Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 152

DEMI

His stare is as daunting as a fist. He looks from Cree to me, a suspicious glint in his eyes.

"Cree?"

"Hi." Cree replies with a fake smile, unsure which brother she was talking to. "Fancy meeting you here, Ash..." She trails off.

He intentionally fails to complete her words but pins me with an uncertain look. Ice rakes up my arms as his bluish pupils fixate on me. Uncomfortable with being between us, Cree bobs her head. "I was just on my way out."

But when she tries to circle past him, his arm shoots out and clamps her thin wrist like a vice without breaking eye contact with me.

"Wait five minutes for me downstairs, Cree. I’ll drop you off after Demi and I are done talking. I won’t be long." Now he tears his eyes from mine and smiles warmly at her. "I’m glad I ran into you here. Got a few things to get off my chest." Cree peels her wrist free, nods before heading down. Now, he turns to me.

I can tell from his hooded eyes that he suspects my every move. Cree being here of all places must have been shocking to him seeing as I barely ever related with the woman who brandished a gun at Ashal months back.

I want to insist that it’s not what he thinks and that I am not conspiring with Cree but something tells me that lame explanation won’t fly, not with the disappointment and disdain simmering in his eyes.

"What was she doing here?" He asks flatly, lounging by the door.

"Why don’t you ask her on your way back to Danvarr?" I cross my arms over my chest. "I’m more interested in what you’re doing here. I never gave this address. Did Ashley tell you after my uncle called him? Even if he did, what do you want from me, Asher? If you’re here to beg..."

"I’m not!" He insists vehemently, a frown creasing his eyebrows. He jams both hands in his pocket and expels a deep breath. "I will never beg you, Demi Branson. I’m not like the rest of my brothers!"

"And they’re better for it."

"I’m not here to bicker with you either."

"Then why are you here?" I snap, my impatience peaking. I can’t stand him because everything about him reminds me of the salient reasons why I sought to avenge my parents.

Him being unabashed and unremorseful of his family’s sins grates on my nerves. He is more Brett than he will ever know. Ashton is the polar opposite. He is the ice to Asher’s fire, the warmth to Asher’s chill, the contrition to Asher’s indifference. Ashton centers me, and helps me prioritize forgiveness over revenge in a way none of his family members ever will.

I am seething with a fresh poke of anger just by having Asher within two feet of me. Even the way he breathes and stares irks me. If I don’t dismiss him soon, my anger might get the best of me. I might even do something I’ll heavily regret just to send a message to Brett’s favorite minion.

"I’m here to look you in the face when I tell you to stay the heck away from my brother!" Our foreheads are almost grazing as he squares up on me. "Ashton is about to lose the only family he has ever known, the only life he has ever known because of you! HE IS ABOUT TO BE DISOWNED BECAUSE OF HIS DOGGED SUPPORT OF YOU, AN ENEMY OF OUR FAMILY."

My jaws hit the floor with a loud crash.

"Oh, boohoo, like you care. I keep telling him not to grovel at your feet over an accident that wasn’t his fault. HE THOUGHT HE WAS SAVING YOUR PARENTS. HE NEVER MEANT TO SEND THEM INTO THAT DEATHTRAP BUT THAT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO YOU, DOES IT, ICE PRINCESS?"

He eases back to cluck his tongue. "I really don’t see what he sees in you. Mila is a better view and a much better deal. YOU DON’T DESERVE HIM, DEMI. You never will. Go right ahead and do your worst. Sink my family to the ground if that helps you sleep better at night but don’t pretend to give a shit about my brother and break his heart further into smithereens when he later realizes what a disappointment you are. At the very least, let him rot in prison without a broken heart."

I turn away before the tears fall and casually dab them. "Are you quite finished?"

"Not quite." Asher comes around and shows no emotion over my wet eyes. "I’d appreciate it if you cut him loose today itself. I’m sure he’s on his way here. Tell him whatever it will take to end whatever’s going on between you two. If I can prove to my father that Ashton isn’t going behind our backs to support you despite everything you’re doing to us, maybe father will welcome him back into the family." He edges closer to whisper in my ear.

"He might think he’s strong but you and I know Ashton is nothing without his mother and brothers. You will never be able to comfort him so do right by him and let him go once and for all."

He walks away and shuts the door behind him. I sink to my bed and huff out a gust of breath. Brett Rollins must be insane. How could he think of punishing only Ashton? This can’t just be about me. It makes no sense. The family went out of their way to hide Ashton’s secret for years. Why would Brett want to leave him out in the cold now?

I grab my phone and dial Ashton’s number, then cut the call almost as soon as he picks. What the hell am I supposed to say if he asks how I came upon this information? If he knows Asher has been here, he’ll throw a hissy fit and refuse to listen when I send him back to his family. I am so confused.

Ashton bursts through our front door two hours later, after I texted him my location just to get him to lay off Anna.

"Are you okay?" He skims my face with his hands. "You suddenly disappeared."

"I’m fine." I reply, pulling his hands away. "I’m just spending some time with my uncle. I didn’t think I needed anyone’s permission for that."

