Page 29 of Resisting Temptation

“Why do you care so much what I do?” I sass back, enjoying his discomfort.

He glares at me, anger radiating off him as he closes the gap between us. “You need to listen to me. The Prescotts are dangerous. You can’t work with them.”

I meet his stare with just as much intensity. I don’t need him telling me what I can and can’t do. “I’m not scared of the Prescotts,” I huff. Now who’s being dramatic.

“This is a huge opportunity for me to get my life back on track. Do you really hate me so much that you want to take it from me? I thought after last night we might actually be able to move on from the past and…”

I swallow the lump in my throat. He ruined the friendship we had three years ago. I’m not doing this to him, he did it back then. He can’t turn this around on me now. “This isn’t even about you. A job opportunity came up, and I took it because I needed the extra cash so I can buy the flower shop.”

He stares me down. “If it’s money you need, I will give it to you. Just tell me how much.”

I scoff at his suggestion. The last thing I want, or need, is the money he earned by leaving me behind. “What are you afraid of, anyway? Apparently, everyone in this town loves you. What could little old me do to change that?” I bat my lashes, trying to be cute, but there’s a sarcastic edge to my voice. I hate that they all love him so much. It’s not fair. If they knew the truth, if they knew how much he hurt me, they would side with me.

“That’s right. I’m not afraid of one little girl with way too much sass.” His hand comes to my chin, and he forces my eyes to meet his. “A little friendly competition is always the best foreplay, baby. You might think last night was the end of us, but you’re dead wrong. I’m not giving up, you’re mine, Paisley.” I swallow the lump in my throat. His eyes render me momentarily unable to move or think or do anything but stare back, lost in the past. I’m his? “Do your worst, Paisley Whittaker,” he says, but it’s a warning. One I don’t entirely understand.

My heart hammers out of control. Why does he have this effect on me? Whenever we’re this close, my hate for him vanishes and all I want to do is kiss his full lips. I want him to take me back to that place where I felt safe and I knew what I wanted. Him. But so much has happened since then, and even I know it’s not possible. He destroyed any notion of that.

I shove him in the chest hard so he’s forced to back off. “I intend to. Don’t go thinking this will be a cake walk. This is war, and I intend to win,” I spit back, not caring that all my friends are already on his side. I can do this without them. I have to. Because I can’t let him have something else he doesn’t deserve. I march for the back door, needing to get as far away from him as possible. I’m not his. I could have been if he stayed, but he didn’t.

“Bring it on, baby.” He confidently cracks his knuckles and smirks at me, challenging me.

As I go to open the door to escape him, Parker appears in the opening. And he doesn’t look pleased with me either. Well, join the club, Brother. “Is it true?” he asks, looking between us, trying to read the situation.

“Noah’s running for mayor,” I snip, not needing my brother’s involvement in my fight. Hopefully that will keep him preoccupied with his friend.

“And Paisley’s sided with the Prescotts,” Noah seethes from behind me, knowing he’s throwing me under the bus with my brother. He hates the Prescotts. “She went for dinner with Beckett last night and now she’s his campaign manager.”

Parker’s angry eyes meet mine. “What the hell, Paisley? You’re not working with him.”

“That’s what I tried to tell her, but she won’t listen to me. Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”

I roll my eyes, so over this whole thing. Why does every man in my life think he can control me? “I don’t need a lecture from you as well,” I huff, storming past Parker and straight up the stairs, stomping my feet as I go. I need to get away from the lot of them. Maybe I underestimated how difficult it would be working with Beckett, but I’m not going to back down now just because all my closest friends are pissed with me. Beckett deserves a chance just as much as their beloved Noah Harrington.

Lying on my bed, I cuddle my pillow to my face, trying to block out the world. I’m tired and annoyed. There is a small knock at my door, and Parker pops his head in. “Can I come in?” he asks softly.

“As long as you’re not going to have a go at me as well,” I huff, not in the mood.

“I’m not, I just want to talk to you, Paisley.”

“Okay then.” I throw the pillow off and sit up as he comes to the edge of my bed and sits beside me. He looks worried, and I feel bad. I don’t want to worry him.

“Pais. Talk to me, what’s going on with you?”

I shrug, feeling suddenly too emotional to talk. Things haven’t been the same between us since Parker got home. He’s different. Something happened to him in the Army, and he won’t talk to me about it. But it’s obvious he’s not the same boy who left this town full of dreams and ambition. “It’s just a job, Parker. I need the money. Beckett made me an offer too good to be true, and I took him up on it. If it wasn’t me helping him, he would find someone else.”

“He should. You’re not helping him. The Prescotts are money-hungry, manipulative assholes who will destroy you just to get what they want. You have to understand this is a bad idea. They’re dangerous.”

I glance at him; he said he wouldn’t give me a lecture. “You don’t get to make that call.”

“If it’s money you need then let me help you out. I have some savings.”

I roll my eyes. “You sound like Noah.”

“Well he’s right,” he snaps, getting really irritated with me. “Noah cares about you. Maybe you should take what he said on board. I don’t know what’s going on with the two of you, but he’s a good person who will do anything to keep you safe. The Prescotts will not.”

His words cut deep, because he thinks he knows Noah, but he doesn’t. There is no way Beckett could possibly hurt me the way Noah did. “Parker, I don’t expect you to understand why I need to do this, but maybe it’s more than just the money. Maybe I’m sick of being the town gossip and I want to make something of myself. I want this town to take me seriously. I’m more than the girl they all see me as.” Tears well in my eyes as I say the words,and I drop my head so my brother can’t see my pain. It’s too much to admit the truth.

He wraps his arm around me, pulling me close to him. “Don’t you worry about what people say. You can be whatever you want to be. You’re incredible, Paisley. You don’t need to prove anything to these people.”

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