Four Brothers and a Bride-Chapter 62

ASHER

I want to be mad at my brothers for doubting me when I kept insisting that Demi isn’t completely innocent in the recent events that have plagued our family. I want to rub it in their faces that I was always right but I strap down on that pettiness and focus as Ashal shares his plans with me over facetime. I’m glad he reached me first after Ashley. It’s no surprise anyway. Ashton will have reservations about this plan so it’s best to leave him out of it.

"So, Ashton thinks you’ve called off the plan to take Demi to the penthouse?"

"Yes. I know how he can get. He won’t like the idea of putting Demi in such a compromising situation even if it’s for the greater good." Ashal explains. I totally get it. I’d do the same if this was my idea.

"We’ll have to distract him so he doesn’t come anywhere close to the penthouse today." I cast a long glance back at father who is playing golf with Mila’s father. We are on the private golf course on one of our family’s resorts.

Mila stands behind the two older gentlemen, with a golf club in her hand. When she’s not acting as a caddie for our fathers, she pretends to be having a swell time despite the sun.

"I think I’ll get Mila on it."

It was purely a coincidence that we met them here. Ever since we got here and father introduced me to Hugh Spellman, he has been beaming at me with pride every chance he gets and urging Mila to compete against me. Father

keeps trying and failing to reach Ashton on phone or to sway Hugh in Ashton’s favor. It’s clear that the billionaire prefers me for his daughter.

Mila on the other hand has been unusually indifferent. She hasn’t even tried calling Ashton once. I’m guessing there’s trouble in paradise.

"Ashton will be at the racetrack. Get her to swing by and keep him distracted till we’re finished here. Oh, one more thing. Demi is expecting Anna. Can you do something about that? Anna’s presence will foil everything."

I recall Anna at Demi’s party. "I’ll do my best. Ash, make sure tonight is a success. I don’t want any fuckups." I hang up and rejoin my fellow golfers.

"Mila, why don’t you play with Asher for a bit." Mr. Hugh quips. Then he turns to me. "She’s very competitive. Don’t go easy on her." He drags father into the waiting golf cart while Mila loads up their gold bags. "We’re going to get started on brunch. Take your time, lads." We both feign smiles as we watch the cart drive away.

"Does he actually think that was being slick?"

"He is as stubborn as a mule. He knows I hate golf." Mila tosses the gold club on the grass. "I’m just going to take a walk." I hustle after her, earning a surprised look from her. "Um, the resort’s that way." She says pointing a finger.

"I know. I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Ashton? Are you guys okay?"

Mila chuckles. "You say that like you quads don’t share everything with each other. Have you had a good laugh lately about how big of a fool I am for throwing myself at a man who clearly has his sights set on someone else?" When I don’t follow back with a convincing look of shock, Mila stops to stare at me. "You knew all along, didn’t you?" Do you also know who your brother’s got feelings for?"

She shakes her head. "What a silly question. It’s so fucking obvious there’s no way you wouldn’t have noticed." Sighing, she paces about. "It’s fucked up. That’s his sister-in-law!"

"He knows that and that’s precisely why he isn’t planning on doing anything about his little crush. C’mon Mila, my brothers and I have lived alone with our parents in that mansion for years. Then suddenly, we welcomed a new female member into the family. We see her every day and she isn’t exactly ugly. I’ll admit that we’ve all sexually objectified her at least once but that’s it. We know our boundaries. Don’t give Ashton hell for being a fucking warm-blooded male adult."

"So, you all have a crush on her too?"

"I have a hefty crush on you. I entertained some dirty thoughts back at Demi’s party when I saw you in that red dress. What?" I ask as red color seeps into her cheeks. "I bet a lot of guys at that party felt the same even with their wives and girlfriends on their arms. That’s just because you are beautiful, Mila, and I have no intention of acting on it. Will you give me the cold shoulder from now on?" When she says nothing, I proceed.

