Tough Love

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

ASHTON

I had never felt more guilty and in my life.

I couldn't believe I had done the one thing Belle asked me to never do.

Parker knew everything and he was pissed, but he said I should tell Belle, he could understand why I did something like that and that she might be more forgiving than I thought but I don't think I could ever forgive myself for it, I just became the one person she asked me not to be.

In one night, I had fucked up royally and possibly wrecked the best thing in my life.

I heard the front door slam loudly and the hard sobbing from Belle's mouth echoing, I jumped up off the couch and raced out to where she was, she was leaning forward, holding her stomach as she cried.

"Isabelle what's wrong, is it the baby" I spoke worriedly but she shot up.

A look in her eyes that had me worried to the core as she narrowed her eyes on me, her hand shot out and pushed me hard in the chest and I looked down at what she held.

"I lost it" I muttered; I didn't even realise.

She faked a smile, shaking her head. "I bet you did. I'm so sorry, I fucked up, I should never have left last night, now I know what the hidden meaning was behind it all. Of course, you came home with your tail between your legs. You're disgusting!" the thing that had me afraid was her voice, she wasn't yelling.

She was calm, a little to calm, I was so confused as to why I was being called a cheater and lying bastard that I hadn't even noticed that she had left and was running up the stairs.

"Let me explain please." I called out as I chased her up the stairs and into our room. "It's not what you think."

She spun around and stalked towards me "You've got five seconds to tell me why that teenage whore was on my doorstep looking like she'd just rolled out of bed, tell me why she just said you spent all night and all early morning together drunk and tell me why they fuck she had your wallet!?" she spoke each word with a hard press of her finger to my chest.

Teenage whore? And then it clicked. "Oh fuck."

I held her tight to my chest as I felt her body shake with tears. "I left here and went to a pub, I know I shouldn't have but I was so angry, Belle. I never meant to drink so much, I just can't win lately, I'm feeling as if my head is going to explode some days. I was drunk I could barely walk, and I wasn't thinking, she asked if I wanted to leave for some fun." I breathed out, the loud cry coming from into my chest had me crying instantly as I continued "I got up, they took my keys from me, and I went out the door and called my dad to come get me. When I came back to get my ute this morning." I took her face so she was looking at me, "I swear.. I didn't even notice I had left my wallet at the pub. I had nothing to do with her."

"Get away from me" she was struggling underneath my hold.

"Listen to me Isabelle, nothing happened, and it wouldn't have, I promise I went to mum's, call her and ask them. Fuck, why would I cheat on you? Why would I ruin this."

"Why didn't you answer me then?" She shot back, gritting her teeth. "Do you know how selfish that was? I hadn't slept because I was so worried about you. And then I call you, and you ignore my calls. What if something was wrong with the baby?"

I didn't know what to say to her. I deserved this.

"Belle" I went down to her level.

"Just get away from me" she whispered.

"No" I said firmly, "I fucked up with drinking and that's all I feel guilty about, I will never do it again. I shouldn't have left; I apologise for that. But I didn't touch her, and I wouldn't do that."

"You fucked up worse than fucked up" she spat looking up at me.

I slumped to the floor getting slightly angry "I would never have slept with her so don't accuse me of that, fuck! You have no idea how much I wish I could take going to the pub back, but I swear on my life that I would never have done it, I am more pissed about the drinking because that is what I did wrong, I had no intentions of screwing another women, not when I have you."

"Leave me alone" she whispered, looked deflated. "Just please, I can't deal with all this stress anymore Ash, I'm pregnant and I'm just exhausted."

Watching her break down, I just stood there as she walked away and went back to the bed. She curled up with a pillow and threw the covers back over herself. Hesitantly, I laid down behind her and wrapped my arm around her body, holding her stomach. She didn't fight me thankfully, but I knew she was thinking about everything. That there was a chance she was going to tell me to fuck off for good.

"I'm so sorry" I kissed her head as I rocked her gently.

"You had the nerve to accuse me of sleeping with Parker, I have never and not even once let another man know I was interested in them, I always put you first. I have always put this family first; you and Jenna have always been first to me."

"I know" I agreed.

She cried even more. "I want to just pack up and leave." she muttered quietly.

"I know" I replied, it was all I could do.

She sat up and looked at me, "So if I called you mum, she'd say you was there?" she questioned.

"Call her, she picked me up from the pub when I rang dad, I spent the whole night crying about all the shit that happened here" I had nothing to hide from her.

"God, you make me so mad."

"I won't go out and I will give up the alcohol, I'll do anything just as long as you believe me and stay, I don't want to lose you." I leant forwards and cupped her cheeks "I need you, more than ever and you can trust me Belle, I have never cheated on you, you're all I need."

"So are you more worried that I am going to leave because of the drinking?" she asked.

"Yes" I replied.

"If I find out you're lying to me" she started.

"You won't because I'm telling the truth. When have I ever lied to you?" I asked.

She slumped back to the bed and slowly reached out, holding her arm around my waist she lent in closer "If you're struggling, then you need to talk to me. Running away won't solve anything."

I knew I had a lot of making up to do.

She was quiet for a moment until she spoke her next words "I love you. I just need to sleep, I'm so tired."

Somehow with all the fighting and the crazy shit we had been dealt with this past week I knew we were going to be ok, I wouldn't ever put myself in a situation like that again to ever hurt her. She meant far to much and as far as I was concerned she was my main priority. But as I lay here watching her sleep I was worried, I needed things to change and they had to come from me. I'd taken advantage of Belle; she's given me so much of herself and in return I've not done the same back.

I loved her so damn much, and she deserved better.

(of course I wasn't going to let Ash cheat on Belle... you all should know by now that I hate main character's cheating on each other if they're so in love already..! plus I almost felt sick writing that Belle thought he had done it..)