Chapter 41
Noah
I wait for Beckett, knowing he’s on his way back to work. Paisley is safe at her shop working late, and Parker has trailed Margo out of town to the inn, so I know she’s occupied with the old man Prescott for now. He assures me he will stay with them until I sort this mess out. Sickness fills me at the thought of my phone call with Paisley this afternoon, but I couldn’t see another way out, not when Margo has quite literally flicked her crazy switch and has Paisley in her sights. The only thing giving me some hope is knowing I will fix this shitshow quickly, then Paisley will know the truth.
When I spot Beckett approaching, from the underground parking, I step out of the shadows. “Can I have a minute of your time?” I ask, knowing this is the only way of saving us both now, as much as I don’t want to ask for anything from this man.
He looks me over, not surprised to see me, and I wonder why. “What did you do, Noah? I’ve just come from the florist and Paisley is beside herself.”
I close my eyes, trying not to focus on her pain. She would have been hurt a fuck load more if that article ran in the morning, splashing her biggest secret all over town. “Paisley tells me she can trust you. Right now, I don’t have any other option, so I hope to God it’s true.”
Beckett’s lips twitch into a grin like all his Christmases have come at once. He would be loving this, me having to come to him for help. “Come up to my office, we have a lot to discuss.”
“I would prefer not to. Can’t trust anyone right now. You know how it is.”
He looks up the street. “Is Margo watching you?”
“Not right now, but she would have friends up there helping her.” I motion to his office, knowing it’s way too dangerous to be seen with him in a public place even at this time of night. Especially now that she’s marrying into the family.
He gives a subtle nod, agreeing with me. “Understood.” He motions for me to follow him up the road. We stop when we get to a small bar, and he shoves open the door. The place is deserted, and he shows me to a table in the back, showered in shadows. I take a seat. When I look up, Hamilton is joining us.
He glares at me, his hatred for me palpable, and I wonder if Paisley was wrong. Everything Parker and I have read has the Prescott name involved, but it all points to their father, and after what Margo just admitted to me, I can only assume he’s the one causing problems. But it doesn’t mean these two don’t play their part. They’re also the only ones that can help me now. I have to take a chance for Paisley. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand, looking to Beckett for answers.
Hamilton smirks slyly. “Is that anyway to talk to the man who’s just stopped everything to get you out of your little situation?”
I glare at him. “What do you know about it?”
He takes a seat across from me, scrutinizing me with his cold distant stare. We might have been friends a very long time ago, but there is no love here now. “I know you need to show me some respect. You stole my life, Noah. If you were in the front seat of Alexander’s car that night instead of me, I would have escaped this town and been the big football star. Not you. How does it feel to know your fate now rests in my hands?”
I match his intensity; he’s blamed me for long enough. “I didn’t cause that accident,” I snip back at him.
“No, but we were all in that car because of you. If you hadn’t got shit-faced and gone and destroyed dear daddy’s office, we wouldn’t have had to rescue you before you got arrested, and we wouldn’t have been driving along that road when Alexander’s ma took us out. My injuries were on your hands as much as the Alexanders. And you got to skip happily off to steal my scholarship right from under me, while I was left at the hands of my father, with no way of defending myself.” He stares me down, and an icy chill runs over me because I know he’s right. I was partly to blame for what happened to him. They all came to save me, and all of their lives changed because of it. I can feel his anger. It’s all aimed at me. “I guess karma caught up with you in the end. Because I sit here with all the power and your life is falling apart around your ankles.”
“You came back for me that night because we were all friends. I would have done the same for you, and you know it.”
He gives a subtle nod, agreeing. “You’re lucky I hate my father more than I do you. And when this came over my desk this afternoon, I knew it was time to intervene in this pathetic game of power and control he’s been playing for far too long.”
He hands the article to Beckett, and he reads it over, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head, and I know exactly what story it is. The one Margo said she wouldn’t send.
“Looks like I’m going to save your ass again tonight. This kind of information in the wrong hands could be deadly, couldn’t it?”
“Why don’t you tell us why you were waiting for me tonight?” Beckett says, catching my attention.
I motion to the article. “Looks like you’re one step ahead of me. Margo has me backed into a corner, I can’t see a way out, but this article will destroy Paisley. I can’t let that happen.”
Beckett looks at Hamilton. “She’s blackmailing you. Sounds like her.”
“Margo is dangerous, Beckett. I’m worried about what she’s going to do next. You know she’s got your father to agree to marry her.”
Beckett nods, and Hamilton throws his head back, laughing. “That’s new information to me, but I’m not surprised. That manipulative bitch would do anything to get her way and so would he. When he cut a deal with me and Beckett about us taking over Prescott media, he did it with conditions.”
