Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 50: Chapter 50

ASHER

It had to come out someday and maybe today isn’t exactly ideal but Ashley and I have been lugging this secret alone for far too long. My world has been falling to pieces ever since father broke his promise to me. I figured it’s time he feels a few thorns of his own.

Ashton doesn’t take it well and that is no surprise. He walks right out of the restaurant and knocks down one of the cameras of an annoying guy that got too close to his face to get a shot. The ruckus outside is wild. Thankfully, we are at a distant table from the handful of elite customers in here.

Father is mad that I could have stopped Ashton but refused to. He isn’t wrong. I need him to see that my brothers and I can very well destroy everything he’s built if he ever thinks of casting us away.

We helped him build Rollins Empire and with our popularity, we expedited its growth to the top. Blood or not, we’ve earned the right to be called sons. I won’t let father oust us of our rightful positions or snatch my birthright so easily.

"Did you enjoy that?" Father grunts. I polish off my steak and wipe my oily lips with my napkin before answering.

"Yeah, the steak was a ten out of ten."

"Don’t get cute with me, Asher. Why did you just sit there and watch your brother have a meltdown? You could have calmed him but you chose not to."

"Meltdown?" It’s laughable that he doesn’t know what Ashton’s meltdown looks like. "That wasn’t a meltdown, father. Ashton was holding back. If he had had a meltdown, the cops will already be here, as well as the firefighters." I dump my napkin. "You broke your promise to me. There’s no reason for me to keep mine. Enjoy your lunch with your precious son."

"Asher, please sit down."

Please? Is father really pleading right now. Did Christmas come early? Like my day can’t get any more surprising, father ignores Josh’s nudging and proceeds to bargain with me.

"Let’s talk, okay? At the office."

"No. No more empty promises. Put whatever you have to say in writing, preferably in your will. Until I see the changes, I’m going to let Ashton blow hot even if it ends up burning our empire to the ground. You better hurry if you don’t want to lose more than your son’s trust today. Ashal and mom are next."

The mention of the last two makes father break out in a sweat.

"Fine. I’ll call my lawyer. I’ll adjust my succession plan back to the way things were."

"Dad!" Josh pipes in protest.

"Not now, Josh. This is a serious matter." Father turns back to me. "Everything will be handled before the close of work, that I promise you but for now, I need you to get your brother before he causes far more damage than we can recover from. Please Asher!" I take my precious time thinking about it. "I give you my word. Please, think about your mother." It’s a sweet sight to see father desperate and less in control for a change.

"Fine, but if you fail to honor your word, then Ashton isn’t the only one you’ll have to worry about." Then in hushed tones, I lean close to him. "My brothers and I have given our lives to Rollins Empire. We’ve been working for you long before we were legally allowed to. We have paid the price with our sweat and blood. I dare you to sit there and tell me that we haven’t earned the right to be called your sons simply because a different blood flows in our veins! We are adopted and just as legitimate as your precious bastard over there."

When Josh tries to clapback, father hushes him. I tug my suit closer.

"He’ll never understand what we had to go through to get to this point but you do, you made us go through hell in our childhood. If anyone deserves preferential treatment as sons, it’s your quads. You know I’m right."

Angrily, I make my way out of the restaurant to go find Ashton. There’s only one place he’ll go to blow off steam. By the time I arrive the race track, Ashton has already crashed his car into a mound of sand and is currently sparring with one of the managers who wouldn’t let him back on the track.

"ASH! ASHTON, THAT’S ENOUGH."

A firm fist rams into my face, blinding me for a few seconds. When I touch the sore point, blood trickles from my broken nose. Ashton is still red in the face and heaving angrily. I am not pissed. I expected this reaction. I thank the manager and politely ask him to excuse my brother and I.

or the next one will have you flat on

Ashton regardless of his

for life when I found

Let me guess. You chickened out because you wanted to secure his seat first? Get lost, Asher.

"You’re not the only hot head in the family, you know that?" The only difference between us is that I allow myself to think about the consequences before I decide if throwing my fist is the best thing to do. Ashton rarely thinks when his

want to take me

lower lip. More blood. Just great. He barely allows me to

to

blows to my face but he stops himself. I am relieved he’s fighting the rage. Tears shimmer in his narrowed eyes and my heart breaks as I wonder what he will do when he learns that we are actually

"Ashton, calm down."

you. I hate you so much right now. How could you condone

BROTHERS AND MOTHER! You think I enjoy being his lapdog? I’ve got too much pride for that bullshit or can’t you tell? When I learnt about Josh and watched bitterly how father bonded with him at work like he didn’t already have four sons, I worried that Josh and his conniving mother would come after everything our family’s got; mom’s place in father’s life and our place in his. I had to bargain with father to ensure our respective positions in the empire are secured with me at the helm

he gets off me. He pulls his knees up and buries his

have

my body

"Fuck."

keep you guys from

"Do the others know?"

"Just Ashely."

and I didn’t?" His temper spikes

know it would have been you. I was just afraid that you wouldn’t

"Now it all makes sense. That’s why you hate Josh. It was always more than office

face everyday how elated father is to

like he was childless prior so why..." Something dark flits across his eyes and I instantly know he has figured it out. Shit. I am not quite ready for the next tranche of accusations and punches.

Josh’s mom was at my office this morning and she had a lot to say about father and how we don’t look anything like him in his hay days. The description she gave of father in his twenties just so happens to fit perfectly with Josh’s image." He swallows as he prepares to ask me a

We were adopted at

staggers to his feet and pulls at his hair. I quickly go to

as a bargaining chip to hide his adultery if he considers us his heirs? Shit, Asher, I

"It’s okay. I’m here."

sense now. He never truly accepted us so

pull back, holding Ashton by his shoulders. "I’ve tormented myself with more questions than you can imagine. You shouldn’t do that to yourself. That hole is difficult to crawl out of, trust me. I just need you to remember what’s important even as you allow yourself to feel. What’s important is preserving

"I will."

you." I hug

to endure

would do it all over again for you guys and

to tell Ashal. He can’t be the only one in the dark. I agree. My phone beeps with a message from father. He sends me pictures of his

quick stop at the office. Father and I have unfinished business." I tell Ashton. He says nothing as he continues to stare out the window of the car. "Let’s go clubbing tonight. We all need a break. We could drink away our sorrows

"Whatever."

***

we are to meet at. He also informs

there in twenty] I text

a remote part of town. It had