Still Falling for you by Ellie Goulding

And just like that all I breathe, all I feel, you are all for me.

The others were dealing with their own things. Avery was solving her own mystery that the old man left her. Grayson and Eve were getting cozy. There's been a few more clues by now. I've lost track to be honest. Maybe I should just accept that Toby is a dead man walking.

Everyone's arguing about whether Avery and Xander should miss school at the moment due to the recent threats for safety or some shit. I'm not really paying attention as I sit by on a bay window that's perched open and smoke.

"Can you all stop arguing?" Eve fumes from between Grayson and Avery. "We have to open that box. Right now. We have to get inside that box as fast as humanly possible!" Eve exclaims.

"Evie. We need to be careful." Grayson mutters.

I get to my feet, my black boot heels hitting the floor and causing a couple heads to turn having been alerted by my presence. 

I shove my fingers down my throat pretending to barf. I join the group and stand between Nash and Xander.

"Why are you smoking?" Nash does a double take in anger.

"It's a free country bitch." I shrug. He gives me a warning glare, "It's not a 'free country' when you're twelve." He scoffs.

"I'm seventeen." I remind him. "You got a little baby face though." He boops my nose with a paternal grin. I smile up at him, giving him the perfect chance to grab my cigarette and throw it out the window. 

"Rude." I press my lips into a tight lipped smile. 

"How certain are we that this box won't explode the second we open it?" Xander asks Oren. 

"Very." Oren assures.

"Any ideas what's inside it?" Avery questions carefully. "From the x-Ray, looks like a phone." Oren answers.

Everyone pauses a moment longer and waits in silence for someone to say something. 

"Someone open the fucking box already before I throw myself out the window." I snap bluntly.

Avery didn't waste any time replying to that comment and instead opened the box, being met with a phone as promised. 

"You're Hawthorne's. Who knows how to crack a combination code." Avery turns her attention to the four boys.

And within less than 10 minutes we had the code. 151122.

Avery checks every app and function of the phone until she finds something. A timer counting down. 

12 hours. 45 minutes. 11 seconds.

"What happens when the timer runs out?" Avery asks the question we've all been wondering. 

"Forget the timer for now Avery. Go back to the Home Screen." Xander urges. 

An event set on the calendar tommorow at six. The time the timer ends. All it says is Niv.

"Like the skin care brand?" I ask with a puzzled expression. "No Pear, that's Nivea." Xander corrects, everyone glaring at me with disbelief.

Grayson googles it and comes to the conclusion it's either a drug or some financial federal form.

Avery checks the contacts and discovers one contact titles 'Call me'. My sister isn't stupid, she does it without hesitation before any of the protective patriarchal dickhead Hawthorne brothers can. 

Avery takes the call, but we can only hear one half, which is not nearly interesting enough for my short attention span.

We gather all the information we have. His name is Luke, he likes puzzles, he's old. That was fucking worth it.

Avery receives a new call when we're talking about it but on her own phone this time. It's Thea. Alarm strikes her face when she hears what the caller has to say.

She hangs up and informs us what's going on. Someone got a photo of Eve outside the gates and it went viral, people are speculating about Emily. It's a mess.

I run out the room before anyone can ask any questions. "Don't do anything." I warn as I run out. 

I get to my room and make the risky decision. Nothing can stop me when I'm already committed. 

One hour and forty-five minutes later I come out my bathroom and head back down the staircase. I find the group still gathered around.

"Holy shit." Xander is the first to notice me. Everyone's gaze falls to me at the door. 

"Fuck." Jameson mutters in shock.

I dyed my hair. I dyed my fucking hair ginger. I look like a fucking carrot. But most importantly, I look identical to Emily and Eve. 

"I already spoke to Alisa, she's anonymously called paparazzi to go to a decided location. Which means I have twenty minutes to get to said location before they show up." I announce. 

"You are not leaving this house." Nash points a finger at me.

