《A Beautiful Lie (Playing with Fire #1)》


 Page 1

    Prologue


    At the sound of laughter and teasing voices, she glanced up from the book she was reading and brushed her auburn bangs out of her piercing green eyes. She watched the culprits of the interruption shove and push each other while they walked to the counter of the coffee shop with their backs to her. They continued behaving like twelve year olds while they placed their orders and moved off to the side to wait for their coffees. The playful insults they lobbed at each other made her smile wistfully and reminded her of siblings hiding their closeness and love for one another behind arm punches and silly name-calling. Not that she had any kind of idea what it was like to have a sibling. Or family, period. Watching their interaction surprised her by making her long for something she had no business wanting. There was nothing about her fellow male college students that ever held her interest. They were immature and annoying, and so far the ones she met only cared about who was buying the keg for the upcoming party or how quickly they could get to third base. She had too much at stake and too much invested in her future to waste time with people like that.Advertisement


    Feeling entirely too vulnerable where these strangers were concerned and the emotions they unwittingly forced into her heart, she pushed her long, wavy hair off of one shoulder and started to put her head back down to finish reading the night''s Photojournalism assignment when one of the guys turned around. Her eyes locked with his and she felt her heart speed up. He was the type of man that made you sit up straight and pray to God your make-up still looked good after six hours of classes. He made you blush and want to look over your shoulder to see if he was really looking at you or a prettier girl behind you.


    He wore faded jeans that hung low on his hips and a long-sleeved grey Abercrombie and Fitch shirt. Regardless of his obvious college student status, he was all man. He easily reached six feet, and while he wasn¡¯t your typical, muscled jock, she could see the strength in his arms as he flexed to heft his backpack higher on one shoulder. The defined muscles of his chest stretched across the cotton fabric of his fitted shirt and made her hands itch with the need to smooth her palms against him or trace the word ¡°Abercrombie¡± with the tips of her fingers just to feel the heat from his skin. He absently nodded his head at something his friend said, never taking his bright blue eyes off of her as he ran his long fingers through his short, midnight black hair.


    She willed him to come over to her table and talk to her. She wanted to hear his voice and know if it would affect her even half as much as his stare did. Just the sound of his laughter, deep and unreserved, forced a tingle down her spine and shocked her again when she realized it sounded nothing like that of a college boy. There were so many things about him that made her instantly forget who she was, what she¡¯d been through, and the choices she made as a consequence. Aside from the way his eyes seemed to pierce right through to her soul, and how he wouldn¡¯t tear his gaze away from her even when outside forces tried get his attention, in just a few short minutes, she knew by his actions that he was a genuine person: the way he let a woman and her little girl go in front of him in line and then gave his friend a stern look when he complained, or the tip he stuck into the jar on the counter when no one was looking instead of waiting for all eyes to be on him to see his kindness like most would do. With just one look and a few charitable actions, she wanted to throw her beliefs out the window and lose herself in him. She wanted to forget about the fact that she didn¡¯t need or want anyone in her life and ignore the voice in her head reminding her that sharing a piece of yourself with others only led to disappointment and a shattered heart.


    She forced herself to break the eye contact before she did something completely out of character like get up and approach him or press her lips to the side of his neck so she could taste his skin. With a mental smack to her libido, she turned her attention to the friend standing next to him. He was just as good looking but a few inches shorter. His presence didn¡¯t seem to command the room like Blue Eyes, but his smile lit up his entire face and oddly enough, put her at ease. A smile that held no secrets and would tell her no lies, like the ones she was used to lately. She glanced back and forth between them and smiled shyly, thinking about how she was never lucky enough to have one, let alone two good looking guys pay attention to her.


    Her smile grew as they both made their way over to her table.


    She¡¯d always think back to that moment over the coming years and wonder what would have happened if things had been different, if only one of the boys had come into the coffee shop that day or if she had just listened to her brain instead of her heart and said no to that first date.


    Her life was forever changed as soon as those boys sat down next to her, and she needed to remind herself over and over that it happened exactly how it was meant to.


    She would never give up having those two men in her life no matter what happened or how much she had to compromise her feelings or lock her thoughts away in a secret compartment in her heart. They were her life, her best friends, and her family.


    But if you were given the chance to go back, to tell the truth instead of lie to save someone¡¯s life and their feelings...would you?


    Chapter One


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful lie. It¡¯s the perfect denial.


    Such a beautiful lie to believe in.¡±


    -30 Seconds to Mars, ¡°A Beautiful Lie¡±


    Eight years later


    Garrett McCarthy hustled down the rickety wooden steps nestled between the wild grass and glanced quickly at his watch, nervously running his fingers through is close-cropped black hair. He squinted his blue eyes at the setting sun as he quickened his pace.


    He made dinner reservations at Parker¡¯s favorite Italian restaurant for eight o''clock. When he knocked on her door at seven-thirty and didn''t get an answer, he knew exactly where he''d find her.


    As he walked off the bottom step and his casual, brown lace-up Doc Martins sunk into the sand, he smiled when he saw her.


    She was flat on her stomach right by the water¡¯s edge with her elbows propped up, holding the camera by her eye. Each gentle wave that lapped up onto the shore inched its way around her body before sliding away and rushing back out to sea.


    When she was working on a project, she lost all sense of time. Her current assignment was photographing sand crabs: a freelance piece for National Geographic. Probably not very exciting to some, but it was everything to her. She loved the peacefulness of nature, and having a camera in her hand no matter where she was excited her beyond belief. Holding that small piece of metal in her hand transported her to another time and another place. It made all of her cares disappear so her only concern or worry was for the subject on the other end of her lens. It didn¡¯t matter to her that she wasn¡¯t rushing off to war zones or following news vans. This was who she was. Being a photojournalist was her life¡¯s dream, and she worked her ass off to make sure she achieved it by doing whatever it took to get herself through college all on her own. And it made him respect her even more.


    The push and pull of the water and the click of her camera echoed along the beach as he made his way across the sand to her. When he was a few feet away, he stood with his hands in his pockets, not wanting to disturb her. He liked watching her work. Every time he saw her with that camera in her hands, his heart swelled with pride at how talented she was. And as each wave of water washed over her body, he refused to dwell on the other parts of him that swelled at that moment. Or ever.


    She was one of the best freelance photographers in the country, and over the years she had her photographs featured in hundreds of magazines in the U.S. and was well on her way to becoming the next Ansel Adams. None of those accomplishments were what endeared Parker to him, however. Even without the notoriety and with more talent than that of a hundred photographers, she would still be the same generous, intelligent, sweet, and loving person that he¡¯d always known. She didn¡¯t need prestigious awards or featured photos to tell him all of these things. He¡¯d known it since the first moment he laid eyes on her.


    Parker¡¯s latest endeavor: publishing her fourth coffee table book of photos from around the world. Actually, ¡°Anna Parks¡± had just published her fourth book. He never understood why she insisted on using an alias in print instead of her real name, Annabelle Parker. He was proud of her and thought she should be shouting her accomplishments from the rooftops.


    "You¡¯re blocking my light," she spoke softly as she turned dials and adjusted the settings on her Nikon F2 35mm camera. That camera was as old as she was, but it was her mother¡¯s and she refused to use anything else. Where most photographers went with the times and switched to digital, she stayed true to herself and continued to use a film camera and develop the pictures herself. It made her a huge commodity in the photography world because she was able to play with her photos and make them into masterpieces in her dark room instead of sending them off to a lab and entrusting her work to strangers. She was proud that her pictures were one hundred percent her creations, and it showed in each and every amazing image she captured. Whenever anyone would try to convince her that digital was better, she would remind them that it didn¡¯t matter if you owned the most expensive, most advanced camera that was on the market. If you didn¡¯t have the talent or the heart, your pictures would still turn out crappy no matter how much money you spent or how many rave reviews your camera got. Being able to take your photos through every part of the process, from conception to watching them come to life in the trays of chemicals under the haze of the red safe light, forced you to look at your work under a microscope, literally, and learn how to best tell a story without words.


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to make us late for dinner. Again,¡± he reminded her dryly.


    She clicked a few more pictures and then lifted the camera above her head so he could take it from her. Once it was secured in his hands, she placed both of hers in the wet sand and pushed herself up just as another small wave washed up around her feet.


    She brushed her hands together a few times to get some of the sand off and then looked up into his face. She could tell he was irritated with her. One of his eyebrows was raised as if he were waiting for an explanation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start with me, McCarthy. You knew I had to finish these photos before we went to dinner. I don¡¯t even know why we¡¯re doing this. You know I don¡¯t like to make a big fuss,¡± she complained as she tried in vain to wipe off the sand from her bare stomach. All she managed to do was spread it around.


    He just stood there staring at her. If he spoke right now it would probably come out as a squeak or mumbled nonsense. As soon as she had stood up, all of the blood rushed from his head right to his dick.


    She was wearing a pale blue bandeau bikini top that tied around her neck and matching bottoms. He only knew they matched because the white wrap-around skirt she wore was wet and see-through as it clung to every inch of her hips and thighs, grazing just above her knees. He watched her brush her hands against her small, firm stomach and it was starting to irritate him. His hands itched to reach out and do it for her, to touch her skin and feel her warmth.


    Dangerous territory. He had no business thinking those things. She was his friend and she deserved better than his habitual dirty thoughts.


    ¡°Quit your bitching, Parker. It¡¯s your birthday. What kind of a friend would I be if I didn¡¯t take you out to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. How about a good one? I hate my birthday. You know that. All that fuss just to be one day closer to death. It¡¯s idiotic.¡± She huffed as she finally gave up on removing the offending sand from her skin.


    Garrett sent up a silent prayer for that until she untied the flimsy, wet scrap of material from around her waist and started to wring it out into the sand.


    He didn¡¯t know what was worse, staring at her bikini bottoms and skin through the haze of wet material or having her stand in front of him practically in her underwear with all that bare, golden skin showing, talking to him like it was no big deal.


    Because it was no big deal, he reminded himself. It wasn''t like he had never seen her in her bathing suit before...or her underwear for that matter. But that was a mistake. It was over a year ago, she was drunk, and really, it could have happened to anyone.


    ¡°You know why we¡¯re doing this,¡± Garrett said softly, cocking his head to the side as he forced himself to look at her eyes and not any lower.


    She hated when he looked at her like that, with those bright blue eyes the same color as the ocean that made her melt. How many times over the years had she needed to force herself not to run her hands down the side of his face when he had looked at her like that? Too many to count, that was for sure. Sometimes she wondered if he knew the power he had over her and did things like that just to see if he could get a reaction out of her.


    Parker pictured herself cupping his cheek in her hand and smoothing away the sadness. As quickly as the image appeared, her chest constricted with guilt when his words broke through her errant thoughts.


    ¡°He took you out to dinner on your birthday every year, even if he had to do it with you kicking and screaming,¡± Garrett said with a smile to soften the blow he was sure his words brought. ¡°It¡¯s my duty as your friend and his to carry on that tradition, especially this year.¡±


    Especially this year, especially this year... The words repeated on a loop in her head.


    It still didn¡¯t seem real; the first birthday in eight years spent without him. He¡¯d been gone for six months, and she still woke up every day expecting to hear him walk through the door, laugh outrageously loud at something stupid, or get snippy with her when she asked him where he¡¯d been all night.


    She wasn¡¯t going to let those dark thoughts mess with her mind. Not right now. And definitely not tonight. She¡¯d spent too much time already lately wondering ¡°What if?¡± and thinking about all of the things she could have done differently. Her guilt that most of those feelings revolved around the man standing next to her than on the one she¡¯d given her heart to took up too much residence in her mind and her heart as it was.

 Page 2

    Garrett was hurting too. He¡¯d spent the past six months being her rock and making sure she remembered to eat, shower, work, and anything else she forgot to do when the memories and sadness threatened to overwhelm her. He needed her to be strong for once, and she was determined to do just that. Even if it meant she had to celebrate her birthday.Advertisement


    ¡°Fine. But I draw the line at strangers crowding around the table singing ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ like a bunch of jackasses.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡± Garrett laughed.


    They turned and made their way across the beach and up the stairs to her condo talking about birthdays past.


    An hour and a half later they were seated at a back corner table at Sorrento¡¯s just finishing up their meal. Sorrento¡¯s was a small, family owned restaurant on the outskirts of town. The tables were covered with green vinyl and the booths with red leather. Pictures of Italy and old Sicilian families littered the walls and the white, silk carnation covered in dust in the center of their table had seen better days. Garrett liked to tease Parker by calling her favorite place a ¡°hole in the wall.¡± Luckily, the amazing food made up for the less than perfect atmosphere.


    Parker was wiping the corner of her mouth with her napkin as Garrett sat watching her.


    His best friend was gorgeous. There was no denying that. If it was possible, she was even more beautiful than the first day he met her, and he was stunned stupid when he laid eyes on her all those years ago in the coffee shop just off campus.


    After a quick shower at her condo when they had got back from the beach earlier, she had let her naturally wavy hair air dry. The auburn waves had golden highlights from the sun and hung down past her shoulders.


    He watched as she used her fingers to sweep her long bangs out of her eyes at the dinner table. Garrett always had the urge to do that for her. How many times had the three of them, and some random hook-up he¡¯d found, been out to dinner over the years when his hand would raise on its own accord to smooth the hair away from her face? One time he even had to pass it off by quickly signaling the waitress for another drink.


    Even if Parker didn''t like celebrating her birthday, she still liked dressing up and going out. When she had got out of the shower, she chose an olive colored strapless mini dress that had a relaxed top all the way down to her hips. It hugged the tops of her thighs and her perfectly round bottom tightly, featuring gold-studded detailing that accentuated her toned physique. This was her favorite dress to wear when her skin started to darken from the summer sun and she was in the mood to feel sexy.


    She was glad Garrett chose to dress up as well. He looked good in anything he wore, but when she stood up from her spot in the sand earlier and saw him in a pair of black dress pants and a long sleeved blue button down with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, it was enough to make her mouth water. It reminded her that it had been far too long since she last saw him in the clean, crisp lines of his Navy Service Dress Whites. The pants, with a permanent military crease that ran down the front, showed off his muscular legs, and the tailored jacket hugged his well-defined chest and broad shoulders. How many times had she stood in rapt attention when he shot his cuffs and adjusted his collar?


    Her precarious thoughts were threatening to consume her, so it was a good thing Garrett chose that moment to place a small, gift-wrapped box on the table in front of her as the waitress cleared their plates.


    Parker¡¯s eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together, practically bouncing up and down in her seat with excitement.


    "You hate birthdays yet pee your pants over presents. There is clearly something wrong with you," Garrett joked.


    "Shut up and give me my present," she replied with a sassy tone.


    He shook his head and laughed as he slid the box across the table towards her.


    She reached out and snatched it up into her hands and tore the wrapping paper off in three seconds flat.


    "Hey, I took a lot of care wrapping that present and you didn''t even appreciate it." Garrett pouted.


    "Oh you did not," she fired back. "You wouldn''t know how to wrap a present if your life depended on it. Who did you con into doing your dirty work for you this time?" She asked with a raise of one of her eyebrows. "Tiffani with an ''I'', Bambi, Destiny..."


    Garrett feigned a look of indignation that she would suggest such a thing, but unfortunately she was right.


    Over the years he never had a shortage of women at his disposal. Some would say he was trying to overcompensate for the fact that the only woman he had ever wanted, he could never have. But Garrett would never say that. He was just bored and he tired easily of the same thing day after day. He needed variety. It was the spice of life after all, right?


    Parker slid open one of the flaps of the box, and Garrett gave up the staring contest. He would never win anyway. She knew him too well.


    "Alright, fine. It was Buffy," he admitted with a roll of his eyes.


    She barked out a laugh at his attempt to hide who he really was from her. She''d seen so many women come and go from his life over the years that she couldn''t keep up. She never understood why he didn''t just find a nice girl and settle down, even though the thought of it made her chest ache.


    The smile dropped from her face when she opened up the last flap and saw what was in the box.


    Garrett bit his lip nervously, worried about her reaction to the gift. Every year for her birthday his friend had showered her with lavish, expensive jewelry: diamond earrings, a ruby necklace, an emerald bracelet. Every year Garrett tried to convince him to give Parker something more meaningful. Something she wanted and wished for. Something that actually showed he cared and not how much money he shelled out. Parker wasn''t the flashy jewelry type but every year he draped her in expensive gemstones that Garrett rarely, if ever, saw her wear.


    He sat there second-guessing his decision for sixty-eight seconds while Parker stared wordlessly down into the box. Was she sad that she didn''t get her usual gift of jewelry? Did it make her miss him even more? Garrett wanted to try and keep things the same for her this year, but it just didn''t seem right to buy her something he usually did. That was one thing he couldn''t do.


    Before he could panic for another second, Parker¡¯s voice rang out, causing several of the other patrons to look their way.


    "Oh my God. Garrett, where did you find this? I can''t believe you did this!"


    The smile on Parker¡¯s face grew so big she thought she might get a cramp in her cheek. She had been looking for a lens to fit her mother''s camera for three years. She had called every photography store all over the world and no one carried it anymore. She knew her camera was a dinosaur, but she couldn''t bring herself to part with it. That camera was the only thing she had left of her mother since her father had decided to give every single thing to Goodwill two days after she died. Thank God her mother had given her the camera long before then.


    Parker delicately pulled the long, black cylinder out of the box and turned it around every which way to get a good look at it.


    "Garrett, I can''t believe you found this. How in the world...where did...it must have..."


    Listening to her fumble with words and reverently inspect the lens made Garrett realize he had made the right decision with the gift. Not to mention the fact that hearing her speak his name made him twitch in his pants. When Garrett and Milo had met Parker, she quickly became one of them and adopted their ingrained military habit of calling everyone by their surname. It had been too long since he had heard his first name tumble past her lips.


    "I cannot reveal my sources, Parker. Let''s just say that sometimes it pays to have top secret military clearance," Garrett said with a wink.


    The funny thing was Parker was pretty sure he wasn''t joking. Knowing his way around computers like he did definitely had its perks.


    Parker gently placed the lens back in the box, stood up, and made her way around to where Garrett sat. He tossed the napkin from his lap onto the table and stood up quickly as soon as she left her chair, always the gentleman. When she got to him, she didn¡¯t hesitate to mold her body to his and wrap her arms around his neck.


    Parker was a hugger. He had learned that about her quickly, and over the years Garrett had to try not to cringe whenever she got too close to him. He would never admit just how much it excited him when she pressed her body into to his and he could feel every single inch of her curves and softness. And therein laid the problem. When she got that close, he got excited¡ªliterally. Her skin, her smell, her breasts pushing up against his chest, all of it made his dick stand at attention. But of course he chalked that up to a normal reaction he would have around any gorgeous woman.


    Garrett quickly wrapped his arms around Parker and returned the hug. Anything else would just be rude. They were friends, after all, and friends hugged all the time.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Garrett. The gift is perfect,¡± she whispered against his cheek. Her warm breath floating around his ear and the way she softly said his name again made him grind his teeth. She always smelled like coconuts, beach, and fresh air, and tonight was no different. He breathed her in and held the scent inside his lungs, letting it burrow down inside him like he always did.


    Parker pulled her head away so she could look at his face, and her breath caught in her throat. His usual pale blue eyes had darkened, and he stared at her like she was something to eat. Butterflies beat furiously in her stomach but as soon as she blinked, the look was gone, replaced by soft eyes and a friendly smile. She forced herself to smile back at him and not make the moment awkward, even though she was still wrapped tightly in his arms. She wondered, not for the first time, what he would do if she leaned forward and kissed him. Their faces were so close she wouldn¡¯t need to move very far. Just a few small inches and her lips could be pressed up against his, and she could finally see if he tasted as good as he looked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d probably rather have a diamond bracelet or watch like all the other years, but my measly gift will have to do.¡±


    Garrett tried to inject humor into his voice, but he knew exactly what he was doing when he said those words.


    He was putting the wall back up between them. With one sentence, he made her feel guilty for staring at his mouth and pressing up against him. It was like he knew exactly where her thoughts were headed, and he wanted to put an end to them before they even began. His loyalty was always something Parker admired about him. Even though it wasn¡¯t his idea to apply to the Naval Academy, the education was top notch and the lessons he learned there were part of him now. He was military through and through¡ªand loyal to a fault. She was his best friend¡¯s girl, end of story. It didn¡¯t matter if his best friend was gone. That was just the way it had to be.


    Garrett paid the bill and as they walked out into the warm night air, Parker linked her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. She wouldn¡¯t allow her feelings to ruin anything between them. Regardless of what she felt, Garrett was her friend first. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of ever losing him.


    He smiled as he looked down at her. Being with Parker was the only time he was ever truly happy. It was also the only time he felt guilty, confused, and pissed off at the way his life had turned out.


    They walked arm-in-arm down the sidewalk, the silence between them easy, just like always.


    A sparkle suddenly caught his eye when the bright light of the moon hit the diamond ring hanging on a chain around her neck, dousing his good mood like a bucket of ice water. Parker took to wearing the ring around her neck a few months ago. That four carat princess cut solitaire had always been a reminder of just how much he had screwed up when he first met her. Right then it was a reminder of the news he had to tell her.


    Garrett wanted more than anything to not have to tell Parker on her birthday, but he had no choice.


    Garrett stopped in the middle of the sidewalk right outside her condo and turned to face Parker, a serious expression on his face. She knew immediately that something was wrong. And if she was being honest, she knew something was wrong when she first saw him today. At the time she just chalked it up to the typical melancholy that came with the daily reminders there was one person missing from their threesome.


    She knew better now as she watched him shove his hands in his pockets and look down at his feet instead of at her.


    Being the receiver of plenty of bad news over the years, Parker held her breath out of habit as he started to speak.


    "I''m not going to draw this out or try to sugar coat it. I know you well enough to know you''ll see through any attempt I try at making this easier for you. I''ve been given new orders. I ship out tomorrow," Garrett stated bluntly.


    She let out the breath she''d been holding and looked at him in confusion.


    "But you''re a tech guy. They only use you when it¡¯s an emergency, right? Aren¡¯t you like...their last resort?¡±


    Parker knew the risks of being friends with someone in the military. She was also well aware of the main risk of loving someone that was in the military - they could be ordered away at any time. Being a Navy SEAL obviously meant you were always at their beck and call. Garrett shuffled his feet and smoothed his hand down his face like he was trying to wipe away his emotions. He chewed on his bottom lip and looked anywhere but at her, all telltale signs he was nervously thinking of a way to drop something else in her lap. Parker reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look her in the eyes.


    "Thank you so much for the vote of confidence. Technically, yes, I¡¯m only called in when it¡¯s absolutely necessary. But I volunteered to do this job when it was first brought to my attention," he admitted quietly.


    Parker searched his eyes, trying to see what was going on inside his head. He was nervous. And it scared the hell out of her. Garrett didn¡¯t get nervous. He was a rock, stable and steady, never losing focus or faltering in any way.

 Page 3

    "You said you weren''t going to drag this out," Parker reminded him irritably.Advertisement


    Garrett¡¯s jaw clenched and he wanted more than anything to go back in time and not volunteer for this assignment. But he couldn''t do that. This was something he had to do. If the military ever taught him anything it was that you never leave a man behind.


    He left a man behind. His man. His best friend and Parker¡¯s fianc¨¦. When Milo first got that assignment almost a year ago, Garrett went to his superiors and practically begged for permission to accompany him. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach and didn¡¯t want Milo to go to the Dominican without him there to watch his back. His Commanding Officer refused his request though. They needed him there for more pressing technical concerns. The Dominican mission was supposed to be a quick, easy intel gathering job, nothing out of the ordinary that would require Garrett to leave his desk job and go back on an op.


    This was his chance to ease his guilty conscience for not being there for his friend and for Parker losing the man she loved. Garrett and Parker could find out the truth once and for all.


    "I''m going to the Dominican Republic. I leave tomorrow at oh-eight-hundred."


    Garrett watched the color drain from Parker¡¯s face and wished like hell he wasn''t doing this to her right now. She''d been through so much, and this was just another burden she was going to have to deal with.


    Parker shook her head back and forth in denial when Garrett told her he was going...there. He couldn''t. Why would he do this to her? She couldn''t lose him too. She''d never survive it.


    "I have to go on assignment to the Dominican, Park. I just found out this afternoon," Milo had told her over dinner.


    It had been the first night in a long time they hadn¡¯t fought. They were actually having dinner together and talking like a normal couple.


    "Well that''s shitty timing. When do you leave?" Parker asked as she scooped a slice of lasagna onto both their plates.


    "In three days after briefing. Parker, I have to be there at least a month," Milo regrettably admitted.


    "Shit! We''re supposed to meet with the caterers next week to finalize the menu. And you still haven''t been fitted for your tux," Parker complained.


    "I know, I know. I promise the day I come home, I will do every single thing that''s left to do."


    She pushed aside the feelings of hurt and confusion that always surfaced when Milo put off doing something for the wedding, which had been happening a lot lately. She knew there was nothing he could do about being called away for work; she just wished it wasn¡¯t happening at the worst possible moment ever. They were getting ready to take the biggest step of their lives together, and she couldn¡¯t get Milo to talk to her about anything of importance, including why he¡¯d been so distant and troubled lately.


    More often than not she had felt like they were drifting away from each other, and she had been plagued with doubts about the two of them getting married. She couldn¡¯t ignore the problems they had any longer. When he got back from his assignment, she would force him to talk to her and hopefully they could get back on track.


    Three months later he still wasn''t home and neither she nor Garrett had heard from him in almost a month. When two naval officers knocked on her door on that cold morning in February and offered their condolences, she berated herself for ever doubting him, regardless of the problems they had.


    Right then, standing on the sidewalk looking at Garrett, she hated herself for being more scared about losing him than she ever was at the prospect of losing her fianc¨¦.


    Chapter Two


    The day Parker met Garrett and Milo was a moment in time she''d always play over and over in her head. She would never give up the time she spent with Milo, but just like in any relationship, there were always ¡°What ifs?¡±.


    What if she hadn''t walked into that room at that exact moment? What if he didn''t go to class that day? What if she hadn''t seen his best friend first, and what if every time they had a fight or she found yet another piece of damning evidence against Milo, she hadn''t wished that his friend would have asked her out first?


    Garrett and Milo had been best friends since the third grade when Garrett¡¯s family moved from New Jersey to Cleveland, Ohio. Milo Roberts had showed up to school on Garrett''s first day with a black eye, a busted lip, and dirty clothes. When Garrett had walked out onto the playground after lunch and saw several of the boys from their class teasing Milo, he marched right over to the crowd and punched the leader of the gang in the face.


    Garrett was nine years old and his punches didn''t pack much heat, but they still got him into a world of trouble. Back then, teachers didn''t care who was right or wrong. If you were caught fighting, you''d get a week''s detention.


    Milo was shy, never spoke up, and was used to getting pushed around. Kids at school, his alcoholic father, you name it, people were always taking their shit out on him. His father abused him because Milo was the reason his mother left, and he cost too much damned money to feed and clothe. The boys at school didn''t like him because he didn''t dress like them or play sports like them.


    He never had a friend before, unless you count the goldfish he had up until his mother went away, but while Milo was at school, his father decided he didn''t need another mouth to feed and flushed his one and only friend down the toilet.


    Any other boy of nine might have been offended that someone else had to stand up for him and fight his battles, but not Milo. No one had ever helped him before. Everyone in his life abandoned him and left him to his own devices, never caring if he lived or died. To have this kid, who didn¡¯t even know him, jump into the middle of a fight to protect him and defend his honor made him feel important for the first time in a long time. From that moment on, Garrett became his biggest champion and his best friend. Garrett encouraged him to do better in school and helped him with his homework. Garrett gave him clothes to wear when his no longer fit and Milo''s father couldn¡¯t stay sober enough to buy him any. Garrett''s family became Milo''s family when his father decided taking care of a teenager was for the birds and broke Milo''s collarbone and two ribs his junior year of high school. Garrett became his roommate and brother and Garrett''s parents, his mother and father.


    Over the years Garrett tried his hardest to make up for Milo''s upbringing. He quickly forgave Milo''s abrupt bursts of anger when something didn¡¯t go his way and he punched a hole in the wall or threw a glass across the room. He jumped into the middle of altercations that had nothing to do with him when Milo picked a fight with random strangers. He also tried to be understanding when Milo would retreat into himself for hours at a time and stare at the old cigarette burn scars on the inside of his arms, lashing out at anyone who interrupted his dark thoughts. Garrett even looked the other way when Milo borrowed his car without asking, and he took the blame when Milo brought it home with a dented fender and a busted headlight.


    He let Milo get the bigger allowance for doing fewer chores, and he gave up dates if the girl didn''t have a friend that could double with Milo. He put his dream of going to MIT to rest and instead, applied to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland with Milo. Milo was in dire need of regulation and control, and Garrett knew this was the best decision for him and his future. Being his best friend, it was an easy choice for Garrett to go with him and make sure he was okay. And of course there was the added bonus of meeting Parker while they were in school. Having her in his life made it much easier to give up on his dreams and stay the course with his two best friends.


    After four years of hard work and strict discipline at the Naval Academy, and with Parker¡¯s friendship and support, both men graduated as Ensign O-1, officers in the Navy, and received orders to be stationed in California. Garrett knew all along he wanted to continue his studies after graduation by earning his Master of Science degree in Computer Science, and since he''d be in California, he decided to juggle continuing his education at the Naval Postgraduate School with the rigorous training schedule the SEAL team required. Milo wanted nothing more to do with school and instead focused on his training and his blossoming relationship with Parker. Both men were accepted into the Navy SEALS, each for different reasons.


    After Parker had graduated from the University of Maryland, she instantly started receiving freelance photography assignments. She was very secretive about the location of the assignments and what they entailed, but she assured Garrett and Milo it was normal considering she was new to the field. They never questioned her aloofness about her job, especially when the prints from her travels began showing up in magazines.


    After the boys packed up and moved to California, she went to visit them twice within the first month. Each time she showed up, she fell more in love with the state. She had never lived anywhere but her small hometown in Michigan and then Maryland for college. Being in a place within walking distance of the ocean, surrounded by palm trees and sunshine, made her dread flying home and preparing for the upcoming months of ice, snow, and rain. It occurred to her on her flight back to Maryland that her job, though it conflicted with her personal life and forced her to keep things from those closest to her, gave her the opportunity to make her home almost anywhere she wanted since she traveled so much.


    Two weeks later, she moved into the boys'' rental home in California and stopped worrying if a long-distance relationship with Milo would ever work.


    Garrett often thought about the day he and Milo sat down at Parker¡¯s table in the coffee shop. For the first time ever, Garrett forgot how to speak around a girl, and not just because she was absolutely stunning with her long dark hair, green eyes, and porcelain skin. She was reserved and quiet when they first sat down, content to let Milo do all of the talking and never once making him feel like she was bored. It bothered Garrett that she avoided all of the personal questions Milo threw at her, and he didn¡¯t like the sadness he saw in her eyes each time Milo mentioned Garrett¡¯s parents. But the easy way she laughed at Milo¡¯s jokes and played along with his flirtations gave Garrett a good feeling, even if he wasn¡¯t the one she was directing her attention towards. When she slowly began opening up to them, one little piece at a time, Garrett could practically feel the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he wished more than anything that he could lift it for her. The one and only time during that entire first conversation she truly seemed happy and excited about something was when she spoke of her photography. Garrett would never forget the spark in her eyes that day and the smile that lit up her entire face when she spoke about her camera. He didn''t begrudge Milo for taking advantage of Garrett¡¯s new found skills as a mute and flirting with her throughout that conversation.


    Milo had just found out a few mornings earlier that his father died in a drunk driving accident. There was no love lost between the two, and it had been almost three years since they had last spoken, but it put Milo in a funk for days.


    Talking to Parker that day was the first time Garrett had seen Milo smile in almost a week. When Milo asked her out on a date for that evening, there was no way he could say anything to him about how he couldn¡¯t get the girl out of his mind or how he was the one who saw her first.


    After all, Milo was his best friend. And Parker...she was just a girl. Garrett figured she would come and go just as fast as all the others. Milo had baggage. Most women didn''t have the time or the energy to deal with it.


    Garrett should have known immediately that Parker would be different. She didn''t put up with Milo''s nonsense, and she wasn''t afraid to call him on his bullshit. She also knew how to soothe him when life got to be too much or when memories of the past threatened to consume him. Her gentle way of using the tips of her fingers to smooth the worry lines between his eyes and her soft voice telling him to take a deep breath instantly calmed Milo and returned him back to the present.


    Unlike other women who might balk at the idea of their boyfriend being in the military and leaving them alone for weeks, sometimes months at a time, Parker encouraged Milo. She knew he needed structure and discipline of the healthy variety. Aside from her relationship with him and his friendship with Garrett, the military was a big help in keeping his demons at bay. How could Garrett ever deny his friend a woman like that in his life?


    So he buried his feelings, his wants, and desires and stepped aside so his friend could finally find some peace and happiness. There were plenty of fish in the sea, as the saying goes, and Garrett spent all his time making sure he explored as many willing and able fish as he could.


    As Parker got to know Milo, she was eager to do everything she could to make him happy. She was a nurturer and she wanted to take care of him. Neither one of them had the best home life growing up. It was only natural that they fit so well together and bonded so quickly. It probably wasn¡¯t the best basis for a relationship, but in the beginning it worked for them. Milo understood how the holidays made Parker feel despondent because it was a time for families and hers was non-existent. Milo didn¡¯t complain that she needed to travel so much for her job or that she couldn¡¯t tell him the specifics about an assignment because it was the same way for him. They understood each other, and somehow they made it work. At a time in their lives when neither one of them thought they needed someone, they had found each other. Their friendship was so deep and true that one could immediately tell when the other was having a bad day of memories just by taking one look at their face. Their relationship was based on friendship, first and foremost. Milo would do anything to ensure Parker¡¯s happiness and the feelings were mutual. Parker never wanted to trust anyone again, but it was a hard rule to follow where Milo was concerned. What started out as friendship easily grew stronger and they naturally slipped into a relationship without any fanfare or intense discussions.

 Page 4

    Aside from Garrett, she never had anyone in her life that she connected with so quickly or that she trusted so easily. Being Milo¡¯s friend was never the problem because it was always a two-way street between them. Milo was there for her just as much as she was for him. The problem was always her lingering thoughts about someone else, someone she had no business pining for or dreaming about.Advertisement


    Sometimes it made Parker feel guilty that she had to grow to love Milo as something more than a friend, and the fireworks never exploded when they first started sleeping together. But that stuff was only for fairytales and movies anyway. What she had with Milo was based on friendship and was real, even if they did have to work at it.


    Parker ignored the nagging feelings of jealousy and longing and buried everything she felt for the other man in her life way down deep and vowed to be the best girlfriend in the world to Milo. She would do anything to avoid hurting him, and that included putting her wants and needs on the back burner. No woman needed to feel butterflies in her stomach every time a man walked into a room or daydream about soft lips or strong hands on her bare skin, but it didn''t mean she didn''t want those things. A relationship certainly didn¡¯t need excitement or intensity to work, although those were the things she often longed for, and that Garrett always made her feel without even trying. Parker had a nice, easy relationship with Milo that held no complications or expectations. It was exactly what she needed in her life.


    Over the years Parker became Garrett''s closest friend, next to Milo, and he convinced himself that any feelings he may have had for her at one time were just the product of a silly crush. Given the amount of time he spent with her, it was only natural that every time he was with another woman, he imagined Parker''s face when he pushed into them and heard Parker''s soft moans and shouts of pleasure when they came.


    Garrett watched his two best friends fall in love, grow together, and get engaged. Jealousy had nothing to do with the fact that whenever he had a dry spell and took matters into his own hands, he pictured Parker''s mouth sucking him off when he palmed his dick and thought about how tight and hot she would feel wrapped around him when he came in his hand.


    He never failed to feel like a pervert for having those thoughts about one of his best friends afterward. It was a vicious cycle that had been going on for eight years with no end in sight.


    Unfortunately, nothing explained the anger he felt when he watched Milo kiss her or the sharp stab of pain in his chest when Milo opened the small, velvet box that day in the bar and showed him the diamond ring.


    But Garrett had become an expert at compartmentalizing his feelings over the years. If he didn''t admit it out loud, it wasn''t true. He wasn''t in love with one of his best friends because he would never say that out loud.


    So he went on with his life and slept with random women to chase away his feelings and everyone had a good laugh about what a player he was.


    He pretended that he imagined the looks of jealousy in Parker''s eyes when he brought yet another new girl into their circle, and he most certainly knew he imagined the way she sometimes stared at his lips when he talked or sighed his name when she slept on the couch in his room while she and Milo were fighting.


    Garrett was fully prepared to be Milo''s best man and to give Parker away at their wedding since she hadn''t spoke to her dad in twelve years. He lied through his teeth when he told them he would be honored to have such an important task.


    He resigned himself to the fact that this was his life, now and forever...until his best friend was killed in action.


    The shock slowly wore off and Garrett and Parker started to learn how to live their lives without Milo. Garrett hated the fact that every time he looked at her, he wondered ¡°What if?¡± Milo didn¡¯t deserve that kind of betrayal from him. It was too late to go back in time and make her his.


    But she was never his to begin with, was she? You couldn''t take back something that was never yours.


    When Garrett found out things about Milo and the Dominican mission weren¡¯t adding up, and that there were rumors his death wasn''t an accident, he knew he had no other choice. As much as he didn''t want to leave Parker so soon after Milo''s death, he had to do this. For both of them. They needed closure.


    His best friend had been gone for a month and Garrett still struggled every day to believe it was true. The past four weeks he¡¯d spent every waking moment waiting for his phone to ring and to hear Milo¡¯s boisterous laugh on the other end telling him it was all one big misunderstanding. But that call never came, and Garrett realized he couldn¡¯t sit around waiting for it to happen. He reported back to work a few days earlier than planned because Parker threatened to beat the crap out of him if he didn¡¯t. Under normal circumstances he would have laughed at her for thinking she could even attempt something like that, but her face was entirely too serious when she said it, and Garrett was a little worried she might actually attempt it and hurt herself.


    Since Garrett never took a day off, he had accrued enough time to be able to take at least six weeks off. After two weeks he was climbing the walls. But he refused to leave Parker¡¯s side, and even with her continued reassurance that she would be fine, he stuck by her like glue for another two weeks before she finally put her foot down.


    ¡°Garrett, you need to go back to work,¡± Parker told him one night over dinner.


    It had been twenty-two days, two hours, and forty-seven minutes since the knock on her door informed Parker that Milo was never coming home. It had been twenty-one days since Garrett had slept in his own house, preferring to sleep on Parker¡¯s couch instead. And it had been fourteen days since Parker hadn¡¯t been irritated with him at one point or another for hovering over her like she was on the verge of suicide or a nervous breakdown.


    At first his concern was sweet, and she was grateful to him for helping her pick up the pieces and figure out how to live without Milo, but now he was just getting on her nerves. He refused to take his own advice of moving on and living again. She could see it in his eyes. He¡¯d lost someone too, but he acted like she was the only one hurting. She was tired of him keeping everything bottled up inside. She knew he was avoiding the grief and the sadness just to make sure she was okay. She would never be okay again. She¡¯d lost her best friend and a huge piece of her heart when Milo died. She was slowly coming to terms with that and trying to live one day at a time, just like everyone told her to do. It was time for Garrett to do that as well. He couldn¡¯t stay home from work and sleep on her couch forever. She needed to figure out how to do this on her own, and she couldn¡¯t do that with Garrett keeping track of her every breath.


    ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s time for you to go back,¡± Parker repeated as Garrett sat across the table from her not saying anything.


    He gently set his fork down next to his plate and looked at her face, studying it to see if she was serious.


    ¡°I still have another two weeks before I need to go back, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Parker sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about your time off. I¡¯m worried about you. You¡¯re going insane sitting around here day in and day out.¡±


    Garrett shook his head and tried to laugh it off, but Parker knew him too well.


    ¡°You need to move on too, Garrett,¡± she told him softly. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who lost someone. I know your work is therapy to you. It clears your head and you love doing it. I¡¯m not going to let you put your life on hold any more for me. I¡¯m going to be okay. It¡¯s time for you to go.¡±


    As much as it pained Garrett to leave Parker, he knew she was right. Neither one of them could move on if they were sitting around her house lost in memories.


    Two days later, Garrett went back to work.


    An hour into his day and he was still busy going through the emails he missed while he¡¯d been out when a Navy messenger came up to his desk and set down a bin full of mail.


    Garrett looked up from what he¡¯d been doing with a confused look on his face.


    ¡°That can¡¯t all be mine. I¡¯ve only been out for a few weeks.¡±


    Garrett stood up and pulled the bin toward him and glanced inside.


