Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

ASHER

"It's a pleasure to have you all back here." The owner of Blue Cove, a voluptuous woman in her thirties beams at my brothers and I. "You know you're my best clients. I was worried the marriage scandal would force you guys to end our business relationship. I am glad it didn't."

She flicks her ring-studded fingers and ladies in lingerie file in, carrying our favorite bottles topped with sparklers. On the long table at a corner, a buffet is generously laid out. The girls deliver our drinks with great flourish and proceed to grind on us as the music crescendos. Ashal is unsurprisingly in a foul mood and picks a bottle over a girl. With a scorched stare from the club owner, the poor thing slithers away with her tail between her legs.

"Is this how you plan to compensate for breaching our privacy rights, Donna? With food, alcohol and sex? You do realize my brothers and I don't lack these things, don't you?" I shove the girl dry humping me to glare at Donna whose cocky grin fades in seconds. "How did a stranger manage to get past security and make her way to our private space without getting flagged?"

"I can assure you that we are looking into it. We have interrogated the people on duty that night. The police are working hard to find the culprit as the cameras were faulty that fateful day."

"Well, isn't that convenient?" The music stops at my signal and I demand the room be cleared. After the girls leave, I turn to Donna once more. "Don't get me wrong. Demi is a beautiful addition to our family. However, your carelessness and incompetence forced my brother into a marriage earlier than he planned. The entire country wagged their tongues and judged us for something he was too intoxicated to remember. Do you realize the damage you caused?"

Donna falls to her knees. "I cannot apologize enough. We take full responsibility for what happened. Please Mr. Rollins, do forgive us. The Blue Cove will work tirelessly to regain your faith and trust in our establishment."

I spare a glance at my brothers. Where the fuck is Ashton? Speak of the devil, I think as Ashton emerges. His face is set in a hard line as usual. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looks like he just got rejected. He plops into the sofa and accepts a drink Ashely has already mixed for him. My eyes meet Donna's frightful ones.

"This matter is hardly over." She nods and surges to her feet. "We don't want any disturbance. Have just one of your girls serve us tonight."

"Which one, sir?"

"Anna Prescott." Donna hustles out to find Anna.

As expected, my brothers lock eyes with mine. "I can't believe how stupid Donna thinks we are. Who else would have snuck Demi in if not her very own best friend who works in this same club?"

"Are you going to interrogate Anna?" Ashely asks with a frown. I smirk at him.

"Interrogate is a strong word. I'm thinking more like coax."

"How exactly do you plan on coaxing her?" Ashton asks with an impatient look on his face.

is smart enough to refuse getting wasted with us, then Asher plans to threaten to have her fired and possibly arrested. The last option is a bit

at how accurate Ashal is. I don't know how

more of an open book than you think. It isn't hard to think

last option isn't necessarily a long game. I don't have the time to spend fake dating anyone. I'll

Ashely asks. "Our marriage is just a

care when she saw the photos of you and Nicola trending online." I nod, recalling the look Demi kept giving Ashely at the breakfast table when he kept ignoring his calls. It screamed of jealousy. "Those two seem awfully close. We give them something to fight about and one of them is bound to spill what truly transpired that night. My money is on the

is at the door. We let her in. She stands coyly in the middle of the room with her head hanging

Donna said you specifically asked

her smile means that

got on. Come over here." She cautiously scoots closer and twirls at the gesture of my hand. "Anna, we're sorry to trouble you but the incident with Demi's intoxication and the marriage that ensued has left us with no other choice. We've become wary of letting just anyone around us here. We wouldn't want

gulps. "I understand." She crouches to mix our drinks. My hands play with her wiry thatch of pee colored hair. Her hands tremble slightly as she pours our drinks. Ashal

here on the

Anna nods softly.

been here before so my guess is she might have stopped by to see you and wail over

face is flushed with trepidation as she stares from one brother to the other. Surprisingly, everyone waits

had cheated on her again. She couldn't bear it. I tried to calm her down over the phone and beg her to wait t-till I get off work. I didn't want her to harm herself." She pauses to take a deep breath. "I didn't expect her to come to my place of work. I d-didn't see her that day. I was

club, mostly because they work here. Did you ever tell Demi the Rollins brothers

surprise as Ashely

I must have mentioned

takes the reins. "Anna, you have nothing to be afraid of. We are happy to have Demi in our family. However, there are a few things that need clarifying about that night. We are trying to get to the bottom of it so elite customers like us can feel safe while drinking in this fine establishment." Anna nods in agreement. "Donna tells us that before that day, Demi had

dilly-dallying. WE KNOW YOU LET

pale. "I am sorry I lied. I did see Demi that day. She came here very drunk. I couldn't leave her on the street so I pretended she was a regular who had accidentally wandered off and brought her in to sleep it off. She must have w-woken up and wandered upstairs while I was working. When I returned, she was gone. Her phone was switched off. After waiting for half an hour for her return, I

this woman.

her. I can't believe he's buying

was

replies me harshly. "And she was going to keep lying to save her skin and stay loyal to her friend, something we brothers

shot of tequila and indulges in a long sigh. I have no idea why he is acting like a