A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(118)

Parker heard the words that were spoken and felt the impact of their meaning like a punch to the stomach. Memories of her father, past and present, swam through her mind and tears clouded her vision: her father, always so strong and kind and good, curled up on the floor in their living room and coloring in a coloring book with her; taking her to a father/daughter dance and promising not to embarrass her with his old school dance moves; coming in her room at night to sneak her cookies after her mother had already made her brush her teeth and put her to bed; pushing her away and turning into someone she barely recognized and saying awful, hurtful things just to protect her and keep her safe.

“Well, now that that’s finished I think I shall take my leave,” Fernandez stated as he handed Milo’s gun back to him. With an almost nervous glance towards the ceiling, Parker and Garrett suddenly realized the noise coming from that direction. Somewhere in the palace people were shouting and running. Something was happening, and it was making Fernandez edgy.

Parker’s grief immediately turned to anger as she watched the man responsible for killing her father step around Milo and head towards the door.

“You son of a bitch! You sick f*cking bastard!” she yelled as she tugged against the cuffs that held her arms secured behind her and struggled to get her legs underneath her so she wasn’t sitting down. She rose up on her knees and barely noticed Garrett’s whispered words of warning and attempts at comfort. Garrett wasn’t even aware of the words coming out of his mouth at this point. He knew nothing he said to her would take away an ounce of the pain she felt right now, but he knew he had to do something. There were too many people in this room with guns. Any one of them could decide to shut Parker up with one shot.

Parker’s shouts stopped Fernandez in his tracks and he slowly turned back to face her.

“That’s it? You’re just going to leave, you f*cking coward?” Parker taunted.

Parker knew in her mind nothing she said to that man would have any effect on him, but her heart couldn’t care less. She needed to lash out with the anger that was slowly starting to cripple her.

The shouts and pounding of footsteps throughout the palace were getting louder. Garrett knew it couldn’t be Brady and the team; they wouldn’t make themselves so conspicuous. He had no idea what was coming for them, but he knew by the look on Fernandez face that it wasn’t anything good or anything he planned.

“I don’t have time for your childish tirade,” he said to Parker before turning towards the two guards still in the room. “Finish them; I’ve grown tired of this game.”

“What’s wrong, don’t want to get your hands any dirtier than they already are?”

“Parker, what are you doing?” Garrett whispered softly to her.

“He can’t get away this easily,” she whispered back through gritted teeth as a tear spilled down her face.

“He won’t. I promise you, Parker. No matter what, he won’t get away with this,” Garrett promised and let his thumbs wipe away the wetness on her cheeks.

The two guards moved to stand behind Garrett, each aiming their guns on the two lovers who were clearly out of options. Milo stood motionless off to the side, his gun held limply at his side as he watched the events unfold in front of him like he was watching a movie instead of real life. He watched the man, the hero of the story, stand tall and brave even though he was on his knees with death whispering in his ear. He watched him smooth a tear off the heroine’s face and whisper words of love and reassurance. He watched her anger and determination and wished, not for the first time, that he could have been worthy of her love. He was his father’s son, however. The blood of a monster flowed through his veins, and there was no future for him other than the one he’d been forced into. He’d done horrible, disgusting things, things he couldn’t or wouldn’t apologize for. He wished he could be remorseful of those things, but it was impossible. His blood wouldn’t allow it. Truth be told, he loved lording his power and control over people who didn’t matter, young girls who didn’t matter. He enjoyed the thrill it gave him to listen to them beg for his mercy; he reveled in the strength he felt knowing he decided their future and whether they lived or died.

He watched the two lovers with detached irritation, the piece of history the three of them shared cracking and shattering into a thousand tiny pieces that meant little to him in the grand scheme of things. He listened to the roar of footsteps and the shouted commands coming from above, and he knew what that meant. One look at his father’s face and he knew his father realized it as well.

Judgment day was upon them.

Fernandez never answered Parker. He turned and walked out of the basement door with one last wave of his hand to his guards, dismissing them just as easily as he dismissed everyone he killed before.

“Say your goodbyes, mi amigos,” the guard named Alejandro stated as he pushed his gun against Garrett’s head.

“Make it fast,” the other guard added as he pushed his gun against the side of Parker’s head.

Hope slowly dwindled out of Garrett. He could incapacitate one guard, most likely two if luck was on his side, but never three. Milo was still a loose cannon, and Garrett had no idea what his old friend would do if Garrett chose to fight back right now. Having a weapon would make it easier but having Parker free from her bindings would make it perfect. There was too much uncertainty with the situation as it stood. He would never take a risk with Parker’s life or stray bullets headed in her direction, but he couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. He wouldn’t let these men slaughter them like animals. Neither he nor Parker were helpless. They both knew how to fight; they both were trained in getting out of situations like this. He just needed a plan. Parker would beat him up if she knew he was hesitant to do something that would put her in harm’s way. She would tell him she did this for a living and to stop coddling her.