    ¡°Actually, sir, some of it is yours and the rest is Lieutenant JG Roberts¡¯. The receptionist thought you¡¯d know what to do with his things.¡±


    Garrett thanked the man and started leafing through the envelopes. Most of it was interoffice Navy mail: forms, letters, and other paperwork that went back and forth between Navy offices on a daily basis. Garrett piled those things off to the side so he could look at them later and see who they should be sent to or which ones he could file himself.


    He flipped quickly through the mail, nothing urgent catching his eye until a white envelope stuck out like a sore thumb in the middle of all the manila-colored interoffice ones. Garrett pulled that out of the stack and was confused when he saw it was a cell phone bill for Milo from T-Mobile. Garrett knew for a fact that Milo had Verizon, just like he and Parker did because they all shared the same Family Share plan.


    After a quick phone call to Parker to confirm that Milo did indeed still have the same phone and plan before he left, Garrett tore into the envelope. He didn¡¯t recognize the cell phone number listed at the top of the bill and briefly wondered if maybe the Navy had given Milo a phone for work-related purposes. That didn¡¯t make any sense, though, since Garrett, Milo¡¯s superior, would have had first-hand knowledge of this information and would have been required to sign off on the expense.


    Garrett scanned through the bill, noting that every phone call Milo made or received was to the same phone number with an 809 area code. After a quick Google search, Garrett found out that area code belonged to the Dominican Republic. According to this bill, Milo had been receiving or making at least twenty phone calls every single day the month before he left on his mission.


    Garrett double-checked the date on the bill, wondering why it was just now being delivered since it was dated four months ago.


    He picked up the phone at his desk and called customer service. After fifteen minutes on hold, and being passed around to countless people, he finally found someone who could help him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure out if this account was set up as a business account,¡± Garrett explained to the operator.


    He heard the sound of typing keys through the line and waited.


    ¡°It looks like that account was opened by a third party and it is classified as personal.¡±


    Garrett had no idea why Milo would ever need a second personal phone.


    ¡°Can you tell me who this third party was?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I can¡¯t give you any more information than that due to privacy laws.¡±


    Garrett sighed in exasperation.


    ¡°Milo Roberts is deceased. Isn¡¯t there some sort of statute of limitation on the whole privacy thing once someone is dead?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately, no. Unless you can send us proof that you have the power of attorney for Mr. Roberts, I can¡¯t give you any more information.¡±


    ¡°Can you at least tell me why this bill is just coming now, when it was from four months ago?¡±


    A few more seconds of typing and the operator spoke again.


    ¡°It looks like those bills are normally sent elsewhere, but there was a glitch in the system, and Mr. Roberts received that month¡¯s bill by mistake.¡±


    Garrett had thanked the man for his help and hung up the phone more confused than ever.


    He still couldn''t figure out why Milo would have needed a separate phone. And more importantly, who the hell had bought and paid for it if it wasn¡¯t the U.S. Government?


    Garrett would go to the Dominican and do what he did best. He would dig and he would question and he would use every skill he had ever learned in the Navy to get answers.


    When Milo and Garrett first began the Naval Academy, Garrett had no plans to be career military. He would put in his time, keep an eye on Milo, and then get out. After graduation and their first few months in California, Garrett often wondered why he was doing this. In the words of his late friend, ¡°Do you have any idea how much pussy you¡¯ll get as a Navy SEAL? You have to do it so I can live vicariously through you.¡±


    The thirty months of Seal training were the most grueling, mind-fuck of a situation he had ever been in. But he made it and was surprised to realize he liked it. He had been on a handful of extractions with his SEAL team, and though he got a rush and a sense of accomplishment with each one, he knew this wasn''t what he wanted to do forever. He preferred sitting behind a computer, analyzing reports, finding backdoor ways into secure websites and developing military code for top secret government programs.


    Garrett earned his master¡¯s degree six months before his completion of Seal training, and due to his nature of study, he was assigned as a Technical Surveillance Analyst. He could still be called out on extraction missions, but more often than not, his expertise was better served on the home front. While Garrett sat behind a desk all day, Milo went all over the world on Special Operations.


    Garrett was a nerd and he wasn''t ashamed to admit it. He would use his geekiness to figure out what really happened on Milo''s mission, and if all hell broke loose, at least he had his SEAL training to keep him alive.


    Garrett had lived through boot camp, Hell Week, SEAL training, and suffered through extreme conditions in several third world countries during special reconnaissance missions. He had prided himself on being strong, not letting his emotions show, and not breaking when his will was tested to the limit. He had held firm when he got the call that his best friend had been killed in action and had been the rock that Parker needed these past six months.


    But now, standing there watching his best friend''s eyes fill with tears, would be the one thing that broke him.

 Page 5

    Chapter ThreeAdvertisement


    "I''m going to the Dominican Republic. I leave tomorrow at oh-eight-hundred."


    Parker fought down the wave of nausea threatening to empty her stomach of the evening''s dinner.


    "Why the hell would you ever go there?" Parker asked angrily.


    Garrett sighed and looked down at his shoes. It was bad if he wouldn''t look her in the eyes. Garrett knew she could read him like a book and that she would see everything he was feeling.


    "It wasn''t an accident," Garrett said quietly, his eyes suddenly fascinated by a rock on the ground.


    Parker knew exactly what Garrett was talking about; there was no need to question him. Part of her wasn''t shocked by what he said. She wasn''t stupid. She knew there were military cover-ups all the time. Milo had gotten increasingly distant and short with her in the months leading up to his departure to the Dominican. He spent most of his time at home locked in his office or taking phone calls on his cell at all hours of the night. He snapped at her when she questioned the change in him, and they fought constantly about what he was keeping from her. The biggest fight they ever had in eight years occurred the morning after he told her he was leaving. Parker had been cleaning the house and picked up a fax that had just come in over the machine in his office. Milo came up behind her, smacked it out of her hand, and shoved her against the bookshelf, screaming at her, telling her she had no business looking at his things.


    She knew all too well his job involved confidential information she wasn''t privy to. They were more alike in that manner than anyone knew. But when it started trickling into their home life, and he got violent with her, it became a problem.


    When Milo walked out the door the morning of his flight after repeatedly apologizing to her for his earlier outburst, Parker fought the overwhelming fear that she might never see him again. She chalked it up to nerves about him being so far away this close to their wedding and how things just hadn''t been right between them lately. But each day he was gone, the feelings grew until she couldn''t stand to be in her own skin anymore. Something didn''t feel right, and the one and only time she talked to him on the phone after he left, he sounded scared.


    Parker accepted the news of Milo''s "accidental death" because she had to. She had to plan a funeral, pack up his belongings, cancel wedding plans, and try to keep it together so she could function and work. She didn''t have time to dwell on conspiracy theories. Garrett never questioned Milo''s death, so Parker didn''t either. She trusted Garrett to always be honest with her, especially after Milo¡¯s death.


    ¡°How are you holding up, Park?¡± Garrett had asked, inadvertently using Milo¡¯s nickname for her as he walked into an empty viewing room at the funeral home where Parker had sneaked away to for some peace and quiet.


    Parker felt like the walls were closing in on her, and she couldn¡¯t handle one more insincere apology or condolence from someone she didn¡¯t even know.


    All of the hugs from strangers, the pats on the back, and the looks of pity made her want to scream or punch something. As soon as those feelings started to bubble up inside of her, she knew she needed to get out of that room and away from the closed casket that held her fianc¨¦.


    ¡°Why in the hell do people send flowers when someone dies? I mean really, who do they think they¡¯re doing it for? Milo¡¯s never going to appreciate them, and obviously these people never had anyone close to them die before. If they did, they would know that the smell of flowers will always make the people left behind think of death from now on. Every time I smell a carnation I get the chills.¡±


    Parker couldn¡¯t stop the word vomit even if she wanted to. When she was nervous or upset, she talked. A lot. She felt Garrett walk up behind her, and when he placed his warm, gentle hands on her shoulders and started kneading the stress away, she forgot what she had been complaining about and lost herself in his touch. Her tattered heart skipped a beat when Garrett¡¯s fingers grazed the bare skin of her collarbone in the black, scoop-necked dress she wore. Garrett bit down on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from sighing at the feel of Parker¡¯s smooth, soft skin and the way she leaned back into his touch as if trying to get as close to him as possible.


    They stood there for several long minutes. Parker stared out the window at the overflowing parking lot of people who came to pay their respects, and Garrett patiently waited until she was ready to talk again. He had done nothing but worry about Parker since she called him four days ago and told him his best friend was gone. It was easier to be concerned with Parker¡¯s well-being than to dwell on what was going on inside of him.


    Parker had been running on all cylinders the past couple of days, and Garrett feared that she was going to break at any moment. She was carrying too much around inside that head of hers, but no matter how many times he asked her to talk to him, she wouldn¡¯t do it. His friend was strong and she would never let him see just how much she was hurting. But he knew it was only a matter of time before she would need to talk. He knew he was driving her crazy by hovering over her night and day, but he wanted to be there when she needed him. And to be honest, it gave him something else to think about rather than wallow in his own sadness.


    ¡°Do you really believe it was an accident?¡± Parker asked, breaking the silence with her quiet question.


    Ever since the knock on her door the other morning, she¡¯d tried not to dwell on the ¡°accident¡± they said Milo had been in. But the more she thought about it, everything that went on during the last several months made her doubt everything she¡¯d been told. Milo had been involved in something dangerous. She knew that deep inside her soul. Something was eating away at him, making him secretive and scared and angry. Parker never told Garrett about all of the fights they were having and how angry Milo got when he found her in his office before he left on his final mission. She felt like a fool that the one man she was supposed to trust with her life didn¡¯t trust her in return.


    ¡°The military said it was an accident, so it was an accident. What would make you question that?¡± Garrett asked.


    She hated keeping something like this from Garrett but it wasn¡¯t the time to bring up Milo¡¯s flaws. Garrett had always been Milo¡¯s champion. It never seemed like the right time to tell Garrett that his best friend had been far from perfect. His funeral definitely wasn¡¯t the right time either.


    ¡°No reason. I just wondered what you thought. Forget I even asked,¡± Parker replied, turning around to face Garrett.


    ¡°Milo never mentioned anything to me about this mission or what it entailed. The last time I talked to him before he died, he never said anything was awry over there. It was an accident. These things happen all the time. You know that.¡±


    Garrett wasn¡¯t about to mention to Parker that the last time he spoke to Milo, he barely recognized his best friend¡¯s voice. Milo had always been a jokester, a happy guy who never failed to make him laugh by saying something stupid. Garrett couldn¡¯t remember ever having a really serious discussion with him - until that phone call. Milo was scared. And he had told Garrett that if something happened to him, it wouldn¡¯t be an accident. Milo had ended the cryptic phone call before Garrett could grill him on what the hell he had been talking about.


    He had known damn well Milo¡¯s death wasn¡¯t an accident, but it certainly hadn''t been the time to tell Parker. She didn¡¯t need one more thing to worry about. He would handle it on his own and hopefully never have to involve her.


    Standing there in front of Garrett right then, it hit her that he''d been keeping things from her¡ªvery important things.


    The fact that she had her own secrets, her own little white lies she weaved into every day conversation to keep the truth from those she loved, didn¡¯t matter. That was different. She didn¡¯t have a choice.


    ¡°What do you mean when you first heard about it? How long have you known this might be a possibility?¡± she demanded.


    Garrett looked away, unable to stand the anguish in her voice and on her face knowing that what he said next would only make it worse.


    ¡°I found out they were planning on looking into the mission five months ago.¡±


    After several long, quiet minutes, Garrett finally looked at her and didn''t like what he saw. She was pissed. At him.


    "Don''t. Don''t do this, Parker. You know damn well there is information that as a civilian, you aren''t privy to."


    "Fuck you, Garrett!" Parker spat. "I''m not just some civilian. I''m your best friend and he was my..."


    Parker trailed off and the sound of the ocean waves just below her condo echoed around them.


    "Say it," Garrett growled. He moved closer to her. Every time he was near her, he forgot what they were to each other for just a brief moment. Garrett needed her to punch him back to reality with a good swift kick to the proverbial nuts.


    "The love of your life, the man you were going to marry...finish the sentence, Parker."


    She clenched her hands into fists, so angry she could scream. She should just say what he wants to hear and wipe that smug look off his face, but she couldn''t.


    Garrett did this to her all the time. He pushed and then he pulled back. He got close and then he walked away. He was hot and cold and she never knew which end was up or where she stood with him.


    Parker loved Milo, but not like she should have. She never called him the love of her life, and it would feel foreign to do so now that he was gone. People liked to glorify the relationship they had with someone after they were gone. They liked to make it sound better than it actually was, maybe to ease the pain in their heart and keep the memory of that person alive. The death of Milo had the opposite effect on Parker. Now that he was gone, all of their differences, all of their problems, and every time he caused her pain became glaringly obvious.


    Parker took a step back from Garrett, and he wanted to hit something. He hated that he had to be a dick to her right now but it was necessary.


    He never told her that he always had suspicions about Milo¡¯s death, and it was a shitty move telling her it was classified information. She wasn¡¯t an idiot, and she wouldn¡¯t buy it for a minute, but he didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    "Have you been suspicious all this time? Every time you told me I shouldn¡¯t worry about it, were you lying to me? You think you''re just going to fly out there and get all the answers and that will make everything better? It''s not going to bring him back, Garrett."


    "I know that. Don''t you think I fucking know that?¡± Garrett yelled. ¡°I want the truth. I want to know that whoever did this to him is going to pay. I want to stop going to bed every night feeling guilty I wasn''t fucking there for him when he needed me."


    Parker instantly curbed her anger. Garrett lost his best friend, the one person that had been by his side since he was nine years old. She couldn''t be mad at him for wanting to know why he was gone and for doing everything in his power to get answers. It hurt her that he had never told her he didn¡¯t believe the ¡°accidental death¡± explanation, but if she was being honest with herself, there were plenty of things she had been keeping from Garrett as well.


    "It''s not your fault, Garrett, any more than it is mine.¡±


    Garrett didn''t say anything to that. He may not have been the one to set off the bomb that killed Milo, but it didn¡¯t ease his guilt or take away his feelings of failure.


    "So how long will you be gone?" Parker asked softly, looking up into his face and wrapping her arms around herself.


    Garrett felt his nerves instantly calm when he saw Parker¡¯s anger had been replaced with concern.


    Garrett reached out and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to warm her skin.


    "As long as it takes.¡±


    Garrett received intel that Milo had several meetings with the leader of the Dominican Republic, President Fernandez, the last couple of days before he died. He was going in under the guise of a reporter for Fox News to interview the President about all of his philanthropic accomplishments. Garrett wanted to dig deeper into the mission that killed his best friend by gaining access to information they didn¡¯t have in the states. There were rumors that not all of the President¡¯s business dealings were legal, and Garrett had a gut feeling the man would know something about what happened to Milo.


    Parker shivered but not from the chill in the air. Garrett''s hands on her skin always did that to her. His hands encircled her arms and when he touched her, she always felt small and protected.


    ¡°At least I¡¯ll get to brush up on my interviewing skills,¡± he said with a smirk. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have divulged that information, but it was a small detail that wouldn¡¯t affect the mission. He had to give her something.


    "Wow, interviewing, huh? Did you even make it to any of your journalism classes senior year of college?" Parker teased.


    Garrett gave her a heart-stopping smile, and she knew things were going to be okay between them. They were back to their usual friendly banter.


    "What did I need to show up to class for when I had you to do my homework?"


    Parker just shook her head at him and rolled her eyes.


    "You would have never passed that class if it wasn''t for me. You¡¯re lucky I liked you or I would have made you fend for yourself," she laughed.


    "Blasphemy! You would have never been so cruel," Garrett teased. ¡°I am a computer genius; you¡¯re the one with the mad literary and public speaking skills. It would have been a crime if you didn¡¯t help me.¡±


    Parker unhooked her hands from around her waist and placed her palms flat on Garrett''s chest. The heat of his skin through his shirt and the feel of his heart beating against her hand was so familiar but still had the ability to make her breath catch.

 Page 6

    "You better come back to me," Parker whispered softly.Advertisement


    Garrett''s heart beat furiously inside his chest, and he knew she could feel it. He only hoped she chalked it up to nerves about the mission and not about how her words affected him.


    Parker knew what she said could be taken two ways but she didn''t care. She just wanted him safe and whole and alive when this was all over.


    The weight of her words hung heavily in the air between them. The ringing of Garrett''s phone broke the spell, and he let go of his grip on her arms to reach for the clip on his belt to retrieve his phone.


    "McCarthy," Garrett answered curtly.


    He stared into Parker''s eyes while he listened to his CO on the other end of the line tell him about a glitch in the mission already.


    It turned out their Navy photographer, Petty Officer First Class Sasha Mitchell, was injured on her ship that morning before she was supposed to fly in from Greece. Sasha was going to pose as Garrett''s co-worker and lover for this mission. Under normal circumstances, the co-worker cover would have been enough. But the Dominican frowned on working women unless they were accompanied by their husband. They needed a photographer who could sneak into areas with the team and acquire the photographic evidence they needed. Sasha was the Navy¡¯s best photographer and had been on several under cover missions, not to mention she was fluent in Spanish. She had been the perfect woman for the job and now Garrett was going to have to deal with a last-minute replacement that wasn¡¯t going to be as efficient.


    Garrett hung up the phone and pulled away from Parker. He was irritated that something was already screwed up and he hadn¡¯t even left California yet.


    Parker asked Garrett what the phone call was about, and he made the mistake of telling her. He should have known that as soon as the words, "our photographer can''t do the mission,¡± left his mouth, a light bulb would go off in her head.


    Parker felt the old familiar bubble of excitement in the pit of her stomach as she listened to Garrett. It was the same one she always got when a new assignment was given to her or when she stood in the quiet blackness of her darkroom and waited for a photo to develop.


    That feeling had been dormant for the past six months while she was on her leave of absence but now it was back. She wouldn''t have to worry about Garrett because she could be there with him every step of the way. She wouldn''t have to sit back doing nothing, wasting her life away every single day just waiting for another knock on her door.


    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¨Deyes 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 fucking 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 fuck 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.


    The voice on the other end of the line made Parker realize there was no turning back now. With one phone call, she was going to irrevocably change her and Garrett''s lives forever.


    Chapter Four


    Garrett tossed and turned all night long thinking about Parker. The look on her face before she walked away from him haunted his dreams until he finally got up out of bed and went to Base two hours before his scheduled briefing.


    He picked up the phone at least thirty times during those two hours to call Parker and apologize only to hang right back up. He had no idea what the hell he would say to her, but he knew he needed to do something before he left. Garrett could never go on this mission with Parker mad at him. He hated himself for keeping her in the dark with his suspicions, but he honestly believed he was doing it for her own good.


    Garrett glanced at his watch and realized he only had a few minutes until his meeting with his commanding officer, his team, and whatever Navy photographer they were able to find last minute. He just hoped this woman had experience, and he wouldn¡¯t need to babysit her the entire time. Garrett had more important things to do than to keep an eye on a green Petty Officer and keep her head from getting blown off. She damn well better be able to keep herself out of trouble.


    On his way down the hall to the conference room, Garrett called Parker¡¯s cell phone but it went directly to voicemail. He felt like a chicken shit for leaving a message on her cell instead of talking to her in person, but maybe it would be easier that way.


    ¡°Parker, I¡¯m sorry about what happened last night. I¡¯m sorry I kept my suspicions from you. I should have been honest with you from the beginning. You and I both know how much of a dick I am, so do I really need to apologize for all the other things I said? You know I didn¡¯t mean them to come out the way they did. Take care of yourself, and I¡¯ll call you when I land.¡±


    Garrett hung up the phone, pleased with the message he left, and walked into the conference room where his CO, Captain Matt Risner, was already waiting for him.


    ¡°Lieutenant McCarthy, have a seat. We¡¯re just waiting on the rest of your team to get here.¡±


    Garrett took a seat directly across from Captain Risner and a few minutes later they were joined by three men, all of whom Garrett had worked with in the past¡ªall good men and all friends of his and Milo¡¯s. Garrett trusted these men, and he was glad to be working with them again, even if it was under these circumstances.


    ¡°First Class Petty Officers Conrad and Vargas and Chief Marshall, you¡¯re all acquainted with Lieutenant McCarthy so no introductions are necessary, is that correct?" the blond, middle-aged man asked as the newcomers all took a seat around the table. His hazel eyes, accented by the fine lines of aging at the corners, took each of them in.


    The four men nodded and replied with a respectful, "Yes, sir.¡±


    "In front of all of you is the dossier for this assignment. McCarthy will be the Officer in Charge as soon as you land on Dominican soil. He and his partner will be posing as a reporter slash photographer in order to gain access into the President''s home. The rest of you will be there under the guise of a camera crew for Fox News,¡± Risner explained as he pulled his six foot, five inch frame out of his seat and walked over to the computer Smart Board hanging on the south east wall of the room. ¡°Your passports and press clearances will be waiting for you on the plane along with your background information. I want weekly status reports on my desk every Friday. McCarthy will have all of the information in his packet to access a secure internet and telephone line that cannot be traced.¡±


    Risner pulled a remote out of the pocket of his freshly creased khaki Service pants, aimed it at the Smart Board, and within seconds they were all looking at a map of the Dominican.


    ¡°A lot of things went wrong when Roberts was there. He was sent to the Dominican for a simple reconnaissance mission to gather intel on the President at the request of the Commander in Chief. All of the information he gathered has disappeared, and no one in the Dominican will cooperate with us. Roberts was a last minute replacement a few weeks into the mission when one of the men over there was injured and sent back home. He should have met with the team already in place in the Dominican as soon as he touched down. He never made contact with them, and we need to find out why. We need to clean up this mess and get answers before this gets out to too many people. We don''t need any more negative press on the military right now."


    Garrett took the pause in Captain Risner¡¯s speech to ask the question that had been on his mind since the phone call last night.


    "Sir, if I may interrupt. Who will the female be working with us in Hansen¡¯s place?¡±


    Garrett heard the door open and close behind him but kept his attention on his CO, awaiting his response.


    "Actually, McCarthy, she just walked in. I believe you are all acquainted with Annabelle Parker, are you not?"


    Parker had to swallow several times as she stood by the door behind the four men in an effort to keep from throwing up. The cat was out of the bag now, and she couldn''t take back her decision.


    As soon as Captain Risner, Milo''s old commanding officer, said her name, all of their heads whipped around to look at her. She avoided the cold stare of Garrett¡¯s eyes and instead concentrated on the three men that were shocked but otherwise happy to see her.


    She knew Austin Conrad, Cole Vargas, and Brady Marshall from a few of the military functions she¡¯d attended with Milo. They were all good men, and she knew Garrett thought highly of them.


    They each smiled when they saw her, and Parker had no choice but to finally make eye contact with Garrett.


    He looked murderously at her, and she had to force herself to put her chin up and remain strong. She knew he would be pissed; she planned on it, prepared herself for it. Every action she took last night after walking away from him couldn¡¯t have had any other consequence but this.

 Page 7

    Parker had made the decision to go over Garrett''s head and call Captain Risner last night, but he was already planning on giving her a call, much to her surprise. He knew what she did for a living, purely by accident, when they ran into one another last year at a meeting with her boss. He told her over the phone last night that her name immediately came to mind when he found out about the injured photographer, but he was worried she might be too close to the mission considering her relationship with Milo. After a call to her boss and her boss¡¯ boss, each of them raving about her capabilities to compartmentalize and focus to get any job done, Captain Risner made his decision.Advertisement


    The three men said hello and welcomed her to the team, not trying to hide their confusion as to why she was there while Garrett just sat in his seat and fumed. His arms rested on top of the conference room table and shook with unconcealed fury as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.


    "Permission to speak freely, sir?" Garrett asked, his eyes still boring holes into Parker''s face.


    "Of course, McCarthy."


    Garrett finally looked away, stood up, and slammed his hands down on the table in front of him, papers flying and pens scattering with the force of his anger. His nostrils flared like a bull preparing to charge as he took deep, rapid breaths through his nose and his usually bright blue eyes darkened and narrowed with rage.


    "What the fuck is she doing here? There is no way in hell she is going anywhere near the Dominican with us. She''s going to get herself, and us, killed with her stupid ass need to be included."


    "Garrett, man, chill out," Brady quietly warned him.


    Garrett ignored the warning, too pissed off to listen to anyone at this point.


    "I don''t give a fuck what kind of bullshit she fed you, but there is no way she is qualified to do something like this without putting us all in danger. The only reason she¡¯s doing this is to piss me off because I didn¡¯t gossip with her like a girl at a slumber party."


    Parker was just about ready to tell Garrett where he could shove his opinion of her when Captain Risner spoke up.


    "Sit your ass down, McCarthy," he told Garrett with a stern glare.


    Risneralways had a soft spot for Garrett ever since the day he first met him as a recruit in BUD/S, a six month SEAL training course held at the Naval Special Warfare Training Center in Coronado, CA. The boy was fiercely loyal, a damn fine soldier, and he knew that first day Garrett would prove to be an amazing leader. Garrett had yet to let him down. Until now. He had never seen Garrett like this, and he didn¡¯t like it one bit. The look of horror on Ms. Parker¡¯s face as she witnessed his outburst was enough to tell him Garrett was letting his personal life interfere with a mission. He wouldn¡¯t stand for it. Not when so many lives were at stake.


    "Now, I am well aware this comes as a shock to you, but I will not have you questioning my decisions regarding this matter. There is information regarding the nature of Ms. Parker¡¯s background that no one in her personal life was permitted to know for security reasons.¡±


    Parker closed her eyes and hung her head at Risner¡¯s words. The fear of what Garrett would think of her when he finally learned about all of the lies she¡¯d kept from him tore her heart in two.


    ¡°Unfortunately, her business and personal life are crashing together like a freight train with this mission. Annabelle is more qualified to handle this job than all of you assholes put together. I have complete confidence in her abilities and would trust her with my own life. If you so much as think about undermining my decision on this, I will throw your ass off of this mission so fast your head will spin."


    Captain Risner stood up, not giving Garrett the chance to speak another word.


    "Your flight leaves in one hour. You are dismissed."


    Parker finally let out the breath she¡¯d been holding while Garrett got his ass handed to him. She wanted to feel bad for him, but she couldn¡¯t. He pissed her off last night and insulted her yet again. Just the idea she would do something like this to get back at him made her want to punch his beautiful face for being so dense.


    Parker stood off to the side so she could say hello to each of the men she hadn''t seen since Milo''s funeral and would now be her teammates. She also wanted to have a few minutes alone with Garrett so she could give him a piece of her mind before they got on the plane.


    Garrett had other ideas though.


    As soon as the Captain dismissed everyone, he bolted out of his chair and breezed right by Parker, not even turning his head in her direction. He wanted to know what the hell she had been thinking, but he didn¡¯t even want to look at her he was so pissed. Garrett had spent the last eight years making sure Parker was safe, well cared for, and happy. Having her on this mission was going to ruin all of that. She would be putting herself right in the middle of the danger zone, and unless he wanted to be forcibly removed from this assignment, he had to let her. How was he supposed to choose between finding out how his best friend died and keeping Parker alive? Somehow, he needed to figure out a way to do both without losing his mind, and he desperately wanted to know what the Captain was going on about how she was more qualified than everyone in that room. Parker couldn¡¯t walk up a flight of stairs without tripping, and she sure as hell couldn¡¯t hold her own on a SEAL assignment.


    Garrett shoved open the door to go outside so hard it slammed against the side of the building. Maybe some fresh air would clear his head.


    Parker pushed her hurt feelings from Garrett¡¯s abrupt departure aside as each of the men gave her a hug and welcomed her to the team. She knew they were curious about the partial information their CO had given them but they didn¡¯t pry. Risner told her when they met this morning that it was up to her regarding how much information she wanted to give them.


    They all made their way out of the building to where a car was waiting to take them to the military airfield, chatting amicably about what was going on in each other''s lives. Garrett was noticeably absent, and Parker had a brief moment of panic that maybe Garrett was so pissed he decided to find another ride to the plane.


    As soon as they all got settled in the SUV, Garrett showed up out of nowhere and slid into the only available seat left¡ªthe one right next to Parker.


    He slammed the door closed, and with his arm hanging out of the open window, smacked the side of the car twice to signal to the driver everyone was ready to go.


    Cole sat in the front seat and chatted with the driver while Austin and Brady joked about a bar they went to the previous night in the seat behind Parker and Garrett.


    Garrett stared straight ahead and didn¡¯t even glance in Parker¡¯s direction. She knew because she had been glaring right at him ever since he got into the car. Parker wasn¡¯t going to be some shrinking violet and pretend like everything was fine. They were going to talk, and he was going to have to come to terms with everything quickly. Parker was about to do the most important thing she had ever done in her short life, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate if she had to also deal with Garrett¡¯s attitude at the same time.


    ¡°Are you just going to ignore me the entire time we¡¯re working or is this a temporary thing? I¡¯d kind of like some advance notice so I can make note of it on my calendar,¡± Parker said sarcastically in a low voice that only Garrett could hear.


    ¡°Since you seem to have all of the answers, Ms. Parker, how about you decide when I should forgive you for being a sneaky bitch and get back to me on that.¡±


    Garrett clenched his jaw and continued to stare straight ahead. He was definitely not having this discussion with her right now in a car filled with their team. It was none of their fucking business.


    Of course Parker wasn¡¯t one to take any of Garrett¡¯s crap lying down, and he should have known that before he even opened his mouth. They¡¯d always had a volatile relationship, knowing exactly how to get under each other¡¯s skin and what buttons to push.


    ¡°Wow, a sneaky bitch, huh? You don¡¯t beat around the bush do you? For your information, McCarthy, not everything I do revolves around my desire to piss you off. My life has been complete and utter shit lately, and I finally have a chance to do something good. I have the opportunity to find out why Milo was lying to me and hiding things and fighting with me every opportunity he could. I can finally know why a week after he left I called the caterers and the church and they told me that Milo had canceled the wedding the day he left without saying a word to me. You have your guilt about all of this, Garrett, but so do I. So ease the fuck up on the silent treatment and give me a God damned break.¡±


    Parker folded her arms across the front of her and scooted away from Garrett, turning her head to stare out of the window at the landscape rushing by.


    Garrett still didn¡¯t speak but it wasn¡¯t because he had nothing to say to Parker. He was just in too much shock. Milo canceled their wedding the day he left? Garrett couldn¡¯t wrap his head around that information. Milo told him everything, and granted they hadn¡¯t spoken much in the weeks prior to Milo¡¯s departure to the Dominican, but Garrett assumed he was just busy with wedding preparations. He was having a hard time believing that Milo would do something like that. He knew Parker wasn¡¯t lying about this, but it just didn¡¯t make any sense. Milo couldn¡¯t wait to marry Parker. The day he had told Garrett his plans was still clear as day in his mind.


    There hadn''t been any available seats at the bar so Garrett grabbed a table when he got to Shooters. Milo had called him earlier in the day and said he had some news that he needed to tell Garrett about. He was hoping Milo finally got that promotion to Lieutenant that he had been gunning for. Garrett knew the Navy was everything to his friend, and he wanted to see him succeed.


    Milo, Garrett, and Parker always went to Shooters when they had good news or needed to celebrate. They went there when they signed the lease to the first house the three of them bought together, they went there when Garrett graduated from Seal training and again when he had been given a promotion, and they went there when Parker¡¯s first photo had been published in a national magazine. It was definitely time for them to be there for some good news from Milo. Parker was currently in New York for a few days doing a photo shoot, so it looked like it would just be a two-person celebration today.


    While Garrett waited for Milo, he ordered them each a beer. He was almost done with his by the time Milo showed up.


    ¡°Dude, sorry I¡¯m late. I had to stop by the store and pick something up, and it wasn¡¯t quite ready yet,¡± Milo explained as he slid into his seat and took a big gulp of his beer.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on man? What¡¯s the good news?¡± Garrett asked when Milo put his glass back down on the table.


    Milo reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box and slid it across the table to Garrett.


    Garrett couldn¡¯t miss the huge smile plastered all over Milo¡¯s face. He looked happy and excited, and Garrett was glad, but he looked quizzically down at the small box.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Garrett asked, scooping the box up in his hand.


    ¡°Just open it,¡± Milo said, practically bouncing up and down with excitement.


    Garrett laughed at Milo¡¯s exuberance and flipped open the box. Nestled inside was a platinum solitaire engagement ring. Before Garrett could control it, his face immediately fell. He always knew that this moment would come. He knew it after Milo arrived home from their first date, and he had to listen to his best friend rattle on and on about how perfect she was.


    He knew it every time he watched the two of them together holding hands, laughing, and kissing.


    Garrett knew it and prepared for it, but he thought he¡¯d have more time. More time to get used to the idea that his best friend was marrying the girl of Garrett¡¯s dreams.


    Before Milo got suspicious of Garrett¡¯s behavior, he put on a brave front and made a joke.


    ¡°Milo, did you ask my dad¡¯s permission for my hand in marriage first? Because I can¡¯t say yes if you didn¡¯t follow the proper protocol.¡±


    Milo laughed and snatched the box out of Garrett¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re such a dick, McCarthy! So, what do you think? Parker will say yes, right? I mean¡­fuck, she wouldn¡¯t say no, would she? I want to marry her so badly it freaks me out a little.¡±


    The sad fact was Garrett knew without a doubt that Parker would say yes.


    ¡°Quit being such a pansy. You know Parker will say yes,¡± Garrett said with a roll of his eyes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to ask her to marry me. I mean I can believe it considering I just dropped 5k on a ring for her, but I just can¡¯t believe this is really it. Did you ever think getting coffee that day in college seven years ago would lead us here?¡±


    If you had asked that question to Garrett the day they met Parker, he would have absolutely believed this was where they¡¯d be. However, he had pictured his role in that particular fantasy a little differently than Milo did.


    Garrett hadn¡¯t said a word the entire car ride to the airfield. Parker gave up trying to figure out Garrett and his moods a long time ago, so as soon as the SUV parked, she jumped out of the vehicle without a word to him. She said her piece and since they¡¯d be stuck with each other indefinitely, he knew where to find her if he wanted to say anything else to her.


    Garrett watched Parker exit the car and walk with the other men toward the plane parked on the tarmac waiting for them to board.


    He knew they needed to hash this out, but it could wait. He grabbed his bags from the back and followed everyone else to the steps of the plane.


    The most important thing right now was the mission, and Garrett needed to remember that. It was going to be hard enough putting on the show they would need to once they got to the Dominican. They needed to talk things out before then or this whole thing would blow up in their face if Garrett and Parker couldn¡¯t act the part. Garrett had a feeling Parker was going to lose her shit when he explained to her exactly what role she would be playing once they touched down.

 Page 8

    A sick, twisted part of him was thrilled at the prospect of doing this, but Garrett knew without a doubt this whole charade was going to cut him in two. Garrett knew it would change his friendship with Parker. He could even lose her forever once this was over.Advertisement


    No matter how much he denied it to himself, this lie they were going to have to perfect would ruin him when he had to go back to his regular life without her. It would tease him and taunt him and remind him of what he never had the courage to take. It would be dangled in front of him for a short while and as soon as he got comfortable, it would be snatched right out of his hands.


    They took their seats on the plane and prepared for take-off. Parker was surprised that Garrett sat down next to her. She figured he must have felt the need to torture her with the silent treatment through the flight. Well, she¡¯d show him. Parker was a woman after all. She had perfected the art of the silent treatment.


    Everyone buckled their seat-belts while the crew member went through her monotonous list of safety instructions. Parker pulled the dossier out of her bag and began to flip through it to familiarize herself with what exactly she would be pretending to do once she got there.


    Obviously ¡°pretending¡± to be a photographer wasn¡¯t going to take any brains. She could do that in her sleep. She almost did do it in her sleep. Parker hoped Garrett practiced his interviewing skills for this. There was no way in hell she was going to do it for him this time, especially with the way he was treating her.


    She had numerous assignments in the Dominican over the years and knew the safety precautions she needed to take when traveling over there, so she was already familiar with that information.


    Parker quickly skimmed through that portion of the dossier until something caught her eye: a change to the country¡¯s law since her last visit there four years ago.


    ¡°Women traveling to the Dominican for work-related purposes always need to be accompanied by a male chaperone. In order to avoid complications or difficulty, it¡¯s best for a woman to travel with her husband. Dominicans frown upon women traveling to their country with any male that is not her significant other.¡±


    Parker laughed a little at their old-fashioned ways and thanked God that she was an American living on U.S. soil and didn¡¯t normally have to deal with such sexist standards unless traveling for work.


    Then all of a sudden it hit her. Parker was going to have to be someone¡¯s wife during this assignment. How had she missed that tidbit before? Obviously, her brain wasn¡¯t functioning at maximum level with everything that went on since yesterday. She glanced quickly around the plane at Austin, Cole, and Brady and wondered which one she was going to be playing house with while Garrett was busy doing his tech stuff. Her gaze came back around and landed on Garrett. Parker didn¡¯t like the devious smirk that was on his face.


    ¡°What?¡± Parker asked him irritably.


    Garrett shrugged. ¡°Just wondering how your reading is coming along.¡±


    The plane started to taxi down the runway, and Parker let the dossier drop into her lap so she could clutch onto the armrests. Parker was a white-knuckled flier. She was fine once they were up in the air but this whole taxi business and the anticipation of wondering if the plane would explode as soon as they got up to full speed made her want to scream. You would have thought as often as she had to fly for her job, the fear would have lessened now, but unfortunately it hadn¡¯t.


    Garrett knew how much Parker hated to fly so he figured he might as well do something to take her mind off of her fear.


    ¡°My reading is coming along fine. I just find their backwards customs pretty amusing.¡±


    Parker squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as the plane went full throttle and the nose began tipping up towards the sky. She felt the slight bump as the back wheels came up off of the ground and her ears popped as they rose higher and higher.


    ¡°I feel bad for whichever one of the guys has to pretend to be my husband though. I hog the covers and talk in my sleep,¡± Parker joked.


    They were finally airborne so Parker opened her eyes while Garrett remained silent.


    The look on his face said it all, and if they weren¡¯t twenty-seven thousand feet above the ground right then, Parker might have seriously considered opening the door and jumping out.


    ¡°So sorry you have to work on our honeymoon, Mrs. McCarthy.¡±


    Chapter Five


    Parker¡¯s views on marriage were sketchy at best. She knew she wanted to settle down, have a family, and live the American dream¡ªbut not at the cost of losing herself so deeply in someone that she¡¯d struggle to breathe, to function, and to remember who she was.


    Most people would assume that Parker loved with her whole heart and soul, just like her parents did. They poured their entire beings into each other. Where one ended, the other began. They completed each other¡¯s sentences, thoughts¡­lives. They slow danced in the kitchen when they thought no one was looking, they cuddled on the couch to watch the evening news, and they never went anywhere without the other.


    She grew up watching them, studying them, wishing that someday she would love and be loved like that. Just like any young girl, Parker daydreamed of meeting her prince and living happily ever after with her one true love. She dreamed of falling so deeply in love that books and poetry on the subject would never come close to describing the feelings she held.


    But dreams were meant to be broken and wishes turned to smoke, fading away into the sky on a gentle breeze. Parker was seventeen years old when the sky turned dark and the clouds opened up to rain on her dreams. A crucial time in any young girl¡¯s life: that moment when you were no longer a little girl and so close to becoming a woman, when you fell in love for the first time and hoped it lasted forever. Parker had never expected to spend her senior year in high school watching her mother fade away. She had never thought she would miss her senior prom to say one final good-bye to her family, her innocence, and her silly childhood dreams about love and forever.


    Parker always looked back on the day she buried her mother and wondered why she didn¡¯t just save everyone a lot of time and energy by burying her father right along with her. He had stopped living the day her heart stopped beating. He loved her so deeply, so all-encompassing that he couldn¡¯t survive in a world without her. What her father never understood or cared about was that Parker¡¯s heart was broken as well. She was a young girl without a mother and knew she''d have to complete the rest of life¡¯s journeys without her advice and guiding hand. She needed her father to comfort her, tell her everything would be okay, and show her that life would go on, that she would one day feel happy again. He was the pillar of their small family, the one she looked up to, the rule-maker, and the strength behind every decision she made.


    The day they had buried Parker¡¯s mother was the last day her father really spoke to her with anything other than contempt in his voice. As the mourners walked away from the cemetery, Joe Parker took one long, last look at his daughter, his little girl and said, ¡°I can¡¯t stand to look at you. You remind me too much of her.¡± She stared at her father¡¯s retreating back and knew it was time for her to grow up and stop believing in fairytales.


    For eight more months they had lived under the same roof, never speaking except in anger. Parker had postponed starting college until the winter semester to stay home and try to pull her father out of his depression regardless of his protests and hateful words. He took a leave of absence from the police force and spent each and every day drowning in a bottle of whiskey. He stopped eating, caring, functioning¡­the more he drank, the more he hated his daughter. The more she tried to help him, the more he screamed and told her he wished it would have been her that died instead of the love of his life.