“I thought they would resort to shit like this. As soon as I heard about the car accident, I knew our time was running out. Paisley’s in danger if you don’t listen to us and do exactly what we say. She’s in danger because she’s helping me and I won’t agree to his stipulations,” Beckett says more seriously.
Neither of them looks at all surprised about Margo and their father. “So, you did know about Margo and your father seeing each other?”
“As disturbing as it is, yes.” Beckett brushes off his suit. “I’ve had her followed for a while. Unlike you, I didn’t trust her. I also knew the old coot was up to something sinister, he always is. And when I refused to be the mayor he wanted me to be, controlled by the underworld shit he’s into, I knew it was only a matter of time until he turned on me and Hamilton. He destroyed your father, Noah, and he will do the same to you, all in the name of money and power. It’s time we both stopped him, but we can’t do it alone.”
They want to take their father down? “You’re not working for him?”
“You have a choice to make, Noah. Save your girl and walk away from the campaign or live your life in constant fear that something will happen to her. Because I can tell you, if you’re working under him and Margo, she will be under persistent threat. You think her car getting run off the road was bad? He’s ordered much worse. You know as well as I do that this town is corrupt as fuck. One new mayor won’t change generations of crime and bribery. Just ask Mayor Michaels what he has had to do to keep his position.”
“I could try and fight them.”
Beckett’s eyes meet mine. “At what cost? Haven’t you and Paisley both suffered enough at the hands of our fathers?” The way he says it affects me to my core. I’m not sure what Paisley’s told him, but I see why she trusted him. There is a pain within him, and I know he understands the severity of both our situations.
“Did you hear Doctor Whittaker has been released, all charges dropped?” Hamilton adds.
I can feel my eyes widen and my fists ball. If that is true, there will be hell to fucking pay. “Bullshit. I talked to Detective McAllister yesterday. They have all the evidence they need to lay charges. Enough of ‘em to lock him up for the rest of his life.”
“The doc didn’t say a word, just like he’d been shown, and sure enough, the Rebel Raiders’ lawyer did what they pay him to, and he was out of there, lack of evidence. Apparently, a fire in the evidence room.”
“Why wouldn’t they have it backed up?” I slap my palm down on the table, rage coursing through me. “The evidence they collected was so recent that they could easily gather it again if needed. My father’s journals contain more than enough evidence to convict him of aiding a criminal organization; the details are damning. What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.”
Hamilton watches me, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction, the motherfucker getting a kick out of my pain. “This isn’t the first time something like this has happened with our father, and it won’t be the last. Evidence disappears, so do people if they get in his way. The more money you have, the easier it is to slip through the system untouched.”
I feel like I’m losing control. My plan was tight, they were all going to pay, but now it’s slipping through my fingers. I pull out my phone, checking again that Paisley is still at the shop, where she was when I checked before meeting with Beckett. What they’re saying is scaring the shit out of me. I thought doing what Margo said and breaking it off with her would be good enough until I worked out what to do, but now I’m not so sure. “Paisley’s still at the shop.”
Beckett raises a brow in my direction, I’m sure not impressed for his friend that I’m tracking her, but I don’t give a flying fuck what he thinks. She’s safe, and that’s all that matters. “She’s safe. For now. I have a guard watching over her like you suggested. But we don’t have much time since Margo has already sent the article through with every intention of having it published. I don’t think your breakup was convincing enough for her. You need to listen to what the two of us have to say and make your choice or your dirty laundry is about to be aired for the town to see.”
I stand and move toward Beckett, and Hamilton comes between us. “Are you fucking threatening me? Safe for now, what the fuck do you mean? If you touch her… I swear to God.” My fists clench at my sides, and I shove against Hamilton.
Beckett smirks cruelly. “Calm down, I would never do anything to hurt Paisley. No need to take me out like you did Lucas.”
I glare back at him, anger radiating off every pore. I’m not admitting to anything. “You’ve seen the article?” I spit back.
He nods. “It’s what I would have done if I found out that motherfucker laid a finger on my girl. Would have messed him up a little first, made him suffer for the pain he inflicted on her. Then I would have made sure the fucker didn’t live to see the light of day. That’s what I would have done if Paisley was my girl.”
The way he says it makes it seem as if he’s more invested in her than he should be. “But she’s not your fucking girl, she’s mine,” I growl. Coming here was a fucking mistake.
Hamilton shoves me back, trying to get some distance between me and Beckett. “We both know it’s what you did for her. Your secret is safe with us. We won’t tell a soul, not even Paisley. I will personally see to it that the article Margo thinks is going to run has magically disappeared. As long as you do a little favor for my brother.”
