ASHER
[She took the bait. He’s with her now] Kira texts .
[Good job]
[Drinks later? You promised]
[Fine. I’ll text you the location]
[No need. My mom will be away all night. We can hang out at my house. More private]
This bitch is bold, I think. Is she really suggesting what I think she’s suggesting? I bet her mom is in on it too. Where could she possibly be going tonight? I shake my head with a laugh. Whatever.
[Sounds good]
The door in front of swings open and I tuck my phone away.
"Hi." Anna’s surprise turns to a slight frown as she sees . "You’ve got to work on your excited face when you see . If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were expecting soone else."
"How did you know I was ho? You didn’t call."
"Yeah, I stopped by your work place and was told it’s your off day. I thought I’d surprise you." When I lean down to peck her cheek, she moves inside. What’s with the attitude? "Were you really expecting soone else?" I ask, trailing after her.
"Demi. She should be here by now but she’s not taking her calls or texting back. We planned to spend the day together."
I incline my head. "I’m guessing I am not welco here then."
"No." She plunks down on her couch and blows her hair out of her face. "I didn’t an it like that. I am just worried about her. She was close to her phone a few minutes ago, and read my text. I don’t know why she hasn’t replied yet. Her phone was ringing earlier but now it’s switched off. Don’t you find that weird?"
I edge close to her. "I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she wants to spend the day in bed with her husband and doesn’t know how to cancel on you." Taking her hands, I pull her up. "If you’re smart, you’d take advantage of my presence here given how much I had to move things around to be here with you." This ti, she allows to relish her lips and returns my kiss with fervor.
"You should have called. Demi could walk in any minute. She might see you here."
"No, she wouldn’t." I say emphatically.
"What? How are you so sure?" She asks, easing back.
"I an, she wouldn’t see even if she arrives. I’ll just hide or sothing."
"And your car?"
"Parked down the street corner like you always ask."
"Your perfu. It won’t leave my house or my body for at least the next three hours. Demi will know for sure that I’ve had a man here, YOU. She knows your scent." She moves away from but I pull her back.
"What’s going on? Did I do sothing wrong? Why the cold shoulder?"
I can tell she’s keeping sothing from . My phone beeps and when I check, it’s a photo from Iman. Demi is sprawled on his carpet with a broken nose. I slip the phone back into my pocket and face Anna. "Nothing important." I tell her when she eyes suspiciously. "Tell , what can I do to make up for whatever I’ve done to upset you?"
"You can go visit doctor Ezra right now."
Oh crap. I guessed as much. She won’t let this go.
"I will. I’m handling it."
"No, you’re not. You keep avoiding it despite my promise to be there with you through it all. Clearly, you’re prepared to lose your life. I am not going to force you anymore, Asher. You’re grown. You can do whatever you want but I don’t want to be around when it gets worse and the consequences start playing out. I won’t be able to stand it. I already went through that trauma with my dad so forgive but I won’t be around you then."
Her words have never hurt until now. "Is this reverse psychology? You’re trying to pretend like you wouldn’t care about dying but it’s too late for that. I know you care."
She slaps my hand away when I try to touch her hair. "I’m not pretending not to care. I care and that’s why I am telling you beforehand not to expect by your side when your tumor becos malignant. I won’t go through that with anyone else. Once is enough for anyone, Asher. I won’t." She leaves to go to her bathroom.
Why is she saying all this to right now? I leave her to text Iman.
[What’s going on over there? Anything yet?]
[She’s knocked out cold. I only hit her once]
I grit my teeth. The fool. I didn’t ask him to beat her up. I asked him to get her to confess her true intentions for my family. I have to resort to such drastic asures to expose her before Ashley decides he wants to keep Demi for life or even have babies with her. I can’t have that.
I frown at Iman’s tactics. Couldn’t he have found a way to get Demi to talk without throwing his fist at the weak woman? What if he kills her?
[You better pray she’s okay. I never asked you to hit her like that. She dies or suffers major health challenge as a result of your action and I’ll make sure you go down alone]
When I head towards the bathroom, Anna opens the door and frowns at finding outside her door.
"You have to tell what’s really going on. You’re not making a lot of sense right now..."my eyes stray behind her and catch a glimpse of her trash bin. Is that what I think it is? When my eyes return to her face, it dims with understanding. Now, I get why she’s being like this. "You didn’t have to go through all this labor to kick out of your life, you know. You could have just been straight with . I am not desperate."
"What are you talking about?"
"I’ll let you be but first, I’d like to know who the father is."
"What?"
"Enough, Anna. We’re adults here. No need to get weird about it. You don’t want to talk about the pregnancy, fine but let know if you need my help getting the father to take up his responsibility. It’s the least I can do for old tis’ sake." Anna whirls towards the bathroom and her eyes double in size at the sight of the pregnancy test strips with two bold lines in her trash bin.
"No. no. It’s not what you’re thinking, Asher. I’m not pregnant."
Why the fuck is she still lying? It’s plain as the nose on my face. "Whatever you say." She grabs my arm when I head for the door. Now she’s acting desperate.