    For two hundred and thirty-three days, her father sat in his recliner, staring at her mother¡¯s picture, telling her how much he loved her, adored her, and couldn¡¯t live without her. Parker would come home from work to find him talking to that picture; she would wake up in the middle of the night to find him whispering words of adoration to an eight by ten glossy.


    The night before she finally left for college, she came downstairs at two in the morning after hearing a noise, only to find her father curled up in the fetal position hugging the picture to his chest and sobbing about love and loss and misery. In that moment, standing in the doorway of the living room watching her father, once the strongest man she knew, now broken and out of his mind with misery, Parker vowed to never love like that. She swore she would never let someone take so much of her heart and soul that it would wither away to nothing once they were gone. She gave up on the dream of finding someone to consume her mind, body, and soul. It only ruined you in the end. It only left you broken and unable to live.


    When Parker got to college, she worked hard, made friends, and went on dates with boys that held similar interests as her. She never let them get too close, never let them see all of her; she held them at a distance and made sure they always knew where they stood with her. Parker wouldn¡¯t play games with anyone, and she wouldn¡¯t make promises she couldn¡¯t keep. The decisions she made never mattered the first few years. She was content, never worrying that her heart was in danger. No one threatened to make her second-guess her decision or think that she might have been wrong about her choices. The men she had met never made it past a few casual dates and a handful of sleepovers. No one threatened to break down her walls until the day she met a pair of best friends over coffee.


    Parker knew she let Milo pursue her because he was safe. She knew he would never get past the fa?ade or question the person she¡¯d become. The Parker in high school would have politely told him no, understanding that the butterflies in her stomach and the ache in her chest when she looked at his friend was nothing to be afraid of. That Parker would have taken a chance on the man who could tear her apart with just one look, see inside her soul with just one touch, and place a crack in her armor with every word he spoke.


    Parker was still a typical girl for the most part and therefore still dreamed of marriage and children and a house in the suburbs. Parker built a life with Milo and agreed to marry him because, as far as her heart was concerned, he was harmless. She loved him, she cared for him, and she knew with every part of her that she''d be faithful to him for as long as he¡¯d have her. The guilt over keeping part of herself shut off from him reared its ugly head every once in a while, especially the days when they fought and she sought solace in Garrett. He was the one person that could make her change her mind about everything and it scared her to death. On those days when she¡¯d cry to him about fear, change, and Milo¡¯s latest argument, he¡¯d look at her like he knew her secret. Garrett was her best friend and could read her like a book, most of the time better than her own fianc¨¦. She had longed for him to call her out on her lies and the way she kept her heart safe by never letting it be free just as much as she feared it. Parker knew if she ever gave him the chance, he would break her.


    So she had remained content and kept up the walls and no one got hurt. It didn¡¯t matter if she had cried herself to sleep most nights wishing for things she¡¯d long since said goodbye to. Nothing made you reevaluate your life like death did. Parker knew that better than anyone.


    These past six months, spending almost every moment with Garrett, she had started to feel the cracks in her foundation. With each passing day, her core was shaken to the bone, and she felt like she needed to hold on to something to keep from toppling over. Parker always knew he had the power to crumble everything around her into a pile of dust and regret. She didn¡¯t have much time to decide what to do about that.


    A few bumps of turbulence pulled Parker away from her thoughts. She wondered briefly if maybe the change in altitude had affected her hearing and she hadn¡¯t really just heard Garrett say they would be playing house on this mission.


    The look on his face said it all though. He was quite pleased that it was his turn to shock her. Too bad her poker face was much better than his. He may have had a pair, but she had a full house.


    Parker quickly took her mind off of Garrett''s pair and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t mind working on our honeymoon if you don¡¯t, dear.¡±


    Garrett looked at her quizzically, confident that there was no way she would be able to pull this off. This was his dream, his fantasy¡ªto be close to her and touch her and pretend like they were as familiar with one another as a husband and wife should be. Parker wasn¡¯t that good of an actress.


    Garrett snorted. ¡°Please, like you¡¯re going to be able to do this. Look someone right in the eye and tell them you¡¯re my wife and that you¡¯re madly in love with me.¡±


    Parker tamped down the butterflies in her stomach when he called her his wife and scolded herself for acting like a teenage girl, giddy with excitement. Those were emotions that had no business in her world.


    She turned to face him and leaned in a little closer, letting her shoulder graze against his.


    ¡°I¡¯ve passed hundreds of polygraph tests over the years, blatantly lying about information I was given. I think I can handle telling a few people I¡¯m married to you,¡± she replied.


    Garrett couldn¡¯t hide his confusion at her words. He wondered why in the hell she would ever need to take a polygraph test, let alone hundreds of them. There was something different about her in that moment. She held herself with an air of authority all of a sudden, and she didn¡¯t shy away from his stare. Parker appeared confident and strong, sexy and aloof. It reminded him so much of the first time he¡¯d seen her.


    Jesus, she was beautiful. Garrett hadn''t been paying any attention to the nonsense Milo was complaining about while he put in his coffee order. He had been too busy wondering if it would be wrong to walk across the room and kiss her.


    Garrett briefly wondered if there was something wrong with him. Maybe he didn¡¯t get enough sleep last night or something. Since when did he ever want to just walk up to a complete stranger and make out with them?

 Page 9

    Since he saw one that looked like her, obviously.Advertisement


    Garrett didn¡¯t know a God damned thing about hair, but hers was chocolate brown with some highlights mixed in. It looked so soft his hands were itching to run his fingers through it to see if it felt like silk.


    She had on a pink, low-cut sweater that was showing just enough cleavage to make his dick stir in his jeans.


    Milo must have been fed up with Garrett ignoring him and turned around to see what had kept his friend so silent.


    ¡°Fucking hell. She¡¯s hot,¡± Milo whispered as he handed Garrett his usual cup of black coffee with two sugars.


    Garrett took the steaming cup from him without looking and just nodded.


    The beautiful girl had glanced back and forth between them and smiled with confidence. It was like a magnetic pull neither man could resist. They had blindly walked, elbow-to-elbow, over to her table.


    A few feet away from her, Milo had leaned his head close to Garrett and whispered, ¡°I saw her first.¡±


    Garrett always wished he¡¯d been the one to voice those words, but he¡¯d been too enraptured by Parker at the time. All he wanted to do was stare at her, drink her in, and memorize every inch of her. While the three of them talked over coffee, he laughed at her snarky attitude and admired her fierce independence. Over the years, the hard edge that he first noticed in Parker diminished slightly. She could still out-argue anyone and stood her ground with things she believed in, but she definitely became more complacent. Garrett often wondered about the change in her but chalked it up to her being comfortable enough with them to let her guard down and be who she really was. There were moments through the years, every once in a while, where she almost became another person for a split second. The steal resolve and the strength would shine behind her eyes, then just as suddenly, almost as if she forgot where she was for a moment, she¡¯d blink herself back to reality.


    He watched Parker shift her body closer to his and rest her elbow on her armrest. Her shoulder pressing against his sent a shiver down his spine.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little concerned with your ability to handle this though, Garrett,¡± she said softly. He had to swallow roughly at the sound of his name on her lips. She always made it sound sensual, and his mind usually conjured up images of her naked and pinned beneath him, moaning his name.


    This time was no exception.


    Her face inched closer to his, and when she spoke next, he felt her breath on his lips.


    ¡°Are you going to be able to hold my hand when we walk through the streets and look me in the eyes like I¡¯m all you¡¯ve ever wanted?¡± she asked breathlessly as she placed her hand on his stomach and slid it up to his chest. ¡°Will you be able to touch me like you¡¯ve done it a thousand times before, pretend that you know the spot on my neck that makes me sigh and where to graze your fingertips to make me moan?¡± she whispered as she traced lazy circles on his chest with her fingertips.


    Garrett had no idea just how well she could lie when she needed to. She was lying to him as she leaned in closer, feeling the heat from his arm against her and the smell of his skin surrounding her. She told him she was concerned with his ability to handle this, but she knew without a doubt he could. He could hold her and call her his wife and talk about a life they didn¡¯t have and forget all about it when the mission was over. Lucky for her, none of her acting ability would need to be put on display. Every word, every touch, and every moment would be real for Parker. Every minute she spent with him chipped away another piece of the wall she¡¯d so carefully built. She knew the first day she met him that he¡¯d be the one to do it. Through the years she¡¯d been able to stop it from happening, but now she didn¡¯t have a choice. She didn¡¯t have Milo as a buffer or her job to take her away from the confusing emotions so she could get back on track. Her conflicting feelings would be on display, making her question every decision she¡¯d made in the last eight years for the duration of this mission. Parker was good at her job. She was phenomenal at separating life from work and concentrating on the job at hand. But there would be no way to do that this time. Life and work were colliding into one big, fiery inferno. She would be alone with Garrett, falling easily into the fantasy of the two of them as a couple, while at the same time, the guilt of being unfaithful to Milo would be eating her alive. It didn¡¯t matter if he was dead and buried. Garrett was Milo¡¯s best friend. No matter how or when it happened, no matter that the feelings were only one-sided, it would be a betrayal of Milo¡¯s memory and all that he meant to them.


    Garrett stared at her lips while she spoke and tried to keep his hand away from his dick when she talked about sighs and moans and let her tongue dart out to slide across her top lip. He wondered what the hell she was doing right now with her voice. He had never heard her talk that way, all breathy and seductive¡ªat least not with him. Garrett needed to get his head and his dick out of the gutter pronto before he did something really stupid like ask his best friend to join the Mile High Club with him. Thoughts of bending Parker over the sink in the bathroom at the back of the plane and lifting her skirt up so he could run his hands over her smooth, heart-shaped ass before sliding into her, temporarily took over his brain. He needed to get back on track so he moved a few inches away from her.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can handle that, Parker. But what are you going to do when we¡¯re walking down an alley and a group of three armed men ambush us and point their guns at your head?¡± he asked seriously.


    Garrett had to swallow back the revulsion he felt picturing Parker with a gun pointed at her. He would do everything in his power to make sure they were never in that kind of situation during this mission. His heart wouldn¡¯t be able to take it.


    Parker confidently reached up and popped the first three buttons of her shirt until her cleavage and the edges of her red lace bra were visible. Garrett''s eyes immediately flew to her exposed skin, watching her chest heave with every breath she took, her breasts straining against the thin lace fabric covering them.


    "Distract man number one long enough to disarm him," she said softly as she removed her hand from the inside of his coat, carefully palming the 9mm SIG M11 she slid from his shoulder holster while his eyes were otherwise occupied. With a straight face she mimed the action of shooting him in the chest.


    "When number two comes to the rescue, a double roundhouse kick to the wrist will force his gun out of his hand, allowing me to incapacitate him with a jab cross right elbow to the sternum, knocking the wind out of him long enough for the shot," Parker explained easily, raising the gun a little higher so it was aimed directly at his heart and pretended to fire.


    "Shock will be on my side for number three,¡± Parker continued. ¡°A double sweep kick should drop him where he stands, allowing for the final kill shot right between the eyes," she said, aiming the gun higher so the barrel pointed to the middle of Garrett¡¯s forehead.


    "Bang," she whispered.


    Garrett hadn''t blinked or spoke in the last couple of minutes, and he wasn''t sure he''d ever recover the ability to do so. His brain was at war with his libido, and he wasn''t positive which would win or which he wanted to win for that matter. Watching Parker hold his gun turned him on and horrified him equally. Listening to her talk about disarming gun-toting killers with such casual nonchalance made his dick hard and baffled him at the same time.


    Parker lowered the gun to her lap and watched all of the emotions play on Garrett''s face. Some of them confused her, and if she didn''t know him better, she might have suspected that her display turned him on. She almost laughed at that idea.


    She¡¯d once stood before him in her underwear, practically begging him to sleep with her, and he was completely unaffected. Parker had been upset and drunk at the time though, so her memory might have been a little off.


    "Say something," Parker whispered.


    Garrett had no idea what he was supposed to say. This was Parker, one of his best friends, the woman who cried when she hit a squirrel with her car, squealed when you gave her a present, and cursed a blue streak when she broke a nail or had to wear pants because they made her feel like a guy.


    This woman who sat in front of him right now was not that same person.


    "You could have shot me," Garrett protested lamely, unable to come up with anything more intelligent to say.


    Parker rolled her eyes at him.


    "Don''t be so dramatic. The safety is on. At least I didn¡¯t grab the loaded Beretta Jetfire in your ankle holster or the back-up .357 snubnosed revolver in mine."


    Garrett didn''t bother to try and stop his jaw from dropping.


    A few years ago Garrett and Milo had forced Parker to accompany them to the shooting range. She had bitched and complained the whole way there, stating quite firmly that you couldn¡¯t pay her enough to hold one of those ¡°shotgun thingies¡± and fire it. Milo and Garrett both thought it was quite funny that Parker was raised by a cop and had such an aversion to guns. And the fact that she had thought the small handgun they used was called a shotgun kept them in fits of laughter for the rest of the day. Obviously, the joke was on them.


    ¡°What kind of weapon is this?¡± Garrett tested her, pointing to his other side arm that was carefully placed on the seat across from him. He had a brief moment of hope that maybe he just imagined what had happened a moment ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s an MK23 SOCOM pistol.¡± Parker replied without missing a beat, lifting the gun up to inspect it. ¡°It uses a polygonal barrel design, which improves accuracy and durability. It also features an ambidextrous safety and magazine release on both sides of the frame,¡± she explained as she held the gun with her right hand, flipped off the safety with her thumb, and used her index finger to click the magazine release, letting it drop into her left hand so she could check the rounds.


    Parker smacked the magazine back in place and put the safety back on, turned the gun around so it wasn¡¯t facing him, and handed it calmly to Garrett. Her arm remained suspended in air as he stared at her with his mouth open.


    "Who the fuck are you?" he asked her.


    Parker turned away from him so she could reach into the bag next to her, scared to death that this moment was here, yet breathing a sigh of relief that the cloak and dagger nonsense would finally be over.


    Garrett watched her rummage through her bag until she found what she was looking for. She turned back to him, holding out a thin, black leather billfold that looked like a passport.


    Was she going to tell him she wasn''t a U.S. citizen? That would be pretty funny. Maybe she was only marrying Milo for a green card.


    He took the square wallet from her outstretched hand and flipped it open, the smile fading from his lips.


    Inside was a picture of Parker, his Parker, looking seriously into the camera with her hair pulled back into a severe ponytail. Underneath the photo were the words that made his heart jump up into his throat.


    Annabelle Elizabeth Parker


    Central Intelligence Agency


    Special Ops


    Chapter Six


    Garrett and Parker weren¡¯t afforded any alone time the remainder of the flight. As soon as Garrett¡¯s brain caught up to his eyes, and he finally understood what it was he was holding in his hand, Brady came down the aisle and sat down in the empty seat on the other side of him.


    When Parker saw Brady coming towards them, she snatched her identification out of Garrett¡¯s hand and stowed it back in her carry-on. She hadn''t made a decision yet as to just how much information she wanted to give the rest of the guys.


    Garrett had so many questions swirling around in his head, he found it hard to concentrate on what Brady was saying. He was too busy wondering when Parker managed to find the time to join the CIA and more importantly, if Milo knew all about this secret life she had. His anger grew leaps and bounds as he sat there barely listening to Brady drone on about security, on-site surveillance, and engaging targets.


    All these years, he thought he knew her better than anyone. Parker had been lying to him this entire time, laughing at him whenever he worried about her safety or told her she wouldn¡¯t understand something to do with his job. She probably knew more about his job than he did. She probably knew more about this mission than he did.


    Garrett was certain that she and Milo must have sat back at the end of an evening and had plenty of fun discussing how clueless poor Garrett was. He wanted to get up out of his seat and throw his fists into something. He wanted to yell at Parker and ask her how in the world she could claim to be his friend and never be completely honest with him about who she really was. If Garrett calmed down enough, he''d realize that his anger stemmed from a hell of a lot more than just having a friend keep him in the dark about her job. Parker was more than just his friend, but he''d never admit that. Garrett rubbed at the pain in his chest and wondered why it felt like his heart was cracking in two. All the lies she told were piling up inside of him, and they felt like a physical ache, like someone was reaching inside of him and squeezing the life out of his heart, making the air from his lungs shakily pass through his lips and his blood pressure soar.


    Parker stared at Garrett¡¯s profile from the moment Brady sat down on the other side of him and commanded his attention. She just wanted him to turn around and look at her. She knew he was mad and probably hurt that she kept something like this from him. Given the nature of his job, she figured he would understand better than anyone how some things just couldn''t be shared with others. Parker watched Garrett clench his jaw and crack his knuckles. If he would just look at her, he''d see how much it killed her to keep that part of her life separate from everyone all these years.


    Garrett ignored Parker for the entire six hour flight. When Brady finished with him, he got up from his seat and took another one at the back of the plane, as far away from Parker as possible. Garrett wanted answers, and he wanted the truth, but right now he just needed distance from her.

 Page 10

    Milo had been Garrett''s best friend, but a lot of times, he just wasn¡¯t the type of person one went to with monumental problems or questions. He was laid back, carefree, and just didn¡¯t understand when Parker and Garrett got stressed out. Parker was the one Garrett went to with anything important. Garrett knew she''d understand his thought process and be straight and honest with him.Advertisement


    Now he was second guessing every conversation they ever shared. Garrett was a strong, confident, and intelligent man, but right now, he was struggling with the knowledge he couldn''t trust the one person in his life he''d always believed in without question.


    Parker stared out her window as the plane descended. Every time she landed in the Dominican it always made her palms sweat and her heart flutter with nerves to look down and see nothing but dirt under the plane¡¯s wheels. She preferred her airport runways to be paved and full of people in florescent jackets waving lighted wands. In the Dominican, you might see a stray chicken run across the ¡°runway¡± or men in shorts and flip flops directing the plane to its hangar. Parker held her breath as the plane touched down and wished Garrett had come back to the seat next to her to calm her nerves.


    After the plane landed, the team made their way through the open air building and had the opportunity to test the validity of their press identifications and new passports. Parker noticed her last name was listed as Miller on all of her paperwork and realized with a slight pang in her chest that she wouldn¡¯t hear anyone call her Mrs. McCarthy while they were there. For security reasons they obviously wouldn¡¯t be using their real last names. She laughed off the silly fantasy that had lodged into her brain after Garrett called her Mrs. McCarthy at the beginning of the flight.


    The team quickly moved through the airport security checkpoint without any hassles and boarded a van that would take them to their hotel.


    An hour later the sun disappeared beyond the horizon just as the van pulled into the driveway for the Catalonia Bavaro resort. They went around the circular drive and were let out in front of the lobby.


    Brady let out a long whistle as he exited the vehicle and looked around.


    ¡°Uncle Sam sure didn¡¯t spare any expense on this mission, boys and girls,¡± he whispered quietly so only they could hear and gave an approving nod of his head at the marble columns in the entryway and the palm trees lining the walkway.


    Pulling his sun glasses down his nose, Austin stared at two women walking by in bikinis that must have just come from the beach, a wide grin spreading across his face. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank the tax payers for their continued support in making sure we are well taken care of,¡± he said softly with a quiet laugh.


    Parker laughed at Austin¡¯s obvious perusal of the half-naked women as she swung her laptop bag and carry-on over her shoulder and grabbed her suitcase. She didn¡¯t miss the dirty look Garrett shot her way. Obviously, they weren¡¯t going to talk the entire time they were there, and it looked like laughing would be frowned upon as well.


    Everyone else got their bags and made their way into the lobby to get checked in. As the leader of the mission, everything was listed under Garrett¡¯s name so the team waited off to the side and chatted while he signed the paperwork and got the room keys. They watched an attendant come over with a cart and begin loading their luggage, preparing it for the short walk to the villas.


    The Catalonia Bavaro consisted of private villas nestled throughout a luscious, tropical flowered landscape. A serene, crystal blue aquabar infinity swimming pool was central to all the villas, each one providing a private, palm-lined, floral-petal walkway leading to the oasis. Each member of the team had their own opulent villa with a king sized bed piled high with soft, white pillows and floor-to-ceiling windows that let it plenty of sunlight and had a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean. A spacious, white marble and granite bathroom and a fully stocked bar added to the perfection of the villas. Being at a resort like this almost made you forget that less than a mile away there were gangs, drugs, black market dealings, and a president that may or may not have the best interests of his country at heart. Seedy things like that shouldn¡¯t be anywhere near the marble and gold opulence they were currently surrounded by. As Parker stood off to the side while Garrett checked them in, a gentle, warm ocean breeze forced the white billowy curtains draped from the massive cathedral ceiling to brush against her skin. She knew by the silky, luxurious feel, as they snaked their way around her legs and across her arms, that the fabric was high-end. Everywhere they looked, guests were checking in with Louis Vuitton luggage and Armani suits. It was sickening to know that a short trip down the road would provide you with a view of several homes with no roofs, dirt floors, and bare kitchen cupboards. Parker had been involved in several meetings over the years regarding the validity of how President Fernandez allocated his country''s funds. Nothing quite this elaborate had ever been done aside from gathering intel because frankly, they never had any reason to delve deeper.


    After a few minutes, Garrett joined the group and handed out the room key cards. No one missed the fact that he skipped right over Parker, turning and walking away without a word. Parker jogged to catch up to him, leaving the guys to walk with the attendant and their luggage. She reached Garrett just as they got to the first villa and he was making his way up the walkway to the door.


    ¡°So do I get a room or am I supposed to rough it and sleep out under the stars?¡± Parker asked irritably as Garrett slid his key card through the slot and waited for the light to turn green.


    Garrett tried not to sigh in annoyance at Parker¡¯s attitude and pushed the door open wide.


    ¡°Now, sweetie, did you really think we wouldn¡¯t be sharing a room while we¡¯re here?¡± Garrett asked sarcastically. "Given your employment, I''m sure I don''t need to explain to you the importance of keeping up pretenses no matter where we are, dear."


    Before Parker could reply, the attendant pushed the cart up to the doorway and unloaded both of their suitcases and carry-ons. Garrett tipped him and Parker heard the man tell him that he hoped he and his wife had a pleasant stay with them. The man turned and went back to the cart and followed behind the guys to find their villas. Once they rounded the corner, Garrett turned and walked inside, letting the door start to close behind him. Parker swore to herself as she lunged for the door, catching it before it slammed shut on her and left her stuck with the humiliating task of knocking to be let in. Parker walked in the villa and over to the bed in the middle of the room, sliding one hand on top of the fluffy, white comforter. When she got to the head of the bed, she let her fingers glide through the sheer mosquito netting draped down around the corners of the gorgeous, four-poster canopy. A bright sparkle caught her eye and she looked out of the windows at the foot of the bed to see the shimmering, blue ocean.


    She started to say something to Garrett about the view when he strode across the room to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.


    ¡°You have got to be fucking kidding me,¡± Parker muttered to herself as she kicked one of her bags across the room. Garrett was pouting like a twelve-year-old. They were friends - that was all. She''d kept her job a secret from a friend to keep him safe. Parker had no idea why he was acting like it was the biggest betrayal in the world. If he would stop behaving like she purposefully set out to hurt him and actually let her explain, he would understand.


    She stared at the closed bathroom door for several minutes, realizing he wasn¡¯t going to come out anytime soon.


    Knowing she needed to let off some steam, Parker flung open her suitcase, grabbed a few things, and stormed out the door, making sure she took the one and only key card with her.


    She figured if he was going to act like a child, so would she.


    After Garrett stormed into the bathroom, he took a shower and was able to calm down somewhat. He wasn''t surprised to come out and find the villa empty. He threw on a black pair of drawstring nylon running pants, a black and white Nike t-shirt, a pair of tennis shoes, and went in search of Parker. He hoped he would find her, otherwise he''d have to go and tell the front desk he lost his key card.


    And his ¡°wife¡±.


    Parker was grateful that being at a Caribbean resort meant access to the gym at any hour and she had it all to herself. With her iPod plugged in to the gym''s docking station and her "Kick Some Ass" playlist pulled up, Bayside''s "Sick, Sick, Sick" thumped through the sound system and set the tone for her pissed off mood.


    She punched, hit, and kicked out her frustrations for forty minutes, working up a good amount of sweat and unfortunately, even more irritation.


    She threw jabs at the Everlast heavy bag that hung from the ceiling as she bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet.


    "Fucking childish ass," she muttered, punctuating each word with a blow to the bag.


    "Who the fuck are you?" she said, imitating Garrett''s horrified voice as she brought her leg up to the side of the bag and kicked her ankle against it three times.


    The song ended and went right into Godsmack''s "Whatever", making Parker smile for the first time that day as she pictured Garrett''s face on the bag while she sang along and beat the shit out of it.


    "And I don''t need your shit today," Parker sang as she spun around, placing her back to the bag so she could kick out behind her, letting her foot connect with "Garrett''s" nuts.


    Garrett crossed his arms, leaned against the doorjamb of the gym, and watched Parker.


    Her skin tight, black capri workout pants hung low on her hips and ended right below her knees. Garrett wondered if he had ever seen a more perfect body than the one before him right then. He forced his eyes up the length of her, taking in her sweat-glistened skin and the sorry excuse for a top she wore. The red sports bra she had on made his eyes focus on how well-endowed she was.


    Parker had always been in good shape and whenever asked, thanked the good genes she had been born with. Watching how easily she worked the bag and how quickly she went from one boxing move to the next, Garrett knew that was yet another lie she had told that he could add to the list. Obviously she knew her way around a heavy bag and had probably received years of training to get her to that point.


    As he stood there watching the muscles in her arms and abs tighten and strain, he kind of forgot to care.


    Over the music Garrett heard her repeated use of the word "fuck" and "ass" and knew there was only one person she could be referring to.


    "You''re pathetic in your own way," Parker yelled along with the music as she upper-cut the bag, dropped low to the ground, swept one leg under it, popped up, and spun, ending with an elbow jab and a slam of her forearm to the bag.


    Garrett felt his dick twitch.


    The music continued to wail as Parker stood there with her hands on her hips trying to catch her breath.


    Her pose reminded him of one night a year ago¡ªminus her pants and with the addition of entirely too much alcohol on her part.


    Garrett had answered the knock on his door at two in the morning wearing just a pair of drawstring pajama bottoms. A loud crack of thunder had boomed overhead as he opened the door to find his friend standing on his front stoop sopping wet. It hadn''t come as a surprise to see her standing there. His house, and back when they all lived together, his room, was always where Parker or Milo would show up when they got into a fight.


    Garrett sighed and pushed his door open wider so she could duck under his arm and come inside. As she breezed by him, the smell of tequila assaulted his nose. He backed out of the doorway and shut the door, taking a minute to rub the sleep from his eyes. Garrett had a feeling he''d need to be wide awake for the discussion that was going to follow. He heard the rustling of clothing behind him and turned to help Parker with her coat, only to find her standing in the middle of his living room in nothing but a black lace bra and matching boy shorts. Her hands were on her hips and light from the street lamp outside the window reflected off of her rain soaked skin, droplets of water catching the light when she moved and reminding him of expensive jewels.


    Garrett shifted his feet and adjusted his hips in an effort to hide the raging hard on that sprung up at the site of her spilling out of her bra. It could have been a shadow or a trick of the light, but he had sworn he could see the tiniest sliver of nipple peeking out at the edge of the lace.


    He licked his lips and fought to keep his mouth to himself and not wrapped around her wet, lace covered nipple.


    "Milo doesn''t want me," Parker whispered in the dark room.


    "Parker, I-"


    "We''ve both been working overtime and haven''t spent much time together in ages. So I put this on and stood in the living room with candles lit and waited for him to come home," she rambled.


    Thinking about Parker silhouetted by candle light made his dick harder. Thinking about Parker waiting for him to come home from work so he could fuck her senseless made him almost come in his pants.


    "He came in the door, took one look at me, and said, ''Not tonight, Parker,'' and then went in our room and shut the door."


    Garrett''s feet were cemented in place as he watched a tear fall down her cheek.


    "You''d never do that to me, would you, Garrett?" she asked with a sniffle and a hiccup from all the tequila she''d most likely consumed. "If I was yours..." she trailed off.


    As Garrett''s heart beat frantically in his chest and he stared into Parker''s watery green eyes across the room, he knew this lover''s spat wouldn''t be easily fixed with a hug from him and a promise that her and Milo would be fine like all the other times. It wasn''t because he didn''t think they''d be fine.


    On the contrary. He was sure they''d kiss and make up and everything would be status quo. His problem had been his inability to open his mouth and say anything other than what was screaming inside his head. "If you were mine, I would never be able to walk away from you. If you were mine, I¡¯d worship every inch of your body with my hands, lips, and tongue. If you were mine, I wouldn''t be able to stand in the same room as you without running my hands over your skin and tasting your lips. If you were mine..."

 Page 11

    Garrett had kept his mouth shut that night while Parker stood there with her hands on her hips looking defiant and hurt. He had sent her to his room to get dressed so they could talk and found her passed out on his bed a few minutes later. The next morning brought on a fierce hangover for Parker and no further talk of the previous night''s events.Advertisement


    Parker had sensed Garrett''s presence as soon as he first arrived at the gym, choosing to ignore him and waiting to see if he would finally say something to her. Parker realized after five minutes that he obviously still had a stick up his ass. It hurt her deeply that he wasn''t talking to her. With Milo gone, Garrett was her only friend, her only family. He was all she had left in life and not being on speaking terms with this him made her feel so alone. It made her feel like she was back in college, confused and scared and with no one to turn to when life altering events occurred.


    "Are you going to stand there all night staring at my ass or are you going to speak at some point?" Parker asked with her back to him, the anger and disappointment in his behavior ringing loud and clear in her voice.


    Garrett and Parker often traded smart-ass comments like that over the years. They were friends that liked to joke around, and they were comfortable with each other.


    For some reason the comment left a feeling of awkwardness in the air this time. It was like all of a sudden there had been a shift in the atmosphere and nothing felt right.


    Something that had made them laugh before suddenly seemed serious. Maybe it was the tension between them or the secrets still hovering in the air. Whatever it was practically hummed around them and made the hair on Parker''s arms raise.


    She turned around, catching Garrett''s eyes guiltily flash up from where her ass had been moments ago.


    "It is a really nice ass," Garrett said with a shrug.


    The joke fell flat.


    Garrett stood there with his hands in his pockets wondering why he felt so fucking awkward with his friend. He was pissed and he was hurt but everything suddenly felt off, like he didn''t know how to talk to her or what to say. Every fight they''d ever had, every awkward moment, they were always able to immediately resolve things and move on.


    Parker stalked over to Garrett and stood right in front of him for a few minutes, giving him the opportunity to say something, ask her something, or to just stop being a dick.


    When he continued to stand there with nothing to say, she pulled her arm back and punched him in the shoulder.


    "Son of a bitch!" Garrett yelled, rubbing the spot where her fist connected. "What the fuck was that for?"


    Parker roughly shoved his chest, forcing Garrett to stumble backwards a few steps.


    "Come on, McCarthy. You want to fight, so let''s fight," Parker said, shaking her hands out, stretching her neck and bringing her fists up in front of her face in a boxer''s stance.


    Garrett laughed at how absurd she was acting.


    "Come on, Parker. I''m not going to fight you," Garrett said with another laugh as she began to circle him.


    She threw a jab to his other shoulder, quickly moving away to continue circling him.


    "Cut this shit out, Parker," Garrett threatened, starting to get pissed.


    Parker''s fist shot out towards his face and Garrett''s reflexes kicked in at the last minute as he jerked his head out of the way.


    "What''s wrong, McCarthy?" Parker taunted, swinging with the opposite fist and narrowly missing Garrett''s cheek. "Afraid I might kick your ass?"


    Garrett was too pissed off to laugh at her. She''d tried to punch him in the face.


    Twice.


    As Parker stood in place, bouncing from foot to foot, Garrett charged her and grabbed both of her wrists, yanking her towards him and holding her arms against his chest.


    They stood close, chest and thighs pressed together, breathing heavily and staring each other down for several long, tense minutes.


    "You lied to me," Garrett finally growled through clenched teeth. He shook her arms once, forcing her body to jerk as he punctuated his hurt. "Everything about you is a lie."


    Parker''s body suddenly twisted to the side as she maneuvered behind him and Garrett felt a sharp kick to the back of his knees. Before he knew what was happening, he was upside down and then his back was slammed to the mat. The wind was instantly knocked out of him and Parker straddled him, holding his arms above his head.


    Garrett lay there stunned, trying not to pass out and wondering how a five foot seven little wisp of nothing that weighed all of a buck-twenty just knocked a Navy SEAL flat on his ass.


    Parker shifted her hips and tightened her hold on his arms, forcing Garrett''s mind to focus on her chest that was pushed up against his and the heat between her thighs that warmed his stomach.


    "I didn''t lie to you. I protected you. There''s a difference," Parker said softly, her mouth inches from his.


    Garrett stared into her eyes and saw the pain and guilt and sadness swirling around.


    "You don''t think it killed me every single time I couldn''t really tell you where I was going or what I was doing? Do you think I enjoyed pretending to be someone else when every single moment I spent with you made me finally feel whole and alive and like maybe I didn''t need to pretend anymore?"


    Parker''s hold relaxed on Garrett''s arms, but he didn''t move.


    "Every single day for eight years you were the only one I ever wanted to be completely honest with."


    Parker was tired of the lies. If Garrett wanted the truth, she''d give it to him. She would give him anything he wanted.


    All he had to do was ask.


    Garrett watched as Parker slid her hands down the underside of his arms and pushed against his chest so she could sit up. He stared as she swung her leg off of him and stood. He didn''t move as she looked down at him.


    "I signed my life away two months before I even met you and Milo. No matter how much I wanted to tell you, I couldn''t.¡±


    Parker turned and started to walk away, only to stop and look back at him.


    "I failed at keeping Milo happy. I am not about to fail at finding out the truth about what happened to him. I don''t want to fight with you, Garrett. I need you for this. I need my friend."


    Garrett stayed on the floor and watched her walk out of the gym. He replayed every single word she¡¯d said to him, wondering if he had just imagined it considering he wanted to hear something like that from her for so long. Maybe the fire in her eyes was just due to the fact that her secret was finally out. Maybe the words she spoke came out in the heat of the moment and she hadn¡¯t given them much thought.


    He could still feel the warmth from Parker¡¯s body when she was spread out over him, and he could still feel the clench of her thighs on either side of his hips and the whisper of her breath against his lips. He forced himself off of the floor and shook the thoughts from his head.


    Parker said she needed her friend. No matter what was going on between them, no matter how hurt he was that she¡¯d kept something like this from him, he could never deny her anything she asked.


    Garrett would turn off his feelings just like always and give Parker what she needed.


    He would be her friend.


    There was too much at stake with this mission to be anything else.


    Chapter Seven


    Parker walked back to the villa wondering if she had just screwed everything up with this job, with her friendship to Garrett, and with her life in general. So many thoughts and emotions about Garrett and Milo and what they each meant to her were swirling around inside of her and she felt like crawling out of her own skin. She used to be so clearheaded, so in control. Parker prided herself on being professional and put together. Regardless of what Garrett accused her of, everything about her wasn¡¯t one big lie. She needed to hide her skills and her knowledge about certain things and was forced to tone down some of her confidence and turn up a bit of the ¡°girliness¡± so no one would catch on to the talents she had talents that would make their heads spin. But inside she was still the same woman.


    She still loved looking at life through the lens of a camera. She still stopped everything she was doing if one of the Brat Pack movies was on, especially ¡°The Breakfast Club¡±, and she still wondered if she had made the right decision every single day.


    At the time, she thought it was her only option.


    She was about to start her senior year of college in just a few months. The thought had thrilled her immensely. She was growing tired of the monotonous day-to-day activities of going to class, taking tests, writing papers, and going home to study only to get up and do it all over again the next morning. She always felt older than her peers and right now, going to class just seemed like a waste of time. While her friends were content to party every night of the week, hook-up with random guys, and joke about how they wished they could stay in college forever, Annabelle couldn¡¯t wait to get out. She wanted to travel, tell stories with her pictures, and get paid to do what she loved.


    She chose the University of Maryland because it was her mother¡¯s Alma Mater. And frankly, it was the farthest away from her father. He made it clear he didn¡¯t want her around, and after eight months of putting up with his depression and anger, she gave him his wish. Luckily, she didn¡¯t have to rely on him at all to get her through college. Her mother had made her the beneficiary on one of her life insurance policies, so as soon as she turned eighteen, she had plenty of money to live and go to school as long as she budgeted wisely and didn''t waste funds on anything frivolous.


    For the first year she took to telling people that both of her parents were dead. It was easier than the truth. If people knew she had a father that hated her because she was still alive, it would make them talk about her more than they already did because she was quiet and kept mostly to herself, preferred books over kegs, therefor she must be weird.


    She tried to go the honesty route with the first guy she dated and when he asked, ¡°What was wrong with you to make your father hate you so much?¡± She realized honesty wasn¡¯t always the best policy. Being honest just made her feel like a failure¡ªshe failed at making her father love her.


    All of this just helped to reinforce her views on love and happily ever after and that they were just one big messy entanglement she didn¡¯t need in her life. No man would ever want to settle down with a woman that couldn¡¯t love him back and refused to give him all of herself because she was afraid of turning out like her father. No woman would ever really want to be her friend because they could sense she kept part of herself hidden to avoid being hurt. She had acquaintances and she had dates. She had people she hung out with and men who she slept with when her hands and toys couldn¡¯t get her off. All of those things just made her an obvious choice for recruitment. And it made her decision that much easier.


    She didn¡¯t have a family to depend on or turn to¡ªshe only had herself. Even though she was alone, deep down inside she was still the same person. If her father called her and told her he missed her and wanted her to come home, she would have dropped out of school to go back home. Regardless of how many miles she put between them, he was still her father. And he was still a tool that could be used against her.


    In the middle of July, Annabelle found herself sitting on a bench outside of the Arts and Sciences building doing some advanced research for her senior project. She was one of a handful of students who lived in campus housing year-round. Some of the professors usually felt sorry for the students that had nowhere to go during the summer months and gave them class syllabuses and outlines a few weeks early just to give them something to do on the quiet campus during the summer.


    She was busy reading a study from Stanford about the impact of new technology on still photography and didn¡¯t notice the man who sat down beside her.


    He studied her for several long minutes, admiring the fact that she was so engrossed in her reading she hadn''t even acknowledged his presence with a glance, a shift of her body, or a change in her breathing.


    Everything he''d learned about her intrigued him. She''d be good at this job, maybe even one of the best. Now all he had to do was use his power of persuasion and she''d be his.


    ¡°Annabelle Elizabeth Parker, born April 25, 1981, daughter to Joe and Annie Parker,¡± the man spoke after a few minutes of silence.


    Annabelle¡¯s head jerked up at the first sound of his voice, and her fear at the knowledge he possessed made her skin crawl. Parker didn''t think he looked like a crazy stalker; he looked like a professor. He appeared to be in his mid-forties. He had on khakis, a blue and white checkered button-down, and well-worn Oxfords on his feet. All he was missing was the tweed jacket with leather on the elbows. The thought made Parker laugh to herself. She figured maybe he was one of her new teachers this year and someone from Admissions had pointed her out. She calmed her racing heart with that thought.


    ¡°Do I know you?¡± she asked politely, just in case he really was one of her professors. She figured there was no sense pissing him off before the first day of class.


    ¡°No, but I know you,¡± he said conspiratorially with a wink.


    Annabelle was raised by a cop; she grew up surrounded by other cops. She was taught at a young age not to trust or talk to strangers. This man looked at her like he knew everything about her. He studied her like he was looking for the hidden meaning of life. It left her feeling uneasy and just a little bit on edge.


    She started nervously gathering her books and stuffing them into her backpack that rested on the ground by her feet, keeping her head down to avoid looking the man in the eyes. Annabelle quickly stood up and flung the pack over one of her shoulders.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have some friends I¡¯m supposed to meet,¡± she told him as she started to back away.


    ¡°Your mother died from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when you were seventeen years old," the man said, easing his arm to the back of the bench. "She was diagnosed a year earlier, and for your entire senior year of high school, you sat by her bedside and watched her die. She and your father were high school sweethearts and were married for eighteen years, three months and nineteen days the day she died."