"Give Ashton a break. He was the last one of us to accept Demi into the family. They recently became friendly. Even Ashley knows there’s nothing to it, at least on Ashton’s part. Demi is the one responsible for giving mixed signals and pushing the wrong thoughts in my brother’s head. It’s not love. It’ll pass but how fast you can get your man’s attention fully centered on you will depend on you, Mila. Distancing yourself from him won’t help. I know you like him and he likes you too."

"How do you know that? Did he say something?"

"He has never taken any woman to the racetrack. That’s his escape and the first time you beat him in a race, we didn’t hear the last of it. He went on about you for hours. His face was literally aglow with excitement. We all want you for him, especially father. Ashton just needs to be reminded that you’re the best for him."

"You better not be lying to me, Asher. I’m not very nice when people mistake me for a gullible person."

"Give him a call. Go spend the day with him. You two need some time alone."

I flag down an empty golf cart and help Mila inside.

"Make me proud." I mutter to her before watching it drive away. With Ashton handled, I head back to the resort to join father.

On our way back home, father and I share the backseat of a tinted Bugatti.

"How did it go with Nessa?" Father asks quietly. My face flushes with a little embarrassment as I recall father overhearing my conversation with Nessa the night she had told me she was carrying my child.

"I took care of it."

"Good. "I’m going to need you to pay attention and I’m not just talking about golf right now. You will succeed me as Chairman of Rollins Group one day. You can’t afford to make such mistakes."

"I understand."

He looks out the window. "You should have her fired."

"I’m not a wild animal, father. I don’t exactly lack self-control. If I did, hiring an old, ugly hag won’t change anything. I can keep things professional with Nessa. She’s great at her job and knows my routine. I don’t have the time to start training a new secretary right now."

"Do you realize how messy things could have gotten if she had stubbornly insisted on keeping the baby? If someone else had overheard the both of you that night? We already have Olivia on our hands. How can you sit here and defend yourself? I didn’t expect such carelessness from you."

"You already said that. You’re disappointed, I get it, but you’re not the only one who has been disappointed lately." I glare at him coldly. "Josh is back in the office looking like he went on a paid vacation while Ashton’s scar is yet to fade. You haven’t even bothered to try talking to Ashton and Ashal about everything that happened. Do you honestly not care if they hate you? Is Josh the only son whose love you’re willing to work hard for?"

"Don’t start with this again, Asher. You know brothers and their tempers. It’s useless trying to talk to them. Their minds are made up. I’m just trying to stay in my lane and be a good father as best as I can from now on. We’re past the point where my promises mean much to you guys so I prefer my actions speaks for me now."

I say nothing to that and proceed to ask him other questions. "Did you have Josh investigated? Any leads on the woman who assaulted Ashley?"

"Duncan hasn’t reported anything new to me."

"You didn’t answer the first question." I whip my head to look at him.

"Josh was in our vacation home in Brellis. I’m certain of that."

I curl my hand into fists. I can’t believe father sent Josh over to our vacation home. By my side, father notices my balled left fist and closes a hand over it. I swallow back my rage as we continue the ride in silence.

***

Anna’s face is a study of shock and surprise when she opens her door to find me behind it.

"A-Asher???"

"In the flesh." With a hand, I cup her jaw and help close her mouth.

"Are you going to let me in?" I try to poke my head in but she gently shoves me back.

"W-What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you." Her nervous eyes flick around the surrounding.

"Why would you be expecting me?" There’s a flirty glint in my eyes as I edge close to her. "Did you miss me?"

"Stop it!" She huffs out a breath. "What do you want?" The red blush on her cheeks is replaced by a stern look I have only seen on her face once. It’s the evening she almost lost her life because of me. "I told you, there’s nothing for us to talk about. Why do you keep hounding me? Your secret is safe with me. You don’t have to linger around me or threaten me to..."

"I’m not here to threaten you, Anna." I quickly cut her off, ignoring the urge to touch her face again.

"Then why are you here?"

"I just...I wanted to see you."

