Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 71: Chapter 71

DEMI

"Thank you for coming." Aunt says with a ghost of a smile. I am not ready to be around my aunt and cousin yet. My body language screams this fact. However, we might as well get it over with.

Kira sits across the center table in the small living room. Like mine, her legs are crossed and her back straight. She is looking at me but not contemptibly as usual. There’s a churning mix of shame and envy swimming in her eyes. Her mother nudges her to stop to staring fixedly at me.

"Demi, we apologize for our poor behavior at your in-law’s place. We agree that sometimes, we can come off as unloving and distant..."

"Distant? I think the word you’re looking for is hateful." Aunt gulps at my raw correction. Kira’s eyes dips to her hands where she is quietly pressing her artificial nails into her palms. She’s not happy to be in this position but it appears her hands are tied and she has to kiss my ass or they can forget about currying favors with my in-laws forever. That’s really their motivation for this fake apology meeting.

"Hateful." Aunt accepts my word choice. She wrings her hands with a bowed head. "I want you to understand that I don’t hate you. I don’t wish you harm. You are my sister’s child after all. I could never wish for your death."

"But you can wish for my downfall, my divorce, my disgrace?"

"Demi..."

"I’m not quite finished, aunt Elizabeth!" I fire at her.

Kira’s downcast eyes flutter towards me. There’s ticking bomb behind them. I am waiting for her to break character and say one wrong thing to me so my exit from their house will be justified. However, aunt reaches for her daughter’s hand and squeezes it to remind her to stay calm.

"I have endured so much under your roof and I was fine with it. You and my mom weren’t very close. You never sent me any cards for my birthday, no gifts or even calls. I know mother did those things for Kira here even though you never properly acknowledged them. From a young age, I suspected my only aunt might not be a very friendly person but my mom defended you and constantly tried to change my mind about you. She was wrong about you and I was right." I shake my head at her.

"The first time I stepped foot in your house was after my parents died and even then, you weren’t thrilled to be saddled with the responsibility of taking care of me. The fact that my mom’s death settlement and savings were paid to you didn’t soften your heart. You splurged everything on your daughter while I lived like a pauper. You put me to work and made me earn my keep. THAT was a hateful thing to do to your own niece."

"I understand why you would see it that way...."

"That’s the only way to see it, aunt. There’s no other interpretation."

"But she paid you back everything she owed." Kira interjects, ignoring the flash of warning in her mother’s eyes. "She got you married into the richest family in Danvarr. The life you’re enjoying right now is all thanks to my mom. If she hated you so much, she would have dragged me there in your place, right? She would have lied that I was the person one of their sons was married to."

I lean forward and pin her with a piercing gaze. "Your mom didn’t do shit for me, Kira Collin. If I hadn’t got drunk and gone to the Blue Cove, it wouldn’t matter what story Billion-Err could come up with it. I had a marriage certificate to prove my claim. You and your mother never gave two cents about me and whether or not I wanted to go through with the marriage. You only thought of yourselves and how you could exploit the Rollins family at my expense. What you didn’t count on, aunt, was Mrs. Rollins taking a liking to me and Billion-Err fighting for my right. Those two things AND my certificate are responsible for the wedding band on my finger, not you!"

I lean back and stare at them. "I bet you wish Kira was in my place."

"I wish you two would get along. I don’t want your stories to be a repeat of that of your mother and I. I’m ready to end the cycle, Demi but I can’t do it alone. You and Kira have to make peace so we can be one happy family."

I gasp at how relentless she’s being. She turns to her daughter whose eyes are still fired up at me.

"Kira, Demi is your cousin. You are related by blood. Whatever unhealthy rivalry you two have going on, you have to ditch it and make up with her."

Kira’s eyes soften as she lays it on her mother. "I’m not the proud one, mom. As soon as Demi learns to swallow her pride and come down her high horse, then we can talk like cousins. I am not going to let her treat us like doormats until then."

"I scoff at that. "Doormats? Asking for the apology I deserve is equivalent to treating you as doormats? Wow. You’ll never learn." I get on my feet and aunt’s eyes widen with worry.

"You can’t leave yet. You two have to sort this out."

