The Deception Read Online Free PDF Page A

had locked the door and taken the key, but surely that action hadn’t warranted such a drastic reaction? She’d looked genuinely frightened.
    As soon as he’d been able to stand without wincing, he’d stumbled to the door she’d departed through and had peered out into the dim corridor, but there had been nothing to see. A moment later, a security guard had appeared via the staff entry and Will had reluctantly withdrawn. Locating the mysterious redhead hadn’t been worth blowing his cover, no matter how tempting.
    Unbidden, her lush body now filled his mind. Like it had when he’d first spotted her, his body reacted. Blood rushed to his cock.
    He should never have touched her. He’d been on duty, for Christ’s sake. Prostitute or not, he knew better. Not once in the ten years since he’d joined the force had he put himself in a position where his professionalism could be brought into question. And yet, a pair of come-hither eyes, legs that went on forever and a more than bountiful chest had almost done him in.
    While he’d been potentially putting his career on the line by letting his cock lead the way, he hadn’t bothered to wonder why a prostitute would be so flighty when it came to finding a man in her room. Then there was the final insult when she’d kneed him in the balls right when things were getting interesting.
    He gritted his teeth at the reminder. Something didn’t add up.
    * * *
    A handful of hours later and a scant half dozen blocks away, Savannah O’Neill relaxed into her office chair and opened the newspaper she’d collected from the stand on her way in. There it was in bold, black type.
    After much internal deliberation, she’d decided to leave the presence of the mystery man out of it until she had more evidence, but she’d still managed to score her first front page story since her arrival at the Daily Mirror . She smiled at the zing of satisfaction and skimmed over the headline.
    “ Max! ” Her shriek of outrage could be heard halfway across the room. Her editor poked his head out of his office, a frown darkening his face. A moment later, he waddled toward her, hitching his suit pants up as they strained around his formidable belly. He closed the distance between.
    “Savannah, you’re here. Good. I’ve been waiting for you. I wish you’d told me beforehand you were going to the Black Opal. I would have talked you out of it.”
    Coming out of her chair, she flung her arms wide in confusion. “Talked me out of it? Are you kidding ?”
    Heat rose from her chest, along her neck and spread across her cheeks. Even her forehead was hot. She took a breath and fought against her agitation.
    “Max, you told me to go and find something sensational. So I did. You can’t get more sensational than this! I’ve heard it’s already sold out on the newspaper stands.”
    “What I mean is…” Max paused and appeared to consider his words. “You don’t know anything about the people behind this thing. Vince Maranoa is a career criminal. Blowing the lid on his operation isn’t the smartest thing you’ve done, regardless of the newspaper sales.”
    “But, Max, it’s a great story! People want to know about—”
    “Enough! The bean counters are going to have a conniption when they realize the risks you took. If you’d been injured on the job… Next time you want to go off on a jaunt fraught with such danger, you come to me first. Understand?”
    Gritting her teeth, she made another effort to control her temper. “You left off the byline.”
    Max wet his lips and glanced away. “Savannah, something as big as this could have repercussions, nasty repercussions. You’ve raised a lot of serious allegations. I don’t want some hit man running you down in the street over this.”
    “Don’t be ridiculous, Max. This is Sydney, not New York.”
    His ears quivered, like they always did when he was irritated. She heaved a huge sigh of disappointment and turned away. The only reason she’d gone