A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)(95)

“You have one minute to explain yourself, or I’m going to hold you down and let Parker finish you off,” Garrett growled into Milo’s face.

“I’ve been undercover for the government, pretending to be Fernandez’s ally for six years,” Milo said in a rush. “It was a top secret mission only a small handful of people knew about, spearheaded by the FBI. Fernandez thinks I’m on his side, working against the U.S. to keep his actions from being discovered. Everything you think I’ve done, every fact you think you’ve uncovered about me has all been a lie or a well-placed pretense to keep Fernandez in the dark while I get what I need to nail him.”

The shock on both Garrett and Parker’s faces was evident. Out of all of the things they expected him to say, the excuses they thought would come pouring out of him, this was never something they anticipated he would say.

“You were seen coming out of a hotel room with teenage girls. For years,” Parker accused, still not certain she believed him.

Milo looked around Garrett at her and gave a small shrug.

“All part of the act. Nothing ever happened behind those doors aside from talking. I had to convince them I worked for Fernandez and make them think they were being interviewed to work for him.”

Garrett squeezed tighter onto the front of Milo’s shirt as he tried to twist and turn to free himself. Strengthening his hold and punctuating his anger and reluctance to believe anything Milo said, Garrett pushed him harder into the wood siding.

“Why now? Why did you suddenly decide to come out of hiding now and tell us the truth? We’ve been here for weeks,” Garrett asked angrily.

“You guys were getting too close. Fernandez doesn’t like it and wants something done about it, immediately, before everything he’s accomplished falls apart. This business of his, selling young girls to the highest bidders, it’s how he’s made all of his money and met all of his contacts. His entire life revolves around this business. If this ever gets discovered by the authorities and his client lists are leaked, he’ll be dead within the hour. If Fernandez goes down, hundreds of figure heads around the world go down with him. Those men will put a bullet through his head before the authorities can arrest him. He will do everything in his power to make sure that doesn’t happen. He’s ordered a hit on both of you.”

Parker’s blood went cold and Garrett’s grip on Milo faltered, giving him the opportunity he needed to break free from his grasp and take a few steps away.

“If he wants us dead so badly, why in the hell did he shoot my father instead of one of us?” Parker argued angrily as she crossed her shaking arms across her chest.

“I heard about your dad, and I’m so sorry for your loss, Parker,” Milo told her, his brown eyes softening in sympathy as he ran his hand through the dark blonde spikes on top of his head.

“The bullet didn’t kill him. It missed all his major organs. He’s in ICU under observation now,” Garrett explained while he slowly inched closer to Milo, putting himself between Parker and him. He didn’t trust Milo one bit and wasn’t a hundred percent sold on everything Milo told them. His explanation of what he’d been doing all this time was plausible, but right now there was no way to know if he was telling the truth. Garrett hoped Parker’s gut instinct was screaming in protest the same way his was.

“H-h-h-he isn’t dead?” Milo stuttered with a look of confusion on his face. “I’m sorry. The intel I received must have been inaccurate.”

Garrett didn’t like the look on Milo’s face. He looked utterly bewildered and not just because he received wrong information.

“I want to know everything. Right now,” Parker ordered, placing her hands on her hips. “Every single thing you’ve kept from us, everything you know about Fernandez’s life and business. We’re done with all of this bullshit. We came here to find out why you died and since that was obviously a waste of resources, it’s time to finish this once and for all,” Parker said, her professional mask back in place. “We need proof, and we need it now. The only way the team can take Fernandez out is with substantial evidence that links him to the deaths and disappearances of all those girls. We’ll call Captain Risner and explain everything to him about your undercover work. There’s a new SEAL team here now for back-up, but I have a feeling we’re going to need more bodies for this.”

Garrett looked back and forth between Parker and Milo, unable to believe what he was hearing. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside of him and had trouble tamping it back down.

“You seriously believe the shit coming out of his mouth right now? Tell me you aren’t that gullible,” Garrett asked Parker.

“I’m not being gullible; I’m being smart. I can’t let my personal feelings affect what we’re doing. The truth is he risked his life to come here and warn us about what Fernandez plans to do with us. He could have just as easily stayed undercover and let whatever happens, happen. But he didn’t. He chose to come clean,” Parker told him.

“He could have come clean a year ago, but instead he faked his own death and let us grieve for him!” Garrett argued.

“I didn’t have a choice!” Milo shouted angrily.

“Shut the f*ck up!” Garrett yelled at him.

“Garrett, I know that you’re pissed. So am I. Just because I’m willing to listen to what he says doesn’t mean I forgive him. But right now he is our only option and the only person with inside information on Fernandez. He’s the only one that can help us bring him down,” Parker told him.