 Page 12

    The fake, polite smile Annabelle had previously plastered on her face quickly died.Advertisement


    "You spent eight months trying to nurse your father back to the land of the living, or should I say, out of the bottom of the bottle¡ªto no avail. On an average, for those eight months, he drank twenty-five ounces of whiskey every single day. Now, it¡¯s closer to thirty-five. But you wouldn¡¯t know that since the last time you spoke to your father was the day you left for college, almost three years ago, the day he told you for the hundredth time how much he hated the sight of you. Only that time he called you by your mother¡¯s name and you smacked him across the face.¡±


    Annabelle¡¯s blood had long since run cold as she stood there listening to a complete stranger tick off intimate facts about her life. She stood a few feet away from him, unable to move, clutching the strap of her backpack hanging from her shoulder so tight her knuckles turned white.


    He sat calmly on the bench with his ankle propped up on the opposite knee, studying his cuticles.


    ¡°You have acquaintances, not friends. No one knows that your father is an alcoholic and you look so much like your mother you could have been twins. You have affairs, not love. There isn¡¯t a man out there who could make you believe in happily ever after considering what you¡¯ve witnessed with your father. You¡¯ve slept with a total of four men and none of them know your middle name or the name of the town you grew up in which was Manchester Township, Michigan, by the way. Population: four-thousand-one-hundred-and-two.¡±


    The rage and the embarrassment Annabelle felt made her want to lash out at this man.


    ¡°Who in the hell do you think you are? I¡¯m calling the police, you psychotic fuck.¡±


    She turned, about to make a run for it, knowing a blue campus security phone was exactly one block away.


    ¡°You just filled out an application for a student loan totaling twenty-three thousand dollars, which is currently in the process of being denied by the Financial Aid department. You have exactly two thousand and thirty six dollars in your bank account, the sum total of all that is left of your mother¡¯s life insurance policy. The bottom line, Annabelle Parker, you can¡¯t afford to finish college.¡±


    The man watched her stop in her tracks and knew he had her...hook, line, and sinker. He hoped he would get a raise for this one.


    She stood with her back to the man, fighting back tears. She¡¯d looked at her bank account every day for the past six months, hoping it would magically quadruple in size. She knew she wouldn¡¯t have enough money for her last year, room and board, and food. She did everything she could to stretch out the money, but photography supplies were expensive. Annabelle filled out the financial aid forms a few weeks ago, praying that something good would finally come her way. She briefly wondered if this guy was from the Financial Aid department and that was why he knew so much about her. But Annabelle was pretty certain it wasn''t a job requirement to know the sexual history of all the applicants.


    Annabelle was lost in thought, something she shouldn¡¯t have been with a stranger that knew entirely too many personal details about her sitting just a few feet away. His arm suddenly came around her from behind, causing her to jump in fear. She was amazed by the way he was able to sneak up on her so quietly.


    He held a large manila envelope in front of her and spoke quietly into her ear.


    ¡°There¡¯s some interesting information in here, Miss Parker. Look it over. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±


    Since she refused to take the envelope or anything else he might have offered; it dropped down to the ground in front of her as he walked away. She lost track of time as she stood there in the middle of campus shaking with fear. She didn¡¯t understand how someone could know so much information about her. He had known how many men she slept with and about that awful day in her father¡¯s kitchen when she left for college. No one should know that information, and it scared the hell out of her that this man had so casually walked up to her in a public place and listed these things off the top of his head like it was no big deal.


    Annabelle quickly looked around to see if anyone was near before dropping to the ground, picking up the envelope, and shoving it in her backpack. She had run the whole way back to her dorm, shaking with apprehension at what could possibly be in the envelope and knowing that if that man already knew so much about her, and could locate her in the middle of a huge campus, he would easily be able to find her again.


    Annabelle had unlocked her door with trembling hands, sat down on the bed in her dorm, and tore open the flap of the envelope, dumping the contents on top of her bedspread. At least fifty pictures slipped out and flopped down to the bed in a scattered pile. She threw the envelope to the floor and picked up one of the pictures. It was a black and white photo of her father. A man twice his size stood behind him, holding his arms behind his back while another man stood in front of him, his fist frozen in time against her father¡¯s cheek.


    She threw that one down on the bed and picked up another, this one in color. It showed her father walking down the steps of her old home, his face badly beaten. One eye was black and blue, he had a split lip, a cut above his eyebrow, and a bandage over his nose that most likely signified it was broken.


    Annabelle tossed that one aside and picked up yet another, and another, and another until she had looked through each and every picture. They were all more or less the same. Her father with his face beat to hell or her father looking scared to death while he talked with some man in a suit. Each photo was dated, not one was a duplicate. The earliest photo was one of her father exchanging money with the same man in a suit. It was dated six months before her mother died.


    Annabelle had no idea what any of this was supposed to mean. She didn¡¯t understand what her father had gotten himself into or why she cared. She shoved the pictures aside and grabbed the small note card that had fallen out with them. Written in the middle of the card in block letters was a name: Anthony Capuano.


    Annabelle had flipped the card over, hoping for something else, but the back was blank. She scrambled off of the bed and over to her desk, powering on her laptop. She did a Google search for Anthony Capuano. There were six-thousand-four-hundred-and-nineteen results.


    The first link had provided took her to the New York Times and told her all she needed to know.


    Parker let herself into the villa, grabbing a sock to stick between the door jam and the lock so Garrett could get back in. She peeled off her sweaty clothes as she made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower. As she stood under the warm spray and let the tension wash away, Parker thought back over everything that happened that day in college. She would never allow herself to second guess her decision. It had been the right one for her to make at the time. The job had taught her so many things¡ªthings she¡¯d never forget and things she wished she could forget. Most of all, she wished she could forget the items in the envelope. Garrett could blame her for lying about the job all he wanted, but no matter what, she was still the same person inside, the same person who would do anything for those she loved.


    Garrett still wasn¡¯t back to the villa by the time Parker got out of the shower. She wasn¡¯t going to worry about him or go looking for him. She had said her piece and he was a big boy. He could forgive her and they could move on, or he could continue to ignore her and be pissed. The choice was up to him.


    She dressed for bed in a pink Victoria¡¯s Secret tank top and matching draw-string pajama bottoms and crawled into the king-sized haven, scooting as far over to one side as she could without falling on the floor. Parker wondered if Garrett would climb in with her when he got to the room or if he''d sleep on the floor. She wondered if he would even come back to the room at all. She turned off the lamp on the nightstand and shut her eyes, trying to shut down her mind and not think about that day in college, but it was useless.


    Annabelle had wished she could blame her father for everything. It would be so easy to just give in to the hurt and the anger and finally admit that if it wasn¡¯t for his bad choices, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to clean up his mess. In a sense it was true, but Annabelle wasn¡¯t the type of person to do that. No matter the circumstances, he was still her family.


    Annabelle had found out that Anthony Capuano was the head of the New Jersey criminal syndicate. In layman¡¯s terms, he was in the mob. He ran everything and everyone on the entire East Coast. A few months into Annabelle¡¯s mother¡¯s illness, Joe Parker realized the medical bills were piling up. Through a few back door connections at work, he was put in touch with a man who could give him an immediate loan, no questions asked, no references needed, no copies of ten years¡¯ worth of pay stubs and tax returns required. Joe was able to pay Anthony back with interest in the time allotted, and that should have been the end of it. But then there were more bills, along with funeral costs, and it snowballed from there. After Annabelle left for college, Joe borrowed well beyond his means and started gambling to pay back those debts, only to incur more on top of it. Week after week he was punished for not coming up with the money, and week after week he continued to fall further into the hole. By the time Annabelle was contacted, her father was in so deep with the mob there was no way out.


    A call to Annabelle¡¯s cell phone three days later by an ¡°unavailable number¡± provided her with the name of a restaurant, a date, and time before disconnecting without another word. Annabelle almost skipped the appointment, but curiosity got the better of her. The man that had spoken to her on campus a few days earlier was the one to show up and sit down across from her. She would later find out that his name was Agent Brad Richmond, with the CIA, and they had been keeping her under surveillance for three years due to her father¡¯s dealings with Anthony Capuano. When they realized how intelligent she was, that as a cop¡¯s daughter she had a wealth of knowledge about law enforcement, and that before her mother got sick she was a member of the junior rifle league, and by the time she was thirteen could handle a weapon better than adult men three times her age, they knew they wanted her as one of their own. It was an added bonus that she was a self-imposed loner thanks to her father and that she was desperate to finish college.


    Annabelle had been given all of the money she needed to finish school, her father¡¯s debts were completely paid off, and the contract currently out on his head was forgotten. All she had to do was keep up her end of the deal: tell no one or her life or theirs would be at risk.


    Garrett flopped back down on the gym mat after Parker had left and remained there for at least an hour, staring up at the ceiling. He wanted to feel bad that his and Parker¡¯s first conversation hadn¡¯t gone exactly as planned, but he could still feel her body pinning his to the ground and every other thought disappeared into the recesses of his mind. His hands ground into the mat next to him as he thought about how easily it would have been to grasp her hips and slide her down his stomach and over the hardness between his legs that he was surprised she hadn''t felt.


    Garrett''s chest grew tight when he remembered the look in her eyes when he told her everything about her was a lie. He should have never said that to her. Regardless of the fact that she could kick his ass, and probably knew who killed JFK, she was still his Parker. And when Garrett had these thoughts, he didn''t need to remind himself that by his Parker, he meant his friend Parker.


    His best friend Milo''s fianc¨¦e, Parker. She told him she needed her friend, and that was just what he''d give her.


    When Garrett got back to the villa, he was surprised to find a sock wedged in the door. He figured Parker was just pissed off enough to throw all of his stuff on the front walk and make him sleep on the wooden chair by the door.


    He crept into the dark room and saw Parker''s sleeping form on the far side of the bed in the middle of the room. It didn''t escape his notice that she had left plenty of room for him to sleep there as well, which hopefully meant she wasn''t too mad anymore.


    Garrett stood there at the edge of the bed, his brain at war with his libido. The logical part of his head told him it wouldn''t be a good idea to sleep in the same bed with her. But the little head down below, that made most of his decisions, didn''t see what the big deal was. Garrett and Parker had shared a bed numerous times.


    "Why are you in my bed?"


    Garrett had squinted at Parker out of one eye, watching her yawn and stretch her arms above her head.


    "Milo left in the middle of the night for a mission. I thought I heard a noise and got scared. And you have better pillows," she explained as she rolled to face him and burrowed her face into said pillows.


    Garrett had stared at the pillows beneath her and knew it would take exactly four days until her smell was gone from them.


    "You talked in your sleep last night. And you have a serious boundary issue with your legs," she had complained.


    "I''m pretty sure I know how to fix that, Parker. Stop sleeping in my bed."


    Remembering that time Parker had shown up in his bed unannounced made Garrett smile. But then he remembered that Parker was CIA and the smile fell from his face as he wondered if she had really been scared by a noise that night or all the other times she "thought she heard something" and crawled into his bed when Milo was away. Garrett figured Parker knew at least twenty-seven different ways to kill anything that went bump in the night.


    Garrett never felt an ounce of guilt that his best friend''s girl crawled into bed with him almost every time he was away for work. Nothing ever happened aside from sleep; Garrett would have never crossed that line no matter what. And Milo knew all about Parker''s sleep habits and regularly teased her for being such a girl. Milo had always trusted Garrett explicitly while he was alive. He¡¯d trusted him with his friendship, with his life, and with the woman he loved.


    Garrett wished he had been worthy of that trust back then. All of the thoughts he¡¯d harbored about Parker over the years made him feel undeserving of it.

 Page 13

    Garrett took one last look at Parker¡¯s body under the covers and made a quick decision to just do what he''d normally do. There was no reason why this time should be different than any others. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto a chair in the corner then untied the string on his running pants and let them drop to the floor.Advertisement


    Wearing just his boxer briefs, he eased back the covers and crawled into bed as gently as he could so he wouldn''t wake Parker. Garrett lay there on his back, still as a statue, listening to Parker''s deep, even breathing. He turned his head toward her on the pillow, and the nightlight from the bathroom offered just enough of a glow that he could see her face.


    She was sleeping in her favorite position: on her stomach with her arms wrapped around her pillows.


    Garrett needed to get some sleep. They had a team meeting first thing in the morning. For some reason he had a feeling it wouldn''t be as easy as it used to be to sleep next to his friend tonight.


    Garrett only hoped he was able to keep his boundary problem under control.


    Chapter Eight


    Parker¡¯s eyes fluttered open and she quickly closed them when the bright Dominican sun assaulted her through the patio doors. She wondered if she forgot to turn on the air conditioning the night before. Parker knew it was hot in the Dominican, but this was ridiculous. She was burning up. And she felt like she was pinned to the bed.


    When her subconscious finally woke up, she realized there was an arm draped over her waist and a hard body pressed into her back. It only took a few seconds for her to realize that Garrett must have come back to the room after she fell asleep. Parker held perfectly still, not wanting to wake the man that had his nose pressed into the back of her neck and an erection nestled against her ass. Out of all the times they had sleepovers through the years, they never woke up this way. In the past, Garrett¡¯s leg had slid between hers and she¡¯d push him back to his side of the bed. His hand would flop over and smack her on the arm and she¡¯d jerk awake to throw it off of her. In the morning, they always woke up on their respective sides of the bed. This was uncharted territory and Parker didn¡¯t know what to do. She knew what her body wanted to do: rub up against the hardness currently pushing into her and slide the hand warming her stomach inside her pajama bottoms to see if Garrett¡¯s fingers felt as good as they looked. Parker assumed Garrett wouldn¡¯t react very well to something like that, so she closed her eyes, slowed down her breathing, and wished for a few more hours of just being close to him.


    Garrett was oblivious to Parker¡¯s daydream about his fingers and the morning swell of his member because he was lost in his own thoughts. The smell of coconut awakened his senses before he realized where he was. All Garrett knew was that there was something soft that smelled like heaven in his arms. He fluttered in between dreaming and waking, and he wasn¡¯t quite sure which category he fell into. He didn¡¯t care as long as he could stay where he was.


    Feelings of arousal tingled through his groin, and he felt his cock harden and push into something supple. Garrett liked the way it felt so much he shifted his hips in an effort to feel more of it rubbing against him. He realized his hand was resting against something flat and warm and pushed it up so he could feel even more of it against his palm. His hand lightly skimmed the silky smoothness, letting his fingertips glide over every inch along the way, until they were met with something full and round that fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. He halted his movement. Garrett didn¡¯t know if it was the low muttered female moan that forced him fully awake, or the realization that he was holding a breast in his hand, but his eyes popped open and his brain flew into overdrive when he comprehended the fact that it was Parker¡¯s breast in his hand and Parker¡¯s body that he was currently snuggled up against.


    Do I keep pretending I¡¯m asleep or make a huge joke out of the situation, Garrett thought to himself. And why can¡¯t I move my hand away from her breast, his brain practically screamed.


    Parker knew the moment Garrett became conscious of what he was doing probably before he did. An agent was trained to pay attention to certain tells, like a subtle increase in breathing patterns and a heartbeat that went from a sleeping rate of fifty-two beats a minute to Garrett¡¯s current ninety-seven beats a minute. Garrett¡¯s rate was unusually high for someone just waking up, which told Parker he was finally aware he was currently palming her bare breast.


    ¡°You¡¯ve obviously decided on a whole new meaning for the word ¡®boundaries¡¯ haven¡¯t you?¡± Parker said, attempting to inject some humor into the situation. She knew better than anyone that Garrett-straight-laced-does-everything-by-the-book-Parker-is-my-friend-McCarthy would be absolutely mortified that he woke up that way.


    Garrett jerked his hand out from under Parker¡¯s tank top and tried not to whimper at the loss of her beneath his palm. He quickly scrambled away from her and off the bed while she casually rolled over to face him, propping her head in her hand and her elbow on her pillow.


    Parker watched as Garrett bent down to the floor and grabbed the pants he had discarded last night, pulling them up his legs and over the erection that strained against his boxer briefs. Parker watched the sight before her disappear behind the black nylon pants as Garrett pulled his thumbs out of the elastic, letting it snap into place. The pants hung low enough on him that Parker could see the muscled indents by his hip bones and a bit of his happy trail peeking out of the top. Parker wondered why she never took more time to stare at his body before when a flash of something caught her eye. She blinked and looked down to see Milo¡¯s engagement ring resting on top of her tank top, right between her breasts.


    While Garrett got dressed without saying a word, Parker was hit with a wave of guilt and wondered if the reflection of the sun against the ring was some sort of sign she was betraying Milo¡¯s memory with all of these thoughts of Garrett.


    Parker reached up and fingered the ring, sliding it back and forth along its thin, silver chain, the zipping sound of metal against metal filling the quiet room.


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be downstairs in thirty minutes to meet everyone for breakfast,¡± Garrett finally spoke. His back was to Parker as he rummaged through his suitcase for a change of clothes.


    Parker sat up in bed and pushed the covers off of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a quick shower,¡± Garrett said without looking at her as he piled a tee shirt, jeans, and clean underwear into his arms and moved towards the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll just meet you down there.¡±


    The door slammed shut behind him, signifying that there would be no discussion about the morning¡¯s wake up call.


    Thirty minutes later they were all seated at a table for a continental breakfast with a view of the Atlantic at the Playa Restaurant located just off the resort¡¯s lobby.


    Parker had thrown on a pair of dark green cargo pants and a fitted white tee shirt, pulled her hair into a high ponytail, and left the room right after Garrett¡¯s departure to the bathroom, making her way downstairs to wait in the lobby for everyone.


    She sat in one of the black wicker love-seats with red cushions that reminded her of the color of Garrett¡¯s underwear from that morning and people-watched. For the most part, this resort looked like a honeymoon destination. Everywhere Parker glanced she saw couples. Men and women holding hands, kissing, and their arms wrapped around one another, completely oblivious to what was going on around them. They only cared about each other. She tried to remember back to a time when she and Milo were like that, but she couldn¡¯t. The sad truth was they had never been in love like that. They held hands occasionally. He offered her his elbow when she was exiting a vehicle or they were walking into an event, and he hung his arm around her shoulder in a friendly gesture¡ªbut none of it screamed love, passion, and adoration.


    Parker always blamed herself for the lack of¡­everything in their relationship. She kept the most important parts of herself closed off from him. A few times she tried to apologize for not being able to give him more, but he would always cut her off and tell her it didn¡¯t matter. He loved her and he would take any part she was willing to give. Milo knew about her father. She was able to give him that much at least. She had to share something with him so he could at least try to understand where she was coming from. Milo was her best friend. She always thought that would be enough. It was the basis for every successful relationship.


    But as she sat there and felt the warm ocean breeze against her skin, listening to the rustle of palm trees and the cries of exotic birds in the distance, she looked across the expanse of the lobby and watched Garrett walk the length of the marble floor, feeling her heart speed up in her chest. Garrett was also her best friend, but Garrett gave her butterflies, made her second-guess every single decision she¡¯d made for the past eight years, and made her want to stay locked away in a room with him, away from the world and other people and anything that could come between them. He made her want to greet every single morning exactly like she did that morning. He made her want things she had no business wanting or even deserved.


    After everyone finished their breakfast, where they lightly conversed about safe topics like sports, vacations, and movies, Garrett got down to business.


    ¡°Marshall, where are we on making contact with President Fernandez?¡±


    While Austin and Cole were there mostly for muscle, Brady¡¯s main focus for the mission was intel and communication. He was quick with a computer and skilled with a gun, but he absolutely excelled in sweet talk and cons.


    ¡°I sent an email to the lovely Mrs. Pilar Espinal, Fernandez¡¯s secretary and guard dog for the past ten years, as soon as I got to my room last night. According to her reply this morning, she received our request last week inquiring about an interview with the President and now that we are in the country, he is more than willing to sit down with us,¡± Brady explained as he wiped the corner of his mouth with a cloth napkin and tossed it on the table. ¡°I was able to get Mr. and Mrs. Garrett Miller an invite to a black tie dinner being held tomorrow evening at the presidential palace.¡±


    Everyone looked between Garrett and Parker with smirks on their faces. Garrett and Parker refused to acknowledge them or each other. Garrett was hoping Parker would never, ever speak or think of the morning¡¯s events again. He was appalled at his behavior even if it did happen while he was half asleep. But his hand had continued to linger after he woke up, and he had no excuse for that.


    Even so, Garrett wanted her bare breasts in his palms and his hardness between her legs so badly it hurt to breathe. He needed to get away from her for a while and clear his head.


    ¡°Sounds good. Text me the information,¡± Garrett told Brady as he threw his own napkin down on the table and stood up. ¡°I made arrangements for two rental SUVs. I¡¯m going to take one and scope out the palace. Marshall, start digging into Fernandez¡¯s financial records. I want bank account information, local and offshore investments, charity, real estate holdings, and anything else you can find on him.¡±


    Parker listened to Garrett rattle off instructions to Brady as he backed away from the table. She stood up and followed him.


    ¡°Hey, you want some company?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m good. You can just wander around the resort and relax,¡± Garrett told her before throwing his hand in the air in a casual wave and quickly walking away.


    Parker stood there squeezing her hands into fists in an effort to stop her from punch something, like the marble column next to her. She had to stop herself from running up behind Garrett and smacking him upside the back of his head.


    ¡°So, little lady,¡± Brady drawled, pulling her out of her murderous thoughts, ¡°how about you sit down and tell us why the hell we never knew you were so bad ass you could accompany four guys on a top secret SEAL mission.¡±


    A few hours and several mimosas later, Parker made her way back to the villa. Against her better judgment, after a few minutes chatting with the guys after breakfast, she realized she liked them. A lot. She¡¯d run into them several times over the years at different functions, but she never really sat down and talked to them. They were loud, hilarious, full of sexual innuendos for everything, teased her unmercifully, and they were easy to talk to. They made Parker wish she hadn¡¯t been an only child and had been blessed with a few older brothers to watch after her and keep her safe


    Not that Annabelle Parker needed to be kept safe. With her black belt in karate and taekwondo, her expert marksman status, lethal and non-lethal hand-to-hand combat training, and wilderness survival skills, Parker could take care of herself.


    It was still a nice thought to have every once in a while when her defenses were lowered. She never asked for the life she''d been given. Sometimes she caught herself wishing for a normal one with parents and siblings¡ªa group of people who cared about her well-being.


    Parker dropped down on her side of the bed, dragged her laptop bag up from the floor, removed the computer from its case, and placed it on her lap. Garrett might be the computer genius, but Parker took a six month hacker course from Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. He didn¡¯t know it was a hacker course, per say, but hind-sight was twenty-twenty, especially when you were with the CIA.


    Parker fired up the laptop, plugged in her mobile printer, and got to work.


    Garrett spent the rest of the day doing surveillance on the palace and meeting up with Brady every few hours for updates on what he found, which wasn''t much. Fernandez''s information was one big jumbled mess of dead ends. His business ventures, companies, accounts¡ªthey all looked legit for the most part. There were transactions that could have raised a red flag, but Brady was never able to find anything even remotely illegal about the business he conducted. He got to a certain point in his search when he thought he¡¯d find something, and then the trail would end, producing nothing illegal.

 Page 14

    Garrett tried his hand at digging for a few hours while he sat at the bar in the lobby of the hotel and ate dinner. He told himself repeatedly that he wasn¡¯t avoiding Parker. He just had a lot of work to do and didn¡¯t feel like going back to the room just yet.Advertisement


    When the bartender began cleaning up and shutting the bar down, Garrett knew it was time to face the music. He tucked his laptop under his arm and walked to the villa.


    As he let himself into the room, courtesy of the extra key he got that morning from the front desk, he saw Parker¡¯s laptop in the middle of the bed surrounded by hundreds of sheets of paper. The bathroom door opened just as he started to walk over to see what was printed on them.


    Parker came out of the bathroom surrounded by a cloud of steam, wearing her usual tank top and draw string pants, this time in pale blue. Garrett froze for a moment, taking in her wavy, damp hair, freshly scrubbed face, and the fact that she wasn¡¯t wearing a bra. His face heated at the memory of that morning and how she hadn¡¯t been wearing a bra then either.


    Parker was still pissed at Garrett, but seeing him standing there after not being near him all day made her just want to throw her arms around him and pull him close. Waking up to him in the morning made her realize how much she missed being touched and how much she wanted to be touched by him. She resisted the urge to go to him, considering the morning¡¯s events made him run away from her and disappear all day just so he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the embarrassment.


    Parker turned and walked over to the bed, sliding some of the papers aside so she could crawl up to the pillows and lean back against the headboard. Garrett set his laptop on the counter leading into the kitchen and watched her cross her legs and pull her computer onto her lap. He realized just how stupid and immature he was being. Nothing that bad happened, nothing that couldn¡¯t be easily forgotten about so they could move on and go back to the effortless friendship they always shared.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we got an invite to the palace tomorrow. Trying to break into that place would be impossible. I counted one hundred and forty-seven heavily armed guards there today,¡± Garrett shared, trying to get her to talk and hopefully forgive him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. It can be done,¡± Parker responded nonchalantly as she typed on her laptop and never looked up.


    Garrett was still having a hard time believing the things that came out of Parker¡¯s mouth. He shook his head in wonder as he stared at her, moving closer to the bed.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been here before?¡± Garrett asked.


    The clicking of her fingers on the keys stilled, but she still didn¡¯t look up.


    ¡°A few times, yes.¡±


    Parker was surprised Garrett was asking her. He¡¯d been nothing but ticked off and shocked about her job, and now all of a sudden he seemed interested. She couldn¡¯t tell him the details of why she had been here, but now that he knew what she did for a living, she could give him a little.


    ¡°The first time was the year after you guys graduated from SEAL training,¡± she told him softly.


    ¡°Seriously? I remember that trip. You went to the Caribbean to take pictures of white marlin for Greenpeace. Or so you said.¡±


    Parker finally looked up at Garrett, gauging the look on his face to see if he was being sarcastic. She was shocked to see that he wasn¡¯t. He was smiling.


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile back. Just a few days without his friendship and support and she felt lost. That smile was like a lifeline that she desperately reached for.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie about that. I really did take those marlin pictures for them. One of them is still hanging in their office in Amsterdam as a matter of fact,¡± she said proudly. ¡°I just had to get the photos completed in a day so I could ¡°borrow¡± something from Fernandez¡¯s office.¡±


    Garrett let out a little laugh, and Parker¡¯s heart sped up at the sound. He moved forward until his legs came in contact with the edge of the bed.


    ¡°So what¡¯s all this?¡± Garrett asked as he pointed to the mess all over the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some research on Fernandez. Found a few surprising things.¡±


    Garrett looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°I thought you were just going to relax by the pool today, maybe check out some of the stores and get your hair done or something,¡± he said.


    Parker wondered if it was physically impossible for Garrett to stop being a jerk for more than ten minutes. She slammed the lid to her laptop closed and stared him down.


    ¡°I''m not just here to be your sweet little wife and look pretty. I have a job to do as well, Garrett.¡±


    Garrett immediately started backpedaling when he saw how angry he¡¯d made her.


    ¡°I didn''t mean...I just thought you could use some down time. That¡¯s all I meant by that.¡±


    Parker shook her head at him and huffed in indignation.


    ¡°Down time? Garrett I''ve been on administrative leave for six months. I''ve had nothing but down time. What I need is to work. And to get some answers. So if you can stop being a chauvinistic ass for five minutes, we can talk about the things I found.¡±


    Garrett refused to admit that his dick swelled a little as he watched her fiery attitude take control. He ignored it and concentrated on what she¡¯d printed out.


    He picked up a few pages and stared at them wide-eyed.


    ¡°Jesus Christ, Parker! This is a list of all of the shell companies that are directly associated to Fernandez,¡± Garrett said in amazement as he thumbed through the pages in his hand. He grabbed another piece of paper, scanning the contents. ¡°Are these the offshore account numbers for these companies? How the fuck did you find this? Even I couldn¡¯t get in that deep.¡±


    Parker shrugged, ¡°I have my ways.¡±


    ¡°So what? You can tell me, but then you''d have to kill me?¡± Garrett joked.


    The smile on Parker¡¯s face instantly fell, and Garrett watched as something erased the light in her eyes. She looked away from him and shoved the computer off of her lap, not really caring where it landed; she just couldn¡¯t look at him anymore.


    ¡°I could tell you, but then someone else could kill you,¡± she said so softly he had to strain to hear her.


    These past few days Garrett had been pissed at her for not telling him the truth, and to be honest, he¡¯d been a little jealous that she¡¯d lived this life of excitement and espionage and all of the things movies were made about. He took his envy and anger out on her and blamed her for his insecurities about his own life. But in reality, this was the God damn CIA she had been dealing with for eight years. Who really knew what the hell they had done to her? The thought made his blood boil that they may have done something to hurt her or threatened someone she cared about. Garrett may not have the security clearance she did, but he still worked for the same government. He heard rumors; he knew the lengths they would go to get what they wanted. Garrett suddenly felt sick to his stomach, wondering what they might have done to prove a point.


    Garrett swallowed thickly, still standing at the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Who?¡± he asked softly.


    ¡°I don''t know what you''re talking about,¡± Parker immediately replied, turning her face away from him.


    Garrett shoved the papers aside and sat down on the bed next to her. He tentatively reached a hand out and ran it up and down her arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Parker. I¡¯m not going anywhere. Talk to me.¡±


    Garrett watched a lone tear trickle down her cheek as Parker remembered her only friend from college.


    Parker had met Lacie Butler the summer before her senior year of college. Lacie was another lost soul that had nowhere to go after class let out at the end of the semester. Her parents had left her to be raised by nannies for most of her life, and they traveled so much she saw them maybe once a year. That summer, they had been in San Tropez while Lacie was in the library on a Saturday evening.


    When Parker walked into the library after dinner, she had her usual feelings of excitement knowing she¡¯d have the entire place all to herself. Her happiness was short lived, however, when she spotted another girl sitting at Parker¡¯s usual table. She sighed in frustration and made her way to a different table a few rows down.


    The two girls spent several hours reading and taking notes without ever looking at one another. They were perfectly content to keep to themselves and get their work done. At ten o¡¯clock, the librarian wandered over to tell them it was closing time, and then she lightly admonished them for not going out and doing something fun on a Saturday night.


    That was when Parker turned to look at the girl and found her looking right back. They shared a laugh, stood up, gathered their things, and walked out of the library together.


    Parker and Lacie were friends for two months, three weeks, and twenty-two days. They talked, went to the library, went out for drinks, and just spent time together. It had been a while since Parker let herself get comfortable with someone else, and she forgot how nice it was. Lacie was sweet and shy and never questioned Parker¡¯s reluctance to open up about her past. She never pressured Parker to give more than she was willing to. Lacie was just content to have some company, and so was Parker.


    After her dinner with Agent Richmond, and her agreement to begin training as a CIA agent, Parker went back to her dorm and paced back and forth like a caged animal. For the first time in years, Parker needed someone to talk to. She wanted someone to convince her that she¡¯d made the right decision and tell her everything would be okay. Parker called the only person in her life that she felt comfortable enough with.


    Parker went to Lacie¡¯s dorm room upon her insistence, and after years of keeping things bottled up, she confided in someone and asked for advice. Parker didn¡¯t give her all of the details; she skimmed over a lot of her family situation and glossed over her father¡¯s problems, but she came clean about her job offer. Parker wouldn¡¯t be given any information until she started training in a few months, so there really wasn¡¯t much to tell aside from the fact that the CIA had offered her a job.


    Lacie gave Parker exactly what she needed, encouragement, hope, and the confidence she need to know she had made the right decision. It also didn¡¯t hurt that Lacie¡¯s favorite TV show of all time was ¡°Alias¡±, and she squealed and jumped up and down stating that she couldn¡¯t believe she was friends with a real life Sydney Bristow. Parker had left Lacie¡¯s dorm room that night feeling a sense of calm and happiness that she hadn¡¯t experienced in a very long time.


    ¡°We had a standing library date every afternoon after our last classes were finished. She didn¡¯t show up the next day or the day after that. When I tried her cell, she didn¡¯t pick up.¡±


    Garrett reached over for Parker¡¯s hand, entwining his fingers in hers and holding on tight. He sensed what was coming before she even finished the story.


    ¡°I pounded on her door and called her name, but she never answered. The RA heard me and came over to see what was going on. After I explained to him that I hadn¡¯t heard from her in two days, he got the master key and opened her room.¡±


    Parker closed her eyes and focused on the feel of Garrett¡¯s hand holding hers, on how soft and warm his skin felt against her own small, cold hand. Parker hadn¡¯t thought about Lacie in years. She wouldn¡¯t let herself remember the girl with the short blonde hair, glasses, and sweet smile. The memory of that day had been locked in the recesses of her mind, never to be thought of or spoken about, ever.


    Yet here she was, letting the words float past her lips, remembering the sweet friend that touched her life for just a moment.


    ¡°I was the first to enter the room. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me or that Lacie had decided to play some kind of prank. She was lying on her bed, like she was asleep, but there was a slice across her throat and her pillows were soaked with blood. Later that night when I got back to my room, there was a note in the middle of my bed that said, ''That was your one and only warning.'' I signed a non-disclosure agreement with the CIA. I knew I wasn¡¯t supposed to tell anyone, but I also knew I could trust Lacie. She would have never told anyone. And this was the God damned United States Government. The most I thought they¡¯d do was fire me and take back their offer. But it didn¡¯t matter if Lacie could keep my secrets. It didn¡¯t matter at all,¡± Parker said softly as she stared straight ahead at a spot on the wall.


    Garrett wanted to tell her to stop. The entire time she told the story in a monotone voice with no emotion, he wanted to pull her towards him and shake the life back into her. He¡¯d never seen her so void of everything that made her his Parker as she told the story. The spark was gone. The smile was gone and he couldn¡¯t stand it. It killed Garrett to know that he¡¯d been right, that they had taken something from her. He knew about her father and the abuse she took from him, but he had no idea there was more. More pain, more regret, and more guilt that she kept buried inside. But it just didn¡¯t make sense. The CIA didn¡¯t go around killing people if you told them who you worked for. The non-disclosure agreement should have just been in regards to the assignments she did for them. Someone wanted to make sure she kept quiet about what she did for a living. He¡¯d bet his life it wasn¡¯t the CIA.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. You have no idea how¡­¡±


    Parker turned to face Garrett and covered his lips with her fingertips. She didn¡¯t tell him so he¡¯d feel sorry for her. She didn¡¯t bring forward a memory that cut into her soul just so he could look at her with pity in his eyes.


    Garrett had scooted as close to Parker as possible while she spoke. He knew it was more for his benefit than hers. He had an extreme need to feel her against him, no matter how simple the touch was. Their shoulders and thighs were pressed together and they both had their backs against the headboard. When Parker turned to face him and pressed her fingers against his mouth, Garrett could feel her breath on his face they were so close. He could see the pain in her eyes, and he wanted to take it all away just to see her smile again.

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    ¡°You can¡¯t feel sorry for me, Garrett. I made the choices I did, and I¡¯m responsible for the consequences. I just need you to understand that none of this¡ªnone of the lies, the pretenses, the sneaking around¡ªit had nothing to do with our friendship or my trust in you and everything to do with keeping you safe. Keeping both of you safe.¡±Advertisement


    Garrett closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Parker¡¯s. He should feel like the biggest asshole for being happy she hadn¡¯t kept all of this from just him. It seemed like Milo had been as much in the dark as he was. Garrett knew the one thing that angered him the most in all of this was that maybe she just hadn¡¯t trusted him enough to tell him the truth. Garrett should have known better, and he admonished himself for thinking something like that about his friend. Everything she¡¯d done had been to protect them, and he threw it in her face the first time she¡¯d been honest.


    Garrett eased his head away from hers and stared at her face. He took in the light dusting of freckles on her nose, her full lips, and her long, dark lashes that framed the most beautiful green eyes he had ever seen as she opened them up and looked at him. This was his friend, for better or worse. She¡¯d lost so much in her short life, and he wasn¡¯t about to do anything to mess up the bond they shared. He promised himself that if it was the last thing he did, he would find out who the hell had been messing with her life when she joined the CIA. When this mission was over, he¡¯d make sure they paid.


    But right now, Parker needed him as a friend more than anything else. A friend that wouldn¡¯t let her down, a friend that would keep her secrets and understand the decisions she made.


    But most of all, a friend that wasn¡¯t mesmerized by the way her tongue darted out to wet her lips or the way she seemed to lean into him. Parker¡¯s hand rested on his chest, and Garrett wished she would take that hand and push him away. But like a magnet, he felt himself being pulled towards her, so close their noses grazed against each other.


    Garrett shouldn¡¯t have wanted to kiss her right then. He shouldn¡¯t have wanted to know if her lips tasted like sugar or her tongue felt like silk inside his mouth. He felt like he had no control of himself when he was near her, and he didn¡¯t understand why she was letting him in, allowing him to get this close.


    Parker swallowed and tried to slow her breathing, tried to force her chest to stop moving up and down so quickly with each drawn breath. She felt the excitement in her stomach and welcomed it. The way Garrett looked at her right then made her think he had his own secrets. He stared into her eyes and down at her lips like he wanted to kiss her, like he wanted to devour her.


    She wouldn¡¯t make the first move, of that she was certain. Parker wouldn¡¯t be able to take getting shot down by the one man that could unravel her entire existence just by telling her no. All she had to do was tilt her chin forward and her lips would be on his, but she couldn¡¯t. Garrett had never made any indication that he felt anything for her other than friendship, and she refused to make a fool of herself no matter how much she ached to taste his lips and slide her tongue against his.


    ¡°Anna,¡± Garrett whispered as he looked back and forth between her eyes.


    He rarely, if ever, called her by her first name unless it was in jest. The way he said it now, like he was aching inside, made it impossible for Parker to move away from him.


    They both knew there was something different about this moment, maybe it was the fact that Parker had opened up to Garrett and shared something that she never told another living soul and it brought them closer together. Whatever it was charged the air with electricity and made everything around them disappear.


    Except for the ringing of the phone on the bedside table.


    Chapter Nine


    Saved by the Bell had never been a more apt description for a moment than the one Garrett and Parker currently found themselves in. When the phone rang, the spell had been broken. They jumped apart and Garrett answered the phone before it rang a second time.


    Five minutes later Brady was knocking on their door. Garrett let him in and Brady took a moment to look back and forth between the two roommates.


    ¡°Is everything okay? Did I interrupt something?¡± he asked with a smile.


    ¡°No!¡± Garrett and Parker both shouted at the same time.


    ¡°I mean, no, you didn¡¯t interrupt anything. We were just¡­¡± Parker paused, her brain flashing to images of her and Garrett kissing and rolling around on the bed, hands touching, clothing dropping, and mouths connecting.


    She hastily bent over and started grabbing the papers that had been shoved aside when Garrett first sat down earlier.


    ¡°We were just going over some of the things Parker found while I was gone today,¡± Garrett finished for her.


    He tried as hard as he could not to look at Parker¡¯s toned ass as she bent over the bed to scoop up the reports, but it was right there, and the movements she made as she leaned over the mattress reminded Garrett of what she would look like if he had her bent over that same bed, chair, couch, or kitchen table, and pounded into her from behind.


    Parker stood up and turned around, forcing Garrett to breathe a sigh of relief and groan in frustration at the same time.


    ¡°So, Marshall, what did you find?¡± Parker asked, getting down to business, fantasies of her friend pushed aside for the moment.


    Garrett looked between the two in confusion, and Brady jumped in to explain.


    ¡°Parker gave me a list of the shell corporations she uncovered that lead back to Fernandez. She wanted me to look into them further and see if I could come up with anything that didn¡¯t look right.¡±


    Garrett nodded in understanding and motioned for him to go on.


    Brady walked up to each of them, handing them a few pages he printed out.


    ¡°At first, everything on that list seemed on the up-and-up, even questionable businesses that you would normally think of as being perfect front companies. Massage parlors, tattoo shops, saunas, insurance sales¡ªthings like that. Every single one had spotless books and records. Every penny is accounted for, complaints that had been filed were disputed and proven false, and employee records were comprehensive and organized.¡±


    Parker and Garrett scanned the pages while Brady spoke. He was good at what he did, that was certain. He dug as deep as he could and got the information they needed, taking copious amounts of notes on the pages he printed.


    ¡°What¡¯s Agencia de Destino?¡± Parker asked, looking up from the page.


    ¡°I believe that means The Target Agency,¡± Garrett said with a smirk.


    It made Garrett feel good to actually know something Parker didn¡¯t. The big, bad CIA agent obviously didn¡¯t speak Spanish.


    Parker narrowed her eyes at him and responded rapidly.


    ¡°Yo s¨¦ lo que significa que culo. Deja de mirarme como un pomposo gilipollas. Tenemos trabajo que hacer, imbecile.¡±


    Brady laughed and Garrett¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°I believe she just called you an ass, McCarthy. And maybe a jerk.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget dickhead,¡± Parker retorted. ¡°What I meant, before I was so rudely interrupted, was what kind of a business is The Target Agency?¡±


    Brady flipped through some more of the papers in his hand until he found the one he wanted and handed it to Parker. Garrett, finally recovering the ability to function, stepped over towards her and looked over her shoulder.


