Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 124: Chapter 124

ASHAL

"I’m fine. No injuries were sustained."

"Are you sure?" I insist as Demi exhales softly. "I got worried after watching the news clip. It looked..."

"Ashal, I’m fine. Trust me on that."

"Ok. I’m sorry I can’t be there. There’s just too much stuff going on at home and I wanted a break to clear my head."

"Lucky you. I wish I could get a change of environment too." She sighs wistfully. "Anyway, thanks for checking up on me. I appreciate it."

"I wish I could do better. Hang in there."

After the call, I turn to Ashton. "I can’t believe she staged everything, and with Mila of all people??? I never even knew those two could strike up a conversation longer than sixty seconds much less hatch a plan."

Ashton is sprawled on my couch with a hand over his face. He has been upset since he came in this morning for obvious reasons. It’s weird but I am starting to understand how frustrating it all can be.

I spent the previous night ruminating over my alleged feelings for Madeline and while I want to believe that there’s nothing amorous about it, there exists a plethora of behaviors that belie my stance. I can’t help but wonder if I am so in love with Maddie that everyone else can tell except me.

Is this what it feels like to love someone you can’t have? There’s a hollow pit in my stomach that reeks of fear, sadness and frustration for the woman I can’t have. I now see what Ashton has been going through and honestly, I strongly commend him for his impeccable restraint all these months. I am going berserk not knowing how Maddi is faring right now. I can’t imagine being under the same roof with her and thinking straight. How does Ashton do it? How can he stand seeing Demi with Ashley? I could never.

"Are you okay?" I ask my brother.

He sits upright and kneads the kinks out of his neck. My guess, from the bags under his eyes, is that he barely slept a wink last night.

"I had to beg Duncan not to tell father about everything. He wouldn’t have hurt a hair on Mila’s head but Demi...that would just give him another reason to make her suffer." A short breath whistles from his lips as he digs his fingers into his hair. "I have a lot on my plate right now. Father is onto us. Adriana is in the wind again. Mila is pushing for our wedding to take place which I am not prepared for and now Demi is playing with fire. I don’t have the mental band width to tackle all of this at once. I can’t protect her, Ashal. If she crosses father, he won’t spare her."

"No, he won’t." I concur.

"She is currently at loggerheads with mother so I doubt mother will be eager to protect her. She’s been through a lot and I understand how badly she must be hurting but this isn’t the solution. If she tries to mess up father’s plan and bring shame to the family, I don’t know what he will do to her."

I take a good look at him. It should be Ashley worrying so much but no, Ashley isn’t. That’s mostly because Ashley is not always present or perceptive around the mansion to look out for his wife. He has been burying himself in work as a form of distraction from the chaos his actions have caused.

I don’t blame Ashton for his feelings. If Demi had been receiving the kind of love any woman deserves, Ashton might have been able to dial back on his emotions.

I know this by recalling how I felt when Madeline was about to marry the wrong guy. I couldn’t even breathe properly. I almost killed Hunter in my rage.

I rest a hand on Ashton’s knee. "You don’t have to do it all alone. You can tell Ashley the truth and let him worry about her, then face the things you can control."

"You think I haven’t? Ashley admitted that Demi won’t listen to him. She can barely stand his presence. If anyone can get through to her, Ashley thinks it’s me but here I am, woefully failing at that." He surges to his feet and paces. "I don’t have time for this. I need to see Keith. I am heading to his farm house to have a conversation about meeting Adriana again. I just hope Demi doesn’t do anything stupid before I can clear my plate."

"Go on. You can’t do it all. Adriana is our sister and she deserves to be our priority. We owe it to her after all these years. Demi can wait."

He nods grimly and turns to leave.

"Oh, Ash, get some sleep first. You look like shit and it’s uncomfortable staring at my face looking like shit." That’s usually his line and it feels so good to throw it back in his face.

He waves at me.

"Cree will be here soon."

"What? Why?"

"You know why." He replies without turning. "Be nice to her. She was your friend once and she’s wants to make amends." He disappears through the door while I huff out a breath.

***

"He said that?" Cree asks with a hint of amusement when I offer her a drink. She looks exquisite in a sleeveless jumpsuit and heels. I didn’t realize how much I have missed her. She looks really beautiful and smells great too. Seeing her stirs memories of our date and the other dates after it.

