Page 85 of Withholding Nothing

Chapter Sixteen

O’Shea

I walked into Rocky's office as I hung up with Ashton. He looked up from the papers on his desk when I entered, gesturing for me to sit.

"What can I do for you, Smith?" he asked.

"I wanted to know if I could take an earlier break today? My mom and sisters just got to town and—"

"Oh, that's great! Why didn't you tell me they were coming? I would've given you the day off!"

"It was last minute, otherwise I would have," I replied.

"Hmm..." He stroked his beard for a few moments as he looked at me. "You know what? Why don't you take today to be with your family? I'm sure you're anxious to see them. We only have a few scheduled oil changes and a couple of tire rotations, but we can handle it."

"Are you sure?" I asked with a cocked brow.

"As hard as you work around here, I can give you a day off. It's thanks to you that we're not behind on projects. I think we'll survive the day without you," he said as he stood and walked around his desk. "You'll have to bring them by so I can meet them."

"I definitely will. Thanks, Rocky."

"No problem, man. Now go on before I change my mind," he said, clapping me on the shoulder.

I walked out to my truck, sliding into the driver's seat as my phone chirped with a text notification. I glanced at the screen, a chill rolling down my spine as I read Ashton's text message. What in the actual fuck?

Sex Kitten: Your fiancée is here.

Grinding my teeth, I quickly started my truck and left as quickly as I could. Multiple thoughts plagued my mind as I sped down the highway. What the hell was she doing here? Why did my mother think it would be a good idea to bring her here, especially when I'd told her time and time again that I had no desire to see or speak to this woman?

My irritation morphed into anger as I got closer to the apartment. I couldn't even begin to think of what Ashton thought about this situation. There was no telling what Kayla could be telling her right now, especially since she apparently introduced herself as my fiancée, which she wasn't.

I haphazardly parked in front of our building and rushed to our apartment, taking the steps two at a time. When I opened the door, Ashton sat on the loveseat while my mom, sisters and Kayla sat on the couch in silence. Kayla looked at me and smiled. She looked just as she did when I’d left. Her makeup was done to perfection and her pantsuit was tailored to mold all of her delicious curves. Her smile lit up her eyes as she looked at me but…it didn’t do anything for me. It didn’t make me warm inside like it used to and her presence didn’t make my heart skip a beat. My eyes drifted over to Ashton, who refused to look at me.

“Um…” I started.

"Oh baby, there you are," Kayla cooed, jumping up from her seat and dashing over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and planting a wet kiss on my lips. I glanced over to Ashton to see her fiddling with the pillow on her lap, her mouth in a tight line.

"Kayla, what are you doing here?" I asked, slightly pulling away from her and wiping my mouth on my sleeve. I cringed when I saw the engagement ring I'd bought her hanging around her neck.

"I wanted to see you, silly. Plus, we have some things to talk about that I thought was better to deal with face to face," she mentioned nonchalantly. I glared at my mother on the couch.

"What's this about? You told me it was just you, Olivia, and Paris coming," I snapped.

"Don't be so grumpy, baby," Kayla murmured, caressing my cheek with the back of her hand. I clenched my teeth at her touch and pulled away.

"Excuse me," I growled, stepping away from her and going to my room. As soon as I was inside, I shut the door behind me and blew out a breath. My heart raced in my chest, anxiety creeping into me. I wasn't prepared for this. I couldn't deal with her right now. There was a reason why I left. I couldn't look that woman in the eye and remember that once upon a time I wasn't good enough for her. I couldn't be in the same room with a woman who belittled me for who I was, simply because I wouldn't live up to her family's expectations.

I pressed the palms of my hands against my eyes, trying to calm myself down. What had once been excitement to see my mother had quickly turned into feeling ambushed, betrayed, and cornered. Seeing the way Ashton reacted to Kayla kissing me sparked a new kind of frustration in me. I'd wanted to tell her how I felt before I paid rent, wanting to see if we'd still be able to live together with everything out in the open. Now that Kayla was here, it was throwing a wrench in everything and making shit more complicated than it needed to be.

"Fuck," I muttered to myself just as a knock sounded on my door. I blew out a breath. "What?"

The door slowly opened and my mother popped her head in. "Shea, I don't want you to be mad—"

"What did you expect? I've been telling you for weeks that I didn't want to talk to her, so what possessed you to think it was a good idea to bring her here?" I snapped.

She sighed. "Because she has something to tell you," she said firmly. I looked at her, waiting for her to elaborate but she never did.

"Tell me what? How sorry she is? How she made a mistake? She's about five months too late for that," I muttered, flopping on the bed.

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