Anna exhales. "I’m fine, Asher. I don’t have any complications from my surgery. Is that what you were worried about? I’m totally fine. I even saw Dr. Ezra today. You can call him to verify if you like." She turns around to go back inside and I put a foot in between the door. "Please leave."

"Is this about Demi’s party?"

Her cold demeanor wavers a bit at the mention of Demi’s party.

"Leave Asher." Convinced that she is being unusually rude to me because of that night, I shove the door open and let myself in amidst her protests. Her place is small. Still, it seems to have everything that’s important to her. I pick up a picture frame of her and her family. Her dad looked like a very healthy fellow. Anna wrenches the frame from my hand.

"You’re not welcome in here."

I continue to her bedroom and glance at her small bed to her chagrin. It can’t fit my long legs. She has a dress laid out and some shoes to match. It appears she’s preparing for an outing. Anna grabs the dress off the bed and kicks the shoes away with a crimson blush on her face. It makes me smile just watching her.

"Going somewhere?"

"It’s none of your business."

I know she’s preparing to go visit Demi at the mansion. Something warm floods my chest as I imagine she was being careful to pick a beautiful dress I’d notice her in. Why else would she bother so much about what she wanted to look like at the mansion?

"I’m running last for an appointment. You really need to leave."

"Why are you so edgy? It’s just me."

"I don’t want you here."

I move close to her and she takes a step back. "I’m sorry about the party, Anna. I wasn’t in my right mind." When she looks up at me, there’s only irritation in her eyes. "I know you don’t believe me but I mean it. I didn’t mean to kiss you without your permission."

"That’s exactly what you meant because that’s what you are used to getting from women, not so? I admit that there was a time when I was prepared to throw myself at you or your brothers. I kissed you back then because I thought we were having fun but you used it against me and even got me fired from a job I loved. You had us filmed and leaked the video to the media. I was bullied online. Do you have any idea what that’s like for a nobody like me? I couldn’t even get a decent paying job anywhere else until your brother intervened."

"I’m so sorry, Anna."

"You’re not. You get a good laugh out of hurting people. You don’t value others beneath you. It’s just a fact. I know you think you owe it to me to be nice because I saved your life but that doesn’t mean you’ve changed. You’re just tolerating me for now. I distinctly remember you threatening my life in your car minutes before Iman attacked us. Please Asher, I don’t need your pity. I don’t want you pretending that I am suddenly visible to you just because of that incident."

"You think that’ why I kissed you?"

"I KNOW THAT’S WHY YOU DID IT." Anna swipes off a single tear that rolls down her cheek. "I’m not as naïve and stupid as you think so don’t ever try to insult me like that again."

"What would you have me do, Anna? Would you have preferred I carry on with my life Iman never hurt you in my place? Would that make you happy?"

"What would make me happy is you not trying to pretend you suddenly have amorous feelings for me just to compensate me for saving your life. I don’t want that."

I get that she’s upset with me over the kiss. Still, the intensity of the anger glimmering in her eyes is shocking to me. She had been a little more receptive to my harmless flirtations at Demi’s party. What could have happened between then and now to make her loathe me so?

"You are right." I tell her, dipping my eyes. "I shouldn’t have disrespected you like that. I’m sorry. That will never happen again but please, believe me when I tell you that I am not here because I pity you or feel a perfunctory need to compensate you for saving my life. I don’t consider you a nobody, not anymore. I will forever be indebted to you for saving my life when my death would have made your life easier. Maybe that incident awoke something inside me but it doesn’t mean my intentions are dishonest. I do care about you."

Anna doesn’t yank her hands away when I reach for them. "I just want us to be friends, that’s all." I can feel her heart racing as I pull her in for a hug. Somewhere inside her, I know she wants me around. My hope is dashed when she pulls away from me.

"We can’t be friends." She heads to her small vanity mirror and begins to choose earrings.

"Why?"

"Because you are not capable of having female friends, Asher. You just have women you sleep with to decompress. That’s all you’re interested in. Emotions don’t matter to you. Even if it did, you and I can’t have any sort of relations beyond what we are now"

"And why is that? Why do you detest me so much?"

