Page 7 of Tangled in Temptation

I pulled out my phone to call her a ride. “You need to leave tonight. I don’t want you here.”

Regina scoffed. “So you’re kicking me out of our marital home now?”

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “This was never our marital home, Regina. You don’t live here. You’ve never lived here. You hated this place.”

“It’s been our home,” she argued.

I shook my head with frustration. “What are you talking about? Why are you here? I know you, Regina. You’re up to something.”

She loved to play games. She was one of the most manipulative people I had ever met. I still couldn’t believe I had been dumb enough to marry her.

“You’re always looking for an excuse to fight with me,” she accused.

“You are always very ready to give me a lot of excuses,” I scoffed. “I never have to look far.”

“You’re just mad I’m here intruding on your little party,” she spat. “I had no idea you were shopping for your next wife.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“I don’t want that little whore in a toolbelt around my daughter,” she hissed. “Don’t deny it. I know a slut when I see one, and I know you can’t resist a pretty young thing batting her eyelashes at you and shaking her ass. The wide-eyed innocent thing is so overdone.”

I felt a surge of defensiveness for Catherine. Regina’s words struck a nerve, but I held my ground. “Catherine has nothing to do with this. This is about Paisley.”

Regina chuckled, finding amusement in my defense of Catherine. “If I leave, Paisley goes with me. She is going to boarding school.”

My heart sank at the ultimatum. I couldn’t bear the thought of Paisley being sent back to the boarding school she despised. “We agreed that Paisley would stay for the summer. That’s final.”

Regina’s gaze narrowed, and she leaned in, her tone cutting like a knife. “You’re still playing house with that little handywoman, aren’t you? How pathetic. She’s just a plaything.”

“You’re crossing a line, Regina,” I snapped, the edges of my control fraying.

Her laugh was like shards of glass. “And since when did you start caring about lines? You’ve always had a talent for blurring them.”

“That’s enough!” I retorted, my voice echoing through the room. I could feel the tension in the room rising. “I’m not the one that had a hard time staying within the lines. You’re the one that seems to struggle with that.”

Regina snorted, downing her drink in one go. “You can kick me out if you want, Timothy. But remember one thing. Paisley is my daughter. She’s not yours. She’s only here because I’m being nice.”

“You’re such a selfish bitch,” I growled. “Get out of my house. Get a hotel. But you will not stay here. Paisley still has some time here. Don’t you dare try and take that from her. I’m the one that’s been playing nice. Do not push me, Regina.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed, her gaze a toxic blend of amusement and resentment as she tossed back the remainder of her drink. The ice clinked against the glass as she set it down hard on my mahogany bar counter. “You’re so convinced you’re the knight in shining armor, aren’t you?” she sneered.

“I never claimed to be perfect,” I shot back. “But at least I’m not running off to parties every other night and leaving our daughter alone.”

“We’re not having this argument again, Timothy,” she cut me off dismissively. “Keep that little whore away from my daughter.”

She stomped out of the room. The temptation to throw my glass at the wall was strong. She would use it against me, claim I was violent. Instead, I slammed my drink and left the room to retreat to my bedroom. If Regina had dared to move herself into my room, I was going to need bail money.

Chapter Four

Catherine

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I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD to seeing Timothy or any member of his family. I considered asking my dad to drop off the bike, but that would just bring him into the drama. My dad was going to be the one handling the future business at Gloriana Manor. He needed to focus on the work and not the personal drama. My intention was simple—drop off Paisley’s bike and avoid any conversations with anyone. I drove through the gate with my heart in my stomach.

Just as I pulled to the front of the house, Paisley rushed out of the house with tears streaming down her face. Timothy stepped out right behind her. I watched as Paisley ran around the side of the house with Timothy watching. He looked concerned and frustrated. I had never seen him look so disheveled. He was wearing gray sweatpants and a T-shirt with no socks or shoes. His hair was sticking up every which way. I’d thought showing up early I could avoid seeing anyone.

Clearly, something had happened. I got out of my truck and slowly approached him. “What’s going on?” I asked, my eyes flickering between him and the direction Paisley had fled.