Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 121: Chapter 121

ASHER

When father said he wanted to get out of the house for sfresh air, | shouldn't have expected him to be

content with having just one son around him. | should have been mentally prepared for his call to Josh Randall to

join us on a private jet to visit Nicola on the family island.

"Josh’s coming?" | ask in bewilderment. "You know how sensitive this tis. Are you really going to fill him in on

everything that’s been happening in our family?"

"You mean, his family too, right?"

| let out a loud oath of disgust. "The fewer people know about this, the better chance we have at keeping it a

secret. Don’t you get that? You don’t owe your other son every ounce of truth."

"Would you feel the sway if | told Josh things and kept them from you?"

| roll my eyes at him and huff out a breath as we await Josh's arrival on the jet. | know father has been trying to

balance out his parental obligations towards his many sons but | can’t help but feel stype of way each time

he brings Josh into the mix.

There will always be a constant nagging feeling that Josh is the preferred son because he was sired by father

while my brothers and | are nothing more than pawns in father’s grand plans.

We are only important to him as far as we are useful. The second we stop being instrumental to his business

growth and longevity, we will be out of the door for good but Josh, he will never cease to be important in father’s

eyes. He doesn’t even have to make a cent in the company or advance its growth. Father will always love him

just for having Rollins blood in his veins.

When | had walked into my office to find Josh sampling my pill with a satisfied smirk on his face, | had quickly

settled for evasion from the topic of my drug. Josh had been so certain that the white pill was no ordinary drug

for migraine but thankfully, that was all he could decipher. | had agreed with him. The pill could easily be used to

treat a number of pain related discomforts.

Before we could delve any further into the particular reason why | was taking the pill, | had insulted his paternity

as usual just to rile him up. He dumped the pill and faced me, vibrating with temper.

That was when he vomited all that rubbish about how much more important he was to father than my brothers

and | ever will be. He had gone ahead to mock us, showingpictures on his phone of him and father bonding

outside work.

Father rarely hangs out with my brothers and I if it isn’t work related but from the pictures Josh flashed in my

face, | could clearly see father in a different light. He even went fishing with Josh. He wore plain clothes instead

of a suit. According to Josh, father never mentioned work once. All they did was crack jokes, laugh and talk about

everything else under the sun except stock prices or the visions and goals of the Rollins business chain.

| can’t even put into words how | had felt. | just know the look on my face had given Josh immense satisfaction

before he walked out of my office feeling like he had had the last laugh. | never told my brothers. If that little

truth could crush me, then | can’t imagine what it will do to them.

Father reaches for my hand but | pull it away.

"Asher, | thought we were past this. Are you still feeling insecure around your half-brother? | have told you

numerous times that you don’t have to. You all mean the world to me."

| quirk a brow at him for the lies he is spouting. Does he really takefor a fool? | bet if | hadn't insisted on

coming along with him, then this would have been another father and son trip with Josh. How many have they

been on? | am so fucking jealous right now.

"You don’t have to use that line withto soften the blow. | know where your heart lies." My eyes track to the

panoramic window view. "If you want to askquestions about my brothers, just go right ahead. Don’t pretend

to be interested in bonding with me. That fatherly side of you is the exclusive preserve of your biological son,

apparently."

Father's face crumples with something akin to despair. "You're still mad about the last time, about how I handled

the information you gaveregarding Demi’s pregnancy?" He sighs. "It's not that | didn’t trust you could

handle it, Asher. It's just that | wanted it handled quicker and | didn’t have the tto go back and forth with you

on how things should be done."

"And makingtake the blfor murdering my brother's unborn child while you hid behindlike a

coward?" | fire at him. "I bet you would never expose Josh to that kind of hatred and backlash from his own

family."

"I'll make it up to you, | promise, son."

I lean back in my chair and ignore him. As my vision blurs, | run a finger over my eyes and wince.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

"That headache..."

"I'm stressed, okay?" | snap, suddenly irritated.

"We never finished that conversation." Father persists, "the one where you cried over the phone about dying?"

My eyes flutter open to find him studyingover the rim of his glasses. "What exactly was that about? What did

you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounded like. | felt like | was dying from all the pressure you put on me, from the hate my

brothers felt towardswhen they considereda mini version of you, from the lies | kept telling everyone

just to protect my father who barely gives a shit about me. | was certain | wasn’t going to survive all of it."

"And yet here you are."

"That's not the fucking point, father! When | felt like driving my car off the edge of a fucking cliff, | CALLED YOU!

You! Not my mother or my brothers but you! I'm not sure if | would have called someone else in the family had

they not been so pissed atand wouldn't take my calls. | called you but all you could say towas to snap

out of it and chome. That's what you do. You always disparage our feelings and act like we aren't humans at

the end of the day. You never allow yourself to treat us like your sons and not your mini soldiers and employees."

| lean forward while my eyes burn with a migraine.

