Page 88 of Withholding Nothing

"We haven't even been here that long and you're already trying to get rid of us," Paris pouted. "Good to see you too, baby brother."

"Sorry, but this is just too much for me to deal with. If it was just the three of you, it would've been cool."

My mom shook her head and raised her hands. “I'm going to go ahead to the car. Come on, girls," she said and headed for the door.

Kayla stayed in her spot, glaring at me. "Are you serious, Shea?" she asked when my mom and sisters stepped outside. "I'm willing to leave everything behind for you. I'm ready this time. I truly messed up and I want this to work. I miss you—"

"Like I told you before, it's too late for all that."

"Because you're sleeping with your skanky roommate?" she asked, rolling her neck. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"You're already walking on a thin line, Kayla. Leave her out of it."

"We have history. Do you really want to throw all of that away?"

"Throw it away?" I repeated. "Girl, you're fucking delusional to even think you're right about that. You threw that away, remember? I'm not going to keep talking in circles with you when it comes to this. We'll figure this baby thing out, but this isn't a ticket for us to get back together. I'm past all that."

"If you give me a chance, I can prove to you that I've changed."

"Are you hard of hearing? I just told you I wasn't interested."

She scowled. "So you are fucking her? The O'Shea I knew would never hurt me the way you are right now."

"Because this O'Shea isn't yours to manipulate anymore," I countered. She sighed and moved over to sit next to me, caressing my cheek with her fingertips.

"I'll spend the rest of my life proving how sorry I am. I'm still madly in love with you, Shea, and I know you still have feelings for me—"

"Eh! Wrong. You can't just decide when you want to take me back off the shelf to play with me. I'm not some puppet that dances to the tune of your money. I wasn't good enough at one point for you, remember?"

"But you are, honey. You always were enough for me," she murmured, moving a little closer. "How about this? How about after lunch you and I go back to my hotel room, away from everyone else, and I can show you how sorry I am, hmm?" She kissed my neck gently. "And I can do that thing you like...you remember that? How I'd use my tongue all over your body?"

Her cool, minty breath danced over my skin, making me shiver in disgust. Just as I looked up, I met Ashton's gaze as she stood near the door.

"Are we leaving or what?" she asked, her voice and expression indifferent. Kayla stood and looked down at me.

"You should ride with us, baby," she said, latching herself to my arm when I stood. I pulled away and shook my head.

"That car is already packed it seems. I'll ride with Ashton." I looked to her. "That cool?"

"Whatever.”

Kayla glared at her before she stormed out of the apartment.

"Ashton, I—"

"Let's just go," she said softly, not even making eye contact with me. I sighed and followed behind them, locking the door behind me.

Fucking great.

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