He defiled a special edition,

I only promised to be with you until death do us part. I was just expediting the death part,

I think I know what he saw in her, even that early in their story; it’s the same thing I see in you. It’s rare to find someone who isn’t intimidated by me, but you never have been. My fears are the same as Felix’s; someday you’ll see the monster inside me, and you’ll run like everyone else does.

“I want you, Xavier Kingston. The good, the bad, and everything in between.”

office, my heart at ease with my decision to prioritize myself for just one single day.

Is it my face you see when you imagine your heroes? Don’t ever tell me if it’s not. I don’t think I could take it.

I might not have magical powers, but I don’t need them to have the same effect on my wife.

I can’t help but be a little jealous of her book. She got this wet just from some words on a page?

“Your book might have made you wet, but it’s me that’s touching you. It’s me that’ll make you come.”

Take that, Felix Osiris. Fictional asshole. How fucking dare he make my wife wet when he isn’t even real? Fucking prick.

“I am working,” I retort lazily. “Being married is hard work.”

“I’ve never before been jealous of cheese that I bought myself,”

“You did this to yourself,” I murmur as I grab a cracker and slather it in brie. “You married me, weird quirks and all.” He laughs and leans in to press a kiss to my cheek. “Best thing I’ve ever done,”

This incredibly beautiful, batshit crazy girl became the highlight of my entire damn life. She gave me purpose, and she doesn’t even know it.”

“Maybe that girl was falling in love with you the whole time, through every battle, every prank, every single thing you did that ensured you’d be on her mind as much as she was on yours, and maybe she just didn’t realize it.”

I’ve forgiven my husband for secretly gathering intel on me throughout the years, but I’m definitely not going to make it easy for my brothers to earn my forgiveness. I’m going to milk that forever and make them suffer.

“You could never get on his bad side, because he’s always been on your side. You just never realized it, and those of us who did never understood just how deep his affection for you ran.”

“You look a little murderous. I think I like that look on you.”

“You’re mine, Xavier Kingston,” I tell him. “And I want the world to know it.”

How could he possibly have known I was thinking something crazy?

“What if my demands are too high?” “There’s nothing you could ask for that I won’t give you.” “What if I want your heart?”

“You? Not good enough for me?” I watch as the edges of my husband’s lips pull up, a smile slowly transforming his face. “Sierra, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. If anyone is unworthy, it’s clearly me. There’s not a chance that my friends would think badly of you.”

“This is it, you know?” I murmur, my breathing unsteady. “I think this is our real life happily ever after.”

I knew, and I’d never blame you for protecting your family and doing whatever it takes to accomplish that. What mattered to me was trust, and you gave me that when you told me the truth.

“Surely you didn’t think marrying me would save you from my schemes? No, Xave. That just made you my prime target. You’re in for a lifetime of torture.”

“Did you forget I’m petty? If you do that to me, I’ll pay it back a thousandfold.”

“How would you feel about me retiring? It’s just… I’ve finally found my real passion in life, and I just don’t think I should be in real estate anymore.” I raise a brow. “And what, pray tell, is your real passion in life?” He sighs again, dramatically. “Figuring out how long I can keep you on the edge with my tongue, and how many times I can make you come once I’ve decided to stop torturing you.”

“There’s a thin line between love and hate. I think you’re mistaking which side you’re on.”

I’ve always read about love in books, but never in a million years did I think the real thing would be even better. I was so certain that the books I read were idealized versions of reality, mere fragments of real life,

“Oh, what I wouldn’t do to shut up that smart mouth of yours.” “If it involves you sitting on my face, I’m all for it.”

“If you don’t stop teasing me right now, I’m going to suffocate you. Death by pussy is what I’ll put on your tombstone. Don’t even try me.”