Free Decipher (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #3) by Michelle Irwin

around again, there will be issues.”
    “I just go where I’m told. I don’t make the decisions.”
    I curled up my nose and laughed at the coward. “Well, how about you decide to grow a pair and say no for once.”
    “Why would I? It wouldn’t make a difference.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “If I refuse, she’ll just send someone else.”
    “She?” My heart pounded against my ribcage at the word. “What fucking she? Paige?”
    “Who? What?”
    “Did Paige Wood put you up to this?” I asked again. When he didn’t respond straight away, I grabbed his collar. “Is she the one who sent you here?”
    “The owner of Wood Racing?” His face twisted with confusion. “What’s she got to do with anything?”
    The hope that I’d stumbled onto someone who could provide evidence of a set-up fell as quickly as it had been inflated. I used the hold I had to push him away from me. “Which she , then?”
    “T. My fucking boss, you lunatic.”
    “Well, you tell T from me that she and all of her lackeys can kindly back the fuck off, won’t you?” I stepped back and the look of relief on the kid’s face would have been comical in any other situation. He must have seen I would be behaving myself; or at least that his face wasn’t in any immediate danger of an introduction to my fists. “If she dares send anyone after me or my family again, I’ll fucking make her pay.”
    Clearly feeling safer than he had when I’d chased him down, he laughed as he turned away. “You really don’t get how this works, do you?” He spun back around to glance at me once more. He raised another camera, one with a shorter lens, and snapped a few photos as he walked backward a few steps. “You don’t have a choice in the matter. As long as the public are willing to read about the many and varied ways you fuck things up, someone will be there to document it in pictures. The sooner you accept that fact, the happier we all can be.”
    Even though I recognised the truth in his words, I refused to acknowledge it. I moved closer to him and held up my finger in warning. As much as I wanted to smack the smarm off his face, I forced my temper down. “Just stay the hell away from me.”
    “That’s not gonna happen, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Maybe next time, I’ll focus on photos of that sweet, sweet arse that you’re tapping. Or should I say, tapping for now.”
    Unable to control myself any longer, I charged after him. He whirled around and snapped another photo—one of my fist flying at his camera. Once he had the shot, he ducked to the side and narrowly avoided my punch.
    Fuck. The whole running-scared act had clearly been a fucking set-up to try to get more incriminating photos. The smug expression he wore, with a wolfish grin and eyes set in challenge, confirmed it.
    “There’s the money shot.” With a laugh, he turned his back on me. “See you tomorrow, Reede,” he shot back over his shoulder. “Keep an eye out for your close-up in the magazines. Click click.”
    It took everything in me to walk away, and by the time I did, my breath came in short, sharp pants. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. There would be no escape from the photographers so long as there was any public interest in me. They would bait me, just like the reporters with less class had tried to over the phone.
    And in this case, I’d fallen for it. Not just hook, line, and sinker, but reel and fucking rod as well.
    Fucking idiot! I kicked the tyre of the nearest car and let loose my irritation.
    All I could think was thank fuck Alyssa and Phoebe were heading back home to Brisbane the following day. As much as I needed them with me, I wanted to spare them the humiliation of being front page features just to sell a magazine or two. I could only hope that returning home would keep them away from prying eyes—at least mostly.

 
    CHAPTER SIX: LOCKED IN
     
    I WAS STILL trying to calm myself when I met Alyssa back at the car. She