Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 58: Chapter 58

ASHER

The office has never felt so serene. The last two weeks of work while Josh’s suspension held were a slice of heaven. I didn’t even realize how much I enjoyed work before that bastard showed up.

It was utterly refreshing to be reminded just how close father and I used to be. We had our lunch together and laughed at our silly attempts at dry humor. For the first time in a long time, I felt like I was enough in father’s eyes. I will forever treasure those days as I hope father will.

Josh is back now and the stench of his presence is responsible for the big scowl on my face. Why didn’t he get at least a month? I personally want to curl my hands around his neck and snuff the life out of him for attempting to take mine. I will never forgive him for that and for hurting Ashton in the process.

However, I know father is watching me to see how I relate with his other son, especially given my temperament and Josh’s wrongs against Ashton and I. Father would not be expecting me to be the bigger person. He would expect me to make a move on his ostensibly hapless son but I won’t give either of them the satisfaction.

Rather than barge into his office and yell expletives at him, I rap gently on Josh’s door and stroll in like the boss that I am. It’s so strange to see him meekly seated behind his desk and working for a change instead of hopping between offices with a gigantic chip on his shoulder and bothering everyone else.

His face sags when his eyes meet mine. I bet I am the last person he expects to pay him a visit after his suspension. He reclines in his chair and sighs.

"What do you want?"

A low chuckle escapes my lips. "I need to take a photo of you behind your desk. It’s rarer than an eclipse of the sun." I take a picture with my phone and laugh at the image. "You look like a steaming pile of horse shit trampled beneath the feet of elephants in a stampede."

"So, you’re here to gloat."

"Oh yes." I affirm, slipping my phone into my pocket. "It’s amazing how much work I can get done when I don’t have to worry about running into your ugly face. I already cleared my plate for a few days to come. With lots of free time on my hands, I figured I’d make your life more miserable than it already is by informing you directly that a two-week suspension is not enough punishment for attempting to take a life."

My lips curl with mischief. "I’ve retrieved the real CCTV footage of the club, well, mostly the part where you tried to stab me in a murderous rage. Just remember what your fate will be when I decide to release that video. All the money in your piggy bank and your useless last name will not be able to spare you the trauma of being an ex-convict."

Josh slowly rises to his feet. His eyes are hazed with shock but he makes an effort to hide the intimidation and dread behind them.

"You’re not going to release anything! Dad already had this matter handled. The video footage was confiscated and destroyed. You’re bluffing. You don’t have anything and even if you do, you can’t touch a hair on my head." I burst into an animated laugh as his fear seeps through the cracks in his false demeanor.

"I am Asher Rollins. I don’t bluff, Josh Randall. I’ve been serving under my father since I was eight and I have learnt quite a number of things from him. One of them is to never leave any traces if you’re going to get your hands dirty by running afoul to the law. The second you hurt my brother and fled the scene, I made securing the evidence my top priority. The fact that my brother was bleeding in that room wasn’t the distraction you hoped it would be. I got the actual tape before joining others at the hospital because I knew you would arrange to have it doctored or destroyed."

"Father won’t let you."

"And how exactly is he going to stop me? He knows better than to come pleading for your sorry excuse of a life to be spared. I will get my pint of blood one way or another from you, Josh Randall. You have messed with the wrong quads. By the time I am don juicing you of all the potential opportunities that accrue to you as father’s son, I will leave you to hang dry with the gem in my possession. Just you wait."

Josh exhales and dabs his sweaty brow. "What do you want? What will make you stop and destroy the evidence? Out with it!"

"You must be more stupid than I thought." I lash at him with a fiery look in my eyes. "What could you possibly use a bargaining chip that will top the satisfaction I will get from all the damage I can cause you with the evidence I have in my possession?"

"You would be surprised." Josh replies with a smug look.

My phone starts ringing just then. "Get your ass back to work." I order him. "You have a lot to do around here."

I step out of the office and head towards mine but before I can take the call, it ends. I redial Ashton’s number and he picks up almost immediately. He doesn’t let me say a single word but hurriedly mentions that I abandon everything and head over to Ashley’s. Then he hangs up before I can ask for more details.

