A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(14)

Garrett stopped his manic pacing when he realized Parker had been unusually quiet the last several minutes. When he turned to face her and saw the determination and excitement written all over her face he wanted to throw up.

Garrett started to shake his head before he even opened his mouth.

"No. Absolutely not, Parker. You can just erase whatever stupid-ass idea is floating around in that head of yours right now."

Parker took his words as a challenge and put her hands on her hips, mustering all of the attitude she possessed. She looked sexy as hell when she was like that―eyes filled with fire and determination, confidence practically exploding out of her. Garrett had to recite baseball facts in his head to make his dick calm down.

"Sorry, McCarthy, but you do not have monopoly on stupid decisions. Why is it okay for you to do this and not me? I want to find out the truth just as much as you do, and I’m the best photographer there is."

Garrett stared at her like she had a second head growing out of her neck.

"Are you f*cking kidding me? I'm trained for this. This is what I do. I go into dangerous situations and I get a job done. You're a photographer. You lie around on beaches and climb trees and take pretty pictures. You travel first class, stay in luxury hotels, and drink champagne with your editors. You have no idea what it's like out there in a strange land with people who don't follow the same rules as you. You wouldn’t know what the f*ck to do in a dangerous situation if your life depended on it. And it would, little one."

Garrett knew the dig about her job was a low blow, and once again, he hated what he was doing to her. He also knew calling her “little one” would have the same effect as if he’d just called her a baby. It was the only way he knew how to protect her, though. He'd rather she hate him than ever put her life in danger.

Garrett waited for the explosion to come. He waited for a kick to the balls or a smack across the face but it never game. Several long minutes passed where neither of them spoke and the silence made Garrett nervous.

"You're right, Garrett. You're absolutely right. It was silly of me to even suggest such a thing. I don't know what I was thinking," Parker replied calmly, a serene smile on her face that was obviously forced.

"Thank you for a lovely dinner. Give me a call when your plane lands. You know, if you're not in too much danger or anything and it's not too much trouble."

Garrett didn’t miss the sarcasm dripping from her voice. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He could deal with Parker’s anger; he could even deal with her hatred. But he absolutely could not handle the dejection that was all over her face.

Parker's usually warm lips were ice cold on his face, and he instantly missed her heat. This went a whole lot further than being pissed at him. She was hurt beyond belief, and if he didn't absolutely believe with every fiber of his being that he was doing the right thing to keep her safe, he would drop down on his knees and beg for her forgiveness.

Instead, Garrett let her walk away. He watched her walk up the sidewalk to her front door and listened to her heels click against the cement. It took everything inside him not to run after her, wrap his arms around her, and kiss away the misery that he’d put on her beautiful face.

He would make this up to Parker. He would work his ass off to find out the truth for her.

Maybe then she would forgive him.



<> ~ <>



After Parker walked into her condo and threw her purse across the room, the contents smashing against the wall and spilling to the floor, she sunk down to the carpet in a heap of tears and frustration. After she got it all out of her system, she remembered who she was, who she’d been for eight years, and everything she’d gone through. She angrily swiped at the tears that stained her cheeks and picked herself up off of the floor.

Parker had no intention of giving up without a fight. She had never been a doormat for anyone, and she wasn’t about to start now. This was what she was trained for, what she was good at. She had a moment of guilt that she was going behind Garrett's back, but it served him right for belittling her like that. Parker knew damn well he only said those things to piss her off and stop her from putting herself in danger, but it didn’t matter.

In just a few words, he managed to rip her heart into pieces and make her feel like a fool. He knew exactly what to say to cut her to the core.

Parker never regretted the decision she had made eight years ago. She was alone, had no direction, and desperately needed something to save her from making choices that would inevitably ruin her life. She accepted her fate and did what she had to do to survive.

“I just need an answer, Miss Parker. Yes or no. It’s that simple.”

It turned out nothing was ever simple where her life was concerned. She never expected to meet Garrett and Milo a month later or how their friendship would turn her life upside down and inside out. It was difficult trying to be two different people for so long but it was necessary. She would never put the ones she loved in danger because they knew the truth about her.

Right then, though, it broke her heart that she had never been able to be completely honest with Garrett.

She dialed the number she still had written on the fridge from when Milo was still alive and had a moment of panic when it started to ring.

Garrett was going to be pissed that she didn't listen to him. And he was going to hate her when he found out what she’d been keeping from him since the day they met.