Decipher (Declan Reede: The Untold Story #3) Read Online Free PDF

mattered compared to that. “But why aren’t you in Bahrain with everyone else?”
    “I couldn’t just go,” she said. “Not after Danny told me what was going to happen. I’ll be flying out to meet the team in the next few days.”
    With those words, it was clear that at least some of her loyalty still resided with me. She’d sacrificed so much, staying home and risking disciplinary action herself so that she could contact Alyssa and help me. “Thank you for your support.”
    Even as she nodded, she eyed the arm Alyssa had around my waist with a small grin. After a moment, she obviously felt she was intruding.
    “I’m going to leave you in Alyssa’s capable hands,” she said, beaming as she looked at Phoebe again. “But I’ll be back soon. I don’t care if you’re not with Sinclair Racing anymore. Don’t think you can escape me that easily.”
    I just nodded, although inwardly I blew a sigh of relief that things between us could at least return to status quo.
    She turned to Alyssa, grabbing her hand. “And you . . . I’m awed at how fast you’ve been able to domesticate him.” She winked at Alyssa and they both chuckled. “Keep in touch, won’t you?”
    Alyssa nodded and gave her a small hug. My little family stood watching as Eden climbed into her Holden Cascada and drove off. I perched Phoebe on my hip and wrapped my arm around Alyssa’s shoulders.
    “Shall we go inside?”
    “I get to look inside the castle?” Phoebe asked.
    Alyssa met my eye and nodded. “Of course, sweetie. Daddy told you, it’s going to be your castle soon too.”
    Phoebe clapped her hands. “Yay!”
    I didn’t care that it took Alyssa saying the words to make them real for Phoebe, because hearing them offered a sense of relief that I hadn’t anticipated. I put Phoebe back onto the ground and reached for her hand. “Let’s go then, princess.”
    Alyssa chuckled and I led them inside. The smile on my face was half a lie. Even though things seemed okay for the moment, I worried about what might come next. What could I offer them but my love? I’d lost everything except them. I was unemployed, with no skills, and with a sizeable mortgage hanging over my head.
    “We’ll be okay,” Alyssa whispered, as if reading my thoughts.
    All I could do was hope she was right.

 
    CHAPTER THREE: FAMILY
     
    AS SOON AS we were inside, I led Alyssa and Phoebe around the house, showing them from room to room, starting on the ground floor. Then I took them upstairs and continued the tour there. When we hit the bathroom, I paused at the door. Liquor stained the wall and the bathtub was full of glass.
    “Daddy, your barftub’s messy.”
    “Uh . . .,” Alyssa started, but then trailed off before she asked any questions. Curiosity blazed in her eyes, though.
    “It was a close one,” I said, repeating my words from earlier as I hung my head.
    “But you didn’t,” Alyssa whispered.
    The reality of everything came crashing over me. There was so much on the tip of my tongue. So much I needed to say—that I wanted Alyssa to know. The letter I’d written her when I’d thought hope was lost sprang to mind. The longing I’d felt when I thought she was gone.
    While Phoebe was otherwise occupied, I turned to Alyssa. “Lys, I—”
    She cut me off by pressing her finger against my mouth. “There’s time for that later. Let’s just enjoy being together tonight? Please?”
    It was clear she was asking for herself as much as for me. Even though the day had no doubt been harrowing for her, just as it had been for me, she was there and willing to push it aside for a little longer just to be a family.
    “Okay, but I think you need to call your mum,” I said. “She was a little frantic when I spoke to her last.”
    “Which means she’s probably talked to your mum.”
    Alyssa’s words were a reminder that Mum was due to leave the country the following morning. “Shit, I better call Mum.”
    “Language,” Alyssa said, nodding