Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 18: Chapter 18

DEMI

[My place, 8pm sharp.]

| scowl at the message on my phone. When mother comes down the stairs, | slip the phone into the back pocket

of my jeans and beam up at her. She looks radiant as always in a fuchsia pink dress that hangs just below her

knees, exposing her beautiful long legs.

"Is that what you're wearing? Demi, why don't you try the clothes Ashley painstakingly handpicked for you?" A

small frown creases my forehead as | recall the complete overhaul of my wardrobe.

"Most of them are either too sexy or too elegant. | can never find something that feels just right like a plain shirt

and pants. Can we just go? | promise I'll wear something classy on our next lunch date." Reluctantly, she nods.

We meet up with the quads and Mr. Rollins for lunch at a five star restaurant. Mr. Rollins makes a scathing

remark about my outfit.

"How could you let her chere dressed like that?" He asks, turning to his wife. "You know this lunch is a PR

stunt to show our family as a unified front irrespective of the negative media attention we've garnered over the

past few weeks. How are the photos supposed to turn out with her looking even more shabby than waiters in a

two-star diner."

"Calm down Brett. | am sure it won't be so bad. Everyone in Danvarr knows Demi comes from a humble

background. If we hastily try to change her to our own image of the perfect daughter-in-law, that might backfire.

| think people will appreciate the fact that Demi feels very comfortable being herself around us. Nothing will look

forced upon her."

"I think mom's right."

| glance up and note from the hand signal he givesthat it's Ashal talking. The last twe spoke at length,

he had toldto expect a very unique but subtle hand signal to tell him apart. It's our little secret, he said.

"Judging from the comments from her response to Iman's accusations, a lot of people insinuated that based on

her outfit, Demi seemed uncomfortable and pressured to live up to our standards. | think it will be a breath of

fresh air if they see her in her usual clothes every once in a while."

Father grunts. "You all had better be right about this. | shelved svery important meetings to make it to this

lunch. I will hate for all our efforts to go to waste."

The paparazzi start taking photos of us once our meals arrive. We are discreetly instructed to smile a lot to

portray a happy, thriving family. Ashely and | sit next to each other and every three minutes, he is supposed to

feedand vice versa. The early shots of our public displays of affection are horrible and seem forced, like it

actually is. We're both still struggling to be our usual selves after the shocking truth in Brellis. After a couple of

shots and sbelievable photos later, we are instructed to kiss each other.

My heart plummets. "What? Nobody said anything about kissing." A cold sweat breaks atop my forehead. | don't

like the sound of this.

"What's so unbelievable about you and your newly wedded husband being unable to keep your hands off each

other in a public restaurant?" Mr. Rollins mutters in anger. Mother tacitly imploresto cooperate. | stare across

the room. There are only a handful of customers at the well-spaced tables but they steal glances at us every now

and then.

"Do you realize we are doing this to salvage our reputation that your sorry past tainted? You have the audacity to

sit there and act like a prude who's finding it difficult to kiss a handsface like that? Are you kidding me?"

"Father, please." Ashley pleads.

"Calm down, Brett." Mother adds.

"She's not so innocent. Have you seen her ex? What self-respecting woman would date a druggie like that?"

"Enough now, Brett. You're not helping."

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"I don't have tfor this. Hurry up, Demi so we can be done here."

"Demi, you're wasting everybody's time. Get on with it so we can all go back to our busy schedules." Asher

sendsa heated glare. My heart is thumping wildly. Asher exchanges glances with the rest of his brothers. |

can imagine the suspicions building in his head due to my reluctance. Grim images of the past few, harrowing

days flit across my memory. Asher has left no stone unturned in his efforts to expose me. | can't let him convince

everyone before my plans cto fruition.

Ashley takes my hand and muffles an apology for not tellingabout the kissing part. "I deeply apologize. It'll

just be a second or two. A quick kiss on the mouth and then a few pecks on the cheek. That's all..." His eyes

dilate as | clamp his lips shut with mine in a sensual kiss. It takes him a few seconds to recover from the shock

and return the gesture. All around our table, | hear the clearing of throats. | break off the kiss and smile lovingly

at Ashely.

| hope they got the pictures they need because | don't think | want to do that again. Ashely's cheeks are just as

flushed as mine. | dip my eyes and shove food into my mouth to hide the embarrassed hue on my face.

