Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 94: Chapter 94

ASHER

[She took the bait. He’s with her now] Kira texts me.

[Good job]

[Drinks later? You promised]

[Fine. I’ll text you the location]

[No need. My mom will be away all night. We can hang out at my house. More private]

This bitch is bold, I think. Is she really suggesting what I think she’s suggesting? I bet her mom is in on it too. Where could she possibly be going tonight? I shake my head with a laugh. Whatever.

[Sounds good]

The door in front of me swings open and I tuck my phone away.

"Hi." Anna’s surprise turns to a slight frown as she sees me. "You’ve got to work on your excited face when you see me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were expecting someone else."

"How did you know I was home? You didn’t call."

"Yeah, I stopped by your work place and was told it’s your off day. I thought I’d surprise you." When I lean down to peck her cheek, she moves inside. What’s with the attitude? "Were you really expecting someone else?" I ask, trailing after her.

"Demi. She should be here by now but she’s not taking her calls or texting me back. We planned to spend the day together."

I incline my head. "I’m guessing I am not welcome here then."

"No." She plunks down on her couch and blows her hair out of her face. "I didn’t mean it like that. I am just worried about her. She was close to her phone a few minutes ago, and read my text. I don’t know why she hasn’t replied yet. Her phone was ringing earlier but now it’s switched off. Don’t you find that weird?"

I edge close to her. "I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she wants to spend the day in bed with her husband and doesn’t know how to cancel on you." Taking her hands, I pull her up. "If you’re smart, you’d take advantage of my presence here given how much I had to move things around to be here with you." This time, she allows me to relish her lips and returns my kiss with fervor.

"You should have called. Demi could walk in any minute. She might see you here."

"No, she wouldn’t." I say emphatically.

"What? How are you so sure?" She asks, easing back.

"I mean, she wouldn’t see me even if she arrives. I’ll just hide or something."

"And your car?"

"Parked down the street corner like you always ask."

"Your perfume. It won’t leave my house or my body for at least the next three hours. Demi will know for sure that I’ve had a man here, YOU. She knows your scent." She moves away from me but I pull her back.

"What’s going on? Did I do something wrong? Why the cold shoulder?"

I can tell she’s keeping something from me. My phone beeps and when I check, it’s a photo from Iman. Demi is sprawled on his carpet with a broken nose. I slip the phone back into my pocket and face Anna. "Nothing important." I tell her when she eyes me suspiciously. "Tell me, what can I do to make up for whatever I’ve done to upset you?"

"You can go visit doctor Ezra right now."

Oh crap. I guessed as much. She won’t let this go.

"I will. I’m handling it."

anymore, Asher. You’re grown. You can do whatever you want but I don’t want to be around when it gets worse and the consequences start playing out. I won’t be able to stand it. I already went through that trauma with my dad so forgive me but I won’t be

"Is this reverse psychology? You’re trying to pretend like you wouldn’t care about me dying but it’s too late for that. I

"I’m not pretending not to care. I care and that’s why I am telling you beforehand not to expect me by your side when your tumor

to me right

over there? Anything

cold. I only

I asked him to get her to confess her true intentions for my family. I have to resort to such drastic measures to expose her

Iman’s tactics. Couldn’t he have found a way to get Demi to talk without throwing his fist at the weak

asked you to hit her like that. She dies or suffers major health challenge as a result of

the door and frowns at finding me outside her

what I think it is? When my eyes return to her face, it dims with understanding. Now, I get why she’s being like this. "You didn’t have to go through all this labor to kick me out of your life, you know. You could have just been straight with

you

you be but first, I’d

"What?"

about it. You don’t want to talk about the pregnancy, fine but let me know if you need my help getting the father to take up his responsibility. It’s the least I can do for old times’ sake." Anna whirls towards the bathroom and her eyes double in size at

no. It’s not what you’re

fuck is she still lying? It’s plain as the nose on my face. "Whatever you say." She grabs my arm when I head for the door. Now

take a test right now and prove it

two tests is enough

"It’s my colleague from work. She wasn’t feeling well and came to spend some time with me. I am trying to make more friends for times like this when Demi can’t be bothered to return my calls. So, Sheila my friend was here two nights ago and complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous. We wanted to rule out the possibility so we got the test strips for her to take the test

you allowed yourself get

"Ben’s not

chin. "And what about me? Am I bad? Is that why you keep pushing

Before she can respond, I capture her lips

shrug on my pants and head to the living room to take the call. Iman had better have good news

"What? Is she awake?"

"Yes."

say

out and rescued her. I thought you handled him. You said he wouldn’t show up. Apparently, she texted him before coming to my place. What have you been

clearly didn’t get there on time because I had him held up so why couldn’t you achieve anything in forty-five minutes?

said not to hurt her

ensure Anna is still fast asleep before responding. "I said not to kill or injure her fatally, you moron! There are so many ways to siphon information from a stubborn woman like that. Why did you hit her so hard in the first place? Couldn’t you have threatened her? Do you seriously have nothing on her? Couldn’t you have stripped her naked and made some kind of video? If you couldn’t get any information from her, you should have improvised and gotten something dirty of her to use in future. Do I

"I’m sorry."

mess. You better hurry out of there and go hide in the house I got you because Ashton will be back for your ass and this time, he won’t spare

hire his friends from the bar that tried to assault me on his command. I think three

window and see Ashton’s car pulling up in front of Anna’s apartment. Demi is on

fuck are they

***

of the house. When they asked, she merely explained that I stopped by to check on her as I normally do since the incident with Iman. That’s why my perfume was still lingering in the house. I warned her not to let Demi into the bedroom as she would have a hard time

day; a visit to Josh’s home. This is all father’s plan. After my altercation with Josh at the restaurant the last time we sat for lunch at Soul Foods, he has been devising plans to

I know this plan will be a bust but I don’t

Brix estate, another luxurious part of town close to the HQ. Father obviously got it for him to overcompensate for his absence in his life.

her home. Josh walks up to me, a

your mom lives

mom, don’t you?" He

see." Mother and son grit their teeth in silence but I am hardly done with them. "I was just asking because I was worried for your mother here. Did you at least get her noise canceling headphones? I bet that’s the only way she can

love to, especially at the mansion. There’s only one real woman at the mansion after all and she’s already married to Ashley so all Asher can do

to

and lied to him for years about your paternity a real woman? No,

will not come into my home and disrespect

of the Rollins empire and that will NEVER change. You can build castles in the air for all I care. My father will NEVER ditch my brothers and I because of this thing you bore for