Page 108 of The First Taste

“That is not what happened!” Wendy pales, her hands clenching. She lowers her voice to a threatening whisper. “Unless you want me to start screaming details from your little sex tape, I suggest we leave now.”

I flush. So Wendy knows everything, now.

Fuck me. I fan myself, wondering how screwed I am right now.

“If you say so.” Keir shrugs, looking at me with an innocent expression.

“I wish you would take this seriously,” I mutter to him.

Wendy marches out of the building, down the street, and around the corner. Keir follows her lead, hands in his pockets, seeming utterly relaxed.

In the meantime, I break into a sweat. Lagging a bit behind them both, I stare at them and try to figure out how I got into this situation at all.

Wendy spins on her heel, thrusting an accusing finger out at Keir and me. “Max caught you fucking on tape.”

“No, no. Anything he had, he obtained through setting up cameras in hotel rooms. Any lawyer worth his salt would rip the owner of a sex tape apart in court.”

“Max didn’t set up any cameras. Someone already had you two dead to rights. And that person reached out to Max, offering him the tape for free.”

My heart stops. I open my mouth.

“Someone else made the tape?!” I gasp.

Keir glares at me. He holds up a hand, demanding silence. I nod, understanding.

What if Wendy is taping this whole thing right now?

“Even if you manage to force me off of this case, you two are still screwed. Someone out there has your little fuck tape.”

Keir squints at her for half a minute, sizing her up.

“I won’t confirm or deny anything. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Why are you here, then?” Wendy asks, exasperated.

“I have proof that you plagiarized at least five big stories while you worked for NewsCorp. I have the articles, I have the source material. I have five journalists with their own axes, looking for somewhere to grind them. And if you don’t do exactly what I say, they will go public.”

Wendy falls silent, turning over that information. “You talked to Natalie?

“Yeah, and she is angry.”

The other woman bites her lip, looking down at the floor. “So… what? You will pay the complaining witnesses off for me if I don’t air your own dirty laundry?”

My heart bangs against the cage of my ribs. I look to him, desperately licking my bone dry lips.

A bark of laughter escapes his chest.

“Fuck no. I’m not paying anyone anything. I will do you the biggest favor ever by not firing you. And if you promise that I never have to see your rat face ever again, I’ll assure you of a new job at NewsCorp’s offices in Australia.”

She goes pale, opening her mouth in an O of shock. “What?”

He reaches in his jacket, producing a card. He hands it to her. She reaches out to take it, looking like a bomb just went off in her whole life.

“The offer is good for twenty four hours. If you decide to take me up on it, call that number. If not, I will find a reason to have you fucking fired.”

“But—” she tries.

“I’ve heard enough from you. Goodbye, Wendy.”