Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 222

ASHTON

Skylar has had her bathroom door locked for over four hours, and in all that time, I’ve heard only the faint sounds of running water, the occasional shuffle of feet, and now, the rattling of cabinet doors that makes my pulse spike with fear.

"Skylar, please," I say again, my voice hoarse from repetition. "Talk to me." As usual, I get no response in return.

I sit on the floor with my back against the wall. My head is bent and my hands are gripping my knees like I’m trying to keep myself from breaking the damn door down. The apartment still looks like hell: furniture overturned, glass shattered, the smell of blood faint but lingering. Every second in here feels like being trapped inside her trauma.

I’ve been through ugly things before, but this—this is different. This is my little sister.

"I’m sorry, okay?" I whisper. "For everything. For being a shitty big brother. For not being there when you needed me. I just need you to open the door."

Still silence. Then a sound rattles inside, like metal scraping wood, and my stomach clenches.

"Sky, what are you doing?" My voice rises, cracking despite my best effort to sound calm. "Don’t do anything stupid, please. You hear me?"

Her silence makes me grit my teeth. I press my palm to the door, forehead resting against it.

"Open the damn door, Skylar! Don’t you dare hurt yourself, you hear me?" I yell before I can check my tone. Then my voice shatters to a whimper "Please!"

The phone in my pocket buzzes. I jerk it out and answer, still staring at the locked door.

"We checked the street cameras," says one of my men. His voice comes through the static, strained and apologetic. "Nothing usable, boss. The guy in the black hoodie who left just before you arrived, had his face covered. Can’t get an ID."

I squeeze my eyes shut, fighting the roar of frustration that builds in my chest. "Keep digging," I say in muted tones through clenched teeth. "Check nearby stores, parking lots. Someone must’ve caught his face from another angle."

"Yes, sir."

The call ends. I throw the phone onto the bed and scrub my hand down my face.

When I look up again, the door is still closed. It makes me feel a kind of helplessness that gnaws through pride and patience until it tastes like shame.

***

It’s a little past midnight when I finally hear the lock click. The door opens a few inches and Skylar steps out looking pale. Her eyes are red-rimmed but dry, as if she’s spent all her tears already. She doesn’t look at me as she walks past and sinks onto her bed.

"Hey," I say softly, relief loosening the tightness in my chest. "You scared the shit out of me."

She says nothing, just tucks her feet under the duvet while drawing strained breaths.

I grab the paper bag from atop the side drawer and sit beside her on the bed. "You need to eat something, please. It’s been hours."

She stares at the floor until I place the burger in her hand. For a moment, I think she’ll ignore me again but she props herself up to a sitting position and takes a small bite. Then a big bite, and another big bite. It’s the first sign of life I’ve seen all night.

When she finishes, I hand her some fries. She eats those too, then lolls her head back on the bed without a word.

I follow with a first aid box. She doesn’t flinch when I start dabbing antiseptic on the cut across her cheek or the bruise along her jaw. The silence between us hums heavy, filled with things we both want to say but don’t know how to.

When I finish, I tuck the blanket around her shoulders. "Try to sleep."

She doesn’t respond, but her breathing evens out slowly, and soon she’s asleep. I sit in the chair beside her bed and just watch the rise and fall of her chest. My heart constricts at the faint bruises on her temple. I should’ve protected her better. I should’ve...

My phone buzzes again. I glance at the screen and freeze. Demi? My heart kicks hard. For a second, I forget to breathe. It’s been days since she broke things off. I still recall how she looked me in the eye and said she didn’t

want to remember. I never expected her to reach out again.

Her message is clear and short: She wants to talk? My fingers hover over the keypad before I type back: I’m listening. I get nothing in reply. A minute turns to two and even three. The silence eats at me. Did my text not get delivered? Did she change her mind or did mean to text someone else? My stomach twists as I type, You there?

Still nothing. I’m halfway through convincing myself it was a mistake when her name flashes across the screen again but this time, it’s an incoming call. My heart leaps. I answer immediately.

"Demi?"

Her voice filters through quietly. Just hearing it breaks something inside me and mends it all at once. I want to tell her I’ve missed her, that she has no idea what the past few days have felt like without her, but I keep my tone even. I can’t risk scaring her off.

When she says the message had been meant for Lucien, something inside me deflates, but I force a small smile. "That’s all right. Happens to the best of us."

We talk carefully, then more easily. I apologize, not in a shallow way but from the gut. I tell her how sorry I am for not seeing her pain and struggle sooner, for making her feel unloved without her memories, and for expecting her to be someone she didn’t remember.

And for a while, it feels like we’re finding our rhythm again; that soft, fragile space we used to exist in before everything went to hell. I beg her to let me be in her orbit even as a friend. She agrees.

Then Skylar’s voice, weak and slurred sails in from the bedroom, calling my name. I swear Demi’s breath hitches. I close my eyes, already knowing what she’s thinking.

"It’s not what you think—" I start, but she’s already hung up.

The silence on the line is final.

"Damn it," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.