    ¡°According to tax records, The Target Agency doesn¡¯t exist. Not on paper at least. The phone number goes directly to voicemail and instructs the caller to leave a message if they are interested in working for The Target Agency. Very vague, no other information provided. According to the Dominican Chamber of Commerce, The Target Agency is listed as a temporary staffing agency,¡± Brady explained.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t a temp agency have tax records? Is it a new company?¡± Garrett asked.


    Brady shook his head.


    ¡°Nope. According to the Chamber, it was established eight years ago.¡±


    Parker looked up at Brady suddenly. Something didn¡¯t feel right about this.


    ¡°Eight years ago was when I was first brought in to keep tabs on Fernandez. It was my first job and his first term as President. His years as a senator preceding his presidential term left a lot of unanswered questions. Many government heads here and in the U.S. were shocked when he won that first election. There were rumors floating all over the place for years that he was involved in shady dealings. He covered his tracks well though; we never found anything that tied him to the rumors.¡±


    Garrett looked down at Parker¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your first assignment was looking into Fernandez?¡± he asked in astonishment.


    Parker turned her head to look at Garrett over her shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the main reasons your CO wanted me for this job. He knew I was one of the lead investigators on this guy. Risner knew I had a lot of inside information I could contribute. Unfortunately, nothing we did for eight years ever turned up any pertinent information, like The Target Agency. That business never showed up on any of our reports in the past.¡±


    Brady chuckled lightly, breaking the stare between Garrett and Parker.


    ¡°Well, maybe that¡¯s because you didn¡¯t have me helping you out,¡± he said to Parker. ¡°For the record, I may have done a few illegal things to get this information. Including charming a very beautiful, very young government official to obtain a list of non-profit organizations that are on the waiting list to be turned into for-profit once a thorough investigation has been done. It turns out our little Target Company has been pushed back down to the bottom of the pile every couple of months.¡±


    ¡°So once it becomes for-profit¡­¡± Garrett paused.


    ¡°They have to start reporting tax information,¡± Parker finished. ¡°Son of a bitch! No wonder we couldn¡¯t find anything. Who knows how many people Fernandez has under his thumb doing his bidding?¡±


    Parker shook her head in disgust.


    ¡°What else?¡± she asked Brady.


    ¡°Well, from what I could find, The Target Agency states they have a minimum of forty-seven new employees that apply to become ''temps'' every month. On average, in the Dominican, staffing agencies get maybe fifteen new candidates each month. So either they are a kick ass firm that finds people great jobs or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Or they¡¯re full of shit,¡± Garrett finished.


    ¡°What about payroll information or a list of businesses that hire them to find temps?¡± Parker asked.


    Brady shook his head.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Garrett started pacing behind Parker.


    ¡°So a company that hires an obscenely high number of people each and every month has no record of paying these individuals or a list of companies that they provided services to?¡± Garrett asked.


    Parker turned away from Garrett¡¯s pacing to address Brady.


    ¡°See if you can get an address for this Target Company. Also, run the phone records and try to get a list of all incoming calls. Maybe we can track down some of the employees and find out how their new jobs are going,¡± Parker told him.


    The three talked a little while longer, finally saying goodnight to Brady as he let himself out of the room. Parker and Garrett stood on opposite sides of the room staring at each other.


    "You had no idea Milo was sent here for the same reason you were."


    It was a statement, not a question, and it let Parker breathe a little easier knowing Garrett didn''t suspect her of keeping something else from him.


    "I had no idea until the night before we left and I talked to Risner. He didn''t even know the full extent of why Milo was sent over here until a few weeks before that. My superiors had no idea either, which is why they were so on-board with sending me here. They wanted me to make sure nothing had been compromised."


    Parker ran her hand through her hair.


    "Do you think he found out something about Target and they killed him for it?" she asked.


    Garrett crossed the room to Parker and placed his hands on her shoulders. He''d spent so many years comforting his friend, he didn''t even think twice about what he was doing.


    "It''s a possibility," he told her honestly. "We''ll get to the bottom of it, I promise."


    Garrett ran his hands up and down Parker''s arms like he always did. He wished he could tell her that he suspected she had been used as a pawn and was somehow connected to this whole thing, but he needed to be sure. He wouldn''t unnecessarily worry her.


    "I''m glad you''re here," Parker told him.


    Garrett felt a tightening in his chest that always warned him when he was getting too close to crossing the line.


    Garrett dropped his hands from Parker''s arms and took a step back.


    Parker watched the wall fall back into place and took her own step away from him since Garrett seemed to suddenly need the distance.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to just finish up some more research,¡± Parker said, pointing in the general vicinity of her laptop.


    ¡°Great. That¡¯s good,¡± Garrett replied quickly. ¡°I¡¯m going to take one more pass by the palace and see about the night security situation.¡±


    Garrett was out the door before Parker could respond.


    Parker woke the next morning to an empty bed, no Garrett pressed up against her, warming her skin and touching her body like the previous morning.


    She rolled over and found a note on his pillow that stated he left early to do a teleconference with Risner on the status of events so far. Parker sighed, wondering if he woke up before she did and bolted from the room, or if he even bothered getting into bed with her last night.


    A knock on the door got Parker up and moving. She pulled the door open with a yawn.


    ¡°Rise and shine, sleepyhead,¡± Austin said with a smile as he pushed past her into the room like he owned the place.

 Page 16

    ¡°Jesus, Conrad. It¡¯s too early for you to be this chipper. And loud.¡±Advertisement


    Austin threw himself down on Garrett¡¯s side of the bed and leaned back on his hands.


    ¡°Get yourself dressed, ninja. You and I are going shopping,¡± he informed her.


    Austin had taken to calling Parker ¡°ninja¡± since she let the guys in on her secret of working for the CIA over drinks the other day. Out of all of them, he was the least surprised, stating he could totally see her scaling walls and sneaking up on people when they least expected it.


    Parker wasn¡¯t sure if it was a compliment or not, but she figured it was better than getting the silent treatment and being avoided like Garrett did and was still doing in a way.


    ¡°Shopping? What in the hell do we need to go shopping for?¡± Parker asked.


    ¡°You have a black tie affair to attend this evening with your husband. I was given instructions to pick up a suit for the old ball and chain and make sure you pick out something appropriate for the occasion,¡± Austin informed her.


    With a groan and a few muttered curses about her husband, Parker stomped to the bathroom to get dressed while Austin made himself at home on the bed and turned on the television to wait.


    ¡°You know, it wouldn¡¯t hurt for you to sex it up a bit, ninja,¡± Austin said as he sat in a chair by the dressing room and watched her walk out to the mirrors in a plain, black, Roberto Cavalli floor-length dress with capped sleeves.


    Parker was in heaven at the boutique located right on the resort. They had more designers in that little store than in all of Nordstrom¡¯s back home. She twisted and turned in the mirror, thinking the dress looked good on her.


    She shot Austin a dirty look. ¡°Sex it up? Really, Conrad?¡±


    He gave the dress the once-over and shook his head in disgust.


    ¡°That dress screams, ''I¡¯m going to a funeral,'' not ''Give me all your secrets and maybe I¡¯ll blow you.'' Plus, Garrett doesn¡¯t like black.¡±


    Parker put her hands on her hips and turned to face Austin.


    ¡°What the hell do I care if Garrett likes the dress? It¡¯s a black-tie dinner. I need to look polished and elegant, like I work for a distinguished newspaper, not like a two-dollar hooker.¡±


    Austin shook his head and tsk¡¯ed her.


    ¡°Shame on you, ninja. You¡¯d be at least a fifty-dollar hooker,¡± he said with a laugh as she stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°Seriously, though, you can look hot without looking slutty. And Garrett¡¯s favorite color is blue.¡±


    Parker threw her arms up in exasperation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass what Garrett¡¯s favorite color is. And for the record, I have a vagina, so I¡¯m well aware of the fact I can look hot without looking slutty.¡± Parker turned back to the mirror and cocked her head at her reflection. ¡°And his favorite color isn¡¯t blue. It¡¯s red,¡± she muttered, refusing to make eye contact with Austin.


    ¡°Uh-huh, that¡¯s what I thought,¡± Austin said with a grin. ¡°I see the way you two look at each other when you think no one is watching.¡±


    Parker reached her arms behind her and tried to unzip the dress she now hated.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Conrad.¡±


    She watched out of the corner of her eye as Austin got up from his chair and walked over to her, helping her with her zipper.


    ¡°You can deny it if you want, but I know Garrett. There is no hiding the look on his face when you walk into the room. He watches your every move when you aren¡¯t paying attention. And for the record,¡± he said as he stood behind her, staring at her reflection. ¡°He¡¯s done that for as long as I¡¯ve known him.¡±


    Parker pushed down the nerves she felt at hearing his words.


    ¡°We¡¯re just friends, Conrad,¡± she whispered, turning away from the mirror to face him.


    ¡°And it¡¯s a good place to start. But he doesn¡¯t look at you like he just wants to be friends, little ninja. He looks at you like you¡¯re the key to his soul and like he wants to devour you.¡±


    Taken back by Austin¡¯s observation, Parker was surprised she thought the same exact thing that morning.


    If an outsider like Austin saw something, maybe she wasn¡¯t imagining things. Maybe the feelings she had weren¡¯t just one-sided. The thought scared the hell out of her and made her want to run back to the room, find Garrett, and confess everything. Tell him how some days she wished more than anything that it had always been him, how she shut everyone out of her life for fear of being hurt, and that he was the only one she wanted to let it all go for. She wanted to tell him the guilt she felt over not being able to give that to Milo should eat her up inside but all she could think about was loving Garrett and having him give her everything in return.


    Parker glanced up and noticed Austin smirking at her as he watched her contemplate the things he had said.


    ¡°Stop looking at me like that,¡± she huffed in irritation as she turned to make her way back to the dressing room. ¡°And bring me every red dress you can find,¡± she yelled, slamming the door closed behind her.


    Garrett looked at his watch for the third time as he paced the floor of the lobby in his black, five-button Hugo Boss suit, white dress shirt, red tie, and matching red pocket handkerchief. He¡¯d given Austin his dimensions and was pleased with what he¡¯d picked out for him.


    The limo would be there in five minutes, and the only confirmation he had that Parker was even coming was a pat on the back from Austin with the cryptic words, ¡°I picked out the dress.¡±


    Brady, Austin, and Cole were going to spend the evening scouting all of the buildings on the ¡°Front Company List¡± Parker had found so they could double check they were all legit. So far Brady hadn¡¯t been able to find an address for The Target Agency.


    The click of heels across the marble floor stopped Garrett¡¯s pacing, and his head turned in the direction of the sound.


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Garrett muttered to himself as he stood there watching his friend saunter across the room towards him.


    Parker was dressed in a red, Carolina Herrera floor-length, satin evening gown. The material clung to her body and the slit up the front, ending almost at the top of her thigh, showed off one leg between the split in the fabric with each step she took. The dress was cut low in the front, and her cleavage was highlighted by the silver crystals that lined the edge of the bodice.


    Garrett scanned her body, starting at the top of her head where her thick, chestnut hair was loosely pinned up in soft curls that cascaded down to frame her face. Her long bangs were swept off to the side seductively shading one eye.


    He moved his eyes slowly over the swell of her breasts covered by the rich, red fabric and sparkling jewels, then they followed the curves of her hips draped in the sleek satin, and then lingered on her long, toned legs that shined with smoothness under the lights of the lobby as she walked. Her small feet were encased in four-inch crystal-covered peep toe Louboutin heels that showed off her amazing legs.


    Garrett tugged at his collar as he watched her stalk towards him exuding confidence and sex. It felt like his throat was closing up and his heart was going to burst out of his chest. He felt himself harden as he thought about running his palms up the silky skin of her thighs and sliding her dress up to her hips to see if her underwear matched. Garrett had a weakness for red underwear. Frankly, Garrett had a weakness for anything involving Parker.


    Parker summoned all of the courage and confidence she had ever possessed as she walked across the floor towards Garrett. She¡¯d been there when Conrad picked out the suit and had loved it then, but nothing compared to seeing it on him now. Parker would rather see him out of it, but she figured this would have to do for the time being.


    Parker stopped when she was toe to toe with Garrett and looked up into his face while she breathed in the smell of his cologne that always made her want to press her body up against his so she could keep the smell on her skin long after he was gone.


    ¡°Hi,¡± Garrett said softly.


    Parker smiled at him, trying to convey with her eyes everything she was feeling. She spun slowly in front of him so Garrett could get the full affect.


    The one inch satin straps that held up the dress crisscrossed in the back, right between her shoulder blades, and was held together with a crystal jeweled clip. The straps continued down off to the sides, leaving most of her back bare with a diamond-shaped cutout. The bottom of the diamond outline ended right where her butt began and the v-shaped crystals attached there held a satin train in place.


    Parker completed the turn, facing Garrett again.


    It took all of his self-control not to reach out and run his fingertips along the smooth skin of her back while she turned. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that there was no way she could be wearing any underwear with that dress. The sleek fabric clung to the curves of her, showing everything. The satin texture of the dress made him want to run his hands all the way down the sides of her body to feel the cool silky material and her warm skin underneath.


    ¡°You look stunning A¡­uh, Park.¡±


    Garrett needed to put his feelings in check, and instead of letting her first name slip out, he resorted to using Milo¡¯s nickname for her to keep the wall in place. He only spoke her name when he was alone dreaming about her and wishing it was her hand sliding up and down his length, bringing him to climax. Last night he was caught up in the moment, and he hadn¡¯t even realized he¡¯d said it. If he did so now, out in the open, with her body mere inches from him, he¡¯d lose every last thread of control he had, and he''d take her back to their room and show her once and for all what she did to him.


    Parker took the compliment for what it was, watching Garrett¡¯s face as it morphed back into that of a man in complete control of the situation. She had a moment of regret before she closed her mind off from the fantasy and got ready to face reality.


    ¡°The limo just pulled up,¡± Parker stated, looking beyond Garrett¡¯s shoulder to the turn-around drive in front of the lobby. ¡°We better get moving.¡±


    Parker was all business on the ride over to the palace. She asked Garrett to fill her in on the teleconference he had with Risner and inquired about Brady¡¯s luck at finding an address to The Target Agency. She told him she ran into a few dead ends trying to locate it herself after she got home from shopping and hoped Brady had better luck. Garrett and Parker both knew the scouting of the buildings the guys were doing that night would pull up nothing of interest, but it was still necessary. The key was finding out about this temp agency. The coinciding dates of when this business started and when Parker was recruited to the CIA set off a lot of red flags. In this line of work, nothing was a coincidence. Things happened for a reason.


    The limo pulled up to the gate of the palace right on time. Both sides of the limo were flanked with armed guards. Garrett rolled down his window and handed one of the guards their invitation, along with their press passes and fake IDs. After passing the first checkpoint, the gates slid open and the limo was directed through and was sent to the next guard house two-hundred yards down the drive. There, Parker and Garrett were required to exit the limo as their IDs were checked and a guard crawled under the limo to look around while another guard searched inside the trunk. When they were satisfied Garrett and Parker didn''t pose any threat, they motioned them on.


    They were ushered through yet another set of gates and the limo eased around the circular drop-off and stopped in front of the palace steps behind several other limos. Garrett and Parker got out and stared up at the building.


    The National Palace was over one hundred and ninety-three thousand square feet of elegance. It was easily twice the size of the White House. The white marble building was three stories tall, the front expanse showcasing forty windows. The top of the building was graced with a dome resting on a windowed drum, sustained by eighteen pillars.


    Garrett rounded the front of the limo and came to stand in front of Parker, taking both of her hands in his and leaning in to her ear.


    "Don''t forget your wedding ring, Mrs. Miller," Garrett whispered as Parker felt something slide onto the third finger of her left hand.


    She pulled away from him and glanced down at her hand, expecting to see a boring silver band that matched the one he had covertly slid onto his own finger.


    Instead, her gaze fell to a beautiful platinum band encrusted with eight princess cut stones: five diamonds with three sapphires, one nestled in between each diamond.


    "Garrett," she whispered on a gasp.


    Parker knew for a fact the military would never spring for something like this. They also wouldn''t have known the significance of this exact ring, something only Garrett was privy to during an evening of shopping a few years ago.


    Parker had leaned over the glass case, gazing at the rings and hoping something would pop out at her as being "the one¡±.


    She looked up at the sound of laughter and watched Garrett and Milo perusing the men''s section. Garrett wanted to pick something up for his mom''s birthday so he tagged along with Parker and Milo while they shopped for wedding bands.


    Parker sighed and looked back down at all of the plain bands. She didn''t want plain. She wanted something that was more her. Parker made her way down the case, stopping suddenly when something caught her eyes.


    It had diamonds and sapphires, her favorite gem and favorite color, all wrapped up in one ring. It was beautiful and simple at the same time without being extravagant or flashy.


    Sapphire had always been her favorite color because it reminded her of the color of her mother''s eyes. This was it. This was her ring.


    "It''s beautiful." Garrett¡¯s voice spoke from over her shoulder as he looked down into the case with her.


    Parker''s fingertips traced the glass over the case that housed the ring.

 Page 17

    "It''s definitely you. You''re not a plain wedding band kind of girl," he told her.Advertisement


    Milo walked over to her other side at that moment to see what she was looking at.


    "That one?" he had asked in surprise, pointing to her ring. "I think that''s a bit much, don''t you? And who gets blue stones on a wedding band? Come on, babe, I found some plain silver ones over here. And they''re on sale."


    The memory faded from Parker''s mind as she blinked back tears.


    "Garrett...this is..."


    Garrett looked away, unable to handle the emotion in her eyes. He should have just stuck with the plain silver bands he got from Risner, but it didn''t feel right.


    Garrett turned from her gaze and held out his elbow for her to take.


    "It''s nothing, Parker. This has to look real, remember? No one would ever mistake you for plain,¡± he said softly.


    Garrett felt uncomfortable under Parker¡¯s scrutiny and the intense look on her face. He needed to do something to lighten the situation before it got uncomfortable.


    ¡°And besides, I don¡¯t want them thinking I¡¯m a cheap bastard," he said with his usual smirk.


    Parker slid her hand around Garrett''s elbow as they made their way up the gradual staircase leading to the doors of the palace.


    She couldn''t help but wonder if this ring held more meaning for him than just trying to make their fake marriage more believable.


    Chapter Ten


    Garrett was mentally kicking himself for pulling that ring out of his pocket and slipping it on Parker¡¯s finger at the last minute. He¡¯d felt the plain silver band in his left pocket as he looked down at Parker standing there under the moonlight, looking more beautiful than ever, and he just couldn¡¯t bear to put that plain, meaningless ring on her finger.


    Instead, he¡¯d quickly reached into the opposite pocket and pulled out the sparkling diamond and sapphire band he carried with him wherever he went ever since the day he bought it over a year ago. The same ring that made Parker get a dreamy, romantic look in her eyes that day in the jewelry store.


    Garrett had bought that ring to give to his mother for her birthday. At least that was what he kept telling himself when he returned to the store by himself the next day and purchased it. He never ended up giving the ring to his mother. The only jewelry she ever wore was her wedding ring and she¡¯d hinted that a plane ticket for her to come out and visit him would make her very happy. So Garrett bought her the ticket and kept the ring with him wherever he went over the last year, pulling it out of his pocket to stare at it and remind himself what a fool he was.


    Garrett and Parker reached the top of the palace stairs and had to stop for another security check. The guards ghosted metal detector wands all around them and once satisfied, they bid them a good evening and Parker and Garrett walked through the palace doors.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t bring my gun,¡± Parker whispered with a laugh, her lips grazing Garrett''s earlobe causing him to shiver.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you wouldn¡¯t have been able to find a hiding place wearing that dress.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s eyes raked over her body and Parker¡¯s heart sped up as she watched him absentmindedly lick his lips.


    As they entered the lobby and got in the receiving line to greet President Fernandez and his wife, Parker leaned her body against Garrett¡¯s and held her lips close to his ear again.


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised the places I can hide a gun, Garrett. A garter placed high up on my leg with the gun secured inside of my thigh is a great spot,¡± she whispered before turning away from him to greet someone from Fernandez¡¯s administration.


    As Garrett walked behind Parker, he watched her turn, smile, and socialize with the Chief of Staff. She introduced him as her husband and a natural smile lit up his face. Garrett¡¯s eyes roamed over Parker¡¯s back side while she was busy talking and zeroed in on the slit up the side of her dress that showed off one perfectly toned leg. Garrett imagined a translucent, red lace garter hugging her thigh and his tongue snaking out to lick the skin above it. He thought about sliding his hand up the inside of her thigh and removing the Glock she most likely carried under normal circumstances from the elastic holding it in place and sliding the cool metal down the length of her leg.


    Parker played her part, wondering why Garrett was so quiet next to her. She introduced herself and her ¡°husband¡± and explained who they were and what news station they worked for. As they made their way down the receiving line, Parker couldn¡¯t help but glance down every few seconds at the ring on her left hand. Garrett brushed it off as no big deal, but Parker knew better. She knew his CO would have given Garrett wedding bands for them to use on this mission and those bands would have been generic and plain.


    Garrett had no idea Parker was coming to the Dominican until they were getting ready to leave. Parker didn¡¯t understand how he could have possibly had the ring with him¨Dthe ring that reminded her of her mother, the ring she adored, and the one that Parker felt was meant just for her.


    Before Parker had a chance to wonder further about the ring, they were at the front of the line and Garrett was making the introductions.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. President,¡± Garrett greeted as he shook the man¡¯s hand. ¡°My name is Garrett Miller and this is my wife, Anna,¡± Garrett gestured towards Parker.


    Her heart skipped a beat with how easily the word ¡°wife¡± rolled off his tongue and felt a warmth in her belly at how natural it sounded to her.


    ¡°We¡¯re with Fox News. Thank you so much for the invitation,¡± Garrett said graciously.


    Fernandez nodded his head at Garrett and then turned to Parker, taking her hands in his as she placed a kiss to each of his cheeks.


    Parker knew the protocol and remained quiet while Garrett and the President spoke. As a woman, she was there as eye candy for the most part. She had to tone down her take-charge attitude and pushy nature when she was in the company of this man and the people who worked for him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to have you in my home,¡± Fernandez spoke in beautifully accented English. ¡°And may I say, Mr. Miller, your wife is a stunning creature.¡±


    Parker smiled in appreciation, allowing Garrett to accept the compliment for her.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. I¡¯m a lucky man,¡± Garrett said with a smile as he slid his hand across Parker¡¯s lower back and pulled her close to his side.


    ¡°Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Margarita,¡± Fernandez said as he gestured to the beautiful, dark-haired woman in her mid-forties standing next to him. ¡°I apologize, but my wife does not speak English.¡±


    Fernandez turned to his wife and spoke in rapid Spanish, introducing Garrett and Parker.


    ¡°Gracias por invitarnos,¡± Parker spoke softly to the woman, thanking her for the invitation.


    ¡°Please, follow the other guests down the hall to the elevator. It will take you to the third floor ballroom and dining area. Help yourselves to drinks before dinner begins,¡± Fernandez instructed them with a smile.


    As Garrett and Parker walked away and followed another couple down the hall, Parker leaned in towards Garrett and spoke softly.


    ¡°You notice how his wife barely looked us in the eye and never spoke?¡±


    Garrett nodded his head.


    ¡°Fernandez is very protective of her,¡± Parker whispered. ¡°She¡¯s twenty-years his junior and according to our intel, showed up one day out of the blue fifteen years ago as his wife. No one had ever heard of her before and there were rumors she was a prostitute. Nothing could ever be confirmed though.¡±


    Parker stopped talking as they got on the elevator with the other couple. Everyone smiled and nodded politely at one another as the doors closed.


    Garrett hadn¡¯t removed his hand from Parker¡¯s hip and pretended not to notice that it was still there resting dangerously close to the curve of her behind. .


    They stepped off of the elevator into the largest ballroom they had ever set eyes on. A guard standing by the elevator pointed them in the direction of the bar where several other guests had gathered.


    ¡°So Fernandez marries a hooker and turns her into the First Lady? That doesn¡¯t explain why she doesn¡¯t speak though. Shouldn¡¯t he have molded her into a typical First Lady so she could assist him with campaigns and policies and do a little public speaking on the side?¡± Garrett asked quietly.


    Parker shrugged.


    ¡°You would think so. That¡¯s typically what other presidents have done who married outside of their social circle. Margarita is never seen in public and the only time anyone is permitted to meet her is during a dinner like this one. She¡¯s never given an interview alone or with the president for that matter. The only thing anyone knows about her is what Fernandez has told them. On paper, Margarita didn¡¯t exist before she became his wife,¡± Parker explained as they approached the bar.


    Garrett grabbed them each a glass of champagne, and they made their way to the other end of the room, walking through one of the red curtained doorways and into a more intimate dining room, intimate at least in palace standards considering the size of the place.


    A long table that seated forty ran the length of the room and was covered in a white table cloth. The ceiling above the table was arched and Garrett assumed was where the dome on top of the building was located. There were ornate, crystal chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling every few feet throughout the room. Everywhere you looked there was gold, artwork, and lavishness.


    Most of the guests were already seated so Garrett and Parker had no trouble finding their place cards. Garrett pulled out Parker¡¯s chair for her and took his seat next to her once she was situated.


    The President and his wife made their entrance a few minutes later and the wait staff began bringing out the first course. Luckily, Garrett and Parker were seated directly across from Fernandez.


    Everyone made small talk for a while, getting to know one another.


    Between the first and second course, Fernandez was in a deep, quiet discussion with his Vice President seated next to him. Garrett was waiting for a break in the conversation and was beginning to get impatient. He just wanted to ask the guy a few questions. They were here for an interview; Fernandez knew that. Garrett couldn¡¯t figure out why in the hell he¡¯d invited them to a huge dinner with a ton of people for something like that.


    He heard Parker speaking next to him in a strange language, and he turned his focus on her profile as she laughed and spoke easily to the woman on her left. Garrett leaned forward subtly so he could see who she was.


    According to her place card, she was the Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands.


    Jesus Christ, she speaks Dutch? Garrett thought to himself.


    Garrett shook his head and looked back toward the President as the second course was served. He was speaking quietly in Spanish, and Garrett really wished he¡¯d taken more than a preliminary course in that language so he could understand what he was saying.


    He reached his hand over and placed it on Parker¡¯s satin-covered thigh, giving it a little squeeze, forcing himself not to move his hand all the way up and dip in between her legs.


    Parker ended her conversation with the Deputy Prime Minister and turned her attention to Garrett. He smiled at her the way a husband would, but his eyes darted over to the President. She leaned forward under the ruse of reaching for her water glass and strained her ears.


    The clinking of glasses and silverware and the steady hum of conversation made it difficult for Parker to make out anything more than a few words: girls, money, and boat.


    Parker picked up her water glass and pulled it to her lips, smiling back at Garrett and giving him a slight nod of her head that she had understood a few things.


    Garrett noticed the gesture and leaned over toward her, placing a kiss on her cheek and lingering for a moment.


    ¡°How many fucking languages do you speak, hon?¡± he asked, before pulling away and raising his eyebrow at her.


    Parker¡¯s skin heated at the spot where Garrett¡¯s lips had just been, and she fought with her hands to keep them in her lap and not pressed against her cheek.


    She raised her right arm and rested it along the back of Garrett¡¯s shoulders, her fingers stroking the hair at the nape of his neck like a loving wife.


    She moved close, pressing her body against his arm and placing her own kiss on his cheek right next to his ear. She whispered softly, ¡°English, Russian, German, Greek, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, and Swedish. Oh and I have a Rosetta Stone at home right now learning a bit of Hungarian.¡±


    Parker let her lips press against the line between Garrett¡¯s cheek and earlobe, hovering a moment longer than necessary.


    When she pulled away and slid her hand back across his shoulder blades to begin her second course, Garrett had to close his eyes and take several deep breaths to keep the growing member in his pants from ripping through the material.


    Two more courses went by and Garrett still hadn¡¯t found a break in the conversation to talk to Fernandez. He decided to hell with it, and took matters into his own hands.


    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. President?¡± Garrett spoke. He could feel Parker¡¯s eyes on him, most likely wondering what the hell he was doing interrupting the man.


    Fernandez turned to face him with a smile on his face that Garrett wasn¡¯t entirely sure was real or fake.


    ¡°I was just wondering, out of all the businesses you own, which one do you take the most pride in?¡± Garrett asked as a waiter removed his empty plate from the table.


    As questions go, it wasn¡¯t the most gripping, but Garrett figured he had to start somewhere.


    Fernandez laughed. ¡°My dear boy, there is a time and place for business. Let us enjoy this wonderful meal that has been prepared by my chefs and take pleasure in the company of our women. We have plenty of time for questions.¡±

 Page 18

    Parker watched it happen like a train wreck. She could feel him getting anxious next to her, his leg bouncing nervously under the table and bumping into her leg every so often. She tried calming him by placing her hand on his knee, but that only seemed to make it worse.Advertisement


    Garrett and Parker had spoke briefly on the ride over about what to expect during dinner. Parker told him as many details about Fernandez¡¯s personality as she could in the short drive. Obviously he hadn¡¯t listened to the one about how he did not like to discuss business during dinner.


    The last course was finally over and cleared and waiters began wandering around serving coffee to those who wanted it.


    Garrett wondered if he should try again, but Parker sensed what he was thinking and shot him dirty look and shook her head no.


    Before Garrett could decide if he wanted to defy her and just go with his gut, his thoughts were interrupted by Fernandez.


    ¡°So, Mr. Miller,¡± he spoke loudly enough for their end of the table to hear and quiet down. ¡°Tell us, how long have you and the lovely Mrs. Miller been married?¡±


    Garrett tore his gaze from Parker¡¯s and looked across the table at Fernandez.


    They had only discussed this briefly on the way over and had decided to just stick to the truth as much as possible. The idea of that was funny to Garrett. He could sit right here next to Parker and spill all of his secrets and nothing he said would be taken seriously by her.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been married for about six months,¡± Garrett told him.


    Parker cleared her throat next to him, a little surprised that he had gone by the date that her and Milo were supposed to be married. She did tell him to use as much of the truth as possible though so they wouldn¡¯t get tripped up. He probably assumed it would be easier for her to remember. Even though the date was something she¡¯d rather forget.


    ¡°Ahhhhh, newlyweds,¡± Fernandez said with a smile while those seated closest to Garrett and Parker nodded their heads and smiled in happiness for them. All of a sudden, all eyes on their half of the table were on them.


    "When did you know you were in love with your beautiful wife?" Fernandez asked.


    Garrett looked at Parker when he answered.


    "The first moment I laid eyes on her eight years ago," he replied honestly. Garrett¡¯s tone of voice immediately softened as he spoke.


    Parker searched his eyes and swallowed past the lump in her throat. She so desperately wanted to believe what he said was true and not just some act. Parker knew it was impossible though.


    Fernandez reached over and took his wife¡¯s hand, placing it on the table and clasping her fingers with his in a show of affection.


    ¡°Love is a blessing which one can only hope for. I can see that the two of you have been tremendously blessed. I¡¯ve watched you during dinner. I¡¯ve noticed the way you look at one another. It brings me joy to see such a young couple so much in love.¡±


    Parker could feel her face heating up with the President¡¯s words. She felt stripped bare and like everyone at the table, including Garrett, could see right through her. Garrett finally broke from her stare when Fernandez spoke again.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you have to work when you should be on a whirlwind honeymoon, enjoying the love of one another.¡±


    Garrett mirrored the President¡¯s previous action and reached for Parker¡¯s hand, placing it on the table in between them and squeezing it gently to calm her nerves. It seemed as though his earlier anxiousness had transferred into her.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, Mr. President. My wife and I enjoy our work and are just grateful we are permitted to spend time together when we do it,¡± Garrett told him with a smile.


    There were murmurs of approval all around them and more delighted smiles aimed in their direction.


    ¡°Is it not an American tradition to clink a piece of silverware against a glass signifying the husband and wife should kiss?¡± the Vice President¡¯s wife asked excitedly.


    Her question was met with sounds of approval and laughs of pleasure from those around her.


    Parker and Garrett sat stoically at the table while news traveled down to the other end. Neither one of them wanted to let on that their nerves were threatening to eat them alive at the mention of the word kiss.


    Before Parker could excuse herself to the ladies'' room or Garrett could change the subject, a gentle tinkling sound began at the opposite end of the table. Pretty soon, all forty guests joined in, including the President, as they picked up whatever piece of silverware was closest and began tapping them against crystal goblets, Champagne glasses, and coffee cups.


    The noise became deafening in the cathedral-ceilinged room as everyone smiled and laughed in Garrett and Parker¡¯s direction while they continued clanging their glasses.


    Parker took a deep breath and turned to face Garrett, realizing they were going to have to do it. They were husband and wife after all; it should be no big deal to give him a little kiss.


    Garrett and Parker had kissed in a friendly manner on several occasions, usually in greeting, congratulations, or something similar. A quick peck on the cheek or a light brush of the lips. This would be the same thing, only it would be happening in front of forty strangers.


    Garrett tried to keep the look of fear off of his face as soon as the clanging started. He¡¯d always wanted to kiss Parker; he¡¯d dreamed about kissing Parker. The few chaste, friendly kisses they¡¯d shared over the years were never enough for him. But the idea of doing this in front of all these people was not good. He wanted to be alone when he kissed her. Preferably in a bed, naked.


    Without giving it a second thought, Parker leaned over and placed a quick kiss against Garrett¡¯s lips and then pulled away, smiling around the table. Garrett was grateful Parker took the initiative because he probably would have sat there all night thinking about being in bed with her.


    Unfortunately, the clanging didn¡¯t stop and the cheering grew louder.


    ¡°Come now, show all of us old, married couples how the newlyweds do it!¡± Fernandez encouraged loudly over the noise with a raise of his hands, indicating the crowd should cheer louder.


    They couldn¡¯t act shy or like they¡¯d never done it before. They needed to act quickly or it would start to look suspicious. Parker felt like a fool for making such a big deal about this. She was CIA . She¡¯d had to kiss a few men over the years and pretend they were involved and it was always no big deal.


    Garrett and Parker turned back to face each other at the same time. Garrett stared at her lips and felt his heart speed up. He took his hand and slid it around to the back of her neck and pulled her forward until they were a breath apart.


    The noise around them disappeared and all Parker could see, feel, and hear, was Garrett.


    He angled his head and closed the gap, connecting his lips to Parker¡¯s. Garrett slid his tongue against her lips, wordlessly asking for entrance. She immediately opened for him to deepen the kiss. His tongue pushed gently into her mouth, sliding against her own and sucking softly on it at the same time.


    Parker felt a jolt of desire shoot through her body when their tongues collided. Garrett pushed and pulled, slid and swirled his tongue through her mouth, until she had to reach up and clutch the hair on the back of his head to steady herself. She knew kissing Garrett would be the breaking point for her, but she had no idea it would affect her like this. She wanted to crawl onto his lap and mold her body against his, feel every part of him sliding between her legs until she came. Parker didn¡¯t care who was at the table or where she was. His kiss was lighting her on fire, and she couldn¡¯t stop the moan that she breathed into Garrett¡¯s mouth.


    Garrett heard and felt the moan that escaped from Parker, the sound making him increase the pressure of his hand on the back of Parker¡¯s neck and pulled her harder against his mouth. He wanted to consume her. Her lips were like silk and her tongue was the perfect combination of soft and firm as it glided against his. Garrett plunged his tongue slowly in and out of her mouth, wishing more than anything that he could mirror that same movement inside of her. He was grateful for the table covering his lap because Parker¡¯s lips and tongue were threatening to make him lose control.


    Neither one knew how much time had passed; they were too lost in the kiss to realize something in the atmosphere had suddenly changed while they sucked, licked, nibbled, and devoured each other.


    The cheers from the guests and the clanging of silverware against crystal had been replaced by silence.


    Garrett slowed the kiss, leaving one last light press of his lips against Parker¡¯s before pulling away and glancing around.


    Everyone was staring at them with smiles on their faces, the encouraging shouts abandoned some time ago.


    "And that is how it''s done, my friends!" Fernandez said jovially. "Let us make our way into the Red Room to finish our coffee and discussions.


    Everyone began scooting away from their table and talking again.


    Garrett realized as everyone left that his hand was still wrapped around Parker''s neck and her fingers still grasped the hair on the back of his head.


    He turned to face her as the last of the guests filed out of the room and the sound of their laughter echoed and faded out in the hallway.


    Parker had never acted so unprofessional in her entire career. She''d forgotten everything around her when she kissed Garrett. She''d always prided herself on being diligently aware of her surroundings. Garrett made her throw all of her training out the window.


    Even as he looked at her and realized she''d been staring at him all along, all she wanted to do was kiss him again.


    Garrett removed his hand and reached back to pull Parker''s hand out of his hair.


    He reminded himself to just put the wall back in place and everything would be fine.


    He pushed his chair back from the table and tossed the napkin from his lap onto the table.


    "Nice work there, Park. That was sufficiently believable. You''re pretty good at your job."


    Parker sat in the Red Room next to Garrett as he chatted with the Vice President¡¯s wife wondering how he could be so unaffected by that kiss. Her skin felt like it was on fire, and she wanted to take him into the nearest empty room and do it again. She¡¯d practically clung to him like a leech after he ended the kiss, and Garrett just stood up and tossed out a comment about her job like it was no big thing that just happened between them.


    "You''re pretty good at your job," Parker muttered angrily to herself under her breath as she brought the coffee cup towards her lips. "I''ll show you good at my job, asshole, when I take you out in the woods and leave you for dead."


    "Did you say something?" Garrett asked as he leaned his head towards Parker on the love-seat they shared.


    Parker gave him a bright smile that threatened to crack her face.


    "No, honey. You must be hearing things."


    Garrett cringed at the overly sweet sound of Parker''s voice. She had been pissed at him since they sat down in here. He knew he''d taken it a little far with that kiss, but it''s not like she''d stopped him. Once his mouth was against hers, Garrett forgot all about the guilt he should have been feeling about kissing his friend and just reacted.


    Garrett looked at his watch and wondered how much longer they would have to wait for a minute alone with Fernandez when the man in question walked over to where Garrett and Parker sat.


    "Mr. and Mrs. Miller, come, walk with me."


    He turned on his heels and walked towards the door leading to the hall.


    Parker and Garrett looked at each other in shock and jumped up off the couch. Parker set her cup down on the closest table, and the two walked quickly out in the hall to Fernandez.


    They found him standing in the hallway staring up at a painting. Garrett and Parker walked up to his right side and looked at the picture with him.


    "This was my mother. My father had this painting commissioned on their honeymoon," Fernandez explained.


    "She''s very beautiful, sir," Parker told him.


    "In their time, marriages were contractual agreements. The parents of the bride searched high and low for a suitable partner for their beloved daughter. They found the perfect man for her a few towns over. He was a local business man and quite wealthy."


    "Your father, I presume?" Garrett asked.


    Fernandez laughed.


    "Not quite. My mother was rather enamored with a young man that worked on their farm. They grew up together, playing in the fields since his parents had a small home on the edge her family''s land. He was her best friend and the love of her life."


    Fernandez turned and began walking slowly down the hall, hands clasped behind his back, Garrett and Parker walking with him.


    "It turned out they were both in love with the other, but were afraid to admit their feelings. So time went on and my mother found herself being dressed for her wedding to the businessman. She was left alone before the ceremony when her friend, the farm-hand burst through the door. He professed his love for her, and they sneaked away and ran off to be married."


    Parker slipped her hand around the inside of Garrett''s elbow as they walked and she tried not to let the story seep into her heart and squeeze it too hard.


    "My father often told me he fell even more in love with my mother than he ever thought possible on their honeymoon," Fernandez finished as they got to the end of the hallway near the elevator.


    Garrett wondered irritably what the point of this story was.


    "That''s a wonderful story, Mr. President. Shall we find somewhere quiet where we can sit down and begin the interview?" Garrett asked as politely as he could.


    Fernandez threw his head back and laughed, bringing his hand up to pat Garrett on the back.


    "Oh, Mr. Miller, how you amuse me!" he said with a smile.


    "Tell me, Mrs. Miller, does your husband keep you in stitches every day?"

 Page 19

    Parker chuckled to hide her sarcasm.Advertisement


    "Absolutely. The things that come out of his mouth just make me want to scream...in laughter," Parker replied.


    Garrett felt like he was missing something.


    "I think it''s very important for a couple to have some time alone after they are married to discover one another, as man and wife. You can''t really do that in your own home with day to day interruptions.


    Even Parker was confused at this point, having no idea where Fernandez was going with this.


    "I would like you and your lovely wife to come back here tomorrow evening. You can spend the night in the guest quarters on the second floor where my staff will cater to your every need."


    Parker and Garrett''s confused expressions equaled one another.


