006

Aurora’s POV

“Asher,” I looked between the two of them, only able to tell the difference between them because one was almost naked, and judging by what I thought I’d just heard, he was—

Oh my God.

I couldn’t even bring myself to put the thought together.

I stepped further into the room, refusing to believe what I’d first heard.

“What did you just say?”

The one who was fully clothed in what I’d just realized was a copy of the outfit the other had worn during the wedding, stepped toward me, his hand reaching out to touch me.

“Ror, I can explain.”

I stepped back before his hand made contact with my skin.

“Don’t,” I told him. “Don’t touch me, Asher. Explain everything I just heard, but don’t try to put your hands on me.”

It was a miracle I was even able to look at him at that point.

I was disgusted with him. With them. I was disgusted in myself for not being able to recognize the man whom I thought I was marrying.

“Aurora.”

He tried to touch me again, and the glare I gave him made him think the better of it.

He sighed and returned his hands to his sides, but made no move to explain.

I looked between the two of them again, and when my eyes landed on his brother, I knew I wasn’t getting an explanation out of him.

His words confirmed it when he moved to the mini-fridge and grabbed a can of beer. “The tension is making me sick.”

I returned my attention to Asher. “Are you going to explain yourself?”

“Rory, you have to understand that—”

“Answer me!” I screamed. I pointed toward the man who was now casually lounging on one of the sofas. “Did you ask your brother to take your place at the wedding?”

Asher took his time responding. “No, no, Ror. I swear I didn’t ask him to take my place. I was supposed to help him get out of jail, and it took longer than I expected. But never, not once did I ask him to take my place,” he finally explained, his eyes pleading. His palm dug into his lap, and I wasn’t sure he even realized it. “I didn’t even think it would come to that. If I did, I never would’ve agreed to help him.”

Soren scoffed. “Sure, go ahead and pin all the blame on my brother.”

I turned sharply to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked. And to Asher, “What does he mean by that? Is there something else you’re hiding?”

“Your—” Soren began to say, but Asher cut in.

“There’s nothing else. All I said was what happened.”

For a long moment, I looked from Asher to Soren, and an overwhelming sadness hit me for the first time since I heard what they said.

At first, I was just shocked, but now I was heartbroken.

The man I loved, the man I thought I was marrying, gave me off to someone without a second thought.

I wanted to believe his explanation, desperately, but I knew Asher—or I thought I knew him—and I knew his tells, like the fact that he’d been rubbing his palms against his pants when he was explaining himself.

I finally walked to one of the sofas and lowered myself into it, burying my face in my palms as sobs rocked my body.

I’d vowed the rest of my life to a man who didn’t even know, a man who wasn’t who I thought he was.

I gave my virginity to the wrong man, and he took it without any remorse.

And the man who I thought I was giving myself to didn’t even deserve me.

They both took advantage of me.

“You took advantage of me,” I whispered before I’d even realized it.

Soren was the only one who heard it.

“Listen, babe. I get it that you’re hurt and shit, and that sucks, but we’ve gotta be honest here. You commanded me to sleep with you, and basically forced yourself on me, even when I tried to stop you,” he said. “And let’s not forget the fact that I made you come twice while I came only once. So if anyone was taken advantage of here, it was me.”

I blinked slowly.

Was he being serious?

“Don’t talk about her like that,” Asher growled.

Soren rolled his eyes and stood. “I’m gonna go smoke a joint. Being around you two is giving me a headache.”

I watched him as he sauntered back into the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Asher was by my side in an instant. “Ror, I promise I never intended to take advantage of you.”

Slowly, I turned to him. “You didn’t?”

His eyes were hopeful as he nodded. “I didn’t, Ror. I didn’t expect that Soren was going to sleep with you, that was not what we agreed on.”

I was certain he did not realize he had just contradicted his former explanation. Otherwise he would not have said that.

“It wasn’t?”

“Yes.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “It wasn’t what we were supposed to-”

He stopped mid-sentence as the bedroom door opened and Soren entered. He threw a paper on Asher’s lap. “I hate to cut your little reunion short, but I’ve got a jail cell to return to.”

“What’s this?”

“The marriage certificate.”

Asher picked up the document and read it “Why does the certificate have your name instead of mine, Soren?”

My stomach sank. “What?”

I snatched the document from Asher’s grip, reading it myself.

“I–I married Soren?”

“Surprise.” When I looked at him, he was grinning. A different expression flickered across his face that he masked quickly. “You are my wife, Aurora.”

Still in shock, my eyes returned to the paper in my hand. His name was clearly written on it; Soren Jaxon Wolfe.

It was one thing to think that another man had been on the altar, and it was another thing to know I had actually married him.

A stray tear fell from my eyes onto the paper, and that alone brought another onslaught of tears.

Just when I thought this day couldn’t get any worse, life just had to bring another plot twist.

“I have to leave now, but I’ll see you soon, wife.”

I lifted my head in time to catch the wink he threw my way before he headed for the door and opened it.

But he didn’t leave.

Instead, he took a step back, the door still open, and someone stepped in after him.

Someone in a police uniform.

Asher shot up from his seat immediately, and I followed.

The officer showed a badge. “I’m Officer Davies of the Chicago Police Department. I have warrants for the arrest of Soren Wolfe, Asher Wolfe, and Aurora Denver.”