A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(107)

“What the f*ck do you mean it’s not that simple? You found her. We’re going to get her. Right now.”

Brady ran after Garrett as he stalked out of the destroyed office and past the handful of resort employees who stood just outside with their jaws dropped.

“Garrett, we have no team left. No back-up. We’d be going into this alone. You need to stop and think about this.”

Garrett whirled around to face him, the anger back and flashing in his eyes.

“There is nothing to think about. The woman I love needs my help. I’ve already failed her too many times to count. I’m going, with or without you,” Garrett threatened. “Now, where is she?”

Brady sighed, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head in frustration. He knew Garrett didn’t make idle threats. He really would do this alone if he had no other option. Knowing he couldn’t keep it from him forever, and that he’d follow Garrett anywhere and help him with anything, Brady shared the news he’d uncovered moments ago.

“She’s in the palace, Garrett.”





Chapter Twenty-Three



“The one thing I’ll take from him is his poor, sad, beating heart.”

The words Milo had spoken close to Parker’s ear echoed over and over in her head long after he had left the room and made one of the guards stay behind to keep an eye on her. They were smarter this time. She was cuffed with her arms behind the wooden support beam, and her legs were tied together at the knees.

She had no doubt that what he said was true. If Garrett got anywhere near this place, Milo would kill him. For the first time since he walked away from her earlier, Parker hoped Garrett was still angry. She hoped he still doubted her and had given up on her. As much as it would kill everything inside of her, at least she knew it would keep him away from there and keep him safe. She knew her chances of getting out of the room alive were down to nothing at this point. Parker knew she could handle dying as long as Garrett would be okay. A world without Garrett in it should never exist.

She had no idea what time it was since there were no windows in the room. She wondered if Garrett realized she was gone by now. She wondered if he had assumed she left with Milo essentially chose him instead of Garrett. Her heart physically ached at the thought even though she knew it would be for the best if it was true.

The shuffling of feet off to her left reminded her that she wasn’t alone. She turned her head to see the guard Milo left behind leering at her. Parker quickly looked away, not wanting to give him any ideas, and shifted her shoulders in an effort to ease the ache from her arms. Even though it hurt less now that she didn’t have her arms suspended above her, it still wasn’t any picnic being tied up the way she was. The rough edges of the wood cut into her arms every time she moved, and painful cramps started to vibrate through her shoulders and biceps from being stuck in the same awkward position. Parker winced in pain as she wiggled and flexed her fingers behind her in an effort to get some circulation into them.

“If you knew your place, quierda, you wouldn’t be in this position right now.”

Parker snorted in amusement and cast an annoyed glance at the guard.

“And where would my place be, exactly? In one of the whore houses your piece of shit boss sends little girls to be sold as slaves? Or maybe it’s right here, being a brainless lapdog like you, bending over so Fernandez can f*ck me in the ass.”

The man’s hand flew out and smacked her across the mouth, reopening the split lip from Milo.

“You don’t speak of El Presidente that way!” the guard yelled. “He is a man to be honored and respected.”

Parker laughed out loud, right in his face this time. She knew she was playing with fire, but she couldn’t help herself. All of these people who thought Fernandez was a God disgusted her.

In true thug fashion, the guard tucked his gun into the waistband of his pants and then brought both of his hands to Parker’s breasts, palming them roughly.

“You need to be taught a lesson. One that will make you think twice about disrespecting the man who has brought money and power to this small country,” he said quietly, his hot breath hitting Parker square in the face and making her stomach roll with the smell of stale cigarettes and rotting teeth. Her hands clenched into fists behind the pole and she bit her lip, reminding herself to be patient. Contrary to what the man might think, she wasn’t some helpless female.

His dirty hands slid up to the neck of her t-shirt and with the material clutched in his fists, he ripped the cotton right down the middle. His eyes swept down the front of her, paying extra attention to her white, lace covered breasts that were now on full display.

“El hijo pródigo is a lucky man to have tasted your flesh. I think I will enjoy the sounds of your screams.”

Parker closed her eyes and counted to ten while the guard unzipped his pants with one hand and unbuttoned her jeans with the other. When she felt sweaty fingers sliding into the waistband of her underwear, she mumbled something under her breath.

“Did you say something, quierda?” he asked, halting the downward movement of his hand into her pants.

Parker opened her eyes and stared right at him, nodding her head in answer. He angled his head towards her, right where she wanted him. With a split second to brace herself, Parker thrust her head forward, slamming her forehead into the bridge of his nose as hard as she could. She saw stars on impact and heard the crunch of cartilage. The spray of blood from his broken nose splattered across the front of her as he collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.