    "Mr. President, that''s incredibly generous but..."


    Fernandez interrupted Garrett.


    "Nonsense, I insist. The two of you have a passion that deserves to be unbound in celebration of your love. It would make me very happy to offer up my palace as a place for you to consummate your marriage in luxury. The following evening after you are well rested, we''ll meet over dinner and conduct that interview you''re so anxious about."


    Fernandez said goodnight to Garrett and Parker and told them he would send a car to their hotel tomorrow evening. He left them waiting for the elevator while he went back to the rest of his guests.


    Garrett and Parker didn''t speak until the elevator doors opened and they stepped inside.


    "Did the President of the Dominican just tell us he''d give us the interview if we stayed at his palace and had sex?" Parker asked, the shock clearly evident in her voice.


    Garrett, equally amazed, nodded his head.


    "Yep, I''m pretty sure that''s what just happened."


    Chapter Eleven


    Garrett and Parker pretended the kiss from the previous night never happened, on the outside at least. Internally, they were both thinking about it, constantly replaying it over and over in their minds. Parker didn¡¯t want to talk about it because she was still hurt Garrett so cavalierly brushed it off as no big deal, and Garrett, like a typical man, figured if he just ignored the problem, it would go away.


    If he ignored how much he wanted Parker, if he ignored how much he ached to feel the touch of her breath on his face and the taste of her lips on his tongue, eventually it wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore.


    At four in the morning, when he still hadn¡¯t fallen asleep because listening to Parker¡¯s gentle breathing and quiet moans every time she rolled over had made him hard enough to cut glass, he knew this was a problem that had no intention of ever leaving him.


    They both got out of bed exhausted, neither one in much of a talking mood.


    They met for breakfast in Austin¡¯s room since he had already ordered enough food to feed a small army and sat down at the table in the corner of the room and dug into the food. Austin gave them a breakdown of what they found when they scouted the locations from the list Parker had given them the night before. Brady was late for breakfast and Austin informed them he was printing something off in his room and would be there soon.


    Austin explained that the three men went to each of the eleven businesses on the list. Every building was closed for the night and locked tight, but that didn¡¯t stop them from finding a way inside to search the files kept on-site. They found no mention of Fernandez or anyone working for him.


    Garrett wanted to bang his head against a wall as they continued to hit dead ends. No one was this perfect. People made mistakes all the time. They just had to find one of Fernandez¡¯s and then everything would unravel.


    Brady walked into the room at that point and handed Garrett the print out that made him late. It was an address and directions.


    ¡°Is this it? Is this for The Target Agency?¡± Garrett questioned.


    Parker leaned towards Garrett to see what was on the paper while Brady poured himself a cup of coffee and sat on the end of the bed.


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t know exactly what that address is for,¡± Cole answered from his seat across from Parker. ¡°The last business we went to was the insurance company. I found a few pieces of forwarded mail in one of the trash cans under the receptionist¡¯s desk. Mail from that address...¡± Cole pointed to the paper Garrett held ¡°...was forwarded to the insurance company.¡±


    Just barely reaching six feet, Cole was the shortest on the team, and he never failed to overcompensate for that fact by eating, sleeping, and breathing his job. With his short blonde hair and chocolate colored eyes, he was easily forgotten about in a crowd which made him the perfect candidate for undercover work. Much to his parent¡¯s dismay, as soon as Cole turned eighteen he ripped the silver spoon from his mouth, threw it as far away as possible and did the exact opposite of what they wanted. Their constant nagging about him getting a real job as a doctor or a lawyer gave Cole all the incentive he needed to do every single job to the absolute best of his ability. He didn¡¯t need anyone or anything but his SEAL brothers, and he would always make sure they came first.


    ¡°I just got off the phone with the post office, which is a huge clusterfuck by the way, and according to them, the forwarding order was a typo in their system,¡± Brady jumped in to explain. ¡°It turns out they are updating all of their software and it reset a bunch of forwarding requests from years ago. The request to have mail from the address I printed sent to the insurance company was from eight years ago.¡±


    Garrett and Parker glanced at one another. Eight years ago was when The Target Agency first opened¡ªand when Parker became CIA. Neither one of them understood why everything was starting with correlate to that point in time. It left them feeling more than a little unsettled.


    ¡°The forwards lasted for two days before the post office caught the error and stopped them,¡± Brady finished, forcing Parker and Garrett¡¯s attention back to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming whatever was in the envelopes wasn¡¯t anything important?¡± Garrett asked.


    Cole shook his head.


    ¡°Nope, just some junk mail. We figured the two of you would want to check out the address yourselves.¡±


    Everyone finished up breakfast, then Garrett and Parker headed out to the parking lot to get one of the rental SUVs while the guys stayed at the resort in case they needed something looked up on the computer quickly.


    On the drive, the big fat elephant in the car, the sleepover they were supposed to have at the palace that night, was shoved into the trunk and never brought up. Instead, they discussed possibilities of what they might find once they got to the address.


    After a few wrong turns, Garrett drove down a long dirt road for about three miles until they came to an old abandoned warehouse in the middle of a field.


    Garrett parked the car and they both got out. Parker turned in a circle, looking every which way.


    ¡°There is absolutely no sign of life anywhere around here.¡±


    Garrett glanced around and nodded his head in agreement.


    The only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of trees when a breeze blew and the cry of a bird every so often. They were so far off the main road you wouldn¡¯t even be able to hear cars driving past. Not that the building was located on a busy road, though. Garrett and Parker hadn¡¯t seen any other vehicle on the main road the entire fifteen minutes they drove on it.


    ¡°Nice. Secluded place where no one would hear a thing,¡± he said as he stepped away from the car and slammed his door closed. ¡°I do not have a good feeling about this.¡±


    Parker agreed as she shut the passenger door and began walking towards the building. It looked like it could have been a factory at one point, but the busted windows, overgrown weeds, and chipping paint indicated it hadn¡¯t been used as such in quite a long time.


    Garrett walked a few feet behind Parker and watched her navigate the weeds, downed trees, and rocks littering the way. When they got to the door of the building, Parker reached behind her with one hand and lifted up the bottom of her shirt a few inches until Garrett could clearly see the Glock stuck into the waist of her jeans in the middle of her back and enough of her creamy skin to make his mouth water. He stopped in his tracks and watched her use the opposite hand to pull the gun out and get into the Weaver stance, a defensive shooting position.


    Parker twisted her neck to look behind her as she held her gun and aimed at the door.


    ¡°You ready?¡± she asked Garrett quietly.


    He stood there staring at the gun in her hands, not moving.


    ¡°Yo, McCarthy, wake up!¡± she whispered loudly.


    Garrett jerked out of his trance and put a halt the internal scolding he was giving his body about settling down.


    He quickly reached down to grab the Beretta out of his ankle holster. When he stood, Parker was still looking at him with her eyebrows raised.


    ¡°Sorry, you holding a fucking gun is still messing with my mind,¡± Garrett said irritably as he motioned for her to proceed.


    It took everything in him not to turn into a caveman, shove her out of the way, and go in ahead of her so she¡¯d be kept out of harm¡¯s way. Garrett knew without a doubt that if he did that, she¡¯d knock him flat on his ass...and maybe even shoot him just for the hell of it. He had to show her that he trusted her and had faith in her abilities.


    Parker finally turned away from Garrett and his weird behavior. She walked up to the door and tried the handle, finding it locked. She shook it a little and pushed on it with her shoulder. It didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Here, let me,¡± Garrett said as he came around Parker¡¯s side and tried his hand at slamming his shoulder into the door.


    ¡°Problems, McCarthy?¡± Parker asked as the door remained firmly closed.


    ¡°Not at all, Parker,¡± Garrett replied without turning around.


    Garrett lifted up his knee and projected all of his power through his leg as he kicked his foot out and connected with the locked door. It flung open and banged against the inside wall.


    It was Parker¡¯s turn to stand there with a stunned expression on her face. She¡¯d seen him train, she¡¯d seen him at the shooting range, she¡¯d imagined him in every different type of dangerous scenario over the years, but nothing compared to standing next to him and watching him put his skill to the test in a real life situation while he was gripping a gun.


    Everything about Garrett made Parker¡¯s body¡¯ stand up and take notice from the way he trusted her to take the lead up to the building to the way he barreled his foot through the door like a battering ram. She knew he was strong; she¡¯d seen him work out and had been a witness to his six pack abs on more than one mouth-watering occasion. But seeing him right that moment in a pair of jeans that hugged him perfectly and a t-shirt that showed off his sculpted arms, she felt the power of his strength pouring off of him in waves. He stood calm and sure next to the door, and she had never felt safer in her entire life. She had always been the one in charge during missions, always the one who rushed in head first and ensured the safety of everyone on her team. She was at the top of her game in a man¡¯s profession, which meant she had to work twice as hard and be just as ballsy to earn the respect of her teammates. It was unnatural for her to hand the reins over to someone else.


    Garrett didn¡¯t mock her because she wasn¡¯t able to open the door herself, even though she¡¯d practically rubbed her abilities in his face a handful of times in the past few days. He just took charge and got the job done.


    And now he was standing next to the open door waiting for her to go in first. Everyone knew the first entrant was always the one that faced the most danger. Parker could see how at war he was with himself as the emotions played across his face: fear, worry and finally, acceptance. She knew it was killing him to let her take the lead because he feared for her safety. But he was doing it because he trusted her. Parker knew it was time to give a little of that trust back to him.


    ¡°You go first,¡± Parker told him as she motioned towards the door with her gun.


    Garrett looked at her in confusion for a moment before quickly taking action. Parker watched as he crouched down and extended his arms out in front of him with the gun secured in both his hands. She had to remind herself that they could be entering into an extremely dangerous situation, and it was not appropriate for her to be fantasizing about one little bad guy jumping out from behind the door just so she could watch the muscles in Garrett¡¯s arms constrict as he threw a punch straight to the man¡¯s face.


    As Garrett walked through the doorway, he cleared either side of the entrance, sweeping the gun in front of him from floor to ceiling on both sides.


    Parker knew that in all her life she would never see anything sexier than Garrett walking into a building with his gun drawn prepared to do whatever it took to protect her.


    Garrett took a few more steps into the building, the gun following wherever his eyes darted, looking for trouble. With all of the windows the building had, the sun shined through them and lit up every corner of the place, making the search for trouble much easier.


    Parker followed behind Garrett, mirroring his motions as she double checked for enemies with weapons pointed at their heads. When they¡¯d cleared the room, she came to a stop beside Garrett and lowered her gun, staring in confusion at the same thing he was.


    ¡°Why are there bunk beds in the middle of a vacant building?¡± she asked


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Garrett replied as they both began walking towards the fifteen or so bunks clustered in the middle of the expansive room. They stepped over trash littering the floor and looked at graffiti covered the walls. There was scaffolding handing from the ceiling that looked like it would come crashing down with the loss of just a few more screws, and the place smelled like death.


    ¡°Who in the hell would want to live in this shithole?¡± Garrett asked as they stopped next to the beds.

 Page 20

    Parker shoved the gun back into her waistband holster under her shirt and bent down to look under each of the beds while Garrett walked around and checked out the top bunks.Advertisement


    Under one of the beds, Parker found an article of clothing and pulled it out.


    ¡°A homeless woman maybe?¡± Parker responded as she held up a dirty, yellow sundress that had seen better days.


    Garrett shrugged his shoulders and began lifting up mattresses to see if anything was hidden under them.


    ¡°Right. So Fernandez is running a disgusting, broken down homeless shelter when he has more money than God?¡± he asked.


    When Garrett didn¡¯t get a reply, he turned around and was met with no Parker. He started to panic until he saw her emerge from a room back by the door they came in.


    Garrett understood Austin¡¯s nickname for Parker now. She really was like a ninja, and he had no idea how she got over to that room, looked around, and was already walking back towards him in the five seconds it took him to lift up a mattress and ask her a question.


    Parker made her way over to Garrett from the small bathroom she noticed during her initial sweep of the building. She had found a travel size bottle of shampoo and a woman¡¯s razor inside of a toiletry bag in the bathroom.


    ¡°Catalina Olvera.¡±


    Garrett looked at Parker quizzically.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± he asked.


    Parker walked up to him and handed him the toiletry bag, opening it up and showing him the inside.


    ¡°That¡¯s the name written on the inside of this bag. And hopefully someone who can give us more information about this place,¡± she told him.


    Garrett called Brady using the high speed satellite phone and gave him the name so he could run a search on it. While they waited for him to call back, Parker told Garrett about the words she¡¯d overheard Fernandez say to his VP at dinner the night before.


    ¡°Girls, money, and boat? Add in the words coke and booze and that sounds like someone looking for a party,¡± Garrett said.


    His cell phone rang before Parker could reply.


    ¡°What do you have for me?¡± Garrett answered.


    Parker stood in front of him with her arms crossed, watching Garrett nod his head and listening to his side of the conversation which included a lot of ¡°Uh-huhs and okays.¡±


    ¡°Last known address?¡± Garrett asked.


    He waited a beat.


    ¡°Text it to me. Good work, Marshall.¡±


    Garrett hung up the phone and slid it back in his pocket.


    ¡°Catalina Olvera was a sixteen-year-old runaway. Her body was found two months ago in an alley. Raped and beaten.¡±


    Parker sighed. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡±


    Garrett and Parker headed out of the warehouse and drove to the address Brady had sent.


    ¡°I tole¡¯ you, I know nothin¡¯ about that bitch. She trouble and I¡¯s glad be rid of her.¡±


    Garrett and Parker stood on the porch of the childhood home of Catalina Olvera, listening to her drunken father rant in broken English.


    After fifteen minutes, Parker realized this man had been drunk for most of Catalina¡¯s childhood, and after she ran away, he never saw her again until he had to identify her body at the morgue.


    Parker¡¯s blood boiled with every word that asshole slurred. He reminded her too much of her father. She was pissed off that this man let his child get brutalized and didn¡¯t even care..


    Garrett thanked the man for his time and scribbled down his secure cell phone number and gave it to the man in case he thought of anything. He grabbed Parker¡¯s arm and gently pulled her off the dilapidated porch. He could feel the anger coming off her in waves and knew he had to get her out of there before she did something stupid like pull a gun on the guy.


    They got to the bottom of the porch when Parker stopped and turned back to the man standing in the doorway glaring at them.


    ¡°Espero que usted quema en el infierno para darle la espalda a su hija,¡± Parker said quietly to him through gritted teeth.


    Garrett watch the color drain from the man¡¯s face as Parker shook her arm out of Garrett¡¯s clutch, turned, and stalked to the car. She got inside and slammed the door closed.


    Garrett jogged over to his side of the car, got behind the wheel, and started the engine. He looked over at Parker and stared at her profile as she put her elbow on the window ledge and rested her chin on her fist, gazing off into the distance outside her window.


    ¡°Wanna tell me what you said to him?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°I told him that I hoped he burned in hell for turning his back on his daughter. Even the most despicable Dominican assholes take their religion very seriously,¡± Parker told Garrett without looking at him.


    Garrett wanted to reach over and use his fingers to brush the hair away from her cheek so he could see her eyes. He wanted to pull her across the console toward him so he could hold her. He knew what kind of man her father was, and he knew that any time she saw a man neglecting his daughter it cut into her and felt like it was happening to her all over again.


    Her father was the one thing Milo and Garrett had ever fought over.


    Parker had been out of town for work so Garrett and Milo got together for pizza and beer at his and Parker¡¯s place. Milo had set the open pizza box down on the coffee table in front of them and plopped down on the couch next to Garrett.


    ¡°So, Parker told me to write up a guest list for the wedding while she was gone,¡± Milo said as he took a slice out of the box and took a bite.


    ¡°Sound like loads of fun. Don¡¯t even ask me to help you with that shit,¡± Garrett replied around a mouthful of pizza.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, bro. I¡¯m almost done anyway. I think I¡¯m going to invite her dad as a surprise,¡± Milo said nonchalantly.


    Garrett tossed what was left of his slice back into the box and looked at Milo like he was insane.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding right?¡± he asked him.


    ¡°What?¡± Milo asked obliviously. ¡°She hasn¡¯t spoken to him in like...forever. I think our wedding would be a great time to mend fences.¡±


    Garrett leaned against the back of the couch and shook his head.


    ¡°You cannot be that fucking stupid, Milo.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± Milo yelled angrily.


    Garrett felt bad that he was pissing Milo off but he couldn¡¯t help it. He had to see how bad of an idea that was.


    ¡°Dude, you can¡¯t just ¡®mend fences¡¯ with someone who wishes you were dead. It¡¯s not that simple, and it definitely shouldn¡¯t be attempted on what¡¯s supposed to be the happiest day of Parker¡¯s life,¡± Garrett reasoned with him.


    ¡°Oh cut the bullshit,¡± Milo fumed. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you knowmyfianc¨¦e better than I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just trying to help you out. If you do this, it¡¯s going to blow up in your face. How many times has she said she wants nothing to do with that man? You can¡¯t just drop this bomb on her at your wedding.¡±


    Milo had stood up, kicked the coffee table out of his way, and stormed down the hall. The next sound Garrett had heard was the slamming of Milo and Parker¡¯s bedroom door.


    The subject was never brought up again between Milo and Garrett, but a week later when he met Parker for lunch she had told him about a huge fight she¡¯d had the night before with Milo when he mentioned inviting her father to the wedding.


    As they drove back to the resort in silence, Garrett wondered if he¡¯d thrown things like that in Milo¡¯s face just to prove hedidknow Parker better than Milo did. At the time, he thought the advice he¡¯d given Milo frequently was to help him.


    Now, he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    When Garrett and Parker got back to the resort, a message was waiting for them stating that a palace car would pick them up at five o¡¯clock. That meant they had an hour to pack and decide how they were going to do this.


    ¡°You¡¯re not nervous about this, are you?¡± Garrett asked her as he threw a pair of pants into his bag.


    ¡°Nope. You?¡±


    Garrett shook his head while he glanced at Parker as she stuck her bag of toiletries into her duffel.


    ¡°If it makes it easier, just pretend I¡¯m Milo and that you are blissfully happy on your romantic little honeymoon,¡± Garrett told her with a smile.


    He immediately regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth and wished he could take them back. He sounded like a jealous ass.


    ¡°Blissfully happy. Yeah, right,¡± Parker said sarcastically as she zipped her bag closed.


    She quickly turned away, hoping Garrett didn¡¯t think much of her comment. She walked over to the door and dropped her bag by it, keeping her back to him.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t think you two would have been pawing each other for a week and smiling so much you¡¯d make everyone around you puke?¡± Garrett joked.


    Each word he said was like a knife to the chest since it forced him to imagine Milo and Parker having sex all over God¡¯s green earth, but he kept a smile in place for Parker¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Parker said quietly as she finally turned around to face him.


    Garrett didn¡¯t like the sadness in her face. He felt like an idiot for bringing Milo up minutes before they were supposed to pretend to be newlyweds on their honeymoon.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought him up, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Garrett told her.


    Parker sighed, hating the way Garrett always took the blame for everything. There was so much he didn¡¯t know about his best friend. Things she and obviously Milo had kept from him. She had no idea why Milo had never confided in Garrett about the problems they¡¯d had. Maybe he was embarrassed. Parker never told Garrett because she never wanted to be that woman who came between two best friends. When Milo was alive, there were some things she felt like she had to keep to herself so Milo wouldn¡¯t feel like she¡¯d betrayed him. Now that he was gone, maybe it was time to shed some light for Garrett.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. I don¡¯t mind you bringing him up. He was your friend too. It¡¯s just¡­things weren¡¯t as wonderful and perfect between us that last year, especially the six months leading up to when he left.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean they weren¡¯t that great? You guys were happy, in love, and getting married. What¡¯s not great about that?¡±


    Parker cocked her head and looked at Garrett. Her first thought was that she didn¡¯t want him to accuse her of lying and making things up now that Milo was dead. But she immediately admonished herself for that notion. Garrett would never do that to her.


    Parker had felt a shift in her relationship with Garrett ever since the moment they woke up in bed curled around each other. The air practically crackled every time they were in the same room, and each time she looked at Garrett, she found him staring right back at her. Even if he wouldn¡¯t admit it and she was too scared to say anything to him, she could feel things changing between them. Now that she¡¯d felt his touch on her bare skin, she ached for it again. Now that she¡¯d felt his lips on hers, she knew she¡¯d never be the same until she felt them again. Sometimes she saw something in his eyes that said he felt the same way, but then just as quickly, it would disappear. Parker knew it was hard for him to think of her as anything other than his friend¡¯s fianc¨¦. She didn¡¯t want him going day in and day out under the impression that everything was fine between her and Milo. If guilt was making him keep his walls up around her, she would do whatever she could to ease his feelings of remorse.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t so happy, Garrett. Not for a long time,¡± Parker admitted.


    To say Garrett was surprised was putting it mildly. Milo never made any indication that anything was wrong between the two of them.


    "What happened?" Garrett asked.


    Parker threw up her hands in exasperation.


    ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. Something changed with Milo. It was like one day he came home from work and he was a different man. At first I figured it was stress at work, but when he denied anything was wrong, I used some of my connections and found out he''d been doing great there, no problems. As the months wore on with him getting increasingly worse, whenever I tried to get him to talk, he''d yell and argue and go into a fit about me getting into his business."


    Garrett knew about Milo¡¯s quick temper, but he''d always kept it in check around Parker.


    "You should have told me," Garrett stated.


    "I wanted to. God, I wanted to tell you so many times,¡± Parker admitted, taking a few steps towards the bed where Garrett stood. ¡°But we even fought about that. He''d yell at me for running to you with all my problems."


    During those arguments, Parker always felt like she was drowning in guilt. She knew what Milo accused her of was the absolute truth. She had always gone to Garrett with every problem or question. Garrett and Parker were opposites in almost every way possible, and yet she trusted him implicitly to always tell her the truth and be honest with her when she needed his help. He told her when she was being an idiot, and he encouraged her when she was struggling.


    Parker knew she should be sharing all of this with Milo, but more often than not, he wasn¡¯t around when she needed him the most. Garrett always was.


    A knock on the door interrupted their discussion as a staff member from the resort came to collect their bags and escort them to the lobby to wait for the car.


    At ten till five, Parker sat in a chair in the lobby staring out of the front entryway, tapping her foot nervously on the marble floor. She still had no idea how she was going to pull off a fake honeymoon at the home of a man, that may or may not be involved in illegal activity that got her fianc¨¦ killed, where she was supposed to have pretend sex with her pretend husband when all she wanted to do was have real sex with the real Garrett. It made her head hurt just to think about it.

 Page 21

    Garrett figured they could spend the night at the palace, stay locked in their room for a few hours, maybe make a few noises so the staff would hear them ¡°discover one another¡± and then in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, do some snooping around.Advertisement


    Parker knew it wouldn¡¯t be that easy to lurk around the presidential palace in the middle of the night. The CIA had spent six months preparing her and twenty other agents to spend five seconds in the bushes outside of the palace attaching a listening device to a window. They wouldn¡¯t be able to just open their bedroom door and waltz in and out of rooms.


    And given Fernandez¡¯s possible connection to the death of a young girl, he might be suspicious of everyone and everything. There could be people sitting outside of Garrett and Parker¡¯s door all night long for all they knew.


    "He loved you more than anything," Garrett told her quietly as he sat down beside her.


    Regardless of what he felt for Parker, he could never lie to her. She deserved to know that her fianc¨¦ really did love her, no matter what his actions said before he left.


    "He had a funny way of showing it," Parker replied softly, staring across the lobby at nothing as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, absentmindedly twisting the diamond and sapphire ring around her finger.


    She¡¯d removed her diamond engagement ring from that finger months before because it just didn¡¯t seem right to keep wearing it. She always thought she would feel naked without the ring so she wore it around her neck to keep it close to her. When she took the chain and the solitaire diamond off of her neck yesterday before the dinner at the palace, she felt no sense of loss or sadness. Just touching the ring that Garrett had given her and knowing it would only be a matter of time before it was removed from her finger filled her with an incredible sense of sadness.


    "He''d get phone calls in the middle of the night, and I''d hear him whispering in the hallway,¡± Parker continued, pulling her thoughts away from the ring on her finger. ¡°He¡¯d tell me he had to run to the store and then never come home with any purchases. He¡¯d get up out of bed at all hours of the night and just leave, not coming home until the middle of the afternoon, without one word of explanation. I know we both had things we couldn''t tell the other, but it was never like this. If one of us took a phone call for work, even if we couldn''t discuss it, we could at least say it was work related. He''d pretend like nothing happened and when I''d ask him, he''d blow up in my face. I was convinced he was cheating on me for a while," she said with a humorless laugh.


    "He would never cheat on you," Garrett assured her, allowing his instincts to take over as he reached over and pushed her hair behind her shoulder so he could see her face. He let his hand make its way under her hair and to the back of her neck, his fingers kneading away the tension he felt there.


    Garrett listened to Milo brag about how often they had sex constantly over the years. After those conversations, Garrett always drowned himself in whiskey and called up a "friend" to occupy his mind. It was unfathomable to him that the same man who boasted about the sex life he had with the woman next to him would go looking elsewhere.


    "Well, he had to have been getting it from someone because he sure as hell wasn''t getting it from me."


    Parker watched her words click into place in Garrett''s mind and figured that since she¡¯d gone this far, she might as well lay it all out there.


    "In that year, I can count on one hand how many times we had sex, the last time was five months before he left."


    Garrett couldn¡¯t keep the shock off of his face if he tried. Everything Parker said to him was the exact opposite of what Milo had told him. It wasn¡¯t a question of who to believe; he would choose Parker every time. But suddenly, everything about Parker''s actions the night she showed up at his place and stripped made sense now. He remembered asking Milo a few days later if everything was okay between Parker and him and how over the top Milo¡¯s response was. He had gushed about how happy and in love they were and how they just couldn¡¯t keep their hands off each other, going into explicit detail about every sexual encounter they¡¯d had recently. Garrett had thought it was a bit overkill for Milo to go into so much detail, but at the time he just chalked it up to Milo being happy and suffered through the onslaught information.


    Garrett wondered if he knew then what he knew now, if that night would have ended differently when he turned around and saw Parker standing in his living room, wet from the rain that soaked her skin and lace underwear. He wondered if the guilt of wanting to sink himself inside of her would have still eaten him alive like it had every day since then.


    He wondered if he had known about the problems Milo and Parker were having at the time if he would have taken what she had offered and what he''d wanted since the day he met her.


    Garrett thought back to the private cell phone Milo owned with all of the phone calls back and forth from here to the Dominican Republic. He¡¯d never explained to Parker why he questioned her about Milo owning another phone because he didn¡¯t want to worry her. He honestly believed his friend would never, ever cheat on Parker or do anything to hurt her. But thinking back to the phone and the way Milo had acted with her, Garrett realized that maybe he really didn¡¯t know his friend as well as he thought he did.


    Before he could say anything, Parker stood as a sleek, black limo pulled up to the resort. Garrett stood beside her, grabbed their bags, and they made their way to the waiting car.


    Once they were seated and the driver stowed their bags in the trunk, Garrett raised the privacy window as they began pulling out of the resort.


    After driving for several minutes in silence, Garrett turned towards Parker. She was staring out of her window, but the running lights in the back of the vehicle made it possible for Garrett to see her reflection in the glass. She was lost in thought, and he knew it was his own damn fault for bringing Milo up in the first place. Parker was right, Milo was his friend as well, and he knew he should feel comfortable enough to talk about him, but not at the expense of her happiness.


    With Parker¡¯s hands resting in her lap, Garrett reached one of his hands over and touched the inside of her wrist with the tips of his fingers, sliding them up through her palm until they pushed in between hers and their fingers were interlaced.


    At the heat of his touch, Parker turned her face toward Garrett. He squeezed her hand once, letting her know without words that everything would be okay while he softly rubbed his thumb back and forth over the knuckle of her thumb.


    Garrett and Parker stared at each other silently as the limo drove them towards the palace, each of them wondering if they''d be able to pull off the ruse of husband and wife tonight with all of the thoughts and memories threatening to drown them.


    Chapter Twelve


    Garrett and Parker were able to avoid all the security checkpoints their second time entering the palace since they weren¡¯t in their own vehicle. When they were ushered past the security guard with the metal detector wand, Garrett cursed himself for not bringing his gun. After the information they found earlier, he had a really bad feeling about all of this.


    Parker wondered what was going through Garrett¡¯s mind after the admission about her relationship with Milo. Garrett hadn¡¯t said a word after she confessed they hadn¡¯t slept together in ages. She probably made him uncomfortable speaking about his friend that way, but she¡¯d kept things bottled up for too long. It felt good to confide in Garrett¨Dsomething she probably should have done a long time ago.


    Parker closed her mind from those thoughts for the time being. They had a job to do and wouldn¡¯t be able to talk freely anytime soon. The subject of her relationship with Milo was definitely closed for discussion while they were there.


    Parker¡¯s hand clutched the inside of Garrett¡¯s elbow and her shoes clicked against the marble floor as they followed a palace staff member down the longest hallway they¡¯d ever seen. The staff member continued on ahead of them in silence as Parker and Garrett perused the many styles of artwork that hung on the walls on either side of them. The hallway widened after a while, and it looked as though they were entering another lobby of sorts. Parker glanced up at the cathedral ceiling as they walked into the second room and she couldn¡¯t help but admire the intricate painted scene of angels locked in a battle between good and evil. The irony of having that scene floating above their heads while they prepared to go to war with the man who lived here was not lost on Parker. This room afforded them a beautiful view of the open hallways to the second and third floors. Arched columns and white marble railings lined the floors, and the staff member paused at the base of a grand staircase at the end of the room and indicated with his arm that they should make their way up to the second floor.


    Once at the top, they walked down the open hallway, glancing below where they had just been, while the staff member began to prattle on about the palace¡¯s history.


    Finally, they came to a set of white and gold double doors. They were unlocked and opened with a flourish. Garrett and Parker took a step inside and both gasped in awe.


    When they heard they were going to be staying in a guest suite, they assumed it would be just that¡ªa guest suite. This was more like a three-thousand square foot house inside of the palace.


    The doors were closed behind them with instructions to use the house phone in the sitting room for food, entertainment, or anything else they might need during their stay.


    The room they were currently in was the biggest living room they had ever seen, complete with twenty foot vaulted ceilings, windows almost as tall, and a view of the ocean outside. The entire room was decorated in cream and gold, and it was warm and inviting.


    Garrett and Parker walked wordlessly into the room, turning to the right when they came to another room.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Garrett muttered.


    The bedroom took up at least half of the massive suite. It was decorated in more cream and gold, but darker hues than in the living room. Parker let go of Garrett¡¯s arm and walked to the bed at the very end of the room, against the wall, and sat down at the foot. Her body sunk into the soft mattress and she let out a sigh of comfort. Garrett walked past the heavy gold curtains that hung around the room and leaned his shoulder against one of the marble pillars that encased the bed. He stared at Parker¡¯s face as she glanced up and saw an elaborate dome that acted as a light and took up most of the ceiling.


    ¡°We could make as much noise as we wanted in this room and no one would hear us,¡± Parker joked.


    Garrett laughed, remembering his earlier idea of the two of them moaning, jumping up and down on the bed, and rattling the headboard so the staff would know something was going on in the room and report back to Fernandez. Obviously that idea would be out.


    ¡°I could do things that would make you scream and no one would know,¡± Garrett said with an arch of an eyebrow and a menacing, serial killer laugh.


    Parker laughed along with him.


    ¡°Who said anything about you making me scream?¡± she asked jovially as she stood up from the bed. ¡°I do believe I have proven my ninja skills on more than one occasion.¡±


    She moved closer so she could stand on her tip toes and kiss his cheek. She missed the easy camaraderie with Garrett; it was nice to have it back.


    Parker pulled away from him slightly so she could see his eyes, sliding her hand up to rest on his chest and turning up one corner of her mouth in a confident smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate my power to make you scream,¡± she said softly.


    They stared at each other with humor evident in their faces for several heartbeats. Then, the reality of the situation set in for both of them. They could have been just a couple of friends, making off-color jokes about killing each other or performing some kind of act that would cause enough pain to make one of them scream, but in that moment, standing chest to chest, it stopped being a joke about shouts of pain and became the reality of cries of pleasure.


    Garrett swallowed thickly, imagining just what Parker could do to his body that would cause him to shout her name in pleasure, and Parker thought about Garrett¡¯s hands and just where they could touch her to bring about screams of ecstasy.


    Awkwardness suddenly descended on both of them as they were each assaulted with thoughts about how they should spend the night together in the room.


    Parker needed a few minutes away from Garrett to get her head screwed on straight. This was an assignment, and Garrett was her friend. They could watch television, talk, or do whatever they normally did when they spent an evening together. It shouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m just going to take a shower,¡± Parker said as she took a step back from Garrett and walked around him to go into the living room where the staffer had placed their bags.


    Garrett was rooted in place, staring at the bed, and imagining Parker naked underneath the covers. He stood silently with his hands in his pockets as Parker came back into the room a few minutes later, carrying her toiletries and some clothes.


    He watched her walk down to the end of the room, past the bed, and disappear into what must have been the bathroom. He waited until he heard the sound of the water running before he snapped out of his daze and went to retrieve his own bag.


    Parker¡¯s comment when they first saw the bedroom left a bad feeling with him. Fernandez invited them here for a honeymoon of sorts. Garrett found it hard to believe he wouldn¡¯t have done something to make sure that¡¯s what they used this time for. He didn¡¯t trust the man at all and wouldn¡¯t put it past him to do something underhanded and sick. Parker was right. They could scream and yell and no one out in the hallway would hear them. The room was entirely too big and the bed was as far away from the door and hallway as possible.


    Garrett picked up his small duffel bag and walked with it back into the bedroom. He deposited it on the settee at the foot of the bed and rummaged around inside until he found what he was looking for: a small silver keychain with a square device hanging from it that looked like a remote for a car.

 Page 22

    Garrett kept his hands inside the duffel and pressed the button in the middle of the device, turned the dial on top to adjust the frequency, and palmed it under his cell phone so he could walk around the room slowly to see if it lit up while he acted like he was typing on his phone.Advertisement


    Within seconds the little light at the top of the device flashed yellow, and Garrett swore to himself.


    He crouched down quietly next to the nightstand on the side of the bed, making a production of untying and taking off his shoes while he looked under the bottom of the table. Sure enough, at the very back was a small, round, black device no bigger than a pea stuck to the wood.


    Garrett¡¯s head dropped in defeat, and he wished he could yell a stream of profanities right now. But he couldn¡¯t because every word they spoke was currently being listened to. Now he just needed to make sure they weren¡¯t being watched as well.


    He stood back up and continued to slowly walk around the bedroom, acting like he was taking in all of the artwork on the walls. He stared out of the corner of his eye at the device still in his hand and prayed to God the light didn¡¯t turn red. Red indicated a higher frequency like that of a video recorder. Garrett was worried enough as it was about how they were going tosoundlike a married couple on their honeymoon. It would be a whole new level of freak-out if they had tolook the part in bed as well.


    After a quick sweep of the room, the light remained yellow. Yellow was bad enough since it meant Fernandez and God knew how many other people were listening to them, but at least they couldn¡¯t see what was going on. Garrett could work with that without raising any suspicions.


    Garrett heard the water in the bathroom turn off and knew he needed to quickly let Parker know what he¡¯d found. He hurried across the room and with a slight pause outside the bathroom door, he pushed it open and walked into the steam filled room.


    Parker had just wrapped the towel around her wet body when the door to the bathroom suddenly opened and Garrett hurried in, shutting the door behind him.


    ¡°What the he¡ª¡±


    Garrett¡¯s arm wrapped around Parker¡¯s towel-clad waist, and his hand clamped down over her mouth before she could say another word. He pulled her against him and stared into her eyes warning her wordlessly not to speak.


    Parker was breathing heavy from the shock of Garrett barging into the bathroom and the feel of him holding her so close with only a towel on. She was wet and now cold since Garrett opening the door had let out most of the heat. But she was pressed up against Garrett¡¯s warm body, clutching onto his biceps, and forgot all about the chill in the air.


    With his hand against her lips, she nodded her head in understanding and forced her heart to slow its rapid beats. Garrett slowly moved the hand from her mouth and put his index finger in front of his lips to further indicate she shouldn¡¯t speak.


    Garrett stared at Parker¡¯s face and refused to think about how wet and slick her skin looked and how easy it would be to rip the towel off of her body. Garrett¡¯s eyes betrayed him, and he glanced down at Parker¡¯s cleavage, pushing up out of the towel because of how close he held her to him. Beads of water glistened off of the smooth skin of her breasts, and he watched a few drops slide into the valley between them. His tongue felt thick in his mouth and he grew thicker in his pants because of his irrational need to bend down and lick the water off of her.


    He leaned to the side, taking Parker with him as he reached inside the shower and turned the water back on.


    ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind baby, I¡¯m just going to rinse off while you¡¯re getting dry,¡± Garrett said loudly as he walked the two of them backwards into the spray, sliding the shower door closed behind them.


    In seconds, the towel wrapped around Parker was sopping wet and molded to her body and Garrett¡¯s black dress pants and white button down were plastered to him. Garrett was grateful he¡¯d at least taken his shoes off.


    Parker watched Garrett¡¯s face descend toward hers, and she lifted her chin and closed her eyes, thinking he was going to kiss her again. She knew it was crazy, she knew there was another reason he¡¯d ushered them into the shower while he was fully clothed, she knew there was an important job they were supposed to be doing, but nothing else occupied her mind except for the feel of his warm skin through his wet clothes and the memory of his lips on hers.


    His wet cheek slid against her own until his lips were against her ear.


    ¡°Bugged,¡± was all he whispered.


    Parker¡¯s eyes blinked open as Garrett¡¯s mouth remained alongside her ear. She had been alone with him in this ¡°honeymoon¡± suite for less than thirty minutes and she¡¯d already forgotten her skills and professionalism. With anyone else, on any other job, she would have jumped into action as soon as they entered the room, checking the area for listening devices. If her partner had barged into the bathroom and dragged her into the shower, she would have immediately gone on high alert and started formulating a plan of action in her head.


    With Garrett, all she could concentrate on was him.


    Garrett pulled back and looked into Parker¡¯s eyes, seeing that she understood what he meant.


    They both realized a few well-placed moans and using the bed as a trampoline weren¡¯t going to cut it. If Fernandez put bugs in their room, he was going to be listening and paying attention. He would know the difference between moans of ecstasy and moans of the fake variety.


    Garrett leaned down again and whispered, ¡°Just follow my lead.¡±


    Parker nodded as he dropped his arm from around her waist, slid the shower door open, and gave her a nudge to leave.


    "Why don''t you go get comfortable in bed, baby, and I''ll be out in a minute" Garrett said loudly.


    Parker stepped out of the shower, blinked the water out of her eyes, and looked at Garrett. She hoped to God he knew what he was doing, because right now, she didn¡¯t have a clue.


    ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t take too long,¡± Parker played along with a raised voice.


    Garrett nodded his head towards the door, indicating that Parker should leave, and pulled the shower door closed. He watched Parker grab a dry towel as she retreated from the room, finally letting out the breath he''d been holding.


    Parker stepped out into the bedroom, unwrapped the soaked towel from her body, and tossed it to the side. She tucked the dry one around her and glanced nervously around the room.


    She shouldn''t be nervous. She''d been in plenty of situations where she was bugged and had to be careful of everything she said or did.


    But never with Garrett.


    Parker had no idea how they were going to do this. For the first time in her career she felt like things were out of her control. This was a Navy mission, and she was basically on loan to them. She didn¡¯t have to make all the decisions, and she didn¡¯t have to manage everyone and everything. Garrett was the leader of this mission, and right now she was more than happy to let him take the lead.


    Everything she¡¯d thought about for years was suddenly coming to fruition. She was overcome with a wave of sadness that it was happening as a ruse while strangers were listening.


    With a shaking hand, she flipped the switch to turn off the main chandelier in the room, the only light had come from the moon shining through the windows and the sliver of light under the bathroom door. Parker clutched the towel to her chest and crawled into bed, knowing that everything could come crashing down around them if she didn¡¯t suck it up and just do the job she came there for. She needed to focus on that and how important it was for them to get the truth. Parker would do whatever it took, even if it meant crossing the biggest line ever with her best friend.


    Garrett left the water running while he stepped out of the shower and removed all of his wet clothes. He grabbed a towel off of the shelf next to the sink, dried off, and wrapped it around his hips, securing it in place.


    He leaned his hands on the counter in front of the sink and stared at himself in the mirror for a few minutes, wondering how he was going to play this. Parker was out there right now...in bed... waiting for him¨Dhis friend and the woman he''d dreamed about for as long as he could remember.