"Yeah. Apparently, you want to make amends?"

"Horseshit. I mean, of course I’d love to patch things up but that’s not why he begged me to pay you a visit."

don’t know

leans forward. "Let’s forget all that. How have you been? This is me asking genuinely and not because Ashton asked me to come here." Her eyes warm with concern. "The last time we spoke, I was very worried about you.

out on you that very day simply because I didn’t agree with the

I shift uncomfortably, she gives a thin smile. "You

"You say that now..."

Gone, but it’s not because you aren’t a great guy. I didn’t start off being honest with you. I was there to collect a pay check from Shay so

If it ever gets awkward and any feelings start to rear their heads again, I promise to tell you and discharge myself from this self-appointed role of being your

offer is juicy but I am still

me before

sigh in resignation. "FINE. If you haven’t

"Typical."

much for not

"Oops, sorry."

can be with for personal reasons. I try my best to

does Maddie feel

that make me suspect she welcomes whatever is going

you think that?" Cree presses on

I am the guy who practically stole two years of her sister’s life while my family and I trapped her in a penthouse like an embarrassing little secret. Rather than

everyone is

with mine. "Here’s my two cents. If family means everything to you and pursuing this would hurt them and you, I suggest you treat this as a fleeting affair. I’m sure it’ll go away. You fell for me once and I bet you thought you couldn’t move on after my secret came to light. Even then, you chose your family. Do it again, especially since she isn’t exactly fighting for whatever you both have going on. Choose family. That’s honorable for people like you, right?" She sips her

of her head, Ashton!" This time, I lean close. "What would

head to the side, revealing a nicely sculpted ear bereft of an earring. "I’d ride the wave for a bit to see where it leads us. I’m not even a part of this story but the suspense is killing me. I badly want to know if this is a star-crossed romance like Romeo and Juliet or just a hormonal reaction that a quickie at the back of a car can

phone starts to ring and I almost drop it.

***

Why now? I can hazard a guess but I am not in the right frame of mind to lie to

went by your office." She

"Maddie, what’s wrong?"

they found him dead in his car. It

a million tiny pieces as she continues to cry and sniffle on the other end of the phone. Cree is still in the living room, enjoying her drink and twiddling with the TV remote to find a good

Maddi. What are you saying? What boyfriend? Are you being harassed by the police for the death

before he...I just don’t know what to do. I don’t want to worry Olivia and my parents don’t know about Alfie. I didn’t

and focus on her pain. I don’t know what I can do to make her feel better. I’d love to console her but my guilt-stricken face might give her cause for concern. Plus,

"Are you busy?"

to meet. Gosh, I

dousing her hopes. "I’m at my second penthouse up the hills, almost at the outskirts of town. I had some pending work.

few breaths. "I understand. I don’t know what I was thinking." She sniffles again. "I have no right

about you. Liv won’t forgive me if I let anything happen to you." I close a hand over my mouth before I can say

Ashal. I feel much better now after

break and get some rest. You’re

a hand in Alfie’s death. I slide to the floor

been a hard phone

an eavesdropper. Whatever. I have no prerogative nor am I in the mood to

to hum while I allow her

***

"Where are you?"

a baby. I don’t need a babysitter!"

me that game to play so I wouldn’t hear you driving out, right? How could you sneak out of your own house if you aren’t acting like a

I miss them, okay. If Ashton worries, tell him I’ll be at home. You are welcome to stay the night at the

phone into the pigeonhole and swerve in a different direction from home. Maddi didn’t pick up when I called her back after a few hours. It’s been an extra two hours since then and I can’t seem to reach her. I have no idea where she is or if she’s okay. I have left her texts in capital letters demanding for a reply so I

pull up in front of her dorm and try her number one

phone like a maniac. I want to go in but that would cause an uproar when the other female students

see her rushing down the stairs towards my car, a huge ball of relief unfurls in my chest. She’s fine. From her face and disheveled hair, I can tell she must have been sleeping. As

Ashal?" She utters in disbelief through the passenger

to sound breathless. "You

and I did. I’m sorry I got you

Everyone will

are both so close, my breath hitches. She has a

are fixated away from her face as I talk. "I didn’t know you had a new boyfriend. You must be hurting a lot. What can I do to make you