Page 65 of Resisting Temptation

Not long after I get home from McAllister’s where I’ve been with Elliot and Parker, having a few drinks as we talk over what Parker has found in my father’s stuff, a text pings on my phone from Paisley.

PAISLEY: I’m at your back door, let me in.

She must have been waiting for me to get home. I go to the back door and let her in, excited to see her. “Why are you still sneaking in the back door?” I ask, kissing her quickly as she passes me and moves into the house.

Her somber expression tells me all I need to know. Something’s up.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

She wrings her hands, looking uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, Noah, it’s just I started this thing with Beckett,and I have to finish it. I can’t walk away now less than four weeks before the election. I’m trying to be grown up about this. It’s my fuck-up. I know how stupid it was to join team Beckett, but I was angry with you and wanted payback. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I now know it wasn’t, obviously.” She rolls her eyes, and I can tell she’s annoyed with herself. “But I have to do the right thing here. And in a few weeks when this is all over, we can be together the way both of us want.” Her eyes meet mine, begging me to understand.

Anger courses through my veins, causing my heart to race. “He’s manipulating you. I’m sure he has been right from the start. Beckett’s doing whatever he can to win, and he thinks taking you from me will work. You’re mine, Paisley. Don’t do this.”

She reaches for my hand, lacing her fingers with mine. “I am, Noah. You know I am. I’m so in love with you. I have been for years. But I need to see this through for me.” She stares up at me, her pretty blue eyes filled with sadness. “Please understand. I have to prove to myself I can do it. I’m so proud of you for what you have achieved in your life, you’re inspiring, and I wish you all the best over the next few weeks.”

With a firm grip, I lift her face up to meet my eyes. “It’s time to quit, Paisley.” My words hold an edge to them that tell her I’m not messing around this time, she’s not walking away from me for him.

“Noah, I can’t,” she says sadly.

Frustration radiates through me, making me feel crazy. Why is she still siding with him? He doesn’t deserve her loyalty. I pull away from her, running my hands through my hair, not sure what to do. Why can’t she see this for what it is? “He’s dangerous, Paisley.Trust me, you need to stay away from him. Go down there tomorrow and tell him you quit.”

She backs away, her eyes narrowed to slits, a deadly glare burning into me. “Don’t tell me what to do. I might be your girl, but you don’t own me, and I can still make up my own mind about what I want. This is important to me, and if you really do love me like you say, you will respect my decision to see this through.”

“It’s the wrong choice,” I roar bitterly. I’ve had enough of this shit. She can’t even see what is right in front of her. He’s manipulating her, using her to get to me. This has been his plan all along, and she’s too good to see it for what it is. He’s a fucking Prescott, for God’s sake, this is what they do. Use people up and spit them out.

A stray tear runs down her cheek. “He’s done so much for me, I can’t just walk away.”

I shake my head. “He’s a smart man, Paisley. Why do you think he offered to loan you the money in the first place? He knew you would feel obligated to stay by his side. This was all part of his manipulation.”

She takes a step back from me, wounded. “I can see you’re angry. I’m going to leave before one of us says something they regret.”

I stare her down, not ready to let this go. “If you leave me now for him, it will destroy what we have. He doesn’t care about you. He’s a greedy asshole who only thinks about himself. Don’t do this to us.”

She turns away and walks toward the door. “I love you, Noah. Good luck with your campaign,” she says sadly before closing the door with a definite click.

I comb my fingers through my hair, massaging the scalp, trying to release the pulsating tension. Forfuck’s sake. Beckett is ruining my fucking life. Without hesitation, I seize the closest water jug and fling it against the wall. The thing smashes into a million tiny pieces. Adrenaline surges through me like a volcano ready to erupt. If she knew what I’ve done for her, what I would do for her… And she just walks away from me.

I grab a bottle of bourbon and march up my stairs, swigging from the bottle. Without her, none of this is worth it. It might as well be three years ago, her father forcing me to leave town. Why does it feel like everyone is trying to keep us apart? I glance across to her place, but her blinds are already closed. Sadness fills me, knowing she’s blocked me out completely. My body collapses onto my bed, so much anger racing through me I don’t know what to do with it. My carefully crafted plan is all falling apart, and it’s all because of Beckett.

Dialing Parker’s number, I take another swig from the bottle. He hates his sister’s relationship with Beckett just as much as I do.

“We have a problem,” I grumble into the phone.

“What is it?” he asks, sounding distracted.

“Beckett’s manipulating Paisley. I know we talked about looking into him and his family, but now it’s time. Start digging around.”

“Do you really want to take on one of the most powerful families in Deception Bay? With the media influence he has, he can destroy you with just one story written by Miss Turner.”

“He’s already taken the only thing I care about from me. Now it’s time to even the score. I want to know what he’s up to, Parker. Don’t you? She’s your sister, she could be in real trouble.”

“Do you think she’s in danger?” His tone turns more serious.

“She doesn’t think so, but you know the Prescotts as well as I do. They can’t be trusted.”

“Let me make some calls, I’ll see what I can do.” Parker disconnects the call.

I stare at my ceiling as I throw back the remainder of the bottle, wanting to block it all out. The look on her face as she left, telling me she loves me. Fuck, it kills me. I gave up everything to be with her, and I would do it all again in a heartbeat just to know she’s safe and loved. She means that much to me, and I know fucking Beckett is using her. He doesn’t care about her like I do. I just need to prove it to her. My eyes close, and I pull up the comforter. Parker has ways of pulling up information normal people can’t find from the internet. He will work his magic, and by the morning, I will hopefully have enough on Beckett to prove to her he’s not the stellar guy she thinks he is.

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