    The guilt crept up as he reminded himself that this was his best friend''s girl. Milo, the boy he grew up with and the man that remained his friend through everything¨Dhe was gone and he was never coming back, but that still didn''t make anything about this right. Milo had always asked him before a mission if he would take care of Parker if anything happened to him. Garrett was certain that this wasn¡¯t what Milo had in mind. He was plagued with thoughts of Milo barging through the door and asking Garrett how he could betray him like this.


    Garrett turned around and shut off the water, taking a deep breath. He closed the door on his personal feelings and put up the wall, reminding himself that this was just a job and Parker was just his friend. He was a SEAL, and she was CIA, and they were both there to get the job done, no matter the costs. He knew Parker would be completely professional about this, and so would he.


    With a steel resolve, he opened the bathroom door and stepped out in the dark room.


    Parker¡¯s heart skipped a beat as the bathroom door opened and the light spilled out onto the bed. She was lying on her side, still clutching the towel to her chest as she watched the silhouette of Garrett with a towel wrapped around his hips step out into the room.


    Garrett glanced at Parker, taking in the sight of her waiting for him in bed. He reached back into the bathroom and flipped off the light. He could no longer see Parker¡¯s face and part of him was grateful for that. He didn¡¯t want her to see just how much this was torturing him inside.


    The light from the moon illuminated the room just enough so he could see where he was going as he rounded the bed and crawled in under the covers behind Parker. He wondered just how much sound the bugs could detect and hoped they couldn¡¯t hear his heart about to beat out of his chest.


    Parker was glad Garrett decided to turn the bathroom light off. There was only so much truth she was willing to share right then. If he saw her face during whatever it was he was planning, she knew it would be a dead giveaway. She was nervous and scared about the fact that someone was most likely listening to their every move right now, but deep down inside, in a place she kept hidden from everyone, a tiny thrill of excitement shot straight to her core as Garrett slid across the bed towards her and rested his hand on her bare shoulder.


    Parker¡¯s skin broke out in goose bumps immediately, and Garrett could feel them under his palm. He pushed himself up on his hip and reached down to pull the sheet and comforter up over both of their bodies. He knew Parker was still wet from the shower and figured she must be freezing.


    Garrett let the blanket fall to his waist, knowing he was far from needing to be warmed up. Being this close to Parker, when she was wearing nothing more than a towel, made him hot enough.


    Parker finally let go of her tight grasp on the towel and pulled her arm out from under the blankets, letting it rest on her side above the covers. She could feel the heat from Garrett¡¯s body radiating off of him and wished he would close the gap between them and press himself against her. Parker needed to feel him. She needed his touch to calm her nerves.


    As if reading her mind, Garrett scooted closer to Parker, still leaving a few inches between them, though. He felt himself harden as soon as he walked in on her in the bathroom and pulled her up against him. Right now he was practically screaming to be touched, and he didn¡¯t want to make it more awkward than it already was.


    Garrett held himself up on one elbow, looking down at Parker¡¯s profile. She had her eyes closed and her bottom lip held between her teeth. He knew Parker well enough to understand that this situation was making her tense. If this was going to work, they both needed to relax.


    Reaching up with his hand, he brushed Parker¡¯s damp hair off of her shoulder, letting his fingertips graze her skin. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss in the crook of her neck and then rested his forehead there for a moment, silently letting her know that everything would be okay. Garrett felt her body relax, sinking deeper into the mattress, and he knew it was time to get the show started. He pulled his head up and placed his lips to her neck a second time, making sure to create a loud smacking noise with his lips this time, certain to be picked up by the microphones.


    His lips made their way down the side of her neck and across the top of her shoulder, burning a path as they went. Each kiss echoed into the quiet room, and though Parker knew why he was making so much noise, the sounds broke through her mind and reminded her with each press of wet and warmth to her skin exactly who was doing this to her.


    Garrett didn¡¯t need to make this more than it was; he didn¡¯t need to make sure it was enjoyable for her, but he wanted to. He had to. With the first taste of her skin in his mouth, he knew there was no turning back. He turned off his mind to the fact of this just being a job and concentrated on it being Parker. Once he got to the end of her shoulder, he made his way back up to her neck, letting his tongue skim against her with every touch of his mouth to her to her skin.


    Parker couldn¡¯t hold back the soft sighs that escaped when Garrett¡¯s tongue touched her, and she couldn¡¯t stop the quiet moans that broke free from her lips as he nuzzled his mouth and nose directly under her ear. He breathed her in and opened his mouth when he placed a kiss to the spot below her ear. His teeth grazed the smooth skin there as he sucked gently, his hand fisting into the material of the blanket draped over Parker¡¯s hip.


    Garrett suddenly didn¡¯t care anymore about shocking Parker with his need for her. He wanted to hear more of her moans and soft cries of need, even if they were more for the benefit of those listening than for him.


    Still holding himself up on his elbow behind her, Garrett slipped his hand under the blanket, immediately feeling warm skin where the cloth had fallen open. Garrett tugged at the towel that was bunched between them as Parker lifted up enough for it to be pulled out from under her, and then she heard the sound of it being thrown across the room. Garrett¡¯s hand came back to its spot on her hip under the covers and leaned his head down, gently sucking her ear lobe into his mouth, letting his tongue swirl around it in his closed mouth. His hand slid to the smooth skin of her stomach and pulled her body back until his chest touched the bare skin of her back and his towel was the only thing that separated his hardness from her softness.

 Page 23

    Parker kept her eyes closed and enjoyed the sensations of Garrett pressing his body into hers. She could feel how hard he was and an ache spread between her legs, knowing there was only a thin piece of cotton that separated them. With a slide of the towel and a thrust of his hips, he could be pushing himself into her waiting heat. That thought and the things he was doing to her ear with his mouth and tongue made her push back against him.Advertisement


    Garrett groaned as Parker slid against him, the feel of her completely naked body threatening to undo him. He removed his arm from around her waist now that she was securely pressed into him. His palm rested on the curve of her hip, and he looked down into the profile of her beautiful face.


    ¡°Say it,¡± he whispered against her ear as his tongue licked the edge of her lobe.


    Parker shuddered against him. She knew exactly why he instructed her the way he did. He was giving her an out. He was letting her know that she could stop everything right now if she wasn¡¯t comfortable. If she didn¡¯t say anything, they would probably just go forward with the plan of pretending and make a bunch of noise in an attempt to satisfy the walls that had ears. If she spoke, if she confirmed her needs, nothing would need to be faked. Garrett would make sure of that. With two simple words, he had let her know that he was all in and would do whatever she asked. He had given the control back to her, knowing she was floundering without it.


    Parker immediately forgot about their audience, forgot about where they were and what lines they were crossing with each other and just let her mind and body be taken over by Garrett.


    Garrett held his breath and kept his mouth against Parker¡¯s ear, waiting for her reply. If she didn¡¯t say anything, their friendship would remain exactly like it was and once this mission was over, they¡¯d go back to living their lives and forget how close they¡¯d come to hurtling themselves off the edge of a cliff. If she spoke, if she voiced the words Garrett had longed to hear, since the day he met her, he would gladly take her hand and jump.


    Parker brought her arm up and reached behind her so she could run her fingers through Garrett¡¯s hair. She pulled his head down to her neck and voiced her decision at the same time.


    ¡°Touch me,¡± she whispered as his lips attached to her neck. ¡°Please.¡±


    Garrett let out a groan of relief as he sucked and licked every inch of Parker¡¯s neck and slid his hand down her hip and over her smooth thigh. He let his hand dip between her legs and gently pulled the top one back and over his hip, opening her to him.


    Parker¡¯s heart beat a frenzied rhythm in her chest. She was bare and wide open for him and panting with the need to feel his hands on her, inside of her, and claiming her once and for all.


    Garrett¡¯s hand resting on her knee slowly slipped back down the inside of her thigh. He stopped when his fingers came in contact with her smooth lips, and he swallowed thickly. He knew there was no turning back from this point. And right now he didn¡¯t care.


    He removed his hand from her inner thigh, and Parker moaned in protest. Before she could tell him to keep going, he came back to her, cupping the heat between her legs. He kept his palm flat against her, the heel of his hand pressing down on her most sensitive area, his fingers ghosting over the wetness that pooled around her opening. Parker¡¯s hips jerked automatically at the feel of his warm hand against her, forcing the tip of his middle finger to just barely enter her.


    Garrett and Parker both stopped all movement and held perfectly still. The anticipation was enough to kill Parker, and Garrett needed to slow his breathing. He buried his head into the side of her neck and squeezed his eyes closed. The first touch of her and he was already about to fall apart. He couldn¡¯t believe how wet and warm and perfect she felt.


    Parker let go of her iron clad grasp on the back of Garrett¡¯s head and slid her arm under the covers, gliding her hand down Garrett¡¯s forearm, until her hand was right over his between her legs. Parker wrapped her fingers around Garrett¡¯s wrist and with the slightest pressure signaled Garrett that she needed more.


    With Parker¡¯s firm grip on Garrett¡¯s wrist, together they pushed Garrett¡¯s finger the rest of the way inside of her welcoming heat. They both let out a moan; Garrett¡¯s followed with a guttural, ¡°Fuck.¡±


    Parker moved her hand from Garrett¡¯s and reached back to grab his hip, pulling him harder against her. She moved her hips so he sunk even deeper inside, and she could rub herself against his hard length.


    A second finger joined the first to stretch Parker and drive deep inside her. The heel of Garrett¡¯s hand grazed the sensitive bundle of nerves with each deep stroke deep. The sounds of Garrett¡¯s fingers pumping in and out of her wetness filled the room, even muffled under the covers.


    Parker¡¯s own muttered curses of ¡°Fuck¡± and ¡°Oh God¡± started playing on a loop as Garrett¡¯s fingers and hands brought her to the brink. He pulled out of her slowly, letting the tips of his two fingers glide sluggishly through her slit, pulling the wetness with him as he found her swollen nub and circled it over and over.


    Parker¡¯s head rested on her arm and her hand dangled lifelessly out in front of her. While Garrett¡¯s fingers worked her into a frenzy, sliding back and forth, he moved the arm holding him up and reached out to place his hand over hers. Parker intertwined their fingers and squeezed his hand as she felt the buildup of her orgasm.


    Her hips thrust against his hand working between her legs as he kissed and sucked the back of her neck. Garrett tried not to push his aching hardness against Parker but it was out of his hands now. She clutched his hip and pulled him against her forcefully every time he tried to move back a little, his towel slipping away with each shift. His fingers glided through her wetness, and he increased the pressure against her, listening to her moan and breathe heavily.


    Garrett suddenly wished he would have left the bathroom light on. He wanted more than anything to be able to see Parker when she came, to see the blush spread across her chest and the look of pleasure on her face, knowing he was the one to bring her there.


    Garrett¡¯s fingers slid back down through Parker until they plunged back inside her as deep as they would go, leaving his thumb to flick back and forth over her clit. If he couldn¡¯t see her come, he at least wanted to feel it.


    He held his fingers still, as deep as they would go, and put his mouth against her ear.


    ¡°Let go, baby,¡± he whispered, urging her on.


    The feel of Garrett¡¯s breath, his whispered command, and his fingers working every inch of her aching flesh pushed Parker over the edge. Garrett¡¯s thumb continued to work her over while his fingers remained immobile inside of her while she came apart around him. She pushed her hips forward and held still against his hand as her toes curled and the release spread up through her thighs and burst from her center.


    ¡°Oh God¡­Garrett¡­fuck,¡± Parker moaned as Garrett felt her tighten and throb around his fingers. She rocked her hips against his hand and milked every last drop of the orgasm out of herself. She was floating on adrenaline and ecstasy as the movement of her hips slowed, and she felt the beat of her heart pulsing around his fingers, still sheathed deep inside of her. Parker knew she¡¯d never felt anything more intense in her life.


    As she came down from her high, Parker realized Garrett was still rock hard up against her. His towel was gone and she could feel every inch of him against her skin. He slowly removed his fingers from her, and she tried not to whimper at the loss of that small part of him inside of her. Instead, she focused on him.


    Garrett moved his hand up to Parker¡¯s hip as she slid her leg off of his. He attempted to move away, but her hand was still clutched tightly to his own hip. She slid her hand further back, until she was gripping his ass and pulling him against her.


    With Parker¡¯s hand pulling and her hips pushing back into him, the base of Garrett¡¯s cock slipped between the cheeks of her ass and he involuntarily jerked his hips forward, sliding through, groaning in pleasure with the contact.


    Garrett needed to stop. He didn¡¯t want to use her for his release. This was all about Parker and her pleasure tonight. But the more she pushed her hips back and moved herself up and down his length, the more he forgot about everything except the connection and release he had wanted to share with her since the moment he first laid eyes on her. With his arms wrapped around Parker, all he wanted was to bury himself deep inside her and ride out his orgasm with her.


    Parker could tell Garrett was holding back. She needed to feel him lose control so she wasn¡¯t alone. Even if they couldn¡¯t say it with words, they could say it with their bodies. She needed to know that he craved her as much as she did him.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, baby,¡± Parker whispered as she craned her neck so she could try to see Garrett¡¯s face in the darkened room. Garrett raised his head when Parker turned, and she pressed her lips lightly to his, moved her hips faster and ground herself harder against him before turning away from him again.


    Her words and the soft touch of her lips sent a jolt through him, and he couldn¡¯t stop himself from pushing his hips into her if he tried. Her scent surrounded him and her soft moans and sighs of pleasure echoed in his ear. He tightened his hold around her waist and held her body against his, wishing he never had to let her go. Parker¡¯s hand was still grasped in his, above her head, and Garrett clenched his fingers around hers tighter, pulled their joined hands up towards his mouth, and turned her hand over so he could press his lips to her palm.


    Parker opened their joined hands so her palm was wide open for Garrett¡¯s mouth. He continued to place open mouthed kisses to the skin of her upturned hand and grazed his teeth against the heel as he thrust himself against Parker. Her skin was soft and her body was hot, and he almost couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the fact that this was his Parker, naked and writhing against him as he pushed himself to release, using the body he¡¯d always fantasized about. Garrett wished more than anything he could just shift his hips and push his length deep inside her, connecting them like he¡¯d always wanted and needed. It was bad enough what they¡¯d already done had been shared with others. He was not about to make love to her, to do something that special, when he didn¡¯t have her all to himself. He would never share that with anyone.


    Garrett dropped their joined hands back to the bed using his elbow to hold himself up as he continued to thrust against her. Parker turned and lifted her head so she could press her lips to his again. She lightly ran her tongue along Garrett¡¯s bottom lip before giving him another soft kiss.


    ¡°Come for me, Garrett. I need to feel you,¡± she whispered against his lips. He thrust against Parker two more times until he felt his balls tighten and his orgasm shoot up through him.


    ¡°Oh fuck, I¡¯m coming,¡± Garrett moaned hoarsely against her lips as he came in hot spurts against her. Garrett clutched Parker¡¯s body tightly to his and held her firmly in place as he rode out his orgasm.


    Garrett¡¯s soft, broken words of his release were hotter than any shouts or proclamations of satisfaction. They warmed Parker and made her feel like she was on top of the world because she did that to him.


    When Garrett¡¯s hips finally stopped moving, they lay together in a tangled heap of sweat, legs, and blankets, trying to catch their breaths.


    Parker had no idea how much time had passed, but she knew she didn¡¯t want to ever move from the spot she was currently in. The careless, wild side of her wanted to roll over and press the front of her body against Garrett¡¯s so she could reach down between them and stroke him until he was hard again. But the professional, best friend side of her wanted to stay perfectly still so there were no awkwardly spoken words or embarrassed movements made in the afterglow of what they¡¯d done.


    Garrett¡¯s arm firmly held her in place, and she couldn¡¯t move even if she wanted to, so the decision was made for her. Parker smiled to herself, enjoying the fact that he wanted to hold her so tightly and not let her go right away.


    As soon as she had that thought, Garrett released her and pulled up his towel from between their bodies to clean off the mess he¡¯d made on her. Now that the euphoria of his orgasm had worn off, he was disgusted with himself for letting his needs take over. Even though she¡¯d told him to, he shouldn¡¯t have used her like. He should have been firmer in his decision to make tonight all about her. Garrett was weak when it came to Parker; that much was obvious as he angrily wiped the evidence from the soft skin of her back.


    When he was done he threw the towel over to the corner of the room. He slid out of bed and stood up, staring down at Parker¡¯s still form. He assumed she was exhausted and close to falling asleep, but he spoke to her anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take another shower.¡±


    He walked around the foot of the bed towards the bathroom, thankful once more that the room was dark. He was hard again and aching to get back under the covers and slide into Parker. He knew a cold shower was definitely in order.


    As the door to the bathroom clicked shut and the water turned on, Parker buried her face in her pillow and let the tears fall silently so no one would hear.


    Chapter Thirteen


    Parker had no idea what time Garrett finally came to bed. She had fallen asleep with dried tears on her cheeks, naked and spent under the covers. She had no idea that when he retreated to the bathroom, he turned the shower on but never stepped inside. Garrett couldn¡¯t bring himself to wash her smell from his skin. He leaned his back against the closed door and sunk to the floor. He stayed in that position until he was certain Parker was asleep and then quietly slid into bed next to her. Parker never knew that Garrett tossed and turned for hours because the smell of her arousal still hung in the air. Her naked body was close enough to touch and memories of how she felt coming apart against his hand swirled through his mind until he had to move away from her before he did something stupid like ask her if she felt the same way as he did or confess to her everything he¡¯d thought, felt, and dreamed about since the day he met her. Every time he opened his mouth to speak the words he¡¯d always wanted to, he had to remind himself the room was bugged, and it wasn¡¯t the time or the place for confessions of the heart.

 Page 24

    Parker awoke the following morning to the sound of Garrett pulling a pair of shoes out of his bag that sat in a chair next to the bed. She opened her eyes but lay perfectly still so she could watch him undetected.Advertisement


    He wore a navy blue button down cuffed at the elbows. The shirt was tucked into khaki dress pants and finished off with a thick brown belt. There was a frown on his face and a crease between his eyebrows as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and read something on it. Parker ached to crawl to the edge of the bed, curl her arm around his neck, and smooth away the worry lines with the tips of her fingers.


    She longed to press her lips to his and taste him, feel him harden against her stomach, and watch his face when he found his release again. Parker knew all along that doing anything intimate with Garrett would be like bringing a lit match to gasoline, and she was right. His touch filled a void in her, and she wanted that feeling of completeness back.


    Garrett tried to be as quiet as he could all morning so he wouldn¡¯t wake Parker. Aside from wanting to just sit in the chair across from the bed and watch her sleep for as long as possible, he wasn¡¯t ready to face her the morning after. He was uncomfortable with the fact they would have to act like it was no big deal due to the bugged room, but at the same time, he had no desire to discuss this with her and listen to her remind him it was just a job.


    A small part of him wondered if that would still be the case after last night though. The words of encouragement she spoke, her moans of pleasure, the way her body felt in his arms when she came, it seemed impossible to Garrett that it was all an act. She would have never told him to keep going if some small part of her hadn¡¯t wanted it ¨C hadn¡¯t wanted him.


    Garrett wished they were anywhere but there right now. Somewhere away from this assignment, away from the stress and the sham of the game they were playing¡ªalone in a place without bugs, lies, and ghosts of the past. For the first time, Garrett questioned why the things that happened between Parker and him on this assignment couldn¡¯t continue when they went back to their lives. He wondered what would happen when they were free from the charade and could just be themselves.


    Garrett¡¯s phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out to see he had missed a call from an unknown number. That would make three in the span of an hour. Garrett knew he needed to focus and stop letting thoughts of Parker mess with his mind and ruin his concentration. He sent Brady a text asking him to try and trace the unknown number, pushing aside his frivolous thoughts of love and relationships when there were much more important matters that needed attention.


    Garrett glanced up to take in Parker¡¯s sleeping form again only to notice that she was staring at him. She was on her stomach hugging the pillow to her, the sheet draped down around her hips. Garrett¡¯s eyes trailed down the smooth skin of her naked back and he decided to do something he wanted to do and knew he had to do for the purpose of the hidden ears that listened.


    His eyes found hers again, and he kept his gaze locked on them as he wordlessly walked over to the bed, rested his hands and one knee on top, and leaned over towards Parker, pressing his lips to the skin of her shoulder. He should have backed away then, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. Garrett moved further over her body and kissed her between her shoulder blades, down a few inches to the middle of her spine, finally ending at the small of her back, right where the sheet began.


    Parker closed her eyes during the kisses, sighing lightly each time Garrett¡¯s soft, warm lips made contact with her skin. She had been nervous things would be awkward between them this morning while she lay there watching him. She felt the wetness pooling between her thighs as his breath ghosted along her spine.


    Garrett forced his mouth away from Parker before he pulled the sheet lower and kept going. He stood up from the bed and watched her slowly open her eyes back up.


    ¡°Good morning, sweetie,¡± he said cheerfully as he turned his back and sat down on the settee at the foot of the bed to put on his shoes. ¡°Get your sleepy ass out of bed so we can get some breakfast.¡±


    Garrett finished slipping on his shoes, got up, and walked into the living room without another glance in Parker¡¯s direction.


    To a stranger, Garrett sounded perfectly content and ready to start the day. But to Parker, the woman who knew him better than anyone else, his voice was strained, overly joyful and dripping with false affection.


    He was playing a role. The one he came there to do. Parker was an idiot for not remembering that and for thinking anything different. She spent years training for things like this, and with one orgasm from the man, she forgot everything. She sat up, angrily flung the covers off of herself, and put the mask back in place as she walked to the bathroom. Halfway there, she paused, turned right back around, and marched across the bedroom and through the door to the connecting living room. Parker found Garrett sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees and his head in his hands. His head shot up when he heard her walk into the room. The look on his face would have been priceless and one she would have got a good laugh out of if she wasn¡¯t so pissed off.


    Standing in the doorway completely naked, Parker twirled a lock of hair around her fingers. When she reached the end, her hair fell from her fingers to rest against the top of her breast. She let her middle finger trail a path down her skin from her collarbone to one perfectly erect, pink nipple,where she circled it a few times for good measure.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to take a quick shower, baby. If you weren¡¯t already dressed, I¡¯d ask you to join me. Maybe later you can fuck me up against the shower wall.¡±


    Parker turned on her heels and strode from the room, blocking her mind from the way Garrett¡¯s eyes had trailed hungrily up and down her naked body while she stood there in the doorway. She was too angry to care that just the sight of her had given him quite an obvious erection.


    She made it to the bathroom without swearing or kicking anything out of her way, and then turned the water as hot as she could handle it to try and burn the feel of Garrett¡¯s hands and mouth from her skin.


    Garrett didn¡¯t think he would ever recover from the shock of seeing Parker walk into the living room naked. He had absolutely no idea what had possessed her to do something like that, but the image of her perfect, bare breasts and the heaven between her thighs that he wanted to sink his mouth into was forever burned into his brain. It was torture enough that he could still feel her heat on his fingertips and her body against him. Now he knew exactly what the parts of her body he touched the night before looked like in full, glorious living color. Garrett remained rooted in place with his mouth hanging open while Parker showered. As soon as she finished and got ready for breakfast, she bound into the living room. Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she pulled him up from the chair and told him how handsome he looked today, calling him sweetie, baby, hon, honey, love, and every other variation she could think of with every single sentence and a sickeningly sweet smile on her face as they made their way downstairs. Garrett wondered where Stepford Parker had come from and wished she would go back into hiding. He wanted to push her back into their room, lock the door, and kiss her until she dropped the act. He wanted to run his hands over every square inch of her beautiful body she put on display for him earlier. He wanted to tell her that the previous night had changed everything and he didn¡¯t want to go back to the way they were, but he couldn¡¯t do that.


    A guard greeted them as soon as they exited the room and escorted them to a smaller dining room on the first floor, right off the kitchen. Parker had curled her arm through his and practically skipped down the stairs, rambling about how happy she was and how they should come back to the Dominican for a vacation when they were done with work. Garrett hated that his own fake husband act earlier had forced her to behave like this. He second-guessed his decision to focus solely on the assignment and realized belatedly that he should have just acted how he felt. Knowing there were people listening in on everything they did made him self-conscious and nervous about what he might let slip if he let his guard down. Garrett thought it would be easier to just be professional with Parker so they wouldn¡¯t make any mistakes.


    He should have known better. At this point, it would be impossible to be professional with her when all he could do was stare at her and think about how much he wanted her full breasts in his hands and nestle himself between her legs.


    Garrett and Parker were seated at the table and a server was instantly by their side, informing them that they could order whatever they liked. Parker asked for a bowl of fresh fruit and yogurt, and Garrett went with a cheese omelet with toast and bacon. The food at the resort had been good, but it had been the Dominican¡¯s version of American food. Nothing tasted exactly like it should have, and they were pleasantly surprised to find that the meals prepared at the palace were exactly like the ones they would have eaten at home.


    They talked about photos Parker wanted to take during their stay, figuring it was a safe line of conversation. Parker remained in character as the dutiful wife and asked the server if someone could press one of her husband''s shirts while she reached over and placed her hand on top of Garrett''s.


    Garrett had finally reached his fill of the saccharine wife act, so he wrapped his hand around the back of Parker¡¯s neck and quickly pulled her to him, silencing her with his lips.


    Parker didn¡¯t protest, knowing there were servers currently watching them in two corners of the room, but Garrett¡¯s action still surprised her. She was pissed at the way he¡¯d so easily turned his emotions off this morning even though she knew it was necessary. She was pissed at herself for disregarding every single rule of being an agent and allowing her personal feelings to influence her actions.


    Garrett instinctively knew she needed something to bring her back down to earth, and his kiss was the perfect remedy. He brushed his lips back and forth over hers before angling his head and fitting their lips together. Their tongues immediately met in the middle and Parker sighed into his mouth and returned his kisses, telling him with her lips that she was okay. The kiss ended before either of them wanted it to, but they knew a server was waiting to remove their plates from the table.


    As their plates were cleared away, the man who walked them to their suite last night made an appearance. He informed them that President Fernandez had wanted to join them for breakfast but had been called away to a meeting. He left word that Parker and Garrett should enjoy the use of the pool today, and he would meet them for dinner. When Garrett noted that they hadn''t brought any bathing suits, they were told that several pairs of new trunks could be found in the pool house and a large selection of bathing suits had been placed in their suite while they ate.


    Having no reason to decline, they thanked the man and he left them to finish their coffee.


    Parker and Garrett shared a look that clearly showed neither one of them liked the idea of someone being up in their room while they were out. Garrett knew they wouldn''t find anything. The satellite phone and bug detector were safely secured in his pocket, and those were the only two questionable items they brought with them. He didn''t like the idea that they might be adding something to the room, rather than looking for something though. He wondered if listening in last night hadn''t been enough for them. Maybe they hoped to get a bird''s eye view this time. Garrett realized that spending a day out by the pool might be the best option.


    When they got up from the table, Garrett gave Parker a kiss on the cheek and warned her as quietly as possible not to change out in the open in the room. Parker gave him a smile and a barely noticeable nod of confirmation as she was led back to the suite by one man and Garrett was taken out to the pool by another.


    Garrett had chosen a pair of blue board-short style trunks with white trim and dove into the deep end of the pool as soon as he got changed. The Dominican air was full of cloying, wet humidity, and the eighty-seven degrees easily felt like one hundred and seven.


    He leaned his back against the wall of the pool with his elbows resting on the edge and the cool water covering him up to his waist. His head was tipped back and his eyes were closed as he soaked up the Caribbean sun.


    Parker thanked the guard that escorted her out to the pool and tried not to let her jaw drop as she looked around. This wasn''t a pool. It was a resort dropped into the palace''s backyard. There were palm trees and tiki huts and outdoor couches draped in bright colored linens and pillows. She couldn''t tell how big the pool was due to the twists and turns it made and the handful of stone sculpted waterfalls and bridges that decorated the oasis.


    None of that compared to the beautiful man in the pool lounging against the wall with his sculpted torso covered in beads of water, his wet hair slicked back, and the straining muscles of his arms holding the upper half of his body out of the water.


    Parker sauntered over to one of the many yellow and white beach chairs located around the edge of the pool and tossed her towel down onto it.


    Garrett sensed rather than heard her presence and tilted his head up to find Parker looking down at her hands as she untied the belt of her white bathing suit cover-up.


    Once untied, she let it fall to the side and Garrett caught a glimpse of what she was wearing underneath. He was grateful for the cover of water as Parker stared directly at him while she slid her fingers up the collar of both sides of the material, lifted it off of her shoulders, and then let it fall down her back, pooling at her feet.


    Parker watched Garrett''s Adam¡¯s apple bob as he watched her disrobe. She stopped second-guessing her bathing suit choice at that moment.


    True to the server''s word, upon entering the suite, Parker had found a rack next to the windows of the living room filled with at least thirty different styles and colors of bathing suits on hangers, all in her size and all with the tags still on them.


    Garrett stared slack-jawed at Parker as she stood by the edge of the pool in her pink string bikini. Her full breasts spilled beautifully out of the small triangles that held them in place. He let his eyes linger over her well-toned abs and the minuscule pink bottom that was tied low on her hips.

 Page 25

    As Parker dove into the pool and swam towards him under the water, Garrett wondered just how long his self-control would last.Advertisement


    Parker surfaced a few feet in front of Garrett and decided to play with fire. After all, they were supposed to be a happily married couple. She was wound up from the range of emotions bombarding her and her inability to let them out in the middle of an assignment. She needed an outlet for her frustrations.


    Garrett watched as Parker swam the rest of the way towards him, closing the last bit of distance by placing her hands on his shoulders and pulling her body up so that every inch of it slid against the front of him.


    She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck and leaned down to lick a drop of water off of the side of his neck.


    "What are you doing?" Garrett growled quietly as he squeezed his hands into fists on the edge of the pool while Parker did magical things with her tongue by his ear.


    "Just playing the part, sweetie," she said through clenched teeth. "There are sixteen sets of eyes on us right now, not to mention the four video cameras I counted on the way out."


    Garrett casually looked around the pool, mentally cursing himself for not being on the ball. He noticed one guard by the door when he first came out, but now that really looked, he found the rest. Garrett immediately lost focus as Parker shifted against him. He could feel every inch of her wet body pressed into his. Her hardened nipples rubbed against his chest every time she took a breath, and the heat from between her legs radiated against his stomach even through the chilled water.


    Garrett realized that Parker came out to play the part, and play it well, so he threw in the towel and followed her lead. He would do anything to touch her and be close to her, even if it meant putting on a show.


    He unclenched his fists while she was busy molding her body to his, sunk his hands in the water, and wrapped them around each of her knees locked against his sides.


    The heat from Garrett''s hands startled Parker, and she figured playtime was over. She waited for him to remove her legs from around him. It was one thing to engage in a little sexual gratification in the bedroom for the purpose of those listening in, but she figured Mr. Military wasn''t too keen on doing it out in the open where people were blatantly watching them.


    Parker started to pull away but Garrett slid his hands up the sides of her thighs as his fingers reached the edge of her bikini bottom. He slid them underneath and cupped her bare ass.


    Garrett tried not to groan as he kneaded her soft flesh and pulled her harder against his stomach.


    Parker''s breath hitched and her eyes rolled into the back of her head.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Parker whispered, throwing Garrett¡¯s earlier question back at him.


    He took one hand out of her bikini bottom and ran his palm over the top of her thigh and down the inside that rested against his abs, letting his thumb skim the crease where her thigh connected with her hip.


    "Like you said, there are lots eyes on us now," Garrett whispered as his thumb toyed with the edge of the material between her legs.


    "This bathing suit looks great on you, hon," Garrett said a little louder as he dipped his head down and kissed Parker''s shoulder.


    "Thanks, sweetie, I picked it out just for you," Parker said with a fake smile aimed at the guard who wasn''t trying to hide the fact that he was staring at them.


    Garrett nipped at her skin as he made his way up the side of her neck and concentrated on the soft spot just below Parker''s ear.


    She did not like the fact that he suddenly had the upper hand, and she was seconds away from telling him to just take her against the side of the pool. Parker took control again, sliding her hand around Garrett¡¯s shoulder and down the wet, muscled planes of his chest until she sunk her hand under the water and reached the waistband of his swimming trunks.


    Garrett¡¯s lips stilled against her neck, halting the movement of his fingers that were grazing her inner thigh, and he held his breath. Parker¡¯s fingers dipped into the edge of his shorts and paused. They may both be playing a game right now, but Garrett knew she didn¡¯t have the guts to take it further, no matter how much the hardness in his shorts wanted her to.


    Parker¡¯s fingers teased through the thin line of hair that started right below his belly button. She felt him tense against her and couldn¡¯t stop herself from following the trail down further. She pushed her entire hand into his shorts, flattening her palm against him until her hand found the base and her fingers wrapped around him.


    Parker had felt him straining behind her last night in the dark under the covers. She¡¯d felt his hard length sliding against her, but nothing prepared her for the feel of him in her hand. Garrett was full and hard and the skin was so soft she wanted to run her tongue along it to feel the silky smoothness of it in her mouth.


    Since that was impossible in a pool, she squeezed her hand around him and slowly moved up his length so she could stroke him instead.


    ¡°Jesus¡­fuck¡­¡± Garrett sputtered against her neck. Parker¡¯s small, soft hand working its way up him made his head spin. When she got to the top and slid her palm up and over the swollen head and rubbed her thumb along the underside right beneath the ridge, he bucked his hips into her.


    Garrett knew, as she ran her thumb back and forth over that sensitive spot, it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to explode. He concentrated on his surroundings instead of what her hand was doing to him.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t do this out here, hon,¡± Garrett said loudly as he pulled his face away from Parker¡¯s neck and looked at her.


    She had an eyebrow raised and a look of pure control on her face as she wrapped her hand back around his length and held firm as she slid her hand down to the base, only to bring it right back up again. Parker pumped his shaft repeatedly, enjoying the look on Garrett¡¯s face. He was trying so hard to stay in character, but she could see how difficult it was for him.


    ¡°Oh, come on, baby,¡± Parker cooed with a raised voice. ¡°This is supposed to be our honeymoon.¡±


    Garrett had enough of Parker¡¯s wife act. He didn¡¯t want to listen to the fake sweetness or see the phony smile or hear the pretend sighs. He wanted her real and needed to see her stop pretending, even if it was only for a moment.


    He quickly reached into his shorts and grabbed her wrist, yanking it away. The cold pool water shocked him as the heat from her hand was removed. He twisted her arm and wrapped it behind her back, holding it secure as he began walking them through the water to the other side of the pool.


    Parker looked at him in confusion, and Garrett liked the fact that she was the one perplexed at the moment.


    ¡°Just moving us somewhere a little more private, baby,¡± Garrett said as he kept his eyes on her and glided them through the water to the spot he¡¯d zeroed in on the moment Parker had pushed her hand into his shorts.


    A waterfall spilled down over the top of a huge stone formation that resembled a cave, directly across from where they had been. Garrett walked them right through the wall of water and laughed at the shocked expression on Parker¡¯s face once they came through on the other side, enclosed behind the waterfall and under the stone structure.


    Garrett let go of her arm that he¡¯d been holding behind her back, so she could push the water and hair out of her face. Parker¡¯s legs were still wrapped tightly around his waist and Garrett¡¯s hand was still under her suit, clutching her ass. He wrapped his other arm around her back and moved them to the wall of the cave.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Parker hissed as she wiped water from her eyes and felt her back press up against the damp, cold stone wall.


    ¡°Finding us some privacy,¡± Garrett stated as he slid his wet hand up her spine to cup the back of her neck.


    Parker had no idea what Garrett was doing, unless he wanted to talk without the guards looking at them. She quickly glanced around the cave, figuring there weren¡¯t any listening devices in here because it was too wet. Drops of water fell from the ceiling and the spray from the waterfall misted over everything.


    Garrett¡¯s hand trailed around to the front of Parker¡¯s neck until it rested directly over her heart. He felt the beat pick up beneath his palm as he stared at his hand.


    ¡°This bathing suit looks amazing on you.¡±


    Parker rolled her eyes at Garrett and his need to stay in character when they were under a God damn waterfall in the middle of a cave. She hated the act he was putting on, even though it was necessary when they were being watched or listened to. Fake Garrett confused her and made her imagine things that weren¡¯t really happening between them. It put her on edge and she hated it. She neededher Garrett to make her feel grounded. This job was screwing with her mind. And her heart.


    ¡°Jesus, Garrett. Cut it out. No one can hear you right now,¡± she said irritably.


    Garrett¡¯s eyes flashed up to hers and the look he gave her made the breath whoosh from her lungs. She¡¯d seen him pissed before, but this was different. This was more, so much more. It made the familiar ache between her legs tingle to the surface and her nipples harden with need.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck who can hear us,¡± Garrett said angrily. ¡°This one¡¯s for me.¡±


    Garrett slid his hand down over top of her breast, pulling the soaked triangle of fabric away with his fingers as he went, pushing the material under the curve to hold it in place. Her pale pink nipple came into view, and Garrett forgot everything around him but Parker and swooped down, wrapping his mouth around it and pulling the tender bud into his mouth.


    Parker¡¯s back arched, pushing Garrett¡¯s mouth harder against her as she cried out from the shock of Garrett¡¯s actions and the pleasure that shot right to her core as he sucked and laved his tongue over and around her nipple.


    Her hands flew to the back of his head and held him in place. His hands pushed her body down lower so his erection nestled against her core. Parker immediately pushed her hips and moved against his hardness. Garrett clutched her and slid the lower half of her body up and down his length under the water, thrusting his hips up to push against her harder.


    The air was filled with Parker''s moans and the sounds of water crashing around them. Garrett pulled his mouth away from Parker¡¯s nipple and kissed his way up her chest and neck. Parker didn¡¯t waste any time taking what she wanted. She pulled his head away from her neck and connected her mouth with his, immediately slipping her tongue past his lips.


    Garrett forgot every reason why he shouldn¡¯t be doing that right then and let Parker¡¯s body and mouth make his decisions for him. Her tongue swirled around his, and he sucked it further into his mouth, gliding one hand through the water and around between her legs, sliding his fingers up the thin fabric that covered her.


    He could feel her heat even through the water and didn¡¯t hesitate to push the bikini bottoms to the side and sink two of his fingers deep inside of her.


    Parker¡¯s hips bucked against Garrett¡¯s hand, and she whimpered into his mouth as she deepened the kiss. He pushed and pulled his fingers out of her harder and faster until the sound of his arm splashing through the water echoed off of the walls around them. Her thighs tightened around his waist, and she locked her ankles behind him, her heels digging into him she pulled her body into his hand.


    While Garrett continued to work his fingers deep inside of her, Parker slid her hand between them, dipping it under the water to pull the elastic of his trunks away from his stomach, pushing it down to free him. She slid her thighs lower on his hips until she felt his hardness pressing against the inside of her leg. Without ending the kiss, Parker pulled Garrett¡¯s hand away from her pulsing center, wrapped her hand around his length, and moved it between her legs, pressing herself against the base of his cock.


    Parker¡¯s folds wrapped around Garrett, and it was his turn to moan into her mouth. He held perfectly still, not wanting the moment to end, but at the same time, bracing himself for the onslaught of guilt he was sure to feel at any moment. He shouldn¡¯t be enjoying Parker¡¯s body that way and jeopardizing their assignment by ignoring their surroundings and focusing on how soft and warm her she felt wrapped around his length. He shouldn¡¯t be wondering if she would object to him lifting her hips and positioning his head at her opening so he could slam into her.


    As Parker continued sliding herself against him, letting her warmth caresses him while her tongue explored his mouth, Garrett forgot to care about his actions being unprofessional and the multitude of reasons why it was a bad idea. Even in the water, Garrett felt her wetness coating him, making it easier for her to glide her sex over him. He pulled his hips back slightly so the ridge around the head of his cock rubbed against her clit, and then pushed forward to slide through her again.


    Garrett braced a hand on the wall next to Parker¡¯s head and started pumping his hips faster and harder, slipping through her throbbing sex, but not entering, while she matched his rhythm. Regardless of the doubts and the reasons why not, she felt too good against him to stop. The low ceiling curved right over Parker¡¯s head and her hand smacked on the stone above her to hold herself in place while she rocked against Garrett. She pushed hard with her hand so her body was held tight against Garrett as he continued to slide the tip of his cock back and forth against her. The feel of the soft, smooth skin of Garrett¡¯s hardness moving against her was too much and not enough, all at the same time.


    She felt the familiar coil deep in her belly and the whimpers and moans she made against Garrett¡¯s mouth let him know she was close. He felt his own orgasm building and tighten inside him and wanted more than anything to pull back and thrust into her heat so he could come deep inside her. Garrett wouldn¡¯t allow himself that much freedom with her so this would have to do.


    With a few more passes, Parker erupted around him, throwing her head back and letting her shouts echo in the cave as she rocked and pulsed against him.

