Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 152: Chapter 152

DEMI

His stare is as daunting as a fist. He looks from Cree to me, a suspicious glint in his eyes.

"Cree?"

"Hi." Cree replies with a fake smile, unsure which brother she was talking to. "Fancy meeting you here, Ash..." She trails off.

He intentionally fails to complete her words but pins me with an uncertain look. Ice rakes up my arms as his bluish pupils fixate on me. Uncomfortable with being between us, Cree bobs her head. "I was just on my way out."

But when she tries to circle past him, his arm shoots out and clamps her thin wrist like a vice without breaking eye contact with me.

"Wait five minutes for me downstairs, Cree. I’ll drop you off after Demi and I are done talking. I won’t be long." Now he tears his eyes from mine and smiles warmly at her. "I’m glad I ran into you here. Got a few things to get off my chest." Cree peels her wrist free, nods before heading down. Now, he turns to me.

I can tell from his hooded eyes that he suspects my every move. Cree being here of all places must have been shocking to him seeing as I barely ever related with the woman who brandished a gun at Ashal months back.

I want to insist that it’s not what he thinks and that I am not conspiring with Cree but something tells me that lame explanation won’t fly, not with the disappointment and disdain simmering in his eyes.

"What was she doing here?" He asks flatly, lounging by the door.

"Why don’t you ask her on your way back to Danvarr?" I cross my arms over my chest. "I’m more interested in what you’re doing here. I never gave this address. Did Ashley tell you after my uncle called him? Even if he did, what do you want from me, Asher? If you’re here to beg..."

"I’m not!" He insists vehemently, a frown creasing his eyebrows. He jams both hands in his pocket and expels a deep breath. "I will never beg you, Demi Branson. I’m not like the rest of my brothers!"

"And they’re better for it."

"I’m not here to bicker with you either."

"Then why are you here?" I snap, my impatience peaking. I can’t stand him because everything about him reminds me of the salient reasons why I sought to avenge my parents.

Him being unabashed and unremorseful of his family’s sins grates on my nerves. He is more Brett than he will ever know. Ashton is the polar opposite. He is the ice to Asher’s fire, the warmth to Asher’s chill, the contrition to Asher’s indifference. Ashton centers me, and helps me prioritize forgiveness over revenge in a way none of his family members ever will.

I am seething with a fresh poke of anger just by having Asher within two feet of me. Even the way he breathes and stares irks me. If I don’t dismiss him soon, my anger might get the best of me. I might even do something I’ll heavily regret just to send a message to Brett’s favorite minion.

"I’m here to look you in the face when I tell you to stay the heck away from my brother!" Our foreheads are almost grazing as he squares up on me. "Ashton is about to lose the only family he has ever known, the only life he has ever known because of you! HE IS ABOUT TO BE DISOWNED BECAUSE OF HIS DOGGED SUPPORT OF YOU, AN ENEMY OF OUR FAMILY."

the floor

over an accident that wasn’t his fault. HE THOUGHT HE WAS

what he sees in you. Mila is a better view and a much better deal. YOU DON’T DESERVE HIM, DEMI. You never will. Go right ahead and do your worst. Sink my family to the ground if that helps you sleep better at night but don’t pretend to give a shit about my brother and break his heart further into smithereens when he later realizes what a disappointment you are. At the very least, let him rot in prison without a

fall and casually dab them. "Are you

to end whatever’s going on between you two. If I can prove to my father that Ashton isn’t going behind our backs to support you

know Ashton is nothing without his mother and brothers. You will never be able to comfort him so do right by

he think of punishing only Ashton? This can’t just be about me. It makes no sense. The family went out of their way

am I supposed to say if he asks how I came upon this information? If he knows Asher has been here, he’ll throw a hissy fit and

I texted

skims my face with his hands. "You suddenly

just spending some time with my uncle. I didn’t think I

them freely now, confidently too. He looks dapper back in his leatherjacket and pants with a white tee peeking from his chest. Inside my room, my heart clenches when our eyes meet.

"What do you want?"

worried when I couldn’t reach

in a smile, it’s the nervous tightening of his hands at his sides that give away his anxiety. My

at the mansion. Father is naturally upset but

in my head. Could you ever get over the loss of your family because of

you..." His hands come down on my shoulders and squeeze gently, disarming me. His eyes pull me into great depths that

have been tailed here so I’ll be leaving shortly but I wanted to see that you were fine and tell you to

"What? Why?"

to give him the benefit of doubt here. I think it’s safer for you to be here or possibly move to a

mind me using an

spill from my eyes at the stiffness of his shoulders and the raw fear coating his

phone and pull him down on

need to

one who’s got this address." I lie smoothly to ease his fear. "Besides, Asher knows better than to let father come after me. I made it clear during our last meeting that hurting me will not only trigger Billion-Err

think Asher got that

I already

"How?"

temple. "You don’t have to worry about me, Ashton. I need you to stop fussing about me. I know these are trying times for your family. They need you by their side, not siding their enemy." I press a hand to his lips to stifle his protest. "I forgive you, Ashton. Believe that I have but unfortunately, I am already in too deep now that even if I want to step away from the throttle, the car will only continue chugging forward

"Not really."

and worry less about me. I can handle myself, Ashton." I cup his cheeks. "Most importantly, I’m going to need you to trust that no matter how ugly things get while I am trying my very best to rectify the mess that I have created,