My wife’s eyes are sparkling with excitement as employees of Windsor Hotels rush over to help us out of the glider, having anticipated our arrival. The moment we’re both on solid ground again, Raya turns to me and wraps me in the tightest hug she’s ever given me.
“That was perfect. You’re perfect, Lex. God, I loved every second of that flight.”
My heart skips a beat as I hug her back, my lips pressed to her temple. She’s so fucking precious, and fuck, I can’t help but want to give her the world. “Anything for you, darling,” I murmur, reaching down to lift her into my arms, one arm under her knees and the other around her.
She gasps, her head resting against my chest. “I think you’re going to like our room. This is one of Zane and Celeste’s best hotels. It’s smaller than all the others and far more private, but not any less luxurious.”
It’s perfect for a weekend of pure quality time. It’s becoming increasingly tough to keep our marriage a secret, and even with her wigs, it’s becoming harder to evade the media. On top of that, each time one of the boys in her class flirts with her, something that feels an awful lot like jealousy rushes through me, distorting my reasoning skills. More than once, I’ve caught myself behaving petty because I hated that I couldn’t publicly call her mine, like I did with John. It’s exactly what I didn’t want this relationship to do — impair my judgment.
Raya twists in my arms, her honey scent invading my senses. I inhale deeply and sigh, feeling entirely at her mercy even though I’m the one carrying her.
An employee appears seemingly out of nowhere to open the door for us, and I smile in gratitude as I carry my wife into our room, yellow flowers on every surface, including all over our private pool.
“Wow,” she says as I carefully place her down, equally surprised by how well everything turned out. I’ve been planning this little getaway for weeks, and I’m relieved not a single detail was missed.
“Mr. Windsor,” someone calls from behind us, and I turn to find the same person who opened the door for us hovering at the entrance. “Your brother asked me to inform you that our alarm system has been malfunctioning all day. He didn’t want you to worry, as Sinclair Security is handling it as we speak. They have also sent over extra bodyguards to safeguard the island.”
“What’s wrong with it?” I ask, anxiety clawing at me.
He hesitates. “It keeps turning itself on and off again every few minutes. We suspect something has gone wrong with the wiring when we built the new observatory. I was told that they’ll have the issue resolved in the next seventy-two hours.”
Raya wraps her hand around my arm. “It’s okay,” she says, her tone reassuring. “This is an island. It’s as safe as it gets. You literally can’t even get here any other way than by private plane.”
I nod, not wanting to argue with her. Threats rarely come from outside — if there’s any danger lurking, it’ll already be here, watching, waiting. Raya tips and dismisses the staff, before turning to me. “Is everything all right?” she asks, her arms wrapping around my neck.
I nod, unsure how to explain my unease to her. It took me weeks to clear our schedule and obtain permission from her parents to skip our weekend with them, yet now that we’re here, I can’t even enjoy it. “I helped Silas build the security protocols for our hotels, so I’m just wondering if I should just go take a look.”
She shakes her head and cups my face. “Just stay here with me,” she pleads. “Look how beautiful everything is. How could you possibly walk away from all of this?”
My gaze roams over her face, and I catch myself searching for a sign of insincerity.
I instantly hate myself for it.
Raya has never given me a reason not to trust her, yet I often still struggle to believe she truly is as amazing as she seems to be. If something is this wonderful, it usually is too good to be true. It’s a lesson I’ve learned over and over again, yet here I am, on the cusp of something I swore I’d never do again — falling headfirst.
“Okay,” I murmur, quieting my fears as I grab my wife’s hand and pull her onto the sandy beach just outside our room. My hand wraps around her waist, and I smile at her. “But it’ll cost you.”
I pull Raya into a dance, and the way she laughs as she falls into step with me is just everything. The way she looks at me, the way she makes me smile. She has no idea that she’s done what no one else has been able to do in years. She’s made me want to live again.
“Thank you,” she murmurs eventually, the two of us coming to a standstill. “For genuinely trying to make our marriage work, even though it isn’t what you wanted. I can tell that it isn’t easy for you.”
I raise a brow, uneasiness tugging at me. “What do you mean, you can tell?”
Her smile wavers, a hint of pain making its way into her gorgeous eyes. “I can tell that you often do things because you feel like they’re the right thing to do.” She looks away and shakes her head. “I don’t mind it, per se. I’m just trying to say that I appreciate you trying.”
I fall silent for a few moments, unsure how to reply. I never realized that she knew I’ve been modeling my behavior after things I’ve seen my brothers do for their wives, but that doesn’t mean I ever did anything I didn’t want to do. “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.”
She rises to her tiptoes and kisses me so sweetly that my heart begins to overflow with something I don’t quite dare name — until she does it for me. Raya pulls back, her gaze roaming over my face, and then she smiles. “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 stare at her, awestruck and barely able to process her words. Raya takes in my no doubt incredulous expression and laughs as she pushes me backward, back into our room and towards the bed. “You don’t believe me, huh?” she whispers. “Let me prove it to you.”
I fall backwards onto the bed, and she climbs on top of me, keeping me entirely enchanted with her every move. For the first time in years, I just let go, conceding control to my wife and silencing every last alarm bell in the back of my mind.
I want to do more than try with her — I want to love her, the way she deserves.