"Again, virgins don't kiss like that." I don't have to look up to know it's Ashton.

We finish our lunch and everyone starts dispersing to their places of work.

"I'll just stop by my aunt's house. She wants to see me." | inform mother.

"I'll drop you." Ashely offers and when | shift uncomfortably, he explains, "It's along the way to one of our stores

where | have a consulting meeting anyway. | just thought we could ride together."

"That sounds fine. Demi, let him drop you off." Mother's tone brooks no question.

The ride to my aunt's place is the most awkward | have ever had with Ashley. This is what | feared. | really don't

want us to get weird around each other anymore than we already are, especially since we would be seeing a lot

of each other for months to come. Ashley apologizes again for the inconvenience | had to go through. I look out

the window, at the zipping houses and trees. | can't let him fill his head with the wrong ideas. Though my heart

did flutter when we kissed, we can never be more than this. | won't let any hormonal reaction swayfrom my

mission.

The Rollins family have been getting away with so many wrongs. Someone has to make them face the

consequences. | stifle the urge to glance at Ashley. He might not be the monster | once thought he was and he

might actually have likeable traits but he has been complicit in a lot of appalling actions perpetrated by his

family. For that reason, he isn't entirely innocent. At the end of this, revenge might not feel as good as |

envisioned earlier but at least, it would feel relieving to have avenged the death of my folks.

"How's Nicola?" | chime, abruptly cutting off his apologies on behalf of his father.

"What?"

"Nicola, your ex-fiancé. How's she doing these days?" His surprise fades to annoyance when he sees the smile on

my face. Nothing about my evasive technique is humorous. | merely want him to understand that | am not going

to be losing sleep over our kiss.

"Really?"

"The kiss." | continue, "It meant nothing."

"You think I don't know that?" His voice rises an octave as his tone turns brash. | stare at him in surprise. "I

deemed it necessary to apologize to you on behalf of my entire family because no one else had the decency to

do so. | am just trying to be a gentleman, not warm my way into your bed."

The car screeches to a halt in front of my aunt's. "Contrary to what you might think, Demi Branson, | don't lack

self-control or women with enough sexual experience to givea great time. Get out of your own head for one

second and maybe you'll recognize the thin line between a man just trying to be kind and one trying to get into

your pants."

The passenger door locks disengage, startling me. Ashley inclines his head, expectingto use the door. When

| grab it, | realize someone is standing right outside my aunt's porch. Liam. Ashley follows my eyes and frowns

conspicuously at the sight of Liam. He grabs my arm before | can leave.

"Remember, people are always watching you. Be careful."

| get his message loud and clear. Don't get photographed smooching another man and smear my family's image

with dirt.

| slam the door shut and head over to greet Liam. Ashley lingers a few seconds before igniting his engine and

taking off.

"Trouble in paradise?" Liam asks.

| shake my head. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Aren't you allowed to keep old friends anymore? Ah, | see. Did | make your husband feel insecure?"

"You wish."

He laughs, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Ok Liam, why are you really here? You could have called me."

"Somehow, you've beca difficult woman to reach, Demi Branson. Phone calls won't do it anymore. Hence,

I've decided to be a regular face around you. I'll make social calls every now and then. Maybe that will spur you

to take our 'thing' more seriously."

Aunt and Kira aren't hfrom the looks of it. | toss my head back. "You really think I'll let myself be sidetracked

by the quads? Every t| look at them, | am reminded how my life took a deep plunge into hell five years ago

because their father, as usual, swept their wrongs under the carpet and buried the truth behind the death of my

parents. You think you want to see them go down more than | do?"

"I don't know what you see when you look at those blue-eyed hunks and | really can't blyou. You're a woman

after all, with a beating heart and needs. | saw the pictures of your cozy family lunch," His smile disappears.

"Your kiss. You can stand here all you want and tellit meant nothing and | will tell you for free that you're

fibbing. You still have months to go before your contract expires. You'll probably have to kiss Ashley a couple

more times before then, and do whatever else that family requires of you just to buy more time. Do you still

think you won't be biased after all of that?"

"What would you havedo? They already suspect me. Asher is very close to uncovering my schemes."

