Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 82

ASHTON

"Ashton." Demi repeats nervously. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I make her, since I came clean about our meeting at the Blue Cove, until now. Could Ashley have instilled more fear and hatred in her towards me? She casts sidelong glances, scanning the area, especially the apartment building at the end of the street.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stalk you like this but I needed to meet with you alone. I have a few things to clarify."

"I don’t need clarification, Ashton. That Chapter of my life is over." She begins to walk hastily away from me but my fingers grab her wrist in a vice like grip. She shifts uncomfortably. Again, her eyes keep skirting around like she expects Ashley or someone else to pop out and give us a hard time. "Let me go."

"Are you okay? You’re sweating bullets." She slaps my hand from touching her face and dabs away her own sweat. At the sound of a door cracking open behind me, I follow Demi’s shocked eyes back to the apartment building behind us but before I can make out the faces of the women stepping out, she yanks my arm towards her car.

"Fine! Let’s talk."

"I drove here."

"Then lead the way and I’ll follow behind."

I ignore her weird behavior, get behind my wheel and guide her towards a familiar place. Minutes after we park in front of the building, Demi and I fail to step out of our cars. My phone buzzes with her incoming call. With a ghost of a smile, I take the call while removing the straps of my seatbelt.

"Is this your idea of a joke? You didn’t have to bring me here. I clearly remember everything that transpired that night." Her voice is thick with emotion which tells me she’s still hurting. My heart splinters at the sound of a sniffle.

"I don’t mean to regurgitate sad memories, Demi but this is the one place I can be sure we won’t be interrupted. Like I said, I have some explaining to do. It may not change anything but it will help me sleep better at night knowing you have the full version of events. Can we go in? The owner lent me the space for an hour. There’s nobody inside."

Like I suspected, she pauses, breathing heavily.

"It’s alright, Demi. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I just want to talk."

I hang up, get down from my car and go around to hers. She deigns to look at me when I tap on her glass before taking the back door into the Blue Cove, straight to the VVIP room where I met her for the first time almost five months ago.

The furniture has been changed but everything else is pretty much the same. Demi comes in behind me just as I frown at the bottle of Whiskey Donna left for me.

Demi’s face flushes with anger when she spots the drink.

"You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you trying to reenact that night?"

"It’s not what you think." I hurriedly explain as she whirls to leave. "I never asked for this. Donna must have left it out as a gesture of goodwill. We are not drinking."

Quick as a whiplash, I snag the tray and set it at the far corner of the room. Demi takes a seat, deliberately avoiding the spot she sat on that night. She’s very uncomfortable, I can tell. To help, I also take a different spot.

"Comfy?"

"Not really." She responds with a small shrug. "Well, you have my attention. Talk."

I shift my weight, trying for casual. "I had a pretty rough day that day. I fought with my family. I was reeling with shock and despair over the scars of an incident that happened years ago. Couldn’t forgive myself for it." Just the thought of it makes my voice shake. Demi’s eyes are fixated on me.

"What incident?"

I have never seen her more curious.

I shake my head. "We haven’t got the time to dabble into every small detail."

I have no desire to share my dark past with her but this is better than bluntly refusing to share the truth with her. From the look in her eyes, she isn’t satisfied with my answer but thankfully, she also doesn’t make a fuss about it.

"I was brimming with rebellion and wanted to get back everyone, the world, for the shitty way I was feeling. I came down here without my brothers and ordered a drink I had sworn never to touch again."

"Whiskey? Why?" Demi interrupts me again. "Why did you choose to stay off whiskey out of all other alcoholic drinks?"

Why is she nitpicking my story? The curiosity in her eyes will make her excel in a journalism career.

"I just did. No epic story behind it." I lie with my eyes down. "Anyway, I was determined to get so wasted my brothers would be called to come haul my ass out of here. Donna, the owner of this club is an old client of ours. I was counting on her alerting Asher. I don’t think there was anything I wasn’t prepared to do that night just to spite my family."

That’s not true at all. The truth that I keep from Demi in my head is that I wasn’t pissed at my entire family. I was mostly pissed at Asher. Coupled with the emotions I was feeling from the incident that led to the loss of lives years ago, I had just discovered what a douchebag Asher could be.

