Chapter 5

Colton Daniels~

“You should’ve told me.” Ashley whispers but I heard it. It’s been ten minutes into our drive home, it was raining hard, It began barely two minutes after we left my parents house.

I glanced at here eyebrows quirked up. “What?”

Ashley turns to look at me, visibly swallowing, I could see her fighting the tears. “You should’ve told me you had not told them yet. You should have..” She sniffles.

“Why, What difference would it make? It wouldn’t make them hate you less.” I shot back irritatedly. Ashley visibly flinches at my word, eyes brimming with tears.

“I know but still. You could have told me. I would’ve braced myself for it. I wouldn’t have-“

“You wouldn’t have what? Tell me, what did you think? That you’ll be welcomed with open arms like a lost daughter returning from war? What were you expecting? A grand ceremony?”

This time the tears fall, she’s quick to swipe them though. “Colton, I know I did wrong. I know I shouldn’t have done what I did.” Her voice breaks in between, she swallows hard "Trust me I know but- but you could have told me. It would-“ she swallows again, hands clenched into a tight fist.

“I’m sorry okay. I’m so sorry but.. I can’t help but.” I don’t let her finish her words, suddenly stopping the car in the middle of the road, the rain battering against the windscreen. I turn to look at her, scoffing at her words.

“Do I look like I need your half assed apology? Do I look like I’ve been waiting to have you here telling me you’re sorry? How pathetic do you think I am?” I scoffed again, running my hands through my hair, irritation bubbling inside of me.

“Just shut up and let me drive in peace.”

Ashley hiccups, sniffling and still crying. I groaned internally.

“I- I need to get down. I can’t-" I look at her like she’s crazy which she actually is. She begins to unbuckle the seatbelt, eyes swollen and probably still runny with tears.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I snapped, clasping my hand over hers. She looks up at her, all her makeup was messed up, the mascara had melted and drowned in her tears yet, she still looked beautiful to me.

“Don’t you get it. I’m tired and need a break, space! Whatever. I’ll meet you at your home but give me the privilege to walk by myself. I need to think and be by myself for fucks sake.” She screamed at me, chest heaving like she ran two miles.

“And you need the supposed break or space in the rain?”

“Please..” her voice cracks, she slowly lifts my hand from hers and pulls off the seatbelt entirely. I watched as she stepped out of the car into the rain and groaned.

I watched as she walked in the rain, still parked and not moving, giving her the time she supposedly needs.

~

Four minutes later, I turned on the ignition of the car and drove as fast as I could, not up to two minutes, I saw her drenched heavily in the rain, walking pitifully like she was under some punishment. I parked right next to her and got out of the car, already pulling my jacket off.

“What..” she begins but I wasn’t having any of that.

“Your time is up. You’ve had four minutes to think and what’s not. I don’t care what you want or think. You are coming with me this instant without an attitude.” I say firmly, draping the suit jacket over her shoulders, registering it at the back of my head that she’s shaking. The cold had seeped into her bones already. Such stubbornness.

I helped her back into the car, wasting no time to drive off. From the corner of my eyes, I could see her shivering badly from the rain. I shouldn’t have let her go out of my sight for so long, that too in the rain.

Less than five minutes later, we arrived at the house. I had driven like a crazed man and covered a distance of ten minutes in five.

I helped Ashley out of the car but she could barely walk, shivering badly it worried me tremendously. I swooped her into my arms, ignoring the tiny whines of protest that escaped her lips.

“Hannah! Hannah!” I yelled, as I got into the house only to remember Hannah left for her house already. I groaned and rushed up the stairs, taking her into my room instead as I remembered Hannah telling me the heater in her room was broken a day ago. The repair man should’ve done it but I can’t take chances.

“I’m not supposed to be here. You’ll get angry again and I don’t want it. I’ll go to my room.” Ashley croaks out, trying to get up from the bed but I held her down, eyes peering down at her.

“You’ll do no such thing. I brought you here myself and won’t get angry. Stay here and don’t be fuzzy. Is that clear.” I say firmly again, using the voice I usually reserve for my employees.

Ashley nods meekly, not saying a word even as I undressed her. She only watches quietly as I got her clothes off then walked into my closet, took out a large shirt and helped her wear it again. I took out a towel and helped dry her hair, knowing she could get a worse cold if her hair is still damp. All the while, Ashley doesn’t say a word but only stares at me like I’m some art project.

I notice she’s still shaking and stood up after trying the towel to her head. “I’ll get you a cup of hot tea. It should help your cold.” I say, checking the heater to see if it was working properly. I stop by the door, turning to see Ashley who was covered properly, her eyes still on me.

I walked out of the room and to the kitchen, trying to remember where Ashley had placed everything. It’s been a while I came here and when I did, it was to wash my hands. I folded my shirt length to my elbows and got started on finding. Thankfully it wasn’t far at all, I finally found the electric kettle, poured some water in it and plugged it in the socket. I took out two cups and a tea bag.

I heard a slight ruffling coming from behind me, immediately turned to see the intruder only to see Ashley standing in front of me in nothing but my shirt. Her hair still damp. She stood still, eyes on me.

“What are you doing outside the bed?” I asked and she shrugs. I opened my mouth to speak but the kettle goes off. I took out the plug and looked at Ashley again, eyebrows quirked up.

“You’re cold. You were supposed to be in bed.” I reminded, ignoring the fact that she’s walking closer to me until she l actually does reaches me, her body still slightly cold.

“The heater helped a lot. Thank you.” She whispered, eyes still on me. There was a change though. Something different from how she would normally look at me. I struggled to stay sane, trying my best not to do anything I might regret so I turn my back to her, pretending to clean the counter with nothing but my hands.

Ashley maneuvers her way, having been shorter than I am. Now I’m caging her to the counter, our eyes stuck on each other. I gulped, my Adam apple throttled up.

I bring my hand up to her shoulder, her skin exposed from how large the shirt is on her. She presses her body into mine, eye still on me.

“Stop me.”

“Never.”

I grabbed her by the hips, carrying her up against the counter, my hands bruising her soft skin, I knew it would leave marks. I wanted it to leave marks. I leaned back to look at her well, tongue darting out to lick my bottom lip. That seemed to be her breaking point. She grabs me by the collar, pulling me closer to her, she slams her lips into mine.