ASHAL
In the pretty slice of a bright Tuesday afternoon in Danvarr, I watch a red Ferrari 488 GTB zip across the open car track, a few paces ahead of. a grey Lamborghini Huracan. Ashton and I are seated on the tenth row, watching our brothers settle their grievances behind the wheels of supercars. It's all Ashton's idea as he posits that the adrenaline rush of racing each other on a racetrack with NO speed limits should be more effective than bitching and throwing punches at each other.
Before this, we watched our brothers yell at each other for six minutes. Asher was pissed that Ashley derailed from the plan by helping Anna at Demi's behest. Ashley blamed him for his stupid idea of questioning Demi in her bedroom which scared the shit out of her and forced her to seek revenge by uploading the video which Asher filmed and sent to Demi. Ashton had originally intervened to keep our brothers from throwing punches until he heard Ashley had impersonated him in questioning Demi and there's a chance Demi now thinks Ashton is capable of rape.
It took a lot of willpower to for Ashton to not draw the first blood. Thankfully, he showed admirable restraint and took the fight to the racetrack.
The rule is simple; whoever loses the race by coming in last after three laps gets to apologize to the winner and never bring up the matter ever again.
With a cloud of dust and dirt in their wake, both cars thunder for the finish line.
"My bet is on Asher." I quip, eyeing the Lamborghini. "He has always been the most competitive. He'll never let us live it down if he wins."
Ashton gives a half-smile. "True, but never underestimate a man desperate to prove himself. This win will just be another bragging right for Asher but for Ashley, it might revalidate his self-esteem."
Ashton smirks as the Porsche tears through the finish line with a hairsbreadth.
"Ooh, Asher's going to be livid." I chant.
"Yup."
While we head to the outfields, I register the dissatisfied look on Asher's face as he slams his car door hard. Ashley allows a ghost of a smile to tint his face as he walks up to us.
"Great job." Ashton congratulates him, shaking his hand in a firm grip. I give Ashley a fist bump before we all turn to the sore loser who is now blaming his race car for his loss.
"You owe me an apology."
Asher grits his teeth at Ashley. Ego battles with integrity and ego wins. "I don't mind apologizing and I will but we can't gloss over the fact that you fucked up in Brellis." Both of them regurgitate the bone of contention and defensively apportion blames. Ashton walks around them to go check on the condition of the cars, leaving me to deal with it all.
I let out a frustrated breath. I have been actively trying to avoid combustible situations like this between us brothers. That way, I can keep my demon in check and maybe father won't regard me as a ticking bomb. Hard as I try, I can't stand the heated looks they continue to give each other as their voices go up a notch. Sighing, I dump the can of beer in my hand and range myself between them.
"That's enough."
I don't have to shout. I only have to act like I want to get involved and they'll break it up. Memories of our last, shameful fight lives rent free in all our heads, especially Asher's. Something about being reminded of that day snaps him out of his petulance into the no-nonsense demeanor of the quad leader we've all come to know and love.
Asher peels his hand gloves off and exhales. "Look, all I am saying is that Demi can't keep staying in this house. She's got to go, Ashley. I don't care what she told you. That woman is bad news. Have you listened to her ex-boyfriend's fucking interview? She's got something against us. Before she came into this family, we never fought with each other. We adhered to the quad codes. We worked like a single unit. Now, she's trying to tear us all apart by getting in our heads."
Ashley heaves a deep breath. "I never said she has to stay. I'm still on board with getting her out of the family but only as Ashal earlier suggested. No rape threats or scares." His breath comes out in hitching gasps as a painful memory flit in his eyes. Closing a hand over his mouth, he leans on the trunk of the Porsche. "I'm such a hypocrite. I should have known better than to do that. She was…I couldn't keep blaming her for leaking the video in order to protect herself. I DROVE HER TO THE EDGE, Asher. I couldn't deny my own guilt in the way things played out so I helped Anna. End of story."
"What's done is done." Asher agrees. "It's pointless pointing fingers. We have Iman to focus on now. If we don't pull the right threads with this guy, then Demi will find a way to wriggle out of this mess too and reinstate herself as Danvarr's innocent sweetheart. With every triumph she cops, it will only embolden her and make it more difficult to get rid of her. Clock's ticking." His eyes dart around, then settle on me with a firm look. "Ashal? You know what to do, don't you?"