"You're never that way with Josh. I've seen the photos. You've gone fishing with him. You even lied to us about

going for a business trip and went camping in the woods with your son. My brothers and | have never witnessed

that side of you for twenty-five long years. How could you expect us to believe we mean something to you in

light of all these? It’s perfectly clear who your true son is. The rest of us are just your pawns as Josh rightly puts

it.

"Dad!"

We both look up as Josh makes his way into the jet, beaming with a smile. Father givesa cursory glance that

is laden with apology at the interruption of an important moment between us. | lean back in my chair while he

rises to hug his son.

"I was starting to think you wouldn't make it."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Josh quips. His face falls when he sights me. "Oh. Thought it was just going to

be the two of us."

My jaw drops. "You didn’t tell him | was coming? Am | interrupting something here?"

"No, Asher, it’s not like that..."

I lurch to my feet and grab my stuff. "It’s cool. I'll see myself out."

To be fair, | had run after him when he mentioned needing sair. | had insisted on joining his little getaway

trip. Maybe he had planned to go with Josh all along. "I've got things to do anyway."

"Asher."

I ignore him as | make my way off the jet. Shit. My pickup car will be awhile so | just walk with my jacket in my

hand. | am so livid right now.

My car eventually arrives and | send the driver away and drive myself. | circle around aimlessly for a bit before

finding myself in front of Anna’s workplace, the Honey Pot. I sit in my car for about an hour and thirty minutes till

her shift ends.

When she comes out, all changed out of her work clothes, laughing with a bunch of friends, | smile at the sight of

her. It’s been so long since | saw her smile so radiantly.

They part ways and she starts walking alone in the direction of my car. Through my side mirror, | know the

instant she recognizes my car. She ignoresand continues to walk hdespite how many times | honk at

her. When she refuses to get in so | can give her a lift, | get frustrated and drive all the way to her house.

Anna frowns deeply when she gets hand findsperched by her porch.

"Get the hell away from my property!"

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"That depends on how fast we talk."

"| have nothing to say to you."

"You have plenty to say tojudging by that look in your eyes."

"I mean it, Asher Rollins, | don’t want anything to do with you." Her breath hitches when I grab her waist. "Let me

go."

"You have every right to be pissed at me. | deserve your hatred and more."

"Save the lines for Nessa. I'm sure she'll be willing to get your dick wet at any hour of the day but | have things

to do so why don’t you run along to your whore..."

A resounding slap stings my cheek when | cut her off with a kiss. | expected nothing less and yet | went ahead. |

have missed her terribly. It’s sad to think that my life felt a little more peaceful when Anna lovedand

consideredher boyfriend.

Anna wipes her lips. "Don’t you ever do that again."

"I'm sorry. | needed to feel your lips again." | run a hand over my face. "I need to see doctor Ezra. | think it's

getting worse. Can you cwith me, please? I'm sorry about everything that's happened between us and even

with your best friend. | don’t expect you to understand how complicated my family is but right now, | don’t want

to be at the hospital alone. Please, Anna, | could use your help."

She fixeswith a deep gaze. "I think you have enough family members and people on your payroll to worry

about being alone at the hospital. I'm sorry but | won't indulge you this time. You don’t deserve my sympathy."

The sound of waves crashing against a rock fill my ears. That's how shocked | am at her reaction. She brushes

past me, unlocks her door and slams it shut behind her.

| really fucked up this time. If Anna can be a hard nut to crack even with my emotional delivery, | don’t think |

have any other trump card up my sleeve. Have | truly lost her? | stagger to my car. When | turn back, she’s not

hiding behind her curtain, peeping at me. | want to clench my chest in agony.

This is it, Asher. You were always going to walk this road alone; an inner voice tortures me. You'll die all alone. No

one really cares about you. You're not so different from your father after all. Nobody loves you genuinely.

| hit the gas and drive to the hospital while the thoughts cloud my senses. In spite of its brutal truth, | manage to

remind myself that | need more time. Things are screwed up right now. | can’t die just yet. My brothers and my

mother aren’t ready to move on without me. Father's promise is still on shaky ground. If anything happens to me

right now, Josh and his mother will tear my family apart. | need to get fixed. | can’t give up now.

| sit alone, wringing my icy fingers in doctor Ezra’s office while he attends to another VIP patient in the operating

theatre. He has been alerted of my presence and has promised to attend toas soon as he can.

Five minutes quickly turn to an hour and still no sign of the doctor. What is more surprising is how | fail to realize

such a long thas even passed. All | can think of are fond memories of Anna and the kind of relationship we

could never have, one where we could be an official couple accepted by my family and the whole of Danvarr.

| imagine her sitting withand tellingstories to calm my nerves. It amazeshow thoughts of her still

calmeven in her absence. | whip out my phone and allow my hand hover over her number, deliberating on

dialing it or not.

| decide against it and turn to my brothers. Which of them should I call right now? Who wouldn't make a fuss

aboutkeeping them in the dark on my health challenge and prefer to be understanding right now?

Ashton’s call comes through while | am still debating.

"Ashton?"

"Hey. Where are you? | am in a bit of a dilemma right now."

| look around the doctor's office. "I stopped by the office to do swork. What can | help you with?"

