A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(81)

Parker walked up the ramp and took three steps down onto the deck of the boat. Before heading into the cabin, she paused and looked back over her shoulder at Garrett’s retreating form as he headed to the office. She smiled to herself, knowing she and Garrett would definitely have a lot to talk about once they were home.

Garrett realized after five minutes that talking to someone in the office wasn't the best idea with his limited knowledge of Spanish. He muddled through it and was able to find out that the La Meta Anna Bello was always dropped off at night after the marina was closed for the day, and the keys were placed in a locked drop-box next to the building. By the following day, once the work was completed, the boat would be gone until its next scheduled maintenance.

The appointment was always scheduled by text message from a blocked number.

Garrett thanked the man for his time and walked out of the office. The information he got from the office manager hadn't yielded any solid information that could help them, but it had provided Parker with the time she needed.

Garrett understood her need to be on the boat alone and looking down at his watch, he realized that seven minutes with her out of his sight was all he was willing to give.

He walked out of the office and took two steps toward the ramp that lead to Milo's boat when a deafening explosion roared through his ears and shook the ground beneath his feet, forcing Garrett to take a few extra steps so he wouldn’t fall.

A cloud of smoke and fire filled the sky down towards the end of the dock, right where Milo's boat was.

In the recesses of Garrett's mind he heard shouts, screams, and the pounding of feet as people ran away from the explosion. He couldn’t process anything but the thundering of his heart in his chest. He couldn’t pay attention to anything except for the orange glow in the sky. Once his brain caught up to the reality of the situation, he took off running as fast as his feet would allow, shoving people out of the way as he went. As he ran in the direction of the fire, suddenly it felt like everything was happening in slow motion. He couldn’t get to Parker fast enough; each step he took was like being in a dream where you were running away from someone but not going anywhere. He was panicking, the fear coursing through his body threatening to overcome him.

He refused to believe anything had happened to Parker as he ran blindly down the dock, shouting her name at the top of his lungs. She had just been standing not two feet from him, touching his face. He could still smell her skin and taste her fingers against his lips when she'd silenced him.

Garrett got as close as he could to where the La Meta Anna Bello used to float before he had to stop and shield his face from the heat. The boat was gone, the only thing left in its place was a wall of fire two stories high that burned off of the wreckage and spilled gasoline and oil on top of the water.

Garrett's eyes searched the water frantically for signs of Parker. She couldn't have been on the boat. He refused to believe they'd come this far for her to just be taken from him like this.

He kept trying to get closer but the heat from the fire was too much and the wind had shifted, forcing the black, billowing smoke in his direction, making him cough and step backwards. He continued to scream Parker’s name and turn in circles, searching the water and the other boats left untouched by the explosion.

All the things he should have said, should have done, every regret and mistake he’d made with Parker flashed through his mind and almost brought him to his knees.

Garrett was so crippled with fear he almost didn't hear the watery coughs behind him. He whipped around, back towards the way he had come, just as a hand reached up from the water and slapped down on the dock.

The sparkle of the sapphire and diamond ring on the hand forced a cry of relief from Garrett before he dove to the ground, grabbed the wet hand, and pulled the most beautiful, sopping wet sight he had ever seen out of the water.

Parker felt like her lungs were on fire. She couldn't stop coughing as strong arms pulled her from the marina. Her body shook from fear and shock as she was cradled against a dry, warm body that she'd recognize anywhere.

Garrett's hands pushed away the wet strands of hair that stuck to her face, his fingers coming away with blood on them as Parker tried to stop coughing.

"Fuck, you're bleeding," Garrett said with panic in his voice. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, that it was just a scratch from flying debris, but her throat hurt too badly from the amount of water she swallowed during her unexpected swim.

Garrett pulled Parker tighter against him and ran his fingers over every inch of her, checking to make sure she wasn't bleeding anywhere else, but mostly to assure himself she was really there, safe and alive.

When Parker's coughs finally subsided, the sound of sirens in the distance filled the air.

"We need to get out of here," Parker said with a scratchy voice.

They couldn't be anywhere near the explosion when the authorities came or every lead they’d found would come to a screeching halt. If their cover was blown, they’d never get any more answers.

Garrett slid one arm under Parker's knees, wrapped the other around her back,, and stood, easily scooping her body up as he went and cradling her against his chest.

"Garrett, I'm fine, I can walk," Parker protested in between coughs.

He pulled her tighter against him, her wet clothes soaking both of them and dripping a puddle by Garrett's feet.