CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: THE ASHFORD BROTHERS

"WHAT IF I DON’T WANT BETTER?" she whispered, her words barely audible in the charged space between them. "What if I want you exactly as you are?"

The words hung between them like a bridge neither dared to cross, yet neither could abandon.

Grayson’s thumb continued its reverent path across her cheekbone, his touch so gentle it made her ache with longing.

The moonlight streaming through the windows cast his face in stark relief—the sharp angles of his jaw, the way his eyes had darkened to storm clouds, the barely contained hunger that made his breathing uneven.

The hand holding hers tightened fractionally, as if he were anchoring himself to that small point of contact to keep from drowning in desire. "What I am... what I need... it’s not gentle Sunday morning affection. It’s consuming. Overwhelming. When I finally allow myself to have you—"

His eyes closed, and she watched his throat work as he swallowed hard. "When this is over," he whispered, opening his eyes to meet hers with an intensity that stole her breath. "When Mason is no longer a threat, I’m going to worship every inch of you. I’m going to take my time and show you exactly how precious you are."

The promise sent liquid fire coursing through her veins. She could see it in his eyes—the careful plans he was making, the restraint he was exercising now only serving to amplify the anticipation of what was to come.

It was almost more devastating than if he’d simply given in to the moment.

She felt rather than saw the tremor that ran through his entire body. "Every. Single. Inch," he confirmed, his voice dropping to a growl that made her toes curl.

"Grayson," she whispered, his name escaping as half plea, half prayer.

The explicit promise combined with his obvious restraint created a delicious torture that left her burning for his touch.

She could feel the heat radiating from his body, could see the way his muscles tensed with the effort of holding back, and it only made her want him more desperately.

But before she could respond, before she could close the scant distance between them, he moved.

Instead of claiming her lips as every fiber of her being screamed for him to do, he pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead.

The gesture was so tender, so achingly gentle, that it somehow felt more intimate than the most passionate embrace would have been.

"Sleep," he whispered against her skin, his lips barely brushing the spot where he’d kissed her. "We’ll figure this out tomorrow."

As he began to pull away, preparing to leave as their compromise dictated, her hand tightened around his.

"Wait," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the charged darkness. "Please don’t go."

He froze, every muscle in his body going rigid. "Mailah, we agreed—"

"I know what we agreed," she said quickly, shifting to face him more fully while still maintaining the careful distance between them. "I’m not asking you to break your promise. I just... I don’t want to be alone. Not tonight."

She could see the war playing out across his features—desire battling with duty, need clashing with nobility. "I don’t know if I can—"

"I won’t push," she promised, her voice steady despite the way her heart hammered against her ribs. "I won’t reach for you again, won’t try to tempt you beyond what you can handle. I just want you here. With me."

For a long moment, he said nothing, and she held her breath, waiting for his decision.

Finally, he nodded once, a sharp, decisive movement. "All right. But if I tell you I need to leave—"

"You leave," she finished. "No questions, no arguments."

He settled back against the headboard, maintaining that careful distance while still remaining close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

The compromise was perfect—intimate without being overwhelming, connected without crossing the lines that would shatter his control.

As the minutes ticked by in comfortable silence, Mailah found herself studying his profile in the moonlight.

There was something almost otherworldly about the way the silver light played across his features, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw and the aristocratic line of his nose.

"Can I ask you something?" she said quietly.

"Anything."

"You mentioned before that you have other brothers," she began, studying his profile in the moonlight. "Mason made it clear he’s one of them, but you’ve never told me about the others."

A muscle in his jaw twitched, and she watched tension creep into his shoulders. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken history.

"You don’t have to tell me," she said gently. "If it’s too personal, or if—"

"No," he interrupted, his voice resigned. "You deserve to know everything. I’ll have to tell you eventually anyway..."

She waited, patient and non-judgmental, giving him the space he needed to find his words.

"I have four brothers," he said finally, his voice carefully neutral. "I’m the third among us. Mason is the second."

Even though she had suspected it, hearing the confirmation still sent a chill through her. "Four brothers," she whispered. "So there are others."

"Yes." The word was clipped, heavy with centuries of complicated family dynamics. "We’re all demons, as you know, but we each have our own... specialized feeding methods. You already know Mason’s—he feeds through nightmares and terror."

She thought of Mason’s cold voice, his casual cruelty, and tried to reconcile that with the idea that he shared blood with the protective man beside her.

Grayson’s expression grew even more grim. "Carson is the youngest. He feeds on risk, chaos, and adrenaline—the more dangerous the situation, the more chaotic, the stronger he becomes. He’s drawn to extreme sports, war zones, disorder, anywhere people are dancing with death."

The clinical way he described his brother’s feeding habits sent chills down her spine, but she forced herself to listen.

"Ravenson is the fourth," he continued. "He feeds on conflict and despair. Broken marriages, family feuds, communities torn apart by violence or betrayal. He thrives on human suffering in a way that makes even Mason seem almost... refined."

"And the oldest?"

"Lucson." Grayson’s voice carried a weight that spoke of long history and complex emotions. "He feeds on influence and admiration. Politicians, celebrities, cult leaders—anyone who commands devotion or worship. He’s probably the most dangerous of all of us because his victims never realize they’re being consumed. They’re too busy feeling grateful for his attention."

The scope of what he was revealing overwhelmed her. Five demon brothers, each with their own deadly specialty, and she had somehow become entangled with not one but potentially all of them.

The honesty in his confession was devastating. She could see how much it cost him to reveal this part of his family and nature, how deeply he hated what he was.

They lay in silence for a moment, both processing the weight of his revelation.

"Are there others?" she asked finally. "Other demon families I should know about?"

Grayson shook his head. "Just us. We’re... unique, as far as I know. Born rather than made, bound together by blood and circumstance." He turned to look at her, his eyes reflecting the moonlight like a cat’s.

The implication hung between them like a sword.

She had thought the threat was limited to Mason, that surviving the next two days would mean safety.

Instead, she was learning that their ordeal might only be the beginning.

She stared into the dark, unsure if she could ever close her eyes again after discovering the truth about his brothers.

But as the minutes ticked by, exhaustion finally began to reclaim her.

Sleep had stolen over her without warning, and she wasn’t sure if she’d said good night to Grayson at all.

When she woke again, pale gray light was filtering through the windows, and she was indeed alone.

For a moment, she lay still, listening to the quiet sounds of the estate beginning to stir.

Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the soft footsteps of staff beginning their morning routines, the gentle clatter of dishes being prepared for breakfast.

Normal sounds. Human sounds.

It was almost impossible to reconcile the supernatural intensity of the night before with the mundane reality of morning.

She sat up slowly, her body protesting the movement. Every muscle felt tight, as if she’d spent the night in a state of constant tension rather than sleep.

Her lips still tingled with the memory of Grayson’s breath against them, and her forehead seemed to burn where he’d pressed that devastatingly gentle kiss.

A folded piece of paper on the nightstand caught her attention.

Her heart leaped as she reached for it, recognizing Grayson’s elegant handwriting even before she unfolded the note.

The first night is behind us. Your dreams were peaceful—no sign of Mason’s interference. Two days remain. I’ll find you when the sun sets. —G

Two days.

The reminder sent a chill through her despite the growing warmth of the morning. Whatever was building between them, whatever promises he’d whispered in the dark, they were racing against a clock that seemed to tick faster with each passing hour.