"I don’t detest you; I’m just not interested in a man like you, especially given the fact that you are my best friend’s ex-husband."

My shocked eyes lock with hers in the mirror. Demi tells her everything? Fuck. That fact isn’t even true. I wonder how many people Demi has shared this lie with. I press my hands to my eyes, unsure how to defend myself now.

"Anna, that’s not..." Her doorbell chimes. Anna cusses under her breath and rushes to get the door. Is Demi coming over to pick her? I doubt it. I quickly text Ashal to know what’s going on at his end while Anna sees to her visitor.

[I’m with Anna. Demi hasn’t called her yet. Are they still planning to hang out together at the penthouse?] Ashal’s message pops in almost instantly.

[Demi said Anna already canceled on her. Something urgent came up. We’re on our way to the penthouse now.]

My eyes dart around the room from Anna’s new dress to her shoes and the jewelry atop her dresser. What could have trumped spending time with her best friend? Why else would she be have set out such beautiful clothes and jewelry? A light bulb comes on in my head. Immediately, I rush to the sitting room and surely, Anna is ushering a young guy to a seat.

He stares at me with shock, and then at Anna who is already mad that I showed my face.

"Ben, this is Asher Rollins. He is my best friend’s brother-in-law. He stopped by at my friend’s behest to drop off some gifts for me. Asher, this is Benjamin, my date." Benjamin stretches a hand out to shake me. I leave his hand hanging to gape at Anna.

"Your what?"

***

Anna steers me out of the door and to my car.

"How could you let a stranger into your home as a single lady? You have no idea if that man is a serial killer."

"Jeez, thanks for the advice, dad but I’m not a child. I can take care of myself. Now, please be on your way."

"Anna, I can’t leave you with him. I don’t trust him. Look at the shitty car he drives." I say, pointing at the small car parked next to mine. "Where the fuck is that cheapskate going to take you, McDonalds?"

"It’s none of your business."

"Wow, I can’t believe how reckless you’re being after escaping the jaws of death. At least let me talk to him!"

"You’re not my dad! Go away, Asher." She goes back inside and slams her door shut.

Angrily, I give Ben’s car tire a bad-tempered kick and grit my teeth. What the hell is Anna thinking going out with a bum like Benjamin? I get back in my car but I can’t find the will to leave her with that stranger. Hesitantly, I revise and leave.

I try not to think too much about all the things Anna had to say about me. She’s not entirely wrong. I don’t expect everyone to find me likeable but for some reason, reliving the moment the words left her mouth by thinking about it stings my pride every time. It stings so badly.

I redirect my anger at Demi. She must have filled Anna’s head with all that rubbish about me being her ex-husband and a jerk.

I chuckle softly. "Oh Demi, you’re such a thorn in my flesh. You deserve what’s coming."

My phone blares loudly. I rush to answer it hoping it’s Anna calling me back to kick Benjamin’s ass because he turned out to be an ass. I knit my brows in surprise as the caller turns out to be Mila.

"Hey, Mila. How’s it going with Ashton?"

"I can’t find him. I’ve been waiting at the racetrack for over an hour now. Ashton wasn’t picking my calls at first or replying my texts after reading them. Now, his phone is switched off. I don’t know where he is or what he’s up to."

My heart thuds in my chest. What could Ashton be up to? Did he somehow discover what we’re planning for Demi? I hope he isn’t planning to show up at the penthouse.

"I’m sorry Mila. I’ll try to reach him and get him to call you back."

"It’s fine. I had a few good races with a couple of guys anyway. I’m headed home now. Bye."

I hang up and grit my teeth. Ashton’s phone is definitely switched off. I call Ashal, Gris and mom. Ashton is not at the penthouse, at the office or even at home. He isn’t with Mila for sure. Where else could he possibly have gone to without informing anyone, not even his brothers?

"C’mon Ash, where the hell are you?"