Chapter 5 #2
“You wrote this?” I grab her phone and scroll through the article.
Paragraphs about the injustice from Judge Roberts about my “weak” punishment and how Officer Wesley Townsend is a victim who deserves justice.
She even name drops Delilah as the witness who Wesley pulled over.
Then it continues on about how my bad behavior and breaking the law are patterns and how I never have to pay any consequences.
It encourages the public to boycott the ranch and retreat unless I get fired since I have a criminal record and should be in jail.
As if that’s not bad enough, it praises Wesley as a heroic officer, but there’s nothing about him getting suspended for his multiple issues—while in uniform.
“This is fuckin’ bullshit.” I smack her phone into her palm. “Ain’t sayin’ shit to you.”
I walk in the other direction toward the barn.
“This is your chance to defend yourself…” She rushes to my side with the recorder in her grip. “Tell your side of the story.”
“You his girlfriend or somethin’?” Because I know she’s not his wife and only someone sleeping with him would believe a word that moron says.
“No, just a reporter after the truth.”
“Pfft. Yeah, right. He knew his ass was already on the line, so now he’s draggin’ mine even though he’s the one who started it.” I huff, shaking my head at the ridiculousness. “Call my lawyer if you need a statement. For now, get off my property.”
I nearly sprint to my truck so I can get the hell out of here. My parents are going to flip their shit when they read that.
“Wilder, wait!” She jumps on the running board and holds on to my door through the open window. I squeeze the shifter, ready to bolt. “Off the record…”
“What?” I grind out between my teeth, but I’m trying my damnedest to hold it together.
“Wesley’s hired me and others to run a smear campaign to ruin your name and plant doubt in people’s heads about supportin’ the retreat. If you don’t respond or share your version, he wins. And your family loses. Can you live with being the reason their business plummets?”
Fuck, she’s shady.
But Wesley knows where to hit me for the biggest impact. Screwing with me is one thing but bringing the retreat and my family into this is a low blow, and I’d love nothing more than to tell her about the true Wesley outside of the one the locals idolize.
However, one of the conditions of my parole was not talking to the press since Wesley’s an officer and also being investigated for whatever shit he’s been doing off the clock.
So the fact he’s doing this to me is comical.
He knows pointing the finger at me will keep the attention off him when he inevitably gets busted.
And having the local reporter write it up as if she came up with the story makes him look innocent.
“Wesley’s a piece of shit who deserved to get hit in the mouth because of what came out of it. He can try all he wants to fuck with me, but it’s not gonna work. And you’re no better for agreein’ to work with him and bookin’ a trail ride just to get my attention.”
“I doubt I’m the first girl to do that. Considering your history with women, I’m sure you’re used to it.”
My blood boils at her baseless accusation. I’ve met women here who’ve given me their numbers, so I’m not denying it’s happened, but he’d find a way to make it sound nonconsensual or inappropriate and that couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s probably Wesley’s next step in dragging me through the mud—find everyone I’ve slept with and come up with more lies. Or perhaps he’s trying to push me over the edge and wants me to kick his ass so I break my parole conditions and get sent to jail.
Either way, it’s not going to work.
“No, but you’re the first one to use it against me.”
“Well, maybe we could come up with an arrangement so the next thing written about you is on the positive side…”
Her devious tone tells me everything I need to know.
“You think I’m gonna pay you off to stop you from writin’ more articles about me?” I arch a brow, tightening my grip on the steering wheel as my blood boils hotter. “Because I wouldn’t trust you with a nickel, nevertheless savin’ my reputation.”
Her mouth falls open and her brows draw together in disbelief. “You think I’m lyin’?”
My gaze drops to her low-cut long-sleeved shirt and the outline of the recorder in between her breasts.
“Let’s see, shall we?” Before she can react, I pull out the device and see that it’s recording. “Off the record, my ass.”
“Hey! Give that back!” She stretches out her arm through my truck, but I keep it out of her reach.
“It’s mine now.” I turn it off, then shove it into the glove compartment.
“That’s stealin’!” She attempts to reach through the window again, but I could knock her down with one push if I needed to.
“Maybe, but I bet Sheriff Wagner will be interested in what else is on there.”
“Give it back and I won’t write another article about you.”
“Remember what I said a moment ago about not trustin’ you? That still applies.”
“I swear! I’ll even give you dirt on Wesley. I know his plans.”
“Not interested,” I deadpan. “But you have three minutes to leave or I’m callin’ the sheriff to remove you for trespassin’. And don’t think I won’t just because you’re an attractive woman.”
Her lips curve into a seductive grin. “Attractive, huh?”
“That doesn’t make you special, sweetheart.” This time I do shove her just enough so she steps down from the running board.
“I thought you were too busy to date?”
“To date you,” I correct. “And I was tryin’ to be a gentleman. Heartless, connivin’ women aren’t my type.”
She pouts and crosses her arms when I shift into reverse.
“And you can go ahead and put that in your next article about me.”