I had just learnt the truth about him and Olivia, how he was responsible for the incident that brought Olivia into our lives and how he intentionally plotted to dump her on Ashal, our sick brother. It was so cruel of him to use Ashal’s condition against him and watch him get blamed for everything. I was hurting for Ashal too.

So, I went to the Blue Cove dressed like Asher and ordered whiskey knowing my entire family will not suspect me since I had sworn to stay off whiskey. I planned to impersonate Asher and do such crazy things that will make the news so the position he covets in Rollins HQ as well as his reputation will be tainted. For once, the meeting at the living room downstairs would be called because of him.

I thought he deserved it for his selfish act against Ashal. He had betrayed his own brother to protect his precious reputation before father and the world. I went to Blue Cove to sully his reputation as payback for what he did to Ashal.

When Demi, a nobody, came in drunk, I figured I would go big and marry her too. That way, Asher will be stuck with a wife he never planned for just as Ashal was. I was prepared to do some damaging things just to deal with Asher. If Demi hadn’t showed up at the house to make her claims, I was going to leak the marriage certificate anyway.

When Demi showed up and mother intervened, my plans fell through. Demi was supposed to be settled after the annulment while Asher fell out father’s good graces for a while but things didn’t go so smoothly.

Mother won’t let Demi get an annulment and passed her to Ashley instead. I was prepared to own up to my mistake and give Demi a quick annulment so she could go back to her life. Things got messy as Ashley and mother refused to listen to me.

Asher didn’t butt in. I think he suspected that I tried to tarnish his image. He has never said anything to me along those lines but sometimes I see it in his eyes; Demi is your mess, Ashton. You didn’t get me. It’ll all be your fault if she harms our family.

Since Demi married Ashley, things have been topsy-turvy, and here we are.

Sighing, I continue the abridged version of my story. "When you came in that night, I was inebriated. Still, I remember being mesmerized by you. One look and I knew you were ill-fitted for the environment. You didn’t belong here. Your story about your shitty boyfriend’s betrayal only lent credence to that fact. I could relate to your pain and misery not because I had been cheated on before but because I was dealing with a different permutation of anger and betrayal too. One thing led to the other and we kissed, and kissed again." I stare into her glassy eyes now. "And I liked it."

Demi sniffles and looks down at her hands.

"You suggested the church." I tell her. Her head rears up. "You said it was close by. I was whipped after our kiss and on cloud nine and I figured, why not make it official? It was silly. We went there in my car and said our vows while I pretended to be sober. I think the priest suspected us but he was far more excited to join us because he recognized me."

"Yeah. He wouldn’t stop smiling at you. Called you Ash Rollins the second he saw you."

"He wasn’t sure which one I was and I didn’t think it was worth clarifying. We were just having a fun night." I mirror the small smile on Demi’s face.

"I don’t remember dropping you home."

Demi’s lips quiver slightly. "You were too drunk to make the long drive so I called an Uber for myself and I think I called one of the contacts on your phone."

"Ashal. He came running. Kept my secret after I told him everything."

After I told him why I tried to trap Asher, I mutter in my head. I am grateful Ashal was the last person I spoke to that day before hitting the club. If Demi had called anyone else, Asher especially, my game would have been over.

"I am sorry about the next morning. I was still hungover and barely recalled much of the previous night. I barely recognized you in the plain, lengthy clothes. Your aunt was talking too loudly and pissing me off and my family...I wasn’t ready to admit I had done something so crazy the previous night so I denied you. I am sorry, Demi. You didn’t deserve that."

Demi wrings her hands. "It’s all in the past. Thank you for your apology. I’m with Ashley now. Maybe I was always meant to end up with him."

That hurts my feelings.

"You two look happy. I’m glad it worked out fine."

"You and I could have been happier." She blurts out, then regrets the hasty reply the second it leaves her lips. The awkwardness hangs thickly in the air between and around us. She shuffles to her feet, a bit anxious. "I’m sorry. That came out wrong. No, I mean, I didn’t mean to say that."

I grab her as she tries to leave.

"I believe it too, but our paths are different now. We have to forge on and make happy memories with the people we have been blessed with." My finger brushes off a single tear that slides down her face. "In another life, Demi. Maybe you and I will be together."

