Page 19 of Plus-Size Pregnant Mate

I knew not to make waves. I knew it was a bad idea. But he pissed me off now.

"Paint this picture," I said, dropping my voice. "She was mine before you even thought about her. And last night, I fucked her senseless at her request, so maybe you should back down before you end up hurt."

I ended the line, rolling my shoulders and taking a deep breath in. I looked at my phone to see that he was calling back, but I tossed it aside. I poured coffee into the two mugs and quickly made Ashley's the way she likes it. I then made my way back down the hallway toward the bedroom.

Ayden's bedroom was dark. It was all black with mahogany wood furniture. I had thought the room was too dark, but that was just Ayden's taste.

I found Ashley sitting up in bed now. Her pale skin was bright in the darkness. She was still naked but had the sheets pulled up covering her chest.

Her eyes looked at me, and I could see the worry in them. I wondered if she was regretting last night a little. I then wondered if she heard our conversations.

"I made coffee," I said, offering her mug to her.

She looked at the mug as I walked over, offering it up. Ashley took a deep sip from it. She placed it in her lap as I moved around the bedroom towards the curtains. I opened them, allowing a little more light into the room.

When I turned back to Ashley, she looked well-rested. I frowned as I noticed she had marks on her wrist. "Shit, did I do that?"

She looked down at her wrist and then looked back at me. "It's fine, it will go away."

"Still," I reached out, taking her hand. "I didn't think I was pressing that hard. At least I was trying not to."

She raised an eyebrow. "I do recall you leaving marks on me a lot."

I looked at her, knowing exactly what she was talking about. Our sex was often frantic and passionate. I normally hadnail marks all over my body, and Ashley would have some bruise either on her hips, her wrist, or her thighs from my fingers gripping her so tightly.

"I was trying to be gentle," I said, but it seemed I wasn't.

Ashley fell silent for a moment before she pulled her hand back, and her hands shook on the mug. "Owen…why did you have to ruin something so perfect?"

I looked at her, and her eyes softened. I could see the tears building. "Why did you have to hurt me?"

I opened my mouth to tell her the truth, but I stopped myself. Telling her was only going to hurt her even more. It wasn't going to change anything.

How could I tell her I was a coward and that I couldn't stand up to her father? After everything she'd done, and I couldn't? It wasn't fair.

I moved back, looking away from her. The silence was brutal, and she looked back at her mug.

I turned, grabbed a shirt, and quickly pulled it on. I then reached for my clothes last night to throw them into the hamper.

I looked over and noticed she was getting ready to get up. She sat her mug on the nightstand and leaned over the bed.

"Ashley, you don't have to get up. You can sleep more."

She didn't look at me, and it twisted me inside. I moved, rounding the bed and stopping next to her. I reached out, cupping her face. I could see a few tears break free, and I wiped them away.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry for what I did. And all the pain it's caused you."

She sniffled, and I pressed my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry, and I'm not making that mistake again, Ashley. I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere, no matter what."

I might have been a coward before who backed down, but I wasn't this time. I was going to make sure she got the life she wanted and the life that she deserved.

Chapter 11 - Ashley

I sighed as I flipped the sketch pad to the back, finding I'd run out of paper. I quickly flipped through the book to double-check and see if there was a blank page I'd missed, but I hadn't. I was out.

I looked around the living room and noticed I was running out of supplies as well. I shouldn't be surprised since it's all I'd done while I've been stuck here.

It's probably been nearly three weeks, and I was going stir-crazy. I had a routine now. I had my coffee in the morning with some art. I went for a walk around the yard, and counted if I walked the house at least ten times it was a mile. After that, I'd cook lunch and work on some more art. I would read a little before doing a little more art. And then dinner with some art.

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