All cameras turn to us, and it takes all of me to paste on a pleasant expression. “Hannah!” the reporter says. “Congratulations on the release of Cloudy Skies. I can’t wait to see it. I have no doubt your performance will be phenomenal, as usual.”
She smiles brightly and nods in thanks.
“For years, there were rumors about Ares and you, when in truth, he was dating your sister. Was that hard for you? I know you denied the rumors multiple times, but they never truly went away. Were you ever tempted to spill their secrets and admit they were dating?”
Her smile freezes. “As you know, I rarely discuss my private life. Can I please ask that you keep all questions related to tonight’s premiere?”
The reporter nods and turns to me. “Since it’s rare to see all three of you together, can we have a photo?”
Hannah grins and moves to Ares’s free side, her arm wrapping around his waist as she drops her head to his shoulder. I tense involuntarily even as I smile brightly for the cameras. Much to my relief, Ares doesn’t wrap his arm around her. Instead, he just leans into me further.
I’m not an insecure person, yet somehow Hannah turns me into some kind of jealous monster. I don’t want her near Ares. I don’t want to be reminded of the way we got married, and the history they share. How do I balance wanting to support my sister with the discontentment I feel at the thought of Ares and her?
“Mr. and Mrs. Windsor,” the reporter says, a pleading expression on her face. “Can we please have a kiss?”
Hannah’s expression drops for a moment, but Ares grins as he cups my cheek and leans in, his thumb brushing over my lip for a moment before he lowers his head to mine and kisses me, slowly and deeply. The crowd goes wild around us, but he doesn’t care. He just continues to kiss me as though the entire world isn’t watching — as though Hannah isn’t watching.
By the time he pulls away, I’m panting and desperate for more. “Come on,” he whispers. “Let’s get this movie over with.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Ares
Raven has barely spoken a word since we arrived, and I’m worried. She’s been smiling for photographs and she’s answered every question that’s been thrown at her with humor and grace, but she’s been acting distant, even though she hasn’t taken her hand out of mine unless she had to.
My heart races as we head up to the private balcony that we’re watching the screening from. I don’t recall ever being so anxious about someone’s well-being. I never worried much about Hannah, not even when she acted jealous about any of the actresses under my management, because I always knew she had nothing to worry about, and I had nothing to feel guilty for.
It’s different with Raven. I need her to be okay, regardless of whether or not her worries are warranted.
We take our seats, and I lift our joined hands to my lips, kissing the back of her hand tenderly. She looks at me, and that look in her eyes hits me straight in my chest. She looks hurt and so fucking sad, and I have no idea why. All I know is that I must be the reason for it.
I tighten my grip on her hand and lean in to press a kiss to her shoulder, before moving my lips just below her ear. “What’s going on, baby? Give me a moment of honesty. Tell me why your beautiful eyes are filled with sorrow.”
She turns her face, her nose brushing against mine. I smirk and tilt my head, stealing a kiss. I expected her to kiss me back, but instead, she pulls away.
I frown, and she shakes her head. “Raven,” I murmur, gently grabbing her chin to keep her eyes on me. “What’s going on?”
Her eyes widen as she looks past me, and I have no doubt that Hannah just took her seat right next to me, but I couldn’t care less. All I care about is the pain in my wife’s eyes.
“Ares,” she whispers, her voice breaking. She leans in, her lips brushing against my ear. “I just… I don’t want to hurt her. She’s my sister, Ares, and yeah, she’s not been the best version of herself lately, but I love her. I remember what it felt like to see you with her at these type of events, and I don’t want her to feel that same kind of pain. But simultaneously… I’m jealous of the way she keeps looking at you, the photos the two of you kept taking, the interviews you just did together. I’m… I’m just so jealous, and I hate myself for it.”
My eyes widen, and she pulls away, her cheeks flushed. Fucking hell. This woman. I thought she’d want to make it clear to Hannah that I’m hers, that our marriage isn’t the farce Hannah hoped it’d be. I was so certain that she’d want to stake her claim, yet here she is, suffering in silence because she doesn’t want to hurt her sister.
Fuck. I think I’m done for. I think I’m falling in love with my wife. Hell, I think I may have been in love with her for far longer than I’d ever admit to myself.
The movie starts, but all I can focus on is my wife. She stares ahead, her spine straight, and I’m fucking mesmerized. She looks beautiful in this dress and I love every second of seeing her in it, yet I can’t wait to get her home so I can fuck every single insecurity out of her.
Hannah leans into me and smiles. “Do you remember this scene?” she whispers, just loud enough for Raven to hear her too. “You flew out to meet me on set, and you watched me film this. Afterward, we went to that vineyard that gave us the idea to get married in one ourselves.”
Raven tenses, and I tighten my grip on her hand.
“I still remember the way you laid my down in that meadow we found as we toured the surrounding areas.”
Raven bites down on her lip and pulls her hand out of mine, and I grit my teeth as I glance at Hannah. “Enough,” I snap, my voice quiet.
Hannah grins at me provocatively. “Don’t pretend you can’t remember. I still recall how impatient you were. We should visit that vineyard again and reenact some of those memories.”
I stare at her in disbelief. My wife, who has every fucking right to me, is sitting next to me quietly because she doesn’t want to hurt her sister. Meanwhile, Hannah is purposely making stabs at Raven’s heart.
“Have some fucking respect,” I warn her. “Need I remind you that I’m married? To your sister, no less.”
She shrugs. “It’s just a title and a piece of paper. I don’t give a shit, Ares. We both know that the second you and I are alone in a room, you’ll forget all about the fact that you’re married. You always do.”
Raven inhales sharply, and I glance at her to find her swiping away a tear. She stares ahead, her expression completely blank, but her tears betray her. Fuck.
I rise to my feet and the handful of people on our balcony look up, surprised. “Leave,” I say simply. “My secretary will find you seats to watch the movie from.”
Everyone stands up, questioning looks on their faces, yet they know better than to utter a word of complaint. They leave quietly, led out by Dom, but Hannah remains in her seat.
“Get out,” I tell her.
“Me?”
“Are you going to leave on your own two feet, or will you require the help of my bodyguards?”
She rises to her feet, her eyes wide. “Are you serious? You can’t throw me out.”