"Let her go, mom. We’ll survive. And Demi, don’t forget your contract expires in six months." Her eyes twinkle as she stares at me. "You’re not going to be Mrs. Ashley Rollins forever. I might not have the luxurious life you’re enjoying but at least I have a real mom and a family that doesn’t come with an expiration date."

I’ll admit that one lances at my heart. Nevertheless, I never went into this to bag the Rollins last name for a lifetime. I just want to avenge my parents. I don’t think any other regrets after my divorce will trump my failure to do right by my murdered parents.

"I’ll take that temporal family any day over a lifetime with the likes of you." While aunt continues to call for me, I wrench open the door and slam it shut behind me. Then I heave a deep breath. Families are so exhausting.

"Why did you have to antagonize her? You promised you would keep your mouth shut and follow my lead." I hear aunt scolding Kira in a hushed tone.

us like that. To hell with

invites to their mansion and events? Use your head, Kira. Demi was our foot in the door. I don’t care what you have to do. Grovel at her feet if you must but you have to get us back in her

Cinderella and her evil stepmother twisted remake is this? I plaster my ears to the door

needs our help

can’t be of much help to him if he realizes that Demi no longer listens to us. He’ll ditch us and find other ways to get rid of her. And frankly, I don’t think you’re experienced enough to seduce a

I just need him to spend one night me. I’m sure he wouldn’t turn down

both very mad, I keep thinking as I trot to my car parked

not put off by it. I don’t mind being around him, especially since he stopped being awkward about the fact that I like Ashton a

was so much fun getting to know his unhinged side and speaking freely about ourselves. Ashley felt more like a cool guy friend rather than a grumpy husband. I don’t mind being around this new version of him. Besides the truth of Tobias’ murder, I am curious to know how this

last time I was in here with Ashton. A twinge of sadness curls up my stomach when my eyes fall on the couch Ashton and I had almost

Ashley calls to me from the mannequin he’s

admire him doing what he knows best. "Anything on

to halt my life while waiting for her next move. I have the support of my family. That’s all I need to get through

glad you feel that

minute...done." He gets up from his squatting position so fast I barely have time

lose my balance in my bid to avoid bumping heads with him and start falling on my back when his deft hands catch me. Breathing heavily, I stare up

"Are you okay?"

daunting being this close to one of the quads can get. Ashley could easily be Ashton in my eyes right now, especially since I already have a clear picture of Ashton in Ashley’s

"Mmhmm."

misconstrue the look and lean down to kiss me. The shock of

god. I’m

on his

"Are you hurt?"

I take it, he pulls me close to him till our stomachs are meshed together. My eyes go wide with shock. I thought he wasn’t going to make things

me?" I follow his gaze to the dress

"Isn’t that Nicci’s job?"

I can pick whomever I want to be

I have to get back to

a yes?" His eyes are hopeful and pleading. I shrug my

couches and crosses his legs like the boss he is. "Now, strip." His voice is clipped

He doesn’t flinch at

"What?"

I know it sits right. Go on, strip." Again,

for him to tell me he is pulling my legs but there is a cold air around him that makes me feel like it’s Asher on the couch.

block me. "Get out of my way. I hate it when you do that." It’s a new habit of his since he returned,

I’m so sorry. Your face...it’s just too priceless to watch. You went pale." He laughs a bit more. "I swear, no more of that shit. Please forgive me. I thought you’d be used to it by

sorry about that, and for the kiss. I didn’t

is ruined for the modeling. "I need to

off." He offers

to work, Nessa is not by her desk. I head to my office and

and I get curious. She wouldn’t leave her desk unmanned for this long with Asher around. Speaking of Asher, I find it weird that he hasn’t called for her like he does every five minutes. I rise from my desk, grab a few papers and head for his office.

appears to be taking some medication

out. She slams the door shut in my face. I stand outside, perplexed. What was

***

as I lay on her bed after work. "Who freaks out like that because someone saw them taking regular pills? Even Nessa acted strange like she knows something I don’t. I tried to siphon the details from her afterward but her mouth was a steel trap. I wonder

thumb and index fingers in front of her eyes. She blinks at me with a small smile. "Where’s your head at? Have you been listening to

medication in his office today

twice like I always do. There was nothing sudden

him?" Her eyes curiously fixate on mine. "She was helping