Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 163: Chapter 163

DEMI

"Yes, uncle Marcel, I am fine. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just needed a few days to myself. I had a lot of thinking to do. I’m sorry I got you worried."

Anna almost drops the serving tray in her hands when she spots me entering the honey pot. I wrap up my call with my uncle just in time to accept her embrace. She quickly grabs my hand and takes me outside. We go around the back.

"Anna, are you sure you won’t get in trouble for taking an unsanctioned break?" But all she does is pull me into a longer hug.

"Where have you been, Demi? How could you scare me like that? It’s so unfair. Tell me now, was it your in-laws that detained you? Was it Liam? Why didn’t you call once?" She continues to bombard me with questions without giving me a chance to answer them. I grab her shoulders and shake her.

"I’m fine, Anna. Look at me! I’m really fine. I’m sorry I scared you. That won’t happen again. "I flash her my pearly whites. "I JUST CONCLUDED MY DIVORCE. Ashley and I are DONE."

A big smile tugs at her lips. "Really?"

"Yeah."

She hugs me again. "Are they going to make it public? The people have to know so they can stop associating you with the Rollins especially now."

"I don’t mind informing the media myself or living through whatever backlash might come with that. I’m just glad that sham marriage is all over."

Anna dims her eyes. "So, what’s next? What’s with you and Ashton."

The sound of his name nearly shatters my resolve to go ahead with my new life being unpredictable to even the closest people around me. I grit my teeth when I recall the response he gave to his family when asked about us. I know he’s trying to protect me from his family by pushing me away. I just wish he hadn’t usurped the position of being the decision maker about MY life and what’s best for me.

At the very least, he could have asked me first and respected whatever decision I took regarding us. He shouldn’t have made me feel like the family’s distrustful enemy.

"That’s over too, Anna. I’ve decided that romance isn’t worth putting my head on a chopping block for. I just got my freedom back. I’m not about to ruin it by bonding myself to another brother, to the same sick-twisted family that oppressed me for months. That would be insane, especially now that their secrets are coming to light." I scoop some hair out of my face and pace a bit. "Speaking of secrets, Liam’s been awfully silent. That can’t be good. I wonder what he and Skylar have planned."

"Skylar?" Anna reiterates. "Who’s that?"

Right. She has no clue. Best to leave her out of it too before she’s roped in like I am.

"Oh, no one of consequence." I shrug before texting Liam. I need to know his plans with Skylar. They had sent Cree all the way to my uncle’s place to threaten me. I’m certain they’re not just going to let me off the hook for going radio silent on them for over twenty-four hours. I need to know they aren’t nursing plans to make my loved ones suffer just to punish me.

Liam calls me almost immediately.

"Where have you been?"

"In Danvarr but I needed some time to finalize my divorce for good."

Anna that she’s got nothing to worry about before leaving

do you have to say about

responsible for the

going to stick by your husband in

as the cameras continue flashing

officially divorced.

what about the baby? Are you two settled on

the baby a while back." I reply to their

influenced in anyway by the death of your

Did you accidentally miscarry

parted ways. That’s all I have to say.

of limbs and cameras because they wouldn’t let me through

expression on his face. I scan the living area but can’t find Skylar. Is she not around today? The last time we had spoken, she had used Liam’s phone

off the

"You’re late."

The media won’t stop hounding me after I announced

You’re no longer fettered to the Rollins

side. "Don’t deny it. I already spoke with her

laughs. "If she wants to see you, she

also convince you to go down this rabbit hole of revenge the same way you

plans in place to exact your revenge one way or another. If I hadn’t stepped in to steer you correctly, you’d have been caught long ago by the Rollins family and maybe your body would have been pulled out

the undiluted truth about my parents’ death. I wanted to shine some light on some discrepancies between the facts of that night and the story told by the Rollins’ family. I wanted them apprehended if they were guilty. I NEVER intended to hurt them outside the confines of the law. That was all your idea, and Skylar’s apparently. And now when I choose to back out of this ridiculous revenge scheme, you two are conniving to use me as a scapegoat. How are you any less guilty of the very same thing you’re accusing other people for? You’re lying, manipulating and stomping on others because you feel you’re entitled to. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT GOT THE ROLLINS FAMILY HERE! Don’t you get it, Liam? Revenge is toxic. It isn’t the

"SHUT UP!"

"I didn’t call you here to question me. I don’t need a moral compass, Demi. Save your lectures for that rotten family. I know exactly

hand, grabs the towel from her and wipes the blood himself. I struggle to calm my

he grabs me by the tail of my hair and pulls

hurting

He shoves me head first into a dimly lit room with a single, flickering light bulb in the middle. Someone groans in pain, startling me. I get on all

is roughly tied up like an animal to be slaughtered. His face is swollen, bruised and bloodied. His lip is cracked

he has been through that makes him barely recognizable, I instantly deduce his identity. That lush

I am certain that he was the only brother noticeably absent before I left the Rollins

pick with him or his family, there are proper channels to

ropes but get warned

familiar, right? Don’t think I didn’t see the welts on your wrist. How could you defend the same people who had you tied up in their mansion for almost two days, Demi? Seriously,

did you know that?" Then it

think Halle is my only source? I have eyes all over that mansion and even the HQ. If they ever tried to get rid of my moles, their

please. He