I grind my teeth and force a smile. Ever since I watched the camera feed, I haven't been able to look at Asher's face without feeling the unpleasant sting of betrayal. I can't get over that stump no matter how much I try.
"I do."
With a nod, Asher excuses himself. Ashley muffles an apology to Ashton before striding off as well. I watch them leave, a reasonable distance between their shoulders. Then Asher edges close and hooks an arm around Ashley's shoulders. The image warms my heart. When I turn, Ashton's eyes are studying me.
"You're not leaving yet? I ask him, squaring my shoulders. Ashton's been paying a little more attention to me ever since I attempted to drown myself. While it might be sweet of him as a brother to care so deeply for me, I can't help but find it suffocating. I literally grew up under watchful eyes. Everyone in the family has always looked at me extra-long or extra hard no matter how much I kept my distance or tried to be invisible. Right now, I don't want to hold anyone's attention, especially not while being myself as Ashal Rollins.
"Nope. I want to do a few laps with this baby first." He gives the Porsche a small kick.
"Oh. See you later then" I say, swiveling.
"Hey Ash?" It's the way he calls my name. I halt in my tracks as he steps up to me. Please don't be weird, I mutter silent prayers in my heart. Don't ask if I have breathing problems or post traumatic stress disorder. Don't give me a lecture on how to beat my condition. If I have to stand one more talk therapy session, I'll pull my hair off.
"How's Olivia?"
I blink twice, surprised at his interest. "Olivia? She's fine. W-We're fine." And because he continues to stare at me under the peaks of his quirked brows, I follow through with more lies. "She's calmer now. Less tantrums I'm told. I plan on seeing her later today."
"Well, that's good." Ashton appears to have more questions on his tongue. "Um, does she ever go out by herself to say, catch up with friends?"
"Friends?"
"It's okay, Ash. No one's going to hear it from my lips."
So, I take it he knows I have relaxed some of father's rules regarding Olivia's situation. It's been almost a year and she has been suffocating in the four walls of the house. I did what I thought was right, what I thought would make her cherish me.
"I doubled the bodyguards. She only has one friend and they go out for dinner once a week to a private restaurant."
Ashton sighs. "You should keep a close eye on her so she doesn't break her NDA by telling anyone the truth about her situation." His hand squeezes my shoulder. "I've heard some disturbing things." I concur with a nod before marching away. What has he heard? Has Olivia been talking to Eliana about her condition of living? I ponder over the possibility of her fooling the guards or losing them during her dinner dates with Eliana as I make my way home. The anger slowly starts to bubble but I take deep breaths to calm myself.
Blind rage is useless. I need a new trump card if I must deal with my personal problems efficiently.
At the mansion, I find mother in the living room the moment I step out of the elevator.
"You wanted to see me?"
She draws me in for a quick hug and lingers. Then she eases back to trail her hands along the angles of my face. She looks weary. "She's in her room. She's expecting you." I clench my jaw. "I know you don't like to get too close but I am sure everything will be fine. Think of it as damage control. She's family now and whatever her ex does to ruin her image will hurt us if we don't nip it in the bud quickly. Your father won't be pleased." She sighs. "She refuses to be around any of your brothers right now. I don't know why but she was on the brink of tears when she begged me to ask your help."
I can think of a few reasons why Asher, Ashley and Ashton being around her right now will give her the creeps. However, I wish I didn't have to do this. Ever since she joined our family, I have actively tried to keep my distance from Demi. The reason runs beyond hiding my condition.
"I'll see what I can do."
Mom kisses my cheek. "Thank you, son."
Demi doesn't turn when I knock and let myself into her room. Her eyes are trained at the blank wall, glassy and empty. She sits in the dip of the bed, cradling a pillow between her thighs. Her ink black hair tumbles over her thin shoulders. She says nothing when I call her name and merely cranes her neck to stare at me as I step into her line of vision. Her eyes drill into mine, searching. The quads were right. She's relentless in trying to tell us apart.
"It's Ashal."
She scoffs. "Is it?" My breath hitches as she pins me with a sad gaze. Her eyes are a rich brown color and very intense. She looks pitiful.