"Sorry Dad." I mutter with a teasing smirk. "I'm not kidding Paris. We've already discussed this, nobody is leaving this house until we know it's safe." He raises his voice assertively.

"It is a great idea. If she can get rid of the rumours speculating it could be a great way to turn heads away from everything for a while." Oren agrees. 

"See. If he agrees then I'm doing it." I nod. 

"No." Grayson speaks firmly, surprising everyone including himself, I don't think he meant to say anything aloud.

"One of you should go with her." Oren decides.

"I'll go." Nash speaks immediately. He doesn't hesitate to get to his feet and whisk us out the room.

"Why do you care so much?" I sigh as we walk down the staircase. "Care? Who says I care?" He raises a brow teasingly. 

"I'm pretty sure you 'cared' when you tried to beat up your own brother because we broke up. Or when you stole my cig cause it's bad for me. Or when you saw me crying and called my sister and best friend. Or when you volunteered to come with me." I list, glancing to him.

"Really? Didn't notice any of that stuff?" He shrugs cluelessly, acting oblivious to it all.

I sigh and shake my head, struggling to keep up with his long strides. 

We get to the garage and he switches the lights on. "Choose the getaway car." He smirks. Thousands of cars line the echoey room. It smells shiny and new in here as if half the cars haven't even been used.

"Taylor Swift references? I always knew you were a Reputation girlie at heart." I tease as I stalk slowly past every car struggling to decide.

"Nuh Uh. I'll always be debut girl deep down, no matter how hard I try bein' an evermore fan." He shakes his head with a tut.

"Let's take this one." I gesture to a shiny black motorcycle with a glossy red leather seat. Nash immediately denies me and doesn't hesitate to get the keys to another car.

"Oh please, don't act like I've never been on the back of a motorcycle before with a Hawthorne driving." I scoff, grabbing the keys to the bike. 

He looks at me and raises a brow a little. "Though I'm sure you're a much safer driver than him." I squint in thought.

"Jameson the little bastard." Nash mutters as he pulls out two helmets. One pink helmet and one black.

"Why do you have a pink helmet?" I mock with a smug smile. "I like variety." He justifies innocently.

"Can I drive?" I request desperately. "Absolutely not." He immediately says.

I mount the bike after him and hold onto his waist whilst he starts the engine.

"You ever had sex on a motorcycle before?" I question curiously, "Only with your sister." He jokes. I hope it was a joke. 

He kicks off and we start riding to the cafe where Alisa sent paparazzi. We rush inside, leaving the bike and helmets outside and immediately getting a table. 

We get cups of coffee to go and wait in the table patiently for paparazzi to show.

I check my phone, a text from Jameson is the first thing that sticks out to me.

'Be careful' Is all it reads. 

Nash and I see the flashing lights running towards the window and immediately share a glance. It's go time. We head outside and start walking back to the motorcycle, the cameramen attack us with bright lights and close proximity.

"Paris?" On guy calls out, unsure it's me or not.

"Yeah?" I look to him with confusion, as if it's completely preposterous to assume it's anyone but me. "It was you at the gates?" Someone asks, "Yep." I sigh, pushing a couple guys away from me gently.

"What are your thoughts on the news that leaked about Emily Laughlin and how similar you look?" A guy calls out.

"I didn't know her. The boys didn't know her that well. I think it was a shame what happened to her, but I don't think there's anything more there than a coincidence. I guess we both just have good genes? I guess i'll have to dye my hair again after the backlash." I comment with a small laugh, just as rehearsed on the phone with Alisa waiting for my dye to dry.

I get on the motorcycle and we drive off before more questions can be asked.

When we get to the house everyone's waiting in the same room. Nash and I walk in side by side, I brush the hair off my face.

Jameson jogs over and wraps his arms around me urgently, for a moment i'm frozen on the spot, but then I warm up to it and indulge in his warm hold.