She laughs. "Yeah. Maybe." Eyes dry now, she gives me a meaningful look. "Mila is great. At least she knows more about cars than their names, knows how to race in a fast car and doesn’t make silly complaints about the way the car tyre looks or how the engine sounds when buying cars."

With moist eyes, I pull her in for a hug and kiss her forehead. Her hair smells like flowers.

"Your petulance was always cute to me."

While we make our way down the stairs towards the exit, Duncan calls me.

"Yes Duncan?"

"We ran the checks with your secretaries and personal assistants and found something." I signal Demi to wait for me by the cars while I listen to Duncan explain.

"Shay targeted the males alone. They have recently been wooed by her and believe themselves to be in a relationship with a hot new girl. After a few night drinks, she disappeared on them. I believe she managed to get into their phones first to extract the phone numbers of their bosses."

"So, that’s how she got our numbers."

"Yes, sir."

"And Cree Baxter?"

"We’ve been tailing her too. Nothing much to report. Routine is pretty much a straight line; work and then home. The only recent development is that Ashal has been over to see her."

"Ashal?"

"Yes. I think he’s developing a soft spot for her."

I don’t know what Ashal is thinking trying to date a culpable suspect while married.

"Thank you, Duncan. How are the arrangements for a change of phone numbers going?"

"I’ve spread the word to a few persons about it. Asher is taking care of purchasing the new temp lines. When it gets active, we’ll circulate the new lines, double down on our investigation and produce the traitors working with Shay."

A little commotion outside draws my attention.

"Duncan, let me call you back."

I dash outside as the voices grow louder in time to see Mila slap Demi hard across the face.

"MILA!"

Her fiery eyes lock with mine but only grow hotter. Demi still holds her sore cheek when I reach her.

"Is this where you bring her to have your affair? How shameless can you both be?"

"SHUT UP. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT."

"I have eyes, Ashton and I know how to use them. You’ve insulted me and I won’t let this slide. What the heck am I to you? I have been there for you. You know how I feel about you and yet you choose your own brother’s wife over me? How could you? I don’t deserve this insult. I won’t take it."

While I try to comfort Demi, Mila only gets further enraged.

"Why are you acting crazy like a hurt girlfriend?"

"What am I if not hurt and your girlfriend? I warned you not to toy with my self-respect and my feelings Ashton. I told you not to give mixed signals if you only considered me a friend but you didn’t listen. Now, I will assert my right over you. Your father clearly approves of me. I won’t let her take you away from me." Her eyes glisten with tears.

"Mila, it’s not what you think. We just came here to talk. There’s nothing going on between us."

"Oh yeah? Nothing? And yet you kissed her!" She tugs at her hair. "How could you still stand there and lie to me, Ashton? What did I ever do to deserve the worst of you?" Her eyes wheel towards Demi. "You greedy bitch. You’re married to Ashley and you’re still trying to get your fangs into MY man?"

"ENOUGH." Demi yells with murder in her eyes. "I didn’t let you hit me because I am weak or feel guilty about anything. I haven’t done anything like you suspect but if you don’t watch your mouth Mila, I’ll have to teach you."

Mila shakes her head. "It’s true what they say about you. You look so innocent on the outside but you’re so rotten on the inside. How could you not feel ashamed of being passed around four brothers?"

This time, Demi delivers a resounding slap on Mila’s face.

"Demi, please." I implore her, reaching to hold Mila who shoves me away from her.

"You are the desperate bitch, Mila. I’ve never had to throw myself at any man, least of all the one who doesn’t want to be romantically involved with me. You’re the classless one here for throwing a hissy fit over a man that’s just a friend to you. FYI, Ashton and I aren’t an item. Whatever confusion has emanated from our friendship has been resolved by our family and I love my husband, Ashley. I trust him as much as he trusts me. Trust Mila, that’s the lifeblood of every romantic relationship. You should look it up especially if you hope to be taken seriously and dated by a man that looks like that."

Mila watches with ire as Demi gets into her car and zooms off.

"I didn’t expect this from you, Mila."

"Are you kidding me? I just saw you..."