"I’m not pregnant, Asher. I an it. I can take a test right now and prove it to you."
"I think two tests is enough proof..."
"No, whatever you saw, that’s not mine." She bites down on her lips. "It’s my colleague from work. She wasn’t feeling well and ca to spend so ti with . I am trying to make more friends for tis like this when Demi can’t be bothered to return my calls. So, Sheila my friend was here two nights ago and complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous. We wanted to rule out the possibility so we got the test strips for her to take the test and it was confird positive. It’s not mine, I promise."
"It’s okay. I wouldn’t have judged you if it was yours, unless you allowed yourself get knocked up by that dumpster fire I t here weeks ago."
She chuckles. "Ben’s not so bad."
I trail a hand down her chin. "And what about ? Am I bad? Is that why you keep pushing away?"
Her breath catches in her throat. Before she can respond, I capture her lips with mine and pull her down to the couch.
An hour later, I am waking up in bed with Anna. My buzzing phone thankfully doesn’t wake her. I shrug on my pants and head to the living room to take the call. Iman had better have good news for .
"What? Is she awake?"
"Yes."
"Did she say anything on record?"
He huffs out a breath. "She didn’t get to. Your crazy brother got here sohow while I stepped out and rescued her. I thought you handled him. You said he wouldn’t show up. Apparently, she texted him before coming to my place. What have you been doing?"
"Hey, don’t you dare question as a way of evading the subject of your incompetence. What the fuck is wrong with you? My brother clearly didn’t get there on ti because I had him held up so why couldn’t you achieve anything in forty-five minutes? Why are you such a failure?"
"She passed out and you said not to hurt her further..."
I peek into the bedroom to ensure Anna is still fast asleep before responding. "I said not to kill or injure her fatally, you moron! There are so many ways to siphon information from a stubborn woman like that. Why did you hit her so hard in the first place? Couldn’t you have threatened her? Do you seriously have nothing on her? Couldn’t you have stripped her naked and made so kind of video? If you couldn’t get any information from her, you should have improvised and gotten sothing dirty of her to use in future. Do I have to think for you too?"
"I’m sorry."
"Sorry my foot. You’re not getting a farthing from until you fix this ss. You better hurry out of there and go hide in the house I got you because Ashton will be back for your ass and this ti, he won’t spare your life. IDIOT!"
I don’t know why I am still working with a moron like Iman. Maybe I’ll have to hire his friends from the bar that tried to assault on his command. I think three idiots should be more productive than one, with the right pay.
My heart plumts to my stomach when I look outside the window and see Ashton’s car pulling up in front of Anna’s apartnt. Demi is on the passenger seat next to him with a small band aid on the bridge of her nose.
What the fuck are they doing here?
***
Anna found a way to stall them while I hurried out the back of the house. When they asked, she rely explained that I stopped by to check on her as I normally do since the incident with Iman. That’s why my perfu was still lingering in the house. I warned her not to let Demi into the bedroom as she would have a hard ti explaining way more than the perfu in there.
I needed that before I faced my ugly schedule for the day; a visit to Josh’s ho. This is all father’s plan. After my altercation with Josh at the restaurant the last ti we sat for lunch at Soul Foods, he has been devising plans to try and make Josh and I get along.
Today, we are to hang out for the afternoon and get things off our chest. Father insists because he knows that if I can accept Josh as my half-brother, then I can get the rest of the quads to accept him too. I know this plan will be a bust but I don’t mind giving father the satisfaction of thinking his plan for a wholeso family that involves Josh can ever be a reality. It will NEVER happen but what’s the harm in letting the old man think it can?
I am not surprised to find Josh living in fancy duplex in Brix estate, another luxurious part of town close to the HQ. Father obviously got it for him to overcompensate for his absence in his life. However, I am surprised to find his mother living with him. Then again, they practically live in each other’s pockets so it shouldn’t have surprised .
Mrs. Randall smiles gaily as she welcos to her ho. Josh walks up to , a cocky grin on his face.
"I didn’t realize your mom lives here too."
"You live with your mom, don’t you?" He replies.
"Yeah, I do. My mom AND my dad. My dad likes to keep his family close you see." Mother and son grit their teeth in silence but I am hardly done with them. "I was just asking because I was worried for your mother here. Did you at least get her noise canceling headphones? I bet that’s the only way she can rest her old bones in peace when you sneak in your whores at night."
Josh gives a sly smile. "Forgive him mom. He’s jealous he’s not allowed to indulge himself as much as he would love to, especially at the mansion. There’s only one real woman at the mansion after all and she’s already married to Ashley so all Asher can do at night is jerk off to his secretary’s picture on his phone."
"Enough boys." Mrs. Randall pretends to not enjoy her son’s clapback.
"Real woman?" I laugh. "Do you think your late father considered the wife who fucked another man, bore his bastard son and lied to him for years about your paternity a real woman? No, I bet he’s still rolling in his grave and cursing himself for marrying a whore."
Mrs. Randall slaps hard. "You will not co into my ho and disrespect like that!" She fus.