Then comes Skylar’s voice again, a bit louder this time. "Ashton... where are you?"

I drop the phone and rush back to the bedroom. She’s sitting up, eyes wide with fear. "I thought you left," she says, "I woke up and thought I was alone."

I sit beside her quickly. "I’m here," I say, brushing hair from her face. "I’m not going anywhere." Her hands are shaking so I take them in mine. "You’re safe, Sky."

She nods, barely. Then, out of nowhere, she says, "You know, I ran into Demi at a book fair earlier today."

"You did?" That catches me off guard. Demi was at the same book fair as my sister? Did she happen to see anyone Skylar might have spoken to? I suspect whomever had attacked my sister might have trailed her home or at least spied on her today.

Skylar nods again, looking away. "She looked... different, or maybe she was trying to be."

"How so?"

"She pretended not to recognize me. Could have fooled me." I grit my teeth as she sighs deeply. She has no idea about Demi’s accident. "Lucien was with her. I’m not sure if he’s her bodyguard or new man but he was certainly... intense." She eyes me, possibly to gauge my reaction to that. "And kind."

I try to keep my tone neutral, but something twists inside me when she mentions Lucien’s name with that quiet admiration. When I don’t take the bait, Skylar props herself up with a pillow. "You’re not asking more questions about the strange man hovering around Demi. I take it you already knew about that."

I draw in a sharp breath. I can’t tell her Lucien’s place or she’ll suspect why Demi needs a bodyguard. "He’s a family relative of hers, sent by her uncle. Lucien’s around and helping keep Demi safe."

"Why does she suddenly need a bodyguard now? She didn’t get one when it mattered the most."

"She knows better now. That’s what I’ll chalk it up to."

Thankfully, she backs down. "He saved me tonight, you know. The Lucien guy. He saved me from getting assaulted at the fair."

I blink. Lucien did that? "You were also attacked at the fair?"

She nods, tears welling up. "If he hadn’t shown up when he did, I don’t know what would’ve happened."

I exhale slowly, gratitude mixing with unease. "God Sky, who the fuck is after you and why are you protecting him? Why won’t you give me his name and description? I promise to have him behind bars before sunrise."

Skylar laughs weakly. "Demi is indeed a lucky woman. She’s got men falling on their faces to protect and love her. I only get attention when I fail to cover my injuries."

"That will change, Sky, you have my word."

"If I had someone like Lucien watching over me, I could actually believe those words." Her voice trails off, exhaustion taking her. "He’s fiercely dedicated to protecting whomever he’s committed to protect. It was almost like...what protective big brothers should be."

I pull the blanket higher over her shoulders and sit there, watching as she drifts into sleep. I have no right to feel hurt by her words. Lucien had been there and I wasn’t. She’s got four big, powerful brothers and yet some nut job gained access to her and hurt her. My brothers and I have no excuse. We’ve failed our little sister.

Skylar has more faith in Lucien than us. I know I can barely stand the guy but I am grateful he saved my sister even while protecting Demi. The man literally protected two very important women in my life, all in a day’s work. Yes, the thought of him being near Demi every day while I’m cut off from her still gnaws at me but he’s earned my respect nonetheless.

Would it be selfish of me to redirect his vigilance elsewhere so Lucien guarded Skylar instead?

***

The warm streaks of morning light seeps through the curtains when I wake up. To my horror, the bed beside me is empty. Panic surges until I hear movement in the living room. I wrench the blanket off my legs and make a beeline for the living room where I find Skylar crouched over broken glass, picking shards into a dustpan.

"What are you doing?" I ask sharply.

She looks up, startled. "Cleaning. I can’t just sit around while my house looks like this."

I step forward and take the dustpan from her. "Stop. You don’t have to. The cleaners will be here soon."

She stands, defiance blazing in her eyes. "I’m fine, Ashton. I don’t need people fussing over me."

"You’re not fine," I snap, louder than I intend. "You look like you haven’t eaten properly in days. You can barely sleep, and you’re pretending yesterday didn’t happen. I know you’re scared shitless, Sky. You kept trembling in your sleep and whispering incoherently. Why won’t you just admit that you need help?"

Her face twists. "I’ll ask for help.... when help shows up, Ashton. Till then, save your pity. I am not your damsel in distress."

Before I can answer, there’s a loud knock on the door. I swallow my frustration and open it to find a woman standing there. She looks cautious.

"Hello Katherine." Kat nods at me. "Please, come in."

Skylar freezes as her old friend, Kat, steps inside slowly with an expression caught between guilt and concern.

"Hi, Skylar." Kat says awkwardly. I am a little lost at the weird tension between them. The last I heard was that they were good college friends. Did something happen between them? I hope they work out or my plans will fail.

I clear my throat. "Kat called you last night while you were asleep. I told her what happened. She’s here because I asked her to be."

Skylar blinks, confusion flickering into realization. "You asked her here?"

"She cares about you," I say firmly. "You need someone you can trust and right now, it’s neither me nor any of our brothers. You’ll stay with her for now while I hunt that bastard that hurt you down."

