Page 71 of Resisting Temptation

I get what he is saying, but right now, I want to know who wants me dead. And if she has any idea, we should be trying to get it out of her. “We will have to agree to disagree on that,” I huff with a roll of my eyes. I hate secrets and scandals, and she’s the queen of them.

Noah walks through the front door. The air crackles with tension as he and Beckett engage in a silent, intense standoff. I’m surprised he left the two of us alone together this long.

Beckett returns his attention to me, his expression serious. “What’s going on here?” he demands, dropping my hands, all kindness stricken from his voice as he glances between me and Noah.

Noah raises a brow, still looking Beckett over, and I know he wasn’t happy about walking in on us hand in hand, but he’s keeping that to himself. “Thought I would drop in and check on Paisley. Did you hear some goon ran her off the road last night, Prescott?”

Beckett approaches me from behind, enveloping his hands around my shoulders and giving me a comforting hug. “Yes, that would be why I’m here as well. Just making sure my girl is okay.”

The tension in the air intensifies, and my back stiffens. These two are terrible. It’s so damn obvious they’re trying to bait each other. For God’s sake, I don’t have time for this shit today. I swat Beckett away.

“She’s not your girl, just your campaign manager. And if it was up to me, she wouldn’t even be that anymore. Working for you is too dangerous,” Noah growls, his voice low and menacing. After what we shared last night, it’s obvious he’s feeling a little overprotective this morning, and I get it. If it was him who’d been run off the road, I would be terrified.

Beckett laughs light-heartedly, but I feel the tension coming off him. “How do you know this wasn’t someone on your team? I tend to agree with Miss Turner on this. I hope the police are investigating every possible angle. I will do anything to keep Paisley safe.”

Noah puffs out his chest, moving toward Beckett. “So would I. This wasn’t someone on my team,” Noah seethes, getting up in his face, his fists clenched by his sides, ready for a fight.

Quickly I move in between them, a hand on both their chests. They eye each other off but back off. I’m not having a fist fight in my shop on day one. “Boys, we’ve had enough drama today, don’t you think? I have a shit ton of work to do, and you two having a pissing match isn’t helping me get it done.”

“I was just coming to see if you need my car to run your deliveries today,” Noah offers, and I know he’s seen Beckett show up with a van from his workspace across the road.

“Thanks, but Beckett rented me a van.” I almost wince as I say it. I really appreciate all the help Beckett’s been giving me, but now it makes me feel bad as well, because I know how pissed Noah will be.

“Of course he did.” He glares at Beckett. Coming around behind the counter, he kisses my cheek, sending a rush ofwarmth running through me, even though I know this is more about making a claim on me.

“This accident must have been really bad. Did you bump your head, Paisley?” Beckett smirks at me, his fucking smartass dimples showing.

“No,” I mutter in Beckett’s direction.

But Noah wraps his arm around me protectively. “You need to back the fuck off, Beckett.”

“Maybe I bumped my head on my way in here.” Beckett scratches his head, looking confused.

I close my eyes, trying to form a sentence that explains what is going on here. Last I saw Beckett, I swore to him I would cool it until after the election, and I meant it at the time, but last night has changed everything. “Noah was the first car on scene after I was run off the road. He called the police for me and took me home,” I try to explain.

Beckett eyes him suspiciously, and it’s like something clicks for him. “I think we both know who’s responsible for this. It’s her MO.”

“Margo?” Noah says, their eyes meeting in silent understanding.

I return my attention to Beckett. “What do you know, Beckett?”

“I dated her a while back. She was possessive as hell, and one night, while another girl I was seeing drove home from my place, Margo deliberately rammed her car, sending it into a tree. Next morning, Margo arrived at my place in a brand-new car courtesy of her daddy at the Giorgio luxury car dealership. The old car was never seen again, and the poor girl ended up in the hospital.”

Anger swirls through me. That bitch was the one. I knew she was after Noah, and after what he told me last night and nowthis, there is no way he can continue to work with her. She’s crazy.

“Are you fucking kidding me, her father is Mr. Giorgio?” Noah growls out, his voice laced with venom.

I glance back at Noah, confused by his anger. “What, Noah, what does that mean?”

“It means your man Noah can’t trust his campaign manager. I’d say she’s been lying through her teeth since she approached him to run for mayor.” Beckett smirks at him, challenging him in a way I don’t like. He’s enjoying Noah’s discomfort too much.

I grab Noah’s hand to stop him from doing something stupid. I wouldn’t put it past him to punch Beckett right now. “Noah, tell me what’s going on,” I ask softly, trying to bring his attention back to me.

But he just glares back at Beckett, his eyes narrowed and filled with barely contained rage, like he’s going to mess him up.

“Might be time to drop out of the race, save us all the trouble. We both know I’m going to win anyway.” Beckett winks at him cheekily.

“Beckett, you’re not helping,” I chastise him, ready to punch him myself. This isn’t the time to be smug. Noah is already on edge, and it’s not going to take much for him to lose it completely. But maybe that’s what Beckett wants.

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