"That's why you needin the picture. They need to know you're not alone. | know your marriage is a mere

contract. Ashley's still having fun with his numerous girlfriends. You need to make those quads realize that | am

with you. Tell them | am your significant other whom you'll be marrying properly after the contract expires for all

| care. That will hopefully make them keep their hands to themselves, especially behind closed doors."

| am not comfortable with this plan but | don't have a better alternative yet. "I'll think about it."

"No, we don't have that kind of time. We're doing this." Before | can argue, he slips away. | have a few hours to

gripe about it to Anna before aunt and Kira return later in the evening.

"Was that Anna?" Aunt gasps. "Why are you still talking to the woman who tried to steal your man?"

| leap off my bed in disgust. "Anna didn't try to steal anyone. She was used. Besides, none of the quads is

technically mine."

Beside aunt, Kira scoffs. "What exactly do you have against that family? Could Iman be spitting facts, huh, Demi?

| really don't understand why you're desperate to throw away an opportunity most women will kill for."

Aunt wags a finger at me. "I don't know what's going through that mind of yours but if you dare jeopardize this

marriage by bringing shto the Rollins family or doing anything to make them cut ties with us, I'll never

forgive you. You'll have no hhere."

"Aunt!"

"You better watch the way you behave in that house. Don't ever give them a reason to complain. Be their perfect

daughter-in-law. Do what they want you to do and say what they want you to say at all times. If you do anything

to crumble our new lifestyle and status, I'll kill you with my bear hands."

Her eyes blaze fiercely as she issues more threats. Kira doesn't help matters. She reads out scathing comments

made by people after our family lunch photos were posted and laughs derisively.

"How could you dress so poorly to that kind of fancy restaurant?" Aunt barks. "Why are you such an

embarrassment?" She shakes her head. "You won't dare it ever again. You'll dress appropriately henceforth. Mrs.

Rollins mentioned that she had Ashley oversea your wardrobe facelift. You'll go hand make sure you make it

up to that family. Seduce your husband if you must. Promise me."

Exhausted with their , | pick my bag and head for the door.

"If you're really not interested in them, get a divorce! Why are you playing hard to get? Everyone knows the

quads are out of your league. Stop prancing about like you are the catch or the prize in the relationship." Kira

shouts.

Wordlessly, | leave. | think of calling a chauffeur from the mansion and change my mind. Everyone must be

pissed atover the comments in the post. Maybe my aunt is right. | have to find a way to pacify them, even if

it's for an entirely different reason.

| recall Ashley's anger earlier. | have a lot of fixing to do. Ashley was the only one that sympathized with me

today. | need to make things right between us. If | can get Ashely to be my friend again, maybe that will keep

Liam off my back. My phone pings and | rush to check if it's Ashley texting to check on me.

[Are you coming over? We need to talk.]

Hissing, | ignore Iman's message. Does he really think | will fall for his tricks again?

| get ha little late, way past dinner. Ashley didn't call even once. That's proof that he is very mad at me. The

maids informthat everyone has retired to their rooms except Mr. Rollins who is currently in his study. | take

the elevator and make a belie for Ashley's room. His door is unlocked when | try it and | let myself in.

It's more spacious and tastefully furnished than mine. The monochromatic thremindsof a bachelor pad.

| stare in awe as | have never been in his room before.

Ashely is standing by the corner of his bed, his back to me. He quietly flips through his phone. Is he trying to call

"Ash?"

He turns, shocked to findbehind him. | blank my mind to consequences as | grab his collar, pulling him down

for passionate kiss. A strangled groan escapes his throat. Lust blooms, ripe and red-hot insideas | put my

tongue to work, nibbling and teasing. | should stop now, | think to myself, but the taste of him is overwhelming.

When he takes the lead, the thill of it rattles my senses. Struggling against the dizzying build of sexual tension, |

shove him lightly and stagger backwards.

This kiss definitely can't pass for nothing.

"I'm sorry. | didn't mean for that to carry on." We both pant for breath.

What the hell did | just do? It was supposed to be a light makeup kiss.

A mischievous smile tugs his lips. "For the last time, Branson, virgins don't kiss like that."

Just then, the bathroom door swings open and Ashley comes out in a bathing robe with water dripping from his

hair.

"Demi? What are you doing here?"