A short message pops in right after and this has me rushing for the elevator. Nessa’s anxious calls and Demi’s surprised stare don’t slow me down. The message had mentioned a name my brothers and I haven’t uttered in years.

I power through traffic like it’s a Mad Max Fury Road movie, cop a ticket for speeding before arriving at Ashley’s. It’s no surprise that Ashton and Ashal’s cars are already in the parking lot. The elevator is occupied so I sprint up the stairs in giant strides of three till I reach the second floor.

The minute I burst through the door, my eyes scan the room for Ashley. He is sitting on a couch in his office, his hands clenched on his knees. His shoulders are tensed. His eyes are a little misty and it is my guess that a few tears have flowed from them.

He reminds me of the weepy, whiny little eight years old boy he was years back, too afraid to speak or share the horror being done to him by a man who was meant to protect him. Ashton and Ashal are seated on either side of him.

"Where is it?"

jut of his chin, I follow Ashal’s direction to the desk where a large bouquet of fresh flowers sits. The moment I draw close, Ashton hovers behind me. I snag

reported being attacked and his bike stolen." Ashton fluffs his hair and grinds his

they do know is what Tobias was

shortly after he died. His wife already remarried. He had two sons and a daughter. One of the sons died a year

We can’t allow that. Ashley has come a long way from

I rush to him and take his face

person or people behind this unfunny joke. I just need you to promise me you’ll

shifts uncomfortably and

him in for

"I don’t need..."

I reinforce,

shock of seeing..." He struggles a bit, "...his name again after so long. I have had some time to pull myself together. Whoever did this wanted to scare me. They’ll return for sure to play more mind games. I don’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me shaking like a leaf. I didn’t do anything wrong. It was all self-defense. Besides, I doubt they have any concrete proof. This might just be their ploy to get me to admit some guilt over what happened. If I take on a new bodyguard, I’d only be announcing to them that they’ve succeeded in scaring the shit

instantly when

checked the flower for cameras and

"And this room?"

that."

quick scan. "There’s a fucking spy app in here." I disable it. "Do you know

no reason to. We hang out more often than my own wife and she has accepted her

footage from the camera. It’s just as Ashton had explained. The messenger keeps their helmet on the whole

a nervous scanning of the room before the person leaves. His body is fully covered in an all-black leather pants and jacket.

cuss under my breath as I am unable to

Duncan and see

on." Ashton interrupts me, pulling the laptop closer. He rewinds the video

I ask him as his eyes

the messenger just when he turns to scan the room. "The jacket is slim fitted. That’s why it’s a little snug on him. Right here, just as he turns, can you see that protrusion?" Ashton plays back the video for us all

is actually a right boob and that walk is indeed feminine." I lock eyes with

***

"Don’t start, Ash."

to you and could have had the opportunity to plant that spy app. A

culprit. It’s just fucking

called the office, didn’t you?" Ashton asks. "Didn’t Nessa say Demi is in her office? Did you see her leave before you came here? How could she have

again. "She left Ashley just before his lunch with William. She could have returned to drop the flowers off while

five days’ time to try the new dress I am making. If she had anything to do with

they’re defending these women right now. "I’m just saying both women fit the physique of the courier from the video. Can we just agree to take them into consideration while we are looking into this? Ashley, you literally just got assaulted. We are not trusting anyone right now. It could have been

me. When they all remain silent, I head to the fridge and return with some craft beer

talk to Olivia about the comment on Billion-Err? It can’t be a coincidence that someone meticulously mentioned her full name and the fact that she is your

was in an abusive relationship. However, Liv never clarified or even mentioned who she was in a relationship with, let alone the fact that she

we know

Olivia to reach out to her once more to figure out if she is really

to the surface. We’ve let our guards down and I fucking need you all to see that. I don’t know if it’s the women or

vision blurs and I blink my eyes. My symptoms

"Are you okay, Asher?"

am just really stressed. Josh is back at work trying to garner pity. I just fucking hate seeing his face at work. Father is holding back from comforting him but I know they’ll meet outside of work. Then there’s all

Ashton places a hand over my shoulder. "If you get out of your own way, you’d realize the burden of fixing our problems isn’t your sole responsibility. You take on too much, Asher.

"I’ll