"Of course not." He rakes his hand through his dark curls as he escorts me to my room upstairs. It’s great that he rocks them freely now, confidently too. He looks dapper back in his leatherjacket and pants with a white tee peeking from his chest. Inside my room, my heart clenches when our eyes meet. My throat dries up as my eyes dip to his soft lips. Clearing my throat, I edge away from him. I can’t afford to be distracted.

"What do you want?"

"I was worried when I couldn’t reach you."

"Did something happen at the mansion?" I throw the bait. "Is your father threatening fire and brimstone over Billion-Err’s posts?" Though his lips curve slightly in a smile, it’s the nervous tightening of his hands at his sides that give away his anxiety. My heart breaks to discover Asher was telling the truth.

"Just a typical day at the mansion. Father is naturally upset but he’ll get over it."

And you? I wonder in my head. Could you ever get over the loss of your family because of me?

"Ashton, I have to tell you..." His hands come down on my shoulders and squeeze gently, disarming me. His eyes pull me into great depths that only promise unending bliss.

"I haven’t got much time. I fear I might have been tailed here so I’ll be leaving shortly but I wanted to see that you were fine and tell you to stay here in the meantime."

"What? Why?"

"You’re right. Father is pissed and as always, he thinks you’re the cause of his problems. I fear that he might nurse the idea of abducting you to stop Billion-Err from rolling out more secrets. He believes you’re the one feeding it to them." Before I can protest, he continues. "He is dangerous, Demi. I know him and I am afraid to give him the benefit of doubt here. I think it’s safer for you to be here or possibly move to a hotel or somewhere else just in case they track you down to your uncle’s home. I’ll set you up in a hotel no one will go looking in." His hands drop from my shoulders and immediately, he is tapping away on his phone to make hasty hotel bookings. There’s nervousness in the deliberate movement that I have never seen in him before.

"You don’t mind me using an alias, do you?"

Tears almost spill from my eyes at the stiffness of his shoulders and the raw fear coating his voice.

"Ashton, stop. Sit down." I snatch his phone and pull him down on a chair.

"I really need to make that..."

"I’m really fine here. You’re the only one who’s got this address." I lie smoothly to ease his fear. "Besides, Asher knows better than to let father come after me. I made it clear during our last meeting that hurting me will not only trigger Billion-Err to release more damaging secrets but will also give them fresh evidence of guilt on your family’s part."

"I don’t think Asher got that memo..."

"He did. I already confirmed."

"How?"

"I have eyes and ears." I dab away the sweat dribbling from his temple. "You don’t have to worry about me, Ashton. I need you to stop fussing about me. I know these are trying times for your family. They need you by their side, not siding their enemy." I press a hand to his lips to stifle his protest. "I forgive you, Ashton. Believe that I have but unfortunately, I am already in too deep now that even if I want to step away from the throttle, the car will only continue chugging forward before it finally trundles to a halt. Do you understand?"

"Not really."

"I’ll try my best to put an end to this shit show as fast as I can but in the meantime, I’m going to need you to stick with your family and worry less about me. I can handle myself, Ashton." I cup his cheeks. "Most importantly, I’m going to need you to trust that no matter how ugly things get while I am trying my very best to rectify the mess that I have created, I will always be on your side, Ashton. I will always do everything in my power to make sure you’re unscathed at the end of this."

"Now, you’re scaring me, Demi. What’s really going on" His eyes skirt the room. "Did anyone threaten you? Father?"

I shut him up with a slow, sensual kiss. His eyes are the size of sauce pans when I pull back. "Good bye, Ashton."

***

I end up taking Ashton’s advice and staying an extra day at my uncle’s place just to think of ways to save myself and the people I love from the wrath of Liam and his lackeys. I honestly have no idea how many people are on board with his plan and who to ask for help in outing him.

While I toss and turn on my bed, my phone blips with a message. Fear twines around my gut when I realize it’s from Liam.

[I am certain Cree passed my message but here’s a little something for you, in case you need an extra jolt of persuasion]

My finger hover nervously over my phone before I hit play on the recording sent to me. My mother’s shaky voice seeps out.

"Oh god, Amber, they’re everywhere. What am I going to do? If they catch me, I’m done for."

"Calm down, Camille. I’m sure they just want to talk."

"I doubt it. Brett’s really pissed at me." A loud crashing sound. "Oh my god, Amber. They just chucked Samuel from the first floor. I think his neck’s broken."

"What?"

"They’ve killed him, Amber. He’s bleeding profusely. Oh god, they’ll definitely kill me too for witnessing this. My husband. My little Demi. How will they survive without me? I have to run."

"Camille? Camille, what’s happening? What’s that sound?"

Labored breathing and heavy footfalls follow.

"Camille, I am calling 911. Stay on the line, please. Hello? Are you still there? Camille, what’s going on?"

Tears stream down my face as my mother’s screams echo.

[How’s this for the next drop on Billion-Err, coupled with best photos of mother and daughter? The quad’s birthday is the D-day] Liam texts again.

"What do you want, Liam?" I belt out when he takes my call. "What exactly do you hope to gain by hurting me like this?" There’s an ominous silence from the other end. "ANSWER ME GODDAMIT!"

"Feisty. Love it." A soft female voice replies. It’s definitely not Mila.

"Who’s this?"

"It’s your real sister-in-law. Hello, Demi. Like my surprise?"