"You just saved us so much trouble.. you did so good." He whispers soft and slow.

I hold my breath in his arms, feeling so safe and protected.

He separates when we notice everyone staring. I step back and end up standing next to Eve. 

"Holy shit. Thats actually terrifying." Xander gapes, everyone looks between us.

"We don't even look that similar.." Eve fires to Xander angrily. He raises his hands in surrender.

"I know! Not even one similarity, I'm surprised we're even related." I smile sarcastically at her. 

"I mean why would you say that, are you like actually stupid? It's like looking in a fucking mirror?" I yelp in disbelief at Eve's bitchiness.

I roll my eyes and start walking out. "I really should dye my hair back. I'm not interested in being ginger any longer than I have to." I sigh as I walk out the room and heading for my room.

"I'll help." Jameson calls out, jogging for me.

He helps me dye my hair without even saying anything, knowing if he did he could make it uncomfortable. I peel my shirt over my head so it doesn't get wet, he doesn't bat an eye and helps rinse out the new dye.

"You know your hair'll start falling out with all this dyeing." He mocks with a small laugh.

"Yeah, I think i could rock the bald look." I laugh.

Once my hair is completely dyed back to blonde, Jameson holds a hairdryer to my hair and helps me out even though he has no clue what he's doing.

"Jamie can I tell you something?" I ask gently. I can see his shoulders relaxes at the nickname which flowed out my mouth way too easily.

"Anything." He ensures me.

"My boyfriend broke up with me." I tell him.

He blinks at me through the mirror and turns the hairdryer off. He places it down the kneels down to my level, "I'm sorry Paris.. are you okay?" Jameson asks me carefully. 

"Yeah i'm fine. I just wanted you to know i'm single." I tell him. Maybe i shouldn't have said that.

I failed to disclose the fact it was his brother I broke up with.

"Paris, if you're looking to use me as some rebound I'm not interested. When I get back with you I want it to be real." He mutters.

"No Jamie thats not what I mean.. I don't need a rebound- wait when?" I suddenly remember and meet his eyes. 

His eyes are hungry, he wets his lips and tries to avert his eyes. I grab his chin and force him to look at me again. He swallows and looks up and I can immediately tell he's trying to stop himself from following his instincts.

"Jamie I know you want to kiss me." I mutter as I stand up, pulling him by the shoulder and pressing him up against the wall.

He lowers his head and places his lips against my neck. "I don't want to kiss you.. I want to fuck you until you see stars." He speaks, vibrating my whole neck and making goosebumps run their way down my whole body.

I feel his breath on my neck, not kissing me yet. Fuck. 

"Kiss me Jamie- God fucking kiss me." I beg desperately in a whisper, tugging a hand through his hair whilst the other grasps his shirt in my hand.

His warm breath trails all the way up my neck along my jaw until his lips are so close to my lips. 

I'm the one who finally connects our lips. 

The kiss is one i've never had before. It's needy but generous. Loving but demanding. Poison but sugar. It's passionate but gentle. 

I've never had a kiss quite like this. Everything else disappears. Nothing matters. Literally fucking nothing except Jameson Winchester Hawthorne and his hand grabbing my ass.

(a/n. I was so excited for this one i can't lie. I'm such a team Jameson x Paris girlie – though i assure you that won't influence who Paris ends up with. Jaris is just my favourite to write. Also... I still have no fucking clue who Paris will end with because both boys have so much chemistry and passion. Every single vote I put out there is always exactly 50/50 so i don't even know anymore. I might just decide her fate by using a spinny wheel?? All I know is I want her to choose by the end of Part 3, i'm not letting this drag on to Part 4/5 if and when there is one. Finally, if you didn't see my latest tiktok I thought i'd let you know the name of my OC for my next inheritance games fic is Elizabeth Octavia Florence and her face claim is Sabrina Carpenter!! I can't wait to release it and hope when I do you guys'll read it. Anyway, thanks for reading!)