Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 193: Chapter 193

DEMI

"How is he?"

Ashton finishes signing the file Gris is holding open for him before looking up at me with his weary eyes. "Not too good. He’s still shaken up and multiple sessions with his therapist per week hasn’t proved helpful, yet." He expels a long breath. "I think it will take some time before he fully recovers from the shock." His eyes finally meet mine, and stays on them intensely. "I can’t imagine if something that horrible had happened to you. I bet I’ll lose my marbles too."

His blue eyes heat up my insides, making me flush terribly. Gris goes into malfunction, clearing his throat and stuttering excuses as he hurriedly leaves us but Ashton never flinches of embarrassment for one second like I am doing. I’m probably overthinking his words. Swallowing, I tuck my hands under his desk.

"You haven’t asked me why I am here, at your office."

He reclines in his seat and strokes his jaw. "I didn’t think I needed to. You’re obviously here to see me."

"Actually, I’m not." I enjoy the flicker of surprise and the slight dent in his ego as he leans forward with serious eyes.

"What do you mean?"

To lighten the mood, I’m briefly tempted to drag this one out but there’ll be other opportunities. I adjust in my seat. "I don’t want to keep any secrets from you, Ashton. I want to be an open book from now on, not just for the sake of our relationship but because I am sick of being constantly misunderstood." I take a shallow breath to ease off the tension building up as he pays rapt attention to the words coming out of my mouth.

"If this is about Ashley spooking you outside the bathroom and pretending to be me back at my house, you don’t have to feel guilty." He gives me a warm smile while I gape at him in shock. "I...uh, I figured it out, and I also had a talk with Ash. It won’t happen again."

I hadn’t planned on telling him that because I didn’t want the brothers to keep fighting because of me. There’s already too much tension around his family, their company and even my new relationship with Ashton to rattle him with Ashley’s games.

"I’m sorry I didn’t have the courage to tell you I messed up. I should know you better than that."

"No, that’s not why you didn’t tell me." His smile deepens. "I know you better than that. I’m grateful for your maturity." He leans over the table and presses his lips to mine when I meet him halfway. "No need to apologize. It was an honest mistake and the prevailing circumstances had you distracted." He pads my jaw with his thumb before plunking back on his chair.

I moisten my tingling lips. "Thank you but that’s not the only thing I wanted to talk about."

With his somber expression back on, I find it hard to concentrate. How do I go from his unflinching trust in my loyalty and character to casting aspersions on his? His move just made this conversation more difficult than I envisioned.

relief that floods my chest whenever he gives me a reassuring smile fails

anger or disappointment I am prepared for. It lulls the pace of my nervousness to a crawl. When he says nothing in response, I proceed with my

"I’m sorry about the damning post the new editor made of you. I’m doing all I can to sniff him or her out. Like Liam, this person is exceptionally good at hiding their identity but I am working on it." He skims my jaw

isn’t about that. If you’d just let me finish..." I catch

"Okay. I’m listening."

lock eyes, hard. "The things that were written about me, did you not find

"I don’t understand."

time? How did they know that? I only told Anna and she already swore

nose. "Asher clued in and I had to admit we had been intimate but I certainly didn’t tell him when or where." He stares deeply at me. "You suspect someone we know fed

someone we know

***

happened to be someone we knew and not a total stranger. Okay, Demi, could you stop pacing? Please? Come sit down." He stretches

I can’t. I honestly can’t tell him

confused ever since Liam told me the new editor’s name

"What?"

in his voice catches me off guard as he

"Liam told you that?"

a lot, scared to even imagine that a member of your

is...crazy. I know my family probably fits in that category but this? I’d like to think that even if a member of my family purchased Billion-Err despite all

convinced as he makes his argument. We both know that a few members of his family would definitely not mind him being a casualty

obvious truth of the situation. "Ashley wouldn’t dare

words are

expect of him but I know he still considers me a bad omen for your family. For that

would own it if he bought Billion-Err. It’s an ego thing for him to stand by his actions especially when he’s convinced it was done with the family’s best interest at heart. I think Liam was messing with you.

are indeed messing with me,

supposed to be our little secret even though we both fumbled that part. There’s absolutely no way this man who had loved every inch of my body and stirred my soul in more ways than one could be

to stab me in the back. HE LOVES ME. He already forgave me just like I forgave him and his family. He holds no grudge against me and even if he did, he