I rub my cheek with a cocky smile. "It’s really bold of you and your bastard son to think you’re deserving of anyone’s respect given all the shaless things you’ve done to get where you are. My mom is the REAL woman, the WIFE, the MATRIACH of the Rollins empire and that will NEVER change. You can build castles in the air for all I care. My father will NEVER ditch my brothers and I because of this thing you bore for him. He doesn’t lack heirs and you will never take my mom’s place. You try it and my brothers and I will bury you where you stand. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating us or our mother!"
When Josh tries to say sothing, his mom puts a hand in front of him.
"Good boy. Listen to your mom and go lick a whore’s pussy. That’s apparently the only thing you’ve been taught after all." With a big smile, I bow deeply. "Thank you for having in your ho, Josh Randall’s mom. I really enjoyed my stay. Let’s do this again so other ti." I walk away, enjoying their heated glares. Word will reach father and I don’t give a fuck.
Ashton’s call cos through.
"Where are you?"
"At Josh’s place. Why?"
"Josh Randall? What the fuck are you doing at his place?"
"Ask your father. He’s cooking up so twisted plot to get to see his bastard son and not feel like plucking out Josh’s eyes. It will never work but I enjoy making father think he’s winning. I gave Josh and his mom reasons to wet their pillows tonight though, got a few things off my chest. You want sothing?"
"Demi was attacked by Iman. Tell you don’t know anything about that." His tone is low and dangerously so.
"Why would I know anything about that? What are you accusing of here, Ashton? Did Demi put the bla on ?" I match his rage through my tone. "How convenient. I am not a fan of our sister-in-law so if anything untoward happens to her, even a blast from her past, I must be behind it, right?"
I don’t know if Ashton believes . "Demi didn’t say anything but I bla you regardless. You’ve allowed that punk to roam free ever since he attempted to take your life. It never made sense to because you’re not the most forgiving man I know. You would never let Iman see the light of day unless you had so other use for him. Consider this a warning, Asher. Whatever your reason is for letting Iman get away with what he did, I will find out and I will find him. If he ever lays a finger on Demi again, you’ll have to answer to!"
"How is she?" I chi in before he can hang up. I bet my question flusters him. "How’s Demi? Is she badly hurt?"
"Like you care."
"Believe it or not, I do, Ashton. Simply because I am not in love with her doesn’t an I wish her harm, okay? Whether I like it or not, she’s still a part of our family and will be for so ti yet. So, how is she?" Ashton breathes heavily.
"She’ll live." He replies after a brief pause. "He broke her nose so that equals 300 broken bones as payback."
"Woah, human adults don’t even have that much in their body."
"Exactly. He’s going to lose even the bones he doesn’t have." He hangs up before I can comnt on that.
I sigh tiredly. "Oh Ashton, you fool. You’re so smitten by the wrong woman. You’ll only end up hurting yourself." I call Iman.
"Get the hell out of there and send the numbers of your henchn, the sa ones you hired to beat up...that’s none of your concern. Send their numbers or I’ll find them myself and have them bet you for fucking this up. Head over to the house downtown and lay low till I send for you again. There’s enough food and cash to last you at least two months. If you must go outside, wear a disguise so the street caras don’t pick up your face. That’s the only way you can escape Ashton. Don’t say I didn’t warn you." I hang up just as father’s call cos through.
Shit. How many more people are calling to threaten ? Pick a number and get in line, I mutter to myself. With a long sigh, I take father’s call.
Despite giving back enough biting remarks to justify what I did at the ho of his other family, I feel too angry and frustrated to make it through the rest of the day sober. My deal with Iman fell through and now I have to get a new bunch of fools to do the job and pray they don’t ss up too.
I can’t even feel good about mocking Josh and his mom because father is sorely disappointed in . My thing with Anna is on a shaky ground because she can’t get past my health condition. I don’t need any reminders. I just need so more ti to co to terms with my health situation and right now, denial is blissful.
I head into a random bar for a quick drink. I don’t even bother with sunglasses or any kind of disguise. I am pissed off enough to rearrange the jaw of any motherfucker that won’t respect themselves by being a nuisance to .
The usual shocked stares follow as I make my way to the bartender. There’s a blondie at the bar, examining a shot of tequila. Her friend sits next to her, convincing her to drink and make rry.
I place my order. At her friend’s open-mouthed gasp on seeing , blondie turns to look at .
"Hello ladies." I work my most charming smile onto my face.
"Asher Rollins." Blondie breathes with a frightened stare. How the fuck can she tell? She slides off the stool and grabs her purse hurriedly before weaseling out of the bar amidst her friend’s calls.
"What’s wrong with her?" I ask her friend.
"I’m sorry. She’s an introvert and very shy. I guess she’s flustered by you. I’m Octavia."
I take the hand Octavia holds out. "Nice to et you, Octavia. You can call Ash."
I stare back at the door wondering why Blondie’s eyes looked so familiar and how she instantly recognized as Asher even though we’ve never t before.
"Your friend, what’s her na?"
"It’s Skylar Sanders."
"Hmm. Skylar." I repeat, sipping my drink.
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