"Keith got back towith an address and tto meet Adriana but on my way, Ashal called. | think something

bad has happened with a stranger. He was crying. A life might have been lost. He needs our help."

| surge to my feet immediately. "Pinhis location and I'll be right with him."

"No. | was thinking you could go see Adriana while | help Ashal out. He called me, Asher. He specifically asked for

my help. | haven't been paying much attention to him lately and if | disappoint him this taround by sending

someone else, | don’t think he'll trustagain with matters like this."

"Ashton, you've been following up on all things Adriana and Keith. | can’t just step in and play you right now. This

meeting is crucial. If | fuck it up or give Keith reasons to suspect foul play, he could botch the whole deal. We

could lose our one chance to reunite with our sister again. | can’t have that on my conscience. Please, let me

help Ashal. | am sure he will understand why you can’t make it. Adriana is important to him too."

"The problem is that I'm two minutes out already in Ashal’s direction. | didn’t stop to think before dashing to him.

If you're at the HQ, then you're only a few blocks away from the meeting point with Adriana. You know

everything about her. | filled you guys in already. Keith will only act as a chaperone at the meeting. You'll get to

talk to Adriana all by yourself. When you do, don’t pretend to say what you think I will. Be your authentic self and

bare your heart to your long-lost sister. What do you want to know about her? | trust you can handle it."

Before | can protest, he hangs up just as Ashal’s heart wrenching whimper seeps in. My fingers are shaking now.

I'am in no condition to handle this. Do I call Ashley? His line doesn’t go through when | do. The last thing we

need is to make a bad impression by standing our sister up. | take in a sharp breath and dash for the door. When

| pull it open, someone is about to enter with doctor Ezra.

"Father." | hum with shocked eyes.

ork

"| thought you were off to the island."

"Changed my mind. That can wait but my first son can’t." Father pullsin for a long hug that surprises me.

"And Josh?"

"He understood."

| doubt that but | don’t press further. "How did you find me?"

"You weren't taking my calls so | had your car GPS tracked." He eases back from the hug and stares around the

doctor's office. "Imagine my surprise when it leadshere. | guess you aren't fine after all, huh?" | wince when

he pokes my temple.

| give doctor Ezra a quick look. | hope he hasn't said anything.

"I'm told you've been waiting for the doctor."

"Yeah, | just needed a prescription for my headaches."

"And that couldn’t have been done by any other doctor?" Father asking, trading glances betweenand doctor

Ezra. The latter clears his throat.

"Asher is fond ofas you know. He hates hospitals and whenever he has to cin, he wantsto attend to

him given my history with your family. Besides, if he had called before coming, | would have informed him | was

going to be in surgery so he didn’t have to wait.

Father shrugs. "Doc, can he get an MRI? He's been having these annoying and persistent headaches for some

time. | want to make sure it’s nothing serious."

"Father, I'm not a kid. | can handle my own business. You don’t have to butt in."

"Nonsense. You're my son and your health matters to me. | will butt in whether you like it or not. Doc?"

| head for the door. "I was just on my way out before you two arrived. | had a shitty day and made other plans.

Doc, I'll see you later for the headache. Father, go hand get srest. I'll see you later."

Before he can protest, | dash out. | am already late to my meeting with my sister by ten minutes. My heart is

pounding in my chest. | am a long way from the HQ. It will takeanother seven to ten minutes to arrive at the

meeting spot. | hope she isn’t too disappointed.

On the way, | put a call across to Ashton to find out what is going on with Ashal.

"Are you there yet?" He asks frantically. "Keith has been calling and I've been stalling him."

"On my way. Got intercepted by father."

"What?"

"It’s fine. | shook him off. How's Ashal doing? How bad is it?"

Ashton sighs. "He had a blackout and can’t recall what happened but there was a dead man in his trunk when |

arrived."

"Damn. Do we know him? Does Ashal recognize him?"

Another sigh and a whisper. "I think the dead guy is Madeline Dunn’s latest boyfriend."

"What? Did Ashal go after him?"

"It appears so. He admitted to stalking them earlier today. His obsession with her scares me, Asher. How do we

deal with this on top of everything else?"

"We'll talk about that later. What are you doing about the body?"

"| called our contacts in the police force and reported a drug overdose. They'll handle the story. Ash won't get

linked to this."

"Okay. That's good. | just got to the meeting point. | think | see Adriana. The guy next to her must be Keith. Oh

shit."

"What? What is it?"

Instead of swerving to pull into the outdoor restaurant where a tensed young girl and a guy are awaiting my

arrival, | continue on my journey but as | continue forward, Keith locks eyes with me. Through my side mirror, |

watch him stand with an angry look on his face as my car presses ahead.

Fuck. Now, he'll think Ashton bailed after all the length he went through to arrange this meeting with our sister.

"| just drove past them. | couldn't stop."

"Why?"

"Father's car is right behind me, Ashton. He followed me."

"FUCK!" Ashton belts into the phone with anger.