"Do you trust mother?" She nods. "Then take her by her word and stop trying to search for my brothers in my eyes. It's just Ashal, the aloof quad or should I say the gentleman by popular vote." A weak smile seeps into her face. "C'mon, I need to prep you for your response to the ex-boyfriend and judging by how dejected you look, my work is cut out for me."
It's surprisingly easier to talk to her or maybe it's because I am seamlessly switching between Ashley's charm with a good dose of Asher's professionalism.
"Shall we start?" Demi bobs her head with a smile.
***
I arrive the penthouse at night with a satisfied smile on my face. Demi is a good student. Our hour-long session helped bolster her confidence as I strategically refined her version of the truth to counter Iman's accusations. Unfortunately, what she doesn't know is that my brothers and I only saved her today so she would fall harder tomorrow. The altered truth is going to bite her in the ass pretty soon.
I step down from the G-Wagon and make a beeline for the door. As I suspected, Olivia is preparing for her dinner date tonight. She's draped in a dazzling blue bodycon dress. Her hair is swept up in a high bun with sleek, laid edges. She gasps at the sight of me and proceeds to rake my suit.
"You're here? I wasn't expecting you."
I close the distance between us and seal her lips with mine. With her head tipped back, she leans into the kiss like a cat being stroked. Her hands twine behind my back. Just as we begin to lose ourselves, I break it off. She's breathless. Her eyes have stars dancing in them. Her fingers play with the buttons of my shirt.
"You wouldn't pick my calls and now you're getting me hot all over?" She hugs my chest. "I've missed you so much. Let's go upstairs. Ashal won't be coming in tonight. I want to feel you." My hand closes around her neck but instead of the usual glint of dread in her eyes, she smiles and runs her tongue over her teeth. So, she likes it aggressive but not from me?
"Don't call my phone, ever. From now on, I'll come to you when I want to have you. You dare call or text me, we're done! Is that understood?"
"Yes daddy." She's yanking at my clothes impatiently. "Come on Asher, I'm an impatient woman, remember?"
An hour later, Olivia lies spent on the bed. I trail my fingers over the faded scars on her bare back, over the slope of her ass cheeks. The sex had been great with the exception of Olivia screaming Asher's name. I don't mind it at all as long as I can be with her in this way. Her eyes had been trained on me. She might have been craving Asher but it was my cock she rode till her body jittered with mind-numbing orgasms.
"I wish you hadn't passed me off to your brother." Olivia sighs, turning into my chest. "This could have been us every night." I didn't have to rifle through mental files to know what Asher would say right now.
I trail a finger along her jawline and when it touches her lips, she opens her mouth and takes it in, sucking on it as her lustful eyes watched me. I immediately get my second wind as my cock goes hard again. "Maybe, if you didn't mess up our chance by threatening to ruin my family." It's a lie obviously. Asher would never marry for love and Olivia doesn't come close to the kind of woman he would settle down with for a marriage of convenience.
"I was battered and bruised. I wasn't thinking straight." When she props herself to a sitting position, the bounce of her perky boobs sends a shaft of pleasure through my groin. "I will do whatever you ask now. I'm prepared to be the perfect daughter-in-law for your family." Then with a childish scowl, "At the very least, I won't put the family in the news for the wrong reasons."
When I say nothing, she proceeds with a frown. "Why her? She's an orphan with no social class. Why was she deemed worthy by your family and not me? There's nothing special about her. I will be a better match."
"Is that what's got you so riled up?"
"Can your parents never forgive me? I swear I've changed. Asher, I don't want to be stuck with your brother forever. It kills me to be around him. He could never take your place in my heart." Something in my face scares her so she hurriedly adds, "I know he's a sweet soul and I'm sure there's someone out there for him but you're the only one I want to be with."
Ashton's voice echoes in my head: I've heard some disturbing things. Could Olivia really have breached her NDA?
My hands cup her chin and yank it closer to my face. "Passing you off to Ashal was the only way to ensure we can be a family and still have moments like this. You either take it or leave it." The challenge hangs in the air, in our synced breaths before she smashes her lips into mine. A low growl erupts from my throat as our fingers frantically trace each other's skin. I pry her mouth open further with my tongue, trail small kisses over her throat and breasts that leave a riot of pulses. My finger slide into her wet, sticky pussy and she moans in ecstasy. When our lips find each other again, I kiss her roughly, biting down on her lower lip.
"That's new." She manages between gasps.
I smile down at her. "It isn't."