Skylar looks ready to argue, but Kat beats her to it. "You’ll be safe with me and my family," she says softly. "You know my mom always considered you family and treated you like her second daughter. She’ll be delighted to have you over. Maddox is ecstatic too."

Skylar looks torn between relief and pride. She opens her mouth to protest, but Kat reaches for her hand, and the fight drains from her shoulders.

"Please Sky, this is not the time to fight. I know we’ve had our differences but that doesn’t mean I want to see you get hurt. Please, come home with me till your brothers can capture that animal that hurt you."

I look between them and back at Katherine. "Do you know who did this to my sister?" I ask in a clipped tone.

Kat hesitates, glancing at Skylar. "I believe she mentioned him once in the past, when she was drunk."

"Kat," Skylar warns quietly, shaking her head.

But Kat continues, her voice barely above a whisper. "He’s name is Colt Vanner. He’s her abusive ex-boyfriend."

"KATHERINE!" Skylar snaps, then her eyes dart toward me. The look on my face makes her terrified. "Ash, please. Don’t—"

"Don’t what?" I cut in. "Don’t hunt him down and make him pay for what he did to you?"

She shakes her head violently. "You don’t understand. He’ll kill me if you go after him."

"Not if I kill him first." I grab my phone, already dialing my security team.

"Ashton, stop!" she yells, voice breaking. "Do you really think you can protect me? You didn’t even know what was happening until today. I’m not stupid for keeping this from everyone. Colt is smart, and dangerous. He knows about all of you and the power you have. He’s always two steps ahead...he won’t go down without taking at least one of us down with him and if that happens, I’d prefer it be me."

Her words hit harder than she realizes. I stare at her bruised face, and for the first time, I can’t think of a single thing to say.

The silence stretches until her voice softens. "If you want me to tell you everything — about Colt, about what he did — then promise me something."

I meet her eyes. "What?"

"Promise me you’ll hire Lucien to protect me. I’ve never felt safer around any other bodyguard."

I frown. "Lucien?"

She nods. "I’ll talk, Ashton. I’ll tell you everything you need to know if you promise me you’ll get Lucien to watch my back."

"Skylar, he’s already watching Demi. Besides, he’s not for hire..."

"Demi doesn’t need him as much as I do. I know you believe that too. Her life isn’t on the line but mine is. I can’t think of a more professional and dedicated person to guard me. Plus, Colt really looked scared as he scampered away after Lucien beat him up at the fair. I think seeing Lucien will serve as a deterrent."

"Skylar..."

"Lucien has a knack for hiding in the shadows and appearing when needed, unlike most bodyguards. Colt won’t see him until it’s too late. This can help lure him out. Please, think about it."

I don’t know why it has to be him, but the desperation and tears in her eyes makes refusal impossible. "All right, all right." I pat her shoulders. "I’ll try my best to get him to protect you if that will make you feel better."

Her shoulders slump in relief. Then she breaks down completely, collapsing into Kat’s arms. I turn away, my jaw tight. No one deserves what she’s been through but I need to make sure I am not depriving another woman of safety just to protect my sister.

***

The night is cold and quiet when I pull up on a deserted street. A few minutes later, headlights cut through the dark. A black car stops beside mine. Lucien sits behind the wheel, window rolled halfway down.

We don’t look at each other as we talk, just two silhouettes in parked cars.

"I got your message," he mutters.

"And?"

He turns slightly to me. "I’m not for hire."

"I’m not asking for myself," I reply. "It’s for my sister, the one you saved at the book fair."

"I got that but unfortunately, my response remains the same." He turns away.

"Look," I continue, "Demi’s recovery is going to be affected now that the media is trying to confirm her rumored amnesia for ratings. I think it’ll be better if she left Danvarr for a little while, just until the rumors are buried. Marcel’s condition was clear; she either leaves with him or stays under your watch. If she leaves, you’ll have free time on your hands."

He finally glances my way. "You want me to use that time protecting your sister rather crawling back to where I came from?"

"Yes. You can crawl back later."

"Why not just hire bodyguards or assign someone from your security team to watch her?"

"That was my plan but she doesn’t trust anyone else," I admit. "Ever since you saved her at the fair, she trusts you."

He exhales through his nose. "I’m sorry you’ll have to teach your sister that she can’t always have what she wants. I’m not for hire, Mr. Rollins. I only agreed to protect Demi to fulfil an old favor to the Bransons."

I nod slowly. "I’m afraid it’s too early to say no to my sister. This is the first favor she ever asked me and I have a LOT of proving myself to do. Please, maybe there’s something I can offer in return. There’s got to be something you want."

Lucien tightens his hand around the wheel. "Fine. There is something you could offer me for my service."

I wait, but he doesn’t elaborate. "What do you want in return?" I press him.

He just starts the engine, his headlights illuminating the barren street as he pulls away, leaving me alone with the echo of that smirk and the cold certainty that whatever he’s about to ask, it won’t be something easy to give.