No Going Back by Casey Kelleher (black male authors TXT) 📗

rubbed his forehead then, exasperated. Women! Maybe it wasn’t just Shelby that overreacted at the slightest little comments and gestures while she’d been pregnant. Maybe all women were the same. Sometimes Ashley couldn’t do right, for doing wrong. ‘I haven’t slept, and I’m knackered.’ Ashley hoped that his feeble excuse would be enough to excuse his thoughtless actions.

Only Imelda still looked alarmed. Her body language suddenly off, as if she couldn’t wait to get away. Ashley could see that Shelby’s attack had affected her badly. He made a mental note to mention it to Shelby when he went back to the hospital. Maybe Shelby could call Imelda and put her mind to rest that she really was okay.

‘Kate?’ Ashley said then, his cheeks suddenly burning red as he looked past Imelda and stared at the beautiful woman who sashayed through the stairwell door and down the balcony towards them. ‘You didn’t have to come here. I could have come to yours.’

His first thought was that Kate would have had to walk past all the press. That it was a huge risk her coming here, because even though it was near on impossible, part of him couldn’t help but worry that someone might recognise Kate. That they might link her to him and work out that Ashley had been up to no good.

Shelby might find out about them.

Meanwhile, Imelda felt her hackles rise as she picked up on the sudden high pitch to Ashley’s tone. Panic? A look of guilt flashed across his face. Imelda looked Kate up and down as if she was something she’d just stepped in. All dolled-up with a face full of heavy make-up and a dress that left very little to the imagination.

She could see why Ashley seemed completely distracted now. Kate was attractive, Imelda couldn’t dispute that. And men were fickle. Even Ashley.

‘You want something?’ Kate said tartly, as Imelda stood there gormlessly, her stare fixed on her for a few seconds too long.

Though Kate didn’t appear fazed – she’d spent a lifetime batting off the jealous disapproval glances towards her from other women. If anything, Imelda’s reaction just irritated her more than anything.

‘I was just going,’ Imelda said, feeling her own cheeks flush then at the woman’s curt comment and taking the hint that she was no longer wanted here as Ashley ignored her, preoccupied now as he immediately ushered Kate inside his flat.

Imelda started to walk away, then turned back as a flash of rage shot through her. ‘But please tell Shelby when you see her that I’m glad she’s okay. And that the baby’s okay, Ashley.’

She couldn’t help herself but throw in a comment about Shelby and the baby. To remind Ashley of who he should be focusing his attention on right now. Not some other stuck-up tart.

Her mind instantly went into overdrive about who this Kate was, and what she was doing alone in the flat with Ashley, while Shelby was in hospital.

‘Will do!’ Ashley called out, sensing the sudden shift in Imelda’s mood and the blatant disapproval towards Kate’s untimely visit.

Part of him wondered if Imelda would keep her mouth shut about seeing Kate here today. If he should maybe ask her not to mention it when she saw Shelby. Or would that only make his guilt more obvious and only add fuel to an already smouldering fire? Maybe he’d just keep his own mouth shut and hope for the best? But Imelda was already gone.

He watched as Imelda turned her back on him once more and waddled towards her own flat, before rolling his eyes then. Women! Ashley thought as he closed the door to his flat. Still, right now, he had more pressing matters to tend to. Like Kate. And how he was going to get the Boland brothers their money back.

‘Well, she seemed really lovely!’ Kate said, her tone loaded with sarcasm now that they were alone inside Ashley’s flat. ‘A friend of yours, is she?’

‘She’s a mate of Shelby’s. She’s just worried about her, that’s all,’ Ashley said.

‘And how is Shelby doing?’ Kate asked, perching on the edge of Ashley’s sofa and hoping that Ashley would at least offer her a drink. She was still in shock at what she’d heard had happened to Ashley’s wife. She didn’t necessarily care for the girl, but she wasn’t completely heartless either.

And Ashley, standing awkwardly, lingering by the lounge doorway, looked as if he could use some support.

He didn’t seem like himself. He seemed on edge, distracted. Still, she guessed that was as much to be expected after what he’d been through.

‘She’s doing okay. She’s tough,’ Ashley said, feeling uneasy at the fact that they were both sitting in his and Shelby’s flat. Talking about his wife who had just given birth to his child. After what they’d both done a couple of nights ago.

Remorse wasn’t a feeling that Ashley had ever been consumed with before, until now.

‘So, you’re officially a daddy now. What did you call him?’ Kate asked, aware how stilted the conversation seemed between them, how off with her Ashley suddenly seemed.

‘Riley.’ Ashley felt disloyal even discussing his newborn son with her.

Kate took the hint and changed the subject.

‘This place is nice,’ she said, her eyes lingering on a photo frame with Ashley and his wife staring out from it, back at her. Smiling.

Shelby was pretty, though she had a hardness about her that made it look as if she was trying too hard. They looked happy though. She hadn’t expected that. Their home looked nice too. Cosy. Taking in the soft matching cushions and the scented candles she guessed that these weren’t Ashley’s attempts at adding some feminine touches. ‘It’s very homely.’

‘Did you get it?’ Ashley said, cutting to the chase and deciding that he just wanted Kate gone. It didn’t feel right having her here, in his and Shelby’s home while Shelby was at the hospital. He just wanted what he’d asked her for.

‘I did, indeed!’ Kate nodded. Rummaging around in her