Page 32 of Resisting Temptation

My gaze intensifies as I look at him. He’s starting to piss me off with his flippant attitude. You can’t say shit like that then explain nothing. I stop walking abruptly, shoving him into the side of a building, and he stumbles back, not expecting it. “You fucking know something, and if you want me to keep working as your campaign manager, you will spill now or I’m walking away. I have better things to do with my time than listen to you lie to me.” Every man I have ever known has lied to me, and I won’t start this thing off with him lying as well.

“Geez, Paisley, save your hostility for the enemy.” He brushes off his expensive suit. He’s so conceited. All he cares about is his fucking image, and I’ve had about enough of this. He’s playing me for a fool, and I might be a lot of things but I’m not stupid, and I won’t put up with it.

Walking away from him, I shake my head in disbelief. I’m serious, if he’s going to keep stuff from me and lie about it, I’m not sticking around.

“Paisley, get back here,” he demands, his voice carrying an edge of annoyance. Not so cool and relaxed now, is he.

“Nope. I don’t work with liars,” I throw back over my shoulder.

He catches up with me quickly, walking by my side. “Okay, okay, I’ll tell you what I know.”

When I make it to the car we traveled here in, I stop, leaning against it tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for him to enlighten me.

He drops his head then looks back in Noah’s direction. I’m still watching him as well. That bitch Margo is sucking up to him big time, her hand resting on his arm as she talks animatedly. She keeps touching him. It’s obvious she’s into him. It makes me feel sick. For her. Beckett’s eyes return to me. “When I heard Noah was also running for office, I did a little research. I was looking for his weakness. Anything that could throw him off his game so I could win this election.”

That sounds like a Beckett thing to do. But I don’t like the way he’s looking at me, like I’m the sacrifice. “What exactly are you saying, Beckett, spit it out?”

“The forbidden love affair the two of you had wasn’t such a secret after all.” His lips turn up at the sides like he’s impressed with himself for working us out.

My eyes go wide and panic rushes through me. “Who… who knew about it?” I stutter out.

“Come on, Paisley, you can’t expect to sneak around with a football star and not have some paparazzi take a few snaps when they caught you. I found them in the archives at the paper. You would be surprised by all the juicy gossip we have just waiting for the right person to get their hands on it. The journalist never ran the story. Apparently, someone paid them not to. But the original images were never destroyed, so now I have them.”

I swallow hard, trying to work out exactly what he’s saying. “You didn’t select me to enhance your reputation. You knew I hated Noah and would be out for revenge?”

“Bingo.”

“You’re cunning, Beckett. That’s some shady shit! What would you have done if I said no.”

“I have the photos. And I’m assuming you don’t want them flashed up on the front page for all to see. Especially your brother, or is it your father who you were hiding your relationship from?” His brow rises in question. He thinks he’s so fucking smart and has me all worked out.

Anger radiates through my body. He has to be kidding me. Here I’ve been defending him when my friends all talk shit about him. I keep saying he’s not as bad as they all think, but he is. He’s every bit as bad. He’s manipulative as hell. “You would blackmail me to work for you? Because you think I’m Noah’s weakness,” I snap, disgusted.

“I know it. You rattled him today. He couldn’t stand having you on my team. And over the next few weeks, I will use you to my advantage. Don’t be insulted, kitten, this will be fun for both of us.”

I’m in disbelief, shaking my head at what I’m hearing. How did I manage to get involved in this chaotic mess? “You play dirty,” I say, disappointed in him. He’s not who I was hoping he was.

“Oh, don’t cry foul play to me. You will get just as much out of this as I will. A little revenge for the way he treated you. My guess is Noah dumped you and that’s why you now hate him so much.” He steps in closer to me, running a hand up my arm. “Use this situation to your advantage. Make him jealous, and you will have the man eating out of the palm of your hand in no time. Then you can hurt him the same way he did you. That’s what I would do.”

I stare back at him, processing his words. “Maybe you should have done more research on me, because I’m not the girl youthink I am. I don’t want to make him jealous. I want nothing to do with Noah Harrington at all.” I shove him out of my way. He’s messing with my head. Opening the passenger side door, I hop in the car, disappointed. He expects me to be as manipulative as him.

Beckett hops in the driver’s side and starts up the engine. “Don’t act so disgusted, Paisley. This is just business, a battle of the best master manipulator, and I’m here to win. You knew what you were signing up for. Don’t try and play the victim. You liked the idea of beating Noah. And if you keep that anger toward him, we will. The poor boy won’t know what hit him. Rub it in his face and make him regret dumping you.”

He starts the engine, and I stare out the window in front of me. For once in my life, I’m lost for words. “I’ll keep working for you, but that’s only because I’m a woman of my word,” I mutter, wishing I hadn’t gotten myself into this mess in the first place. But the truth is, what I said to Parker still stands. I’m determined to change how this town sees me.

“And you now know I have pretty saucy photos of the two of you together.” He winks at me. “They’re hot, Paisley, you don’t want these getting out.”

Fuck. I glare at him, fire in my eyes. He wouldn’t really use them against me, would he? From the menacing smirk on his face, I already know my answer. He fucking would. Shit. My friends were right about him. “Don’t threaten me,” I warn. He might think he can manipulate me, but I’m tougher than I look, and I’ll make him pay if he even tries.

“I’m not,” he says all innocently when we both know that’s what he’s doing.

“If you ever lie to me again, I will make sure this town knows who you really are. I can live with a few photos of me floating around, but I won’t have a liar in charge of this town. Deception Bay is too important to me.”

He takes his eyes off the road and looks me over. “Agreed. I won’t lie to you again.” He smiles, way too pleased with himself. But something in his grin tells me he won’t.

“What is that stupid look on your face all about?”

“I think you’re going to be good for me, Miss Whittaker, keep me in line.”

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