I look between them, my breathing ragged.
“Step down tonight.” Beckett grins, realizing he has me, I have no other choice.
I run a hand through my hair, understanding what I have to do. “You’re blackmailing me as well, typical Prescott behavior. Can’t win this election on your own merit.”
Beckett shakes his head. “No. I’m just catching you up to speed,” the cocky bastard says, knowing he holds all the power here. “You were a worthy opponent, and I’m sure you would have done your father proud, but it’s time to walk away before someone gets hurt. And neither of us could live with that on their conscience, now could we. I know Margo, and she will stop at nothing to get what she wants, it’s why she’s marrying our father. Help me bring her down.”
I scrutinize Beckett, wondering what his angle is. He’s going out of his way to make sure Paisley is safe. They could have run this story, and he would have got the position because I would have gone to jail. But he’s negotiating with me, and I know it’s got nothing to do with me. “You actually care about her, don’t you?”
He shrugs off my comment, trying to play it cool, but I can tell there is more going on here. “She’s a cool chick, even if she has shitty taste in men. I didn’t want her to get caught up in our family war any more than I wanted you to. But you went and let Margo sweet talk you, paint you a dream that was too good to walk away from, and now we’re all in this fucked-up Prescott mess together.”
A message comes through from Parker. “Margo and Prescott are on the move. I’m following them along the tourist road back into town.” I read it out loud, knowing the only way to fight this now is together.
Beckett nods not at all surprised. “You’re running out of time, Noah. He’s not a kind man, my father, and when he doesn’t get what he wants, he’s likely to have a temper tantrum, and now that he and Margo have teamed up, who knows what they will do. You don’t want Paisley on the other end of that. I’m not saying this shit as your opponent anymore. I’m saying it as Paisley’s friend. He will kill her to control you, we have seen him do it before. What’s more important to you, the girl or the fame?”
“Paisley,” I say without question, a sense of urgency filling me. I need to get to her flower shop.
“Call a press conference and let me take care of the rest.” Beckett tells his brother.
“What happens when you take over? You rule under your father, still answering to his threats and manipulation? Aren’t you sick of this, these people, controlling your life? If you do as they say, you’re just as bad as them and nothing will change,” I spit in frustration.
Beckett chuckles loudly. “Why do you think I want to be mayor so much? This new role will give me the control I need to finally show my father he’s not in charge of me anymore. I’m this fucking close, Noah. They wanted you to be their puppet because he knows he can’t control me like he does everyone else in this town. I’m the one man who will stick up to him. I have nothing to lose. It’s why you have to save her. She’s in this mess because of me, Noah. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her because of me. But the minute you drop out of the race and I’m announced as this town’s new mayor, the power of the Prescott estate shifts to me and Hamilton. He signed the contract thinking I didn’t have a chance, but I will show him it’s him who has lost his touch by letting Margo manipulate him. Our dear daddy will be ousted, and he and Margo will lose all power. They will finally answer to us.”
I look between the brothers. “How do I know that’s a better option?”
“It’s the gamble you have to take. But at least this way, you know your girl is safe. Nothing will ever happen to her, I can promise you that.”
I nod. He’s right, this is the only way. “Okay, but I want you to do something for me. I want my father’s story run. I need the people of Deception Bay to know the truth about what happened to him, and I want anyone who was involved in framing him taken down in the process. Starting with your father and Margo.”
Beckett chuckles again, enjoying this all way too much. “Now you’re talking.”
“We can give her a taste of her own medicine.” Hamilton smirks, and I know he’s getting a kick out of this. “I know you have all the dirt your father was squirreling away. I’ve seen some of it.”
I raise a brow, wondering how.
“A friend in the cops,” Beckett says, letting me in on the secret.
“Let me release an article that will destroy them both,” Hamilton says. “You get the revenge you wanted for your father and your girl back. Beckett gets the role he was born to play, and I get full control of Prescott Media. We all win.”
I scrutinize Hamilton. Once upon a time we were friends. I would have done anything for the man and him me. The years have changed us, molded us into the people we are now. What I wouldn’t give to go back in time and change that night. How different both our lives would have been. But I can’t take back past mistakes, only do what’s right now. I can walk away from mayor if I know it’s for the greater good, and while I don’t fully trust the Prescott boys, I do agree with what they are fighting for. I also know that for me, there is nothing more important than my girl. I don’t want her or our future children trapped in this political mess. I want us to be able to live our lives free of worry.
“Call the press conference. I will have Parker send you what we have on your father.” My attention comes to Beckett. “But right now, we need to make sure Paisley safe.” I stand in a rush, and Beckett follows me.