"Doing what? What exactly did you see here, Mila? The security tapes are upstairs. Do you want to go watch what Demi and I have been doing for the last forty-five minutes? Knock yourself out. I admit we made a mistake once before and kissed which has hurt our relationship with our family. THAT was a mistake. I wasn’t in my right senses and I have spent the last few days atoning for it. My family has moved past that but I still feel guilty. I called Demi out here to avoid stirring further misconceptions. I needed to apologize for all the trouble she’s been through because of me and to let her know that my feelings will never come in the way of her marriage. THAT was all we were talking about in there." I yell, pointing at the club.

"You showing up here and acting like a lunatic is just unbecoming of the amazing person I thought you were." Mila’s eyes soften with embarrassment. "How did you find us?"

"Ashton..."

"How?"

"I tracked your phone."

"You what? Why the fuck would you do that?"

"You haven’t called me since the golf course."

"YOU PUSHED ME AWAY WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A WORD. WHAT THE HELL WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?"

"I’m sorry. Ashley filled my head with some hurtful things about you and I went crazy. I didn’t mean to. Please forgive me, Ashton. I’ll apologize to Demi if you want me to." She embraces me and sobs. "Please, I am sorry."

For Demi’s sake, I wrap my hands around Mila and console her. I can’t have her on a revenge spree against Demi if she feels like she has lost me.

Mila pulls away to stare into my face.

"I love you, Ashton. I might act or say crazy things but it’s only because I love you. I need you to always remember that." She returns her head to my chest and sniffles quietly while I hold her.

In another life, Demi Branson, I think quietly in my head. In another life.

***

I spend half the day with Mila just to pacify her. Her mood perks up within minutes with me.

"I am not going to compete with your affection for her. I know what lost battles are. I just...I only wish you would also consider my feelings, Ashton. I’ve tried to do this whole friendship thing but it isn’t working. I clearly want more."

"I can see that but it’s difficult for me to make the switch, Mila, especially given your penchant for making threats whenever you don’t get your way." I lean over the table. "Now seems like the perfect time to tell you that threatening me with my father is futile. No one can make me do anything I don’t want to do. Ask father if you will." fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

She winces at my words. "I’m sorry."

"You apologize a lot but never take correction."

"I’m working on it." Her hands reach for mine across the table. "Will we ever be more? Can you really not see me as anything more than a racing buddy?"

My eyes slide down her face and intentionally linger on her boobs. "Make me see more." I hate the cheesy line but I might as well distract myself from my unofficial breakup with Demi. I need to get her out of my head and my thoughts for this decision to work.

Mila’s face breaks into a sultry smile as her fingers speedily work the top buttons on her shirt.

"Oh, for fuck sake." Someone growls, coming up behind me. Mila quickly locks her buttons with a red blush on her face.

I crane my neck and frown when Asher comes to our table. He leans towards me.

"You’re so rusty. What the fuck was that? Make me see more." He says, mimicking my voice which ironically sounds just the same as his. Turning to a blushing Mila, he inclines his head. "Does that lame pickup line work for you? Really? You are about to get him laid over that trashy line?" He cackles loudly.

"What do you want, Asher?"

"Yeah, you’re kind of interrupting us here." Mila adds, shifting uncomfortably. I can tell she’s pissed Asher came in at the worst possible time.

"I’ll leave you two amateurs to your business. I am waiting on someone."

"Who?" I ask him.

"Kira Collin."

"Kira? Why?"

"She’s supposed to help me with the contact details of Mr. Fantasy."

I gulp in shock. Mila trades worried glances with me.

"Why are you still bothered about that guy?"

"It’s not just me. Father is upset too. If there are people who can imitate us very well, they could go about ruining our reputation. We have to nip that in the bud. Oh." He exclaims as he gets a message on his phone. "Kira just sent me his number ahead of schedule."

"What are you doing?" I ask, sitting up when he places his phone on his ear.

"Dialing."

My heart plummets when my second phone starts to ring in my breast pocket. Asher stares at me suspiciously. He cuts the call and redials the number. This time, his doubt is cleared. When I cut the call, he grabs my phone and compares the numbers and then shoots me a narrowed glare.

"Ashton Rollins, how in the fucking hell do you explain this???"