 Page 26

    Garrett was flooded with her warm wetness and as she pushed herself harder against his erection, the water splashing around her body as she thrust her hips. He knew he was all done.Advertisement


    ¡°Uunnngg¡­fuck,¡± Garrett shouted against the wet skin of Parker¡¯s neck as she slid up to the tip of his cock. The heat of her opening pressed against the sensitive head, and he came hard, using every ounce of his willpower not to push inside her as he throbbed between her legs.


    His body jerked with the force of his orgasm, and Parker slid one more time down his length, holding herself against the base of him as they collapsed against each other, panting heavily.


    Parker didn¡¯t have time to wonder what in the world had got into Garrett or to enjoy the fact that maybe they were finally moving to a place where they could be real with each other and not be consumed with guilt and memories. The moment was cut short by a voice on the other side of the waterfall.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I¡¯m sorry to disturb you, but the President has arrived and asked if you would join him for a late lunch instead of dinner.¡±


    Parker and Garrett didn¡¯t move, their foreheads locked together and both of them glancing down beneath the water where their bodies were still touching.


    ¡°He would like for me to inform you that he will conduct the interview you desire immediately after lunch.¡±


    The faint sound of footsteps walking away prompted them to start breathing again. Parker finally let her hand drop from its firm hold of the ceiling and pulled back to look at Garrett. She knew immediately that their moment was over by the embarrassment covering his face and the fact that he wouldn¡¯t look her in the eyes.


    Parker unwound her legs from around his waist and pushed herself away from him, refusing to watch him put his precious wall back in place or say something to belittle what had just happened between them. She quickly adjusted her bathing suit, pulling it back into place and covering herself from his view. She turned and swam away from him, making sure she was the one with the last word this time and paying him back for his quick retreat out of bed and away from her the night before.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower,¡± she yelled over her shoulder as she moved through the water. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at lunch.¡±


    Chapter Fourteen


    Parker showered and dressed for lunch, leaving the room before Garrett got back. It was better this way: no awkward silences, no attempt at strained conversation, no need for her heart to crack a little more because of what she¡¯d done, what she¡¯d given that hadn¡¯t been returned. The black three-quarter sleeved wrap dress she wore looked like something she¡¯d wear to a funeral, which was fitting, given her mood.


    She exited the room and smiled at the guard standing in the hallway, her black, peep-toed Jimmy Choo heels clicking on the marble floor as she walked. She¡¯d been there almost twenty-four hours and hadn¡¯t even thought to look around. She was losing her touch and forgetting her training all because of one man.


    Parker didn¡¯t figure she¡¯d find anything or gain access into any room that might have information that would help them, but she couldn¡¯t just sit around and do nothing.


    She wandered along every floor of the palace, walking at a casual pace and pretending like she was checking out the artwork on the walls as she went. Parker wasn¡¯t stupid enough to reach out and turn the handle on any of the closed doors, knowing full well that she¡¯d be seen and questioned.


    Instead, she focused on the conversations of guards and staff. She assumed they had been informed that she spoke a bit of Spanish after her words of thanks to the President¡¯s wife at dinner the other evening. This explained why the people she passed spoke to each other in Portuguese when they noticed her standing there. The two languages were similar in that many of the words were spelled the same, so they were easy to learn. The main difference was the pronunciation. Lucky for Parker she had spent several weeks last summer speaking only Portuguese. She was quite fluent.


    Most of the conversations focused on security of the palace, meetings about security of the palace, or changes in security of the palace. Nothing stuck out to Parker as unusual until she walked by an office with two men in a heated discussion. She immediately recognized the first man as the Vice President. The man he argued with looked like one of the staff members since he wore the same crisp, white uniform everyone else did.


    She walked by the door as quickly and quietly as she could, stopping once she reached the other side so she could listen, translating their conversation in her mind.


    ¡°They are going to find out about the cat.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t intelligent enough to put that together. You shouldn¡¯t worry so much.¡±


    ¡°You and I both know what he¡¯ll do if this is uncovered.¡±


    Parker knew her Portuguese was spot on and there was no doubt in her mind she translated what they said perfectly. But what the hell did it mean, she wondered.


    ¡°Mrs. Miller,¡± a familiar, booming voice echoed in the hall behind her, causing her to jump and turn around. ¡°You look lovely this afternoon.¡±


    Parker easily masked the look of guilt on her face and smiled politely at Fernandez.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. President. I hope you don¡¯t mind. I was just enjoying some of your art pieces before our late lunch,¡± she said, the lie easily rolling off of her tongue.


    Fernandez stared at her with a smile on his face, but it wasn¡¯t one of joy. He was using it to cover up his irritation because she was wandering around alone.


    ¡°And which piece have you enjoyed the most?¡± he asked her, attempting to trip her up, most likely knowing full well she hadn¡¯t been paying a bit of attention to any of the paintings or sculptures as she wandered.


    Parker had spent the better part of eight years studying this man. She knew the name and location of every single piece in the palace, along with how much it cost and the date it was purchased. She didn¡¯t need to pay attention to her surroundings to know how to answer his question.


    ¡°I am particularly fond of the Salazar, ''Unscathed Earth'', in the northwest corner of the third floor, next to the executive office balcony,¡± Parker replied confidently, raising one of her eyebrows in challenge.


    If Fernandez was ruffled by her knowledge, he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°I do believe we should be heading down to the dining room. It would be a pleasure to escort you,¡± he replied, bending his elbow for her to take.


    Parker had a feeling he didn¡¯t really care about being a gentleman, he just didn¡¯t want her snooping around anymore. She wondered if the guards would get a good tongue lashing later for not stopping her.


    Garrett stood up from his place at the table as Parker entered the room on Fernandez¡¯s arm. He¡¯d spent the better part of the last two hours wondering if something had happened to her. The only thing that kept him calm was the subtle, clean smell of her soap from the shower and the exotic scent of her coconut perfume she¡¯d sprayed while getting ready in their room. It permeated the air when he finally let himself in after wallowing down by the pool for an hour after she left.


    Fernandez walked Parker over to Garrett¡¯s side and he greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. The dress she wore clung to every inch of her curves and showed off a generous amount of cleavage, and Garrett had to remind himself that it would be inappropriate to maul her at the dinner table.


    ¡°I found your wife roaming the palace unaccompanied, so I thought I¡¯d escort her back to your care,¡± Fernandez said as Garrett pulled Parker¡¯s chair out for her.


    The condescending way he spoke of Parker, making it seem like she¡¯d sneaked away from her husband without permission, made her curl her fists in anger.


    Garrett nodded his head in thanks and put his hand over Parker¡¯s fist that rested in her lap so he could try and calm her down. He knew full well that comment would bring her claws out, and it would be incredibly hard for her not to say something snarky to the man in response.


    ¡°Thank you for the use of the pool today, Mr. President. It must be wonderful to have such a beautiful retreat right in your own backyard,¡± Garrett told him as one of the waiters began serving lunch.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you were able to take advantage of it. I¡¯m afraid with my busy schedule I¡¯m not afforded much free time to appreciate my surroundings. I was informed that you and Mrs. Miller had a wonderful day and that you were able to find a little privacy from the guards,¡± Fernandez said simply with a sly smile aimed at Garrett.


    This time it was Garrett¡¯s turn to curl his hands into fists at Fernandez¡¯s blatant admission that he¡¯d been told exactly what he and Parker had done that day. It disgusted him and made him want to punch the smug look off of the man¡¯s face for thinking he could just take advantage of them like that.


    Parker was just as enraged as Garrett was at the President¡¯s words, but she quickly changed the subject to diffuse the tension in the room.


    They made a good team, even if neither one of them could admit it.


    When lunch was over they made their way up to the President¡¯s office. Parker stopped in the suite along the way and picked up her camera.


    Fernandez sat down behind a giant oak desk, pointing to the chair directly in front of it for Garrett. He pulled out a small tape recorder, a notebook, and a pen and began the interview.


    Parker attached the new lens Garrett had bought her for her birthday to the end of her camera, adjusted the settings for the dimly lit office, and began circling the room, taking random pictures. She listened to Garrett¡¯s questions, knowing that none of them would cause the President to slip in any way. But at least the interview had gotten them close to him, close enough to know he wasn¡¯t what he seemed.


    Garrett watched Parker out of the corner of his eye as she slowly and quietly took pictures of the President during the interview. The new lens allowed her to zoom in so close to items that she could see particles of dust on them. Parker made sure to snap a photo of every single piece of paper in the room. She knew the President wouldn¡¯t be careless enough to leave something laying around that would blatantly point a finger at him; she just needed a clue¨Dsomething that could tie him to the missing girls or to what happened to Milo.


    Luckily, Parker was behind the man when Garrett saw the small look of surprise on her face as she stared at something on Fernandez¡¯s desk. He didn¡¯t pause or lose his concentration at all while he asked Fernandez what made him run for office, still watching Parker as her breath quickened and she slowly lowered the camera from her face concentrating whatever it was she had noticed.


    Parker shook the fog from her head and quickly pulled the camera back up to her face before Fernandez noticed the clicking behind him had stopped. She adjusted the focus ring, set the shutter speed, and zoomed in as close as she could, snapping several pictures before walking back around to the front of the desk as if nothing was amiss.


    The interview concluded a half hour later, and Garrett thanked Fernandez for his time and the use of the palace. The three of them walked down the front steps together, Fernandez being whisked off in one vehicle while Parker and Garrett were placed in another, along with their bags.


    Garrett watched Parker¡¯s knee bounce nervously the entire ride back to the resort. Whatever it was she saw in that office had put her on edge. Given the use of recording devices in their room, he wasn¡¯t about to question her in the palace¡¯s car. The limo dropped them off at the front entrance and the driver handed their bags over to one of the resort staff before pulling away.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Parker?¡± Garrett whispered as they walked across the resort to their room. ¡°What did you see back in that office?¡±


    Before Parker could answer him, they were at their door and the staffer unlocked it for them, placing their bags at the foot of the bed. Garrett tipped him and waited until the door before turning back to Parker with a questioning look.


    ¡°Just¡­give me a second,¡± she said with a frazzled wave of her hand as she quickly rounded the end of the bed and grabbed her laptop off of the table by the window. Her knee continued to bounce nervously as she waited for the computer to power up, finally opening Google and typing in the name she¡¯d seen on the matchbook on the edge of the President¡¯s desk. As soon as she saw it her blood had run cold and a flash of memory shot through her mind.


    Parker had let herself into Garrett and Milo¡¯s apartment and shouted a greeting as she shut the door behind her. She had just flown in from Puerto Rico and her first ever assignment as a CIA agent. She was exhausted, but she¡¯d promised the boys she¡¯d stop by for dinner. The three of them had just signed the lease to the small ranch they¡¯d be sharing in another month, but for now, Parker had her own apartment a few miles away from them. Parker and Milo had been dating for almost a year, and for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was part of a family. She could never deny Garrett or Milo anything they asked. Even if it meant coming to their apartment straight off of a three and a half hour flight from Puerto Rico to Washington, DC for debriefing and then another almost four hour flight from DC to California.


    Milo came out into the living room as she dropped her bags on the floor by the door, double-checking to make sure she''d removed the destination tags from the handles before she turned to greet Milo.


    "Hey, babe," he said as he kissed her cheek. "How was your trip? Get some good pictures?"


    They walked over to the couch to sit down, and Parker put her feet up in Milo''s lap.


    "It was good. The weather was beautiful," she told him as he untied her shoes and removed them for her.


    She''d learned one of the main tricks of leading a double life was to stick to the truth as much as possible. It had been nice in Puerto Rico. And according to the Weather Channel, it had also been nice in Mexico, where Milo thought she''d been.

 Page 27

    Milo told her to relax as he got up from the couch to take a frozen pizza out of the oven. She opened the drawer of the table next to the couch to pull out the remote to the TV. As she picked it up, she noticed a blue matchbook with the name "Occidental El Embajador" etched on it in silver. She had been in the same drawer just four days ago and it had been empty, save for the remote. She pulled the matches out and turned them over in her hand, the cover flipping open with the movement. A date and time was scrawled in Milo''s handwriting on the inside. It was for two days ago.Advertisement


    Milo walked back into the room and stopped when he saw what was in her hand.


    "Hey, where did these come from?" Parker asked curiously.


    Milo smiled and hurried over to take them out of her hand and push them into the pocket of his pants.


    "Oh, just from some club we went to a few years ago."


    Milo had smoothly changed the subject back to Parker''s trip and her photography, the matchbook quickly forgotten.


    Until now.


    Parker had been young and new to the CIA at the time. She had no reason to question her boyfriend, of one year, about whether or not he''d been lying.


    The sight of a blue matchbook with "Occidental El Embajador" peeking out under a pile of papers on Fernandez''s desk was too much of a coincidence to her.


    Garrett listened as Parker retold the story of the day she came home from her first mission and watched her frantically type away on the keyboard..


    "He told me it was a club he''d been to, and the way he said it made me just assume it was someplace the two of you had been," Parker said as she waited for the website hits to pull up.


    "I''ve never heard of it before. It''s definitely not a place I ever went with him."


    The only hit was a hotel an hour outside of Punta Cana, where they were currently located. She clicked on it.


    "Maybe that place has a club inside it," Garrett suggested as he looked over her shoulder, grasping at straws. He didn''t want his best friend to be guilty of something. That wasn''t the point of the trip. They were there to find out why he died, not to accuse him of something else entirely.


    Parker didn''t see a listing for a club anywhere on the website and a quick call to the hotel confirmed that. It also confirmed that the hotel was roughly three miles from the palace.


    "Okay, so he lied about it being a club, not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things," Garrett said, an inkling of doubt worming its way into his mind as much as he tried to avoid it.


    "It doesn''t explain why he had a book of matches from a place right down the road from the palace though. And according to his military records, he was never sent to the Dominican before his final assignment."


    Garrett shrugged. "It''s probably just a coincidence."


    Parker was getting frustrated with Garrett¡¯s nonchalance about the entire thing. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him as he casually walked to the side table and picked up the remote for the TV.


    ¡°Jesus, Garrett. You don¡¯t find it a little suspect that Milo had matches from a place seven years before he supposedly first went there?¡± Parker asked as she tapped away at the keys.


    Garrett huffed in annoyance and tossed the remote back onto the table where it landed with a clatter. He stalked over to his bag at the foot of the bed and began yanking things out of it roughly just to give him something to do.


    ¡°The matches Milo had listed a date and time on them from two days before I found them. It was Milo¡¯s handwriting. He met someone here in the Dominican. I know he did,¡± Parker said as she turned from her computer to watch Garrett empty his overnight bag.


    Garrett would have known if Milo ever went to the Dominican. As his superior for most of their career, he was privy to all of the missions he was sent on. And as his friend, Milo confided in him about everything.


    He glanced quickly at Parker as she stared at him and realized Milo hadn¡¯t confided in him about everything. He¡¯d failed to mention the fights he¡¯d been having with his fianc¨¦ and how distant they¡¯d become. Not only that but Milo had looked him straight in the eye and lied to him about it.


    Everything about this situation pissed Garrett off and made him feel like he didn¡¯t have any control. When he was on a mission, he was in charge. He led his team, he made decisions, and he always knew what he was getting into. Now the rug was being pulled out from under Garrett with every turn. It frustrated him, pissed him off, and made him want to lash out. Unfortunately, Parker was the only one there to take the brunt of it.


    Garrett picked up his empty duffel bag and flung it across the room, wishing he had something heavier within reach to throw.


    He faced Parker with his hands on his hips, the fury rolling off of him in waves.


    ¡°So, because you guys were having a few problems, you¡¯ve suddenly decided to turn this mission into a way to...what? Find out if he was cheating on you? Dig up some dirt on him to make yourself feel better?¡± Garrett said heatedly. ¡°All of a sudden you want to make him out to be the bad guy. Have you already forgotten who he was to us? Just a few short months of doubt and you¡¯re ready to turn him into the enemy.¡±


    Parker sat there staring at Garrett with a complete look of shock on her face. She knew from the first moment he said he was doing this mission it was going to be a strain on him. She lived with Milo; she had to deal with his ever changing attitude and emotions day in and day out. It was gradual and didn¡¯t happen all at once. This was the first time Garrett was witness to the fact that Milo might not have been everything they thought he was. Parker knew it was a hard pill to swallow, but she¡¯d had time to get used to the idea. Everything was being thrown at Garrett all at once, so she tried to keep her frustration with him to a minimum.


    ¡°I really hope you aren¡¯t serious right now,¡± Parker said, standing up from the table and walking towards him. ¡°I am not trying to turn Milo into the enemy. You don¡¯t know me very well if you think any of this is making me feel better.¡±


    Garrett knew he should shut up before things got worse, but once he started, he couldn¡¯t stop. He watched Parker walk across the room to him and all the years of lies and regret were suddenly too much to bear. The doubt that was eating away at the friendship he¡¯d had for almost sixteen years was crushing him, and the confusion over what was happening between Parker and him was breaking Garrett in two.


    "Oh, I know you plenty, sweetheart. Is making Milo out to be the bad guy a way to ease your guilty conscience about what you did in the pool today?" he said icily.


    The sound of the slap across his face echoed in the room before he actually felt the blow of Parker¡¯s hand connecting with his cheek. He reached up to rub the sting from his face, knowing he deserved the pain and more but unable to take back anything he said. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth, but he needed to get it all out, and Parker was the only one there to listen.


    "About whatI did?¡± Parker repeated with an angry whisper as she stood a foot away from Garrett with her hands clenched angrily at her sides. She was shaking with fury and her throat was closing up with the burn of unshed tears.


    ¡°I get that you¡¯re angry, and you¡¯re confused, but don¡¯t youdare put the blame for what happened today at the pool all on me. You were just as much of an equal participant as I was. I am not about to feel guilty for what happened today, even if you are.¡±


    Garrett kept his head down, refusing to look at Parker. He could hear the hurt and anguish in her voice, and it tore his heart to shreds knowing he was the one who put it there. She was right. Hewas feeling guilty for betraying his friend and for thinking just for a moment that Milo was this totally different person who had secrets and lies that Garrett knew nothing about. He was taking it out on Parker and he had no right to do that.


    ¡°I am here for one reason and for one reason only,¡± Parker continued angrily. ¡°And that is to find out the truth. Good or bad. You want to pretend like nothing happened today at the pool or last night in bed, fine. You want to look me in the eye and tell me that touching me, kissing me¡­¡± Parker faltered, ¡°That it meant nothing to you and it was all part of the show we were putting on for the President, go for it. But if that¡¯s how you want to play it, then when we¡¯re finished with this mission, you stay the fuck away from me,¡± Parker told him with a sob in her voice.


    Garrett closed his eyes as Parker bumped her shoulder into his while she hurriedly walked past him. He jumped when he heard the door to their suite slam behind her when she left.


    The ringing of Garrett¡¯s secure cell phone several minutes later pulled him out of his stupor as he quickly pulled it to his ear to answer it.


    ¡°McCarthy,¡± he barked.


    There was silence on the other end of the line, save for the soft sound of someone breathing.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Garrett said.


    Whoever it was hadn¡¯t hung up yet, so Garrett kept the connection open.


    ¡°Listen, I can hear you breathing. Who is this?¡±


    After several more seconds of silence, Garrett was getting ready to hang up when the person on the other end finally spoke.


    ¡°Is-is dis polic¨ªa man?¡± a quiet female voice asked him in broken English.


    ¡°Ah, not really. Who is this?¡± Garrett asked. His phone had a private phone number and strangers shouldn¡¯t have access to it.


    ¡°Excusa, I am Maria. My amiga was Catalina Olvera. I live next to her padre.¡±


    Garrett cursed himself for not remembering that he had given that asshole father his phone number when he and Parker questioned him the other day.


    ¡°Gotcha. So Catalina¡¯s father gave you my number?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°Oh! No, no, se¨½or. If he knew I call you, would be very bad. I was on my front steps and saw you give him your number. He threw it to the ground, and I took it when he went in house,¡± she explained nervously.


    Garrett realized that Mr. Olvera had probably been an asshole to everyone he came in contact with if this girl was afraid of him. She sounded young; he figured she couldn¡¯t have been over sixteen. The same age as Catalina.


    ¡°Okay, I promise I won¡¯t tell him you contacted me. Can you tell me why you called?¡±


    There was a long pause as Maria contemplated what she should tell him. He seemed nice when she watched him talk to Cat¡¯s father. She hated that man. He was so mean to her best friend. He treated her like dirt and threw her out of his house leaving her with nowhere to go. Maria felt like she could trust this man on the phone. He didn¡¯t make fun of her attempt at speaking English and he didn¡¯t treat her like a child, even though she was.


    ¡°Bad things happen to my friend,¡± Maria said quietly.


    Garrett remained quiet waiting for her to continue. He walked over to the table and grabbed a pen and paper from next to Parker¡¯s laptop and scribbled the name Maria.


    ¡°She have nowhere to live. She come to me one day and say American man going to make all her dreams come true. She will have money and see the world and always have nice place to sleep,¡± Maria explained.


    Garrett wrote down as much as he could and urged her to continue when she paused.


    ¡°Cat very excited even when I tell her it sound too good to be true. She tell me she go to hotel for¡­um, how you say, question? Interrogatorio?¡±


    ¡°Interrogation? Interview?¡± Garrett supplied.


    ¡°Si, interview,¡± Maria agreed. ¡°She go to hotel the next night for interview, and I never see her again. She muerto the next day,¡± she said with a quiet sob.


    Garrett¡¯s heart was practically beating out of his chest and he knew before Maria even replied to his next question, what her answer would be.


    ¡°Maria, do you remember the name of the hotel that Catalina went to?¡±


    She responded immediately and with absolute certainty.


    ¡°Occidental El Embajador.¡±


    Chapter Fifteen


    Parker walked down the path that led away from the villas and towards the lobby, swiping angrily at the tears that left wet trails on her cheeks. For the first time since she met him, she wanted to be as far away from Garrett as possible. She tried to be sympathetic to what he was going through, but he pushed her too far. He took everything that happened between them in the past two days and made it into something disgusting and guilt-ridden.


    The only solace for Parker was the fact that at least Garrett hadn¡¯t crashed through all of her defenses. Her heart was still intact, and he hadn¡¯t broken her. She was strong and fierce and knew exactly who she was and what she wanted. She wasn¡¯t about to let him stomp all over her. There may be complete and utter confusion between them about the line they¡¯d crossed with each other in the past few days, but they were still friends. Garrett knew her better than anyone, and he damn well better remember that before he did something that could never be forgiven.


    Parker got to the lobby and looked around, unsure of what it was she even needed right now or where she should go. She spotted a few people sitting at the bar at the other end of the room and sighed. Parker knew drinking would get her nowhere. It would enhance her emotions and decrease her ability to think straight.


    With a sigh she realized it was exactly what she needed. She needed to not think. About Garrett, about Milo, about regrets and decisions, betrayals and lies, and everything else that was at war with her head and her heart that night.


    She made her way over to the other side of the lobby and sat down on a stool at the end of the bar, ordering a dirty martini with extra olives.


    After a quick call to Brady, Garrett met him out in the parking lot by the rental car. They pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards Santa Domingo as the sun began to set.


    ¡°So, are you going to tell me what has you so pissed off?¡± Brady asked as he grabbed onto the car handle above his head when Garrett took a turn a little too fast and a lot too sharp.

 Page 28

    Garrett looked over at Brady in irritation.Advertisement


    ¡°Do you really need to ask that right now? I¡¯m going to a fucking hotel in the Dominican Republic to ask the staff if they¡¯ve ever seen my dead best friend there. I¡¯m two fucking steps away from finding out the man I thought I knew was a stranger and a criminal,¡± Garrett said angrily as he put his eyes back on the road.


    ¡°Yeah, I get why you¡¯re pissed about that. But that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. It¡¯s certainly not why you¡¯re white-knuckle driving nor is it why you keep checking your personal cell phone every two seconds.¡±


    Garrett ignored Brady¡¯s comments and kept his eyes on the road. He was in no mood to have this discussion with him or anyone right then.


    ¡°I swear to God if the two of you don¡¯t get your shit together soon, you¡¯re both going to regret it,¡± Brady mumbled as he turned away from Garrett and looked out his window.


    Brady had never seen two people who were more stubborn than Garrett and Parker. They were going to kill each other before this was over.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°You and Parker. I¡¯m guessing the reason for the extra attitude right now is because you got into a fight with her. Am I right?¡± Brady questioned.


    Garrett scoffed. ¡°Parker and I are friends. We fight. Not that big of a deal.¡±


    The lie rolled off of Garrett¡¯s tongue easily, but he made sure to avoid looking at Brady when he said it.


    ¡°Right. Friends,¡± Brady said with a snort.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Garrett asked angrily.


    ¡°It just means that I¡¯ve seen the way you two are around each other. I¡¯ve seen it for years. Shit, everyone has. And I get that Milo was your best friend and that she was his fianc¨¦e, but come on, Garrett. Milo is gone. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the right time for you guys before, maybe neither one of you was in the right place, but you¡¯re here now. Together. What the hell are you waiting for?¡±


    Garrett let Brady¡¯s words sink in and tried swirling them around in his mind to make them fit together with all of his previous thoughts and wants. He was too angry to make anything come together or make sense. He didn¡¯t need someone who had no idea about his and Parker''s relationship making assumptions.


    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. We¡¯re friends. End of story. Neither one of us wants anything else.¡±


    Garrett ended the conversation by turning on the radio so Brady wouldn¡¯t feel the need to give him any more unsolicited advice. Talking about Parker as just his friend sounded foreign to his ears all of a sudden. He thought back over the last couple of days and the changes he saw in her. He watched her transform into an entirely different person right before his eyes. Yet, underneath she was still the same amazing woman that she¡¯d always been ¡ªputting everyone first and to hell with what she needed or wanted. She¡¯d done it with her father, with the CIA, with Milo, and now with him. She stood there in that room trying to get him to understand that things might not have been what they seemed, letting him yell and make accusations because she knew he needed to let it all out. Garrett took her patience and support and turned right around and practically called her a whore.


    He was lying to her and he was lying to himself, but he just couldn¡¯t seem to stop.


    Garrett pulled into the Occidental El Embajador¡¯s parking lot, turned the car off, and got out without a word to Brady. The two men walked into the lobby, glancing around for the best person to talk to.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want the front desk or a manager,¡± Brady whispered next to him. ¡°They¡¯re the most likely candidates to be on Fernandez¡¯s radar and payroll.¡±


    They walked further into the lobby and followed the signs leading to the restaurant in the back of the building.


    ¡°We need someone who spends a lot of time here and sees things other people might miss. Someone who struggles to make ends meet and watches people throw money away and abuse power. Someone who would readily trade information for a little cash,¡± Garrett said as they walked by the elevator just as the doors were opening.


    A woman in her mid-fifties wearing a hotel maid uniform stepped out a few paces behind what looked to be the manager. He was speaking angrily in rapid Spanish to the woman, admonishing her for not having one of the suites ready by the time the high level guests arrived that morning. The man finished his rant and walked away, leaving the woman to stand there fuming.


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Brady said softly.


    Garrett and Brady made their way over to the woman and stopped her right when she turned and began walking away.


    Brady asked the woman in Spanish if they could have a few moments of her time to ask her some questions. She looked nervously between the two of them and wondered if she was going to be in more trouble for being late to work. The woman glanced behind her to the retreating back of her manager, not wanting him to see her standing around doing nothing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, ma¡¯am, we won¡¯t tell anyone you spoke to us. We just want to show you a picture of a man and have you tell us if you have seen him here in the hotel before,¡± Brady explained to her.


    In her time working there at the hotel, she had learned not to trust American men when they visited. She may not have understood what they said when they spoke their English, but she knew they were up to no good. They treated her and all the other cleaning staff like dirt. They liked to forget that while they came and went, she was the one to clean up after them. She saw what they left behind, she saw who they brought to the rooms, and heard what went on behind the closed doors.


    These men, although obviously American, looked nicer than the others. They had pleasant faces and sincere smiles. They talked to her like a human being and not like a slave put there just for their use. She made a tentative decision to hear what they wanted before deciding if she could trust them.


    Garrett held his breath while the woman looked back and forth between Brady and him and then glanced once more behind her. He was afraid they lost her, and she would go running to management.


    After contemplating their genuineness for a few more seconds something in their faces must have convinced her that they were trustworthy enough. She motioned with her hand for them to follow her as she turned and quickly headed down a hallway behind the elevator bank.


    The men casually followed her, making sure not to look suspicious. They walked behind her until they came to the end of the hallway and a door that said: Staff Only. She glanced behind them down the long hallway and then quickly pulled a key out of her pocket to unlock the door.


    They stepped inside and she closed and locked the door behind them.


    Brady thanked her again for agreeing to talk to them, and Garrett reached into his back pocket to pull out the picture he¡¯d shoved in there earlier. It was a five by seven print of Milo and Garrett from their SEAL graduation. He smoothed out the creases and stared at the picture in his hand. It had been a beautiful day in San Diego. The sun had been shining, not a cloud in sight, and Garrett and Milo had their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders, staring into the camera with huge smiles on their faces while Parker snapped the picture. They each just had the golden Trident pinned over their hearts and had tossed their caps into the air. After the caps hit the ground, they wound their arms around each other¡¯s necks and Parker called their names so they would look up.


    Garrett had remembered the words their Commanding Officer spoke as he attached the pin to each of their chests. The Trident symbolized that they were brothers in arms¨Dthat they train together and fight together. The eagle¡¯s wings on the insignia were wide open to represent courage and strength, both of which the SEALS would need in abundance during their stint with the military.


    Never, in his entire career, had Garrett felt the lack of courage, strength, and abundance of doubt in hisbrotheras he did right at that moment while he slowly handed the photo to the woman, pointing to Milo¡¯s face as Brady asked her if she recognized him.


    The room was shrouded in silence while Garrett and Brady held their breaths as the woman stared at the picture.


    One word was all it took for Garrett¡¯s faith in everything he believed in to come tumbling down.


    ¡°S¨ª.¡±


    Parker had just ordered her third dirty martini when another shot glass filled with murky brown liquid was placed in front of her. Parker shook her head and raised one eye brow towards the bartender. He shrugged his shoulders in a friendly manner and waited for her to down the shot.


    For some reason each time Parker asked for extra olives, it got lost in translation and she was instead given a shot of the moonshine looking stuff.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been introduced to Mamajuana,¡± a deep voice said beside her.


    Parker turned to see Cole standing next to the empty bar stool to her left, motioning to it with his hand, questioning silently if he could sit down.


    Parker smiled and nodded and Cole sat down, motioning to the bartender for a drink.


    ¡°So this rotgut is called Mamajuana?¡± Parker asked as she held the shot glass up in front of her face and stared at the dark liquid, making sure she didn¡¯t see anything floating in it. She¡¯d seen the bartender pull the bottle out from under the bar and didn¡¯t miss the leaves and other sediment floating in it. She¡¯d been to the Dominican enough to know that it would be considered rude to turn down a drink when it was given to her.


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Cole said with a laugh as a bottle of Presidente beer and another shot of Mamajuana was placed in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s made with rum, red wine, and honey. They let the liquids soak in a bottle with tree bark and herbs,¡± he explained as he held the glass up in front of him, mirroring Parker.


    ¡°Ahhh, so I was correct when I thought I spied a tree branch in the bottle earlier,¡± Parker joked.


    It felt good to laugh after feeling sorry for herself for the past two hours. She wouldn¡¯t let herself feel guilty it wasn¡¯t Garrett she was laughing with. She was pleasantly buzzed but nowhere near drunk enough to forgive him yet.


    Cole leaned in closer to Parker and spoke softly, ¡°They say Mamajuana is considered the Dominican aphrodisiac.¡±


    Parker laughed at the absurdity that something that tasted like dirt and church wine could be a turn on. She could feel Cole¡¯s eyes on her and the heat from his body warming her arm, but she ignored it. Cole was sweet and made her laugh on the few occasions they¡¯d been in each other¡¯s company, but that was all. Parker could see out of the corner of her eye that Cole was still staring at her. She shifted her body slightly away from him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t be offended. She had no intention of giving him the wrong idea, even if she was still incredibly upset about the night''s events andwas well on her way to being so drunk she felt like reenacting that rainy night long ago with Garrett, where she stripped in front of him, as soon as she saw him again.


    She turned to face Cole and raised her shot glass a little higher.


    ¡°Well then, to the Dominican. Let¡¯s hope they find a better aphrodisiac soon,¡± she said with a laugh as she choked down the shot.


    Cole laughed with her and swallowed the drink with ease. He could sense her distance and that was alright with him. He could tell from the first time he was in the same room with Garrett and Parker that Garrett would probably knock him out if he attempted any kind of move on her. He always wondered why he never got the same vibe from Milo but just figured he was more of a laid back kind of guy. Parker was beautiful and smart and a total bad ass CIA agent, but he was in no mood to get his face rearranged over a woman.


    Cole and Parker spent the next hour drinking and sharing stories.


    Parker never noticed the eyes that had been watching her from the moment Cole sat down next to her at the bar.


    Garrett yanked open the mini fridge in the room with so much force it slammed into the wall, denting it with the handle.


    He shoved aside the old fashioned bottles of Pepsi and 7UP and reached in and grabbed the complimentary bottle of Barcel¨® Imperial Rum from the top shelf. Kicking the door closed with his foot, he unscrewed the cap and took a long swig.


    All Garrett wanted to do after the woman at the hotel confirmed she had seen Milo there on several occasions over the years was to race back to the resort and apologize to Parker. All of the awful, ugly things he said to her played on a loop in his mind. The look on her face after she smacked him popped up every time he closed his eyes.


    Parker had been right to suspect Milo, and Garrett should have kept an open mind with her. She lived with him and spent more time with him than Garrett had. He¡¯d been one person with Garrett and another with Parker. And obviously, he¡¯d been a third person with both of them. Garrett had no idea which Milo was the real one. All this time he wanted Milo to be the same man he grew up with, slightly troubled but with a big heart, willing to do anything to make a better life for himself than the one he had growing up. A good friend and partner, someone he could trust with his life and always depend on. He¡¯d given up on any dreams he harbored towards Parker because he knew Milo was perfect for her. He knew Milo would take care of her.


    Now he wasn¡¯t sure of anything anymore.


    The maid at the hotel remembered seeing Milo every couple of months routinely for the entire seven years she worked there. He always arrived alone, stayed one night, and left the next morning with a girl. She stressed that they were girls, not women. The maid never saw the girls arrive, so she didn¡¯t know when they came or if they came alone. She never recognized any of them.


    Until the last one: Catalina Olvera.


    She¡¯d recognized the girl¡¯s picture when an article was printed in the paper about her death. Several months prior to the article, she¡¯d seen Milo walking out of his hotel room with his arm wrapped around the teenage girl¡¯s shoulders. She remembered the girl because it was the only time one of them ever made eye contact with her, the only time one of them looked terrified and desolate. It was the first time she felt the need to tell someone. Her manager told her if she valued her job, she would keep her mouth shut about the man and his girls. The American had connections that could ruin all of them.

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    After that, the maid never saw Milo at the hotel again.Advertisement


    Brady didn¡¯t say anything to Garrett on the way back to the resort. He was sick with the thought that someone he knew, someone he trusted and went into dangerous missions with could have been mixed up in something as ugly as this. Brady knew it was only a fraction of what Garrett was feeling.


    When they got back Garrett told Brady to look into Catalina¡¯s death more closely. He wanted copies of her autopsy and police reports and anything he could find on the investigation. Garrett started to walk away but stopped after a few feet. He spoke without turning around.


    ¡°Also, I want everything you can find on Milo from the day he was born.¡±


    Garrett stalked out of the room he shared with Parker and made his way down to the beach, taking a healthy swallow of rum every few feet.


    All he wanted to do was come back here and see Parker, tell her he¡¯d made a mistake, and ask for her forgiveness. No matter what had happened between them, the things he found out at the hotel were going to crush her, and he didn¡¯t want anything hanging in the air between them when he told her.


    He dreaded every single step he took as he walked into the lobby knowing it was one step closer to breaking Parker¡¯s heart yet again. Garrett stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of Parker¡¯s musical laughter as it carried through the air.


    He saw her sitting at the bar, close to Cole, laughing while he leaned into her and whispered in her ear. Garrett stood there long enough to see just howhurtshe¡¯d been by their earlier fight as she drank and laughed and talked to another man


    Garrett wondered just how screwed up in the head he was when he started stalking across the room, the only thought in his mind picking up Cole and punching the laugh right off of his face, the face that was making Parker smile and giggle and flirt.


    He stopped himself before he got too close to making the biggest mistake of his life. Punching Cole wouldn¡¯t solve any of his problems. It wouldn¡¯t erase the memories of Milo eating dinner with him and his parents, Milo convincing him to sneak out after curfew to go to a party, Milo jumping on Garrett¡¯s bed first thing in the morning when he had a hangover from hell, or Milo working so hard in the Navy just to make Garrett and his parents proud.


    It wouldn¡¯t take away the pain of seeing Parker give Cole a laugh that was supposed to be Garrett¡¯s.


    Garrett turned and fled from the lobby, unable to watch whatever was happening between Cole and Parker unfold.


    By the time he made it down to the water and sat down on one of the beach chairs, he had a nice buzz going but his anger hadn¡¯t diminished. He wondered if Parker would go back to Cole¡¯s room. If she¡¯d let him undress her and run his hands over her soft skin, between her warm thighs, and inside her welcoming body. He wondered if she¡¯d make the same moans and sighs with him that she did when Garrett pushed his fingers into her, slid his cock against her, and made her come.


    ¡°FUCK!¡± Garrett screamed as he hurled the half-empty bottle of rum into the ocean and put his head in his hands. He clutched at his hair so hard it made his eyes water and his hands shake.


    She couldn¡¯t do this to him. He wouldn¡¯t let her just forget about what they¡¯d done no matter how pissed she was at him. Somewhere in Garrett¡¯s mind he knew he shouldn¡¯t talk to Parker now, not when he was buzzed and angry and imagining her naked and wrapped up with another man.


    He pushed himself off of the chair and made his way back to the lobby.


    Parker said goodbye to Cole and thanked him for keeping her company as she made her way up the walk to villa she shared with Garrett. She felt around her hips for the key when she realized she didn¡¯t have any pockets and therefore had no key.


    She cursed herself for not changing out of the black wrap dress when they got home from the palace. Parker let her forehead fall against the door with a thud, not looking forward to the walk back to the lobby to have another key made. She was tired and she was drunk. All she wanted to do was curl up in bed and go back to feeling sorry for herself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetheart, did your date leave you high and dry?¡± Garrett asked sarcastically.


    Parker whipped around at the sound of his voice, irritated to see that he still had a bug up his ass, but happy that he could at least let her into their room before he stalked off to pout somewhere.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± she asked him angrily.


    Garrett moved up the walk until he was standing right in front of her.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about you and your cozy little date with Cole,¡± Garrett spat.


    Parker stared up at him in shock.


    ¡°Oh my God. You have lost your fucking mind, you know that?¡±


    She turned to walk away from him, but he grabbed her by the arm and spun her back around to face him, pushing her backwards until she smacked up against the wall of the alcove to their villa.


    Garrett pushed his body against hers to keep her in place, sliding his knee between her thighs. Parker quickly put her hands to his chest and tried to shove him away from her.


    ¡°Get OFF me!¡± she growled.


    He didn¡¯t budge. He just stared down into her beautiful, angry face and let the words fly.


    ¡°I saw you with him. I saw you snuggled up next to him, laughing at all his jokes and turning on the charm,¡± Garrett seethed as he felt himself harden while Parker squirmed against him and tried to get out of his arms.


    He couldn¡¯t help himself; he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from his chest, anchoring them against the wall above her head.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Parker fumed as she tried to pull her arms out of his grasp, but that only made him tighten his hold. If she really wanted to, she could take him down with one well-placed kick to the groin or a twisting self-defense move, but something about being this close to him when he was in a jealous rage sparked a fire within her that kept her rooted in place.


    She could feel the anger rolling off of him, and while she wasn¡¯t afraid and could never be afraid of Garrett, she had no idea what had gotten into him. He''d never acted this way with her before. He was being possessive, like she was his and had no right to share herself with another man. It irritated her and turned her on all at the same time. She could smell the rum on his breath and mixed with his cologne, it was a heady sent that would have intoxicated her if she wasn¡¯t already halfway there.


    ¡°YOU are what¡¯swrong with me, Parker. It¡¯salways been you. Every time I¡¯m around you I can¡¯t think. You mess with my mind and you make me lose focus.¡±


    Parker¡¯s heart beat rapidly in her chest as she stared into his eyes.


    It¡¯s always been you.


    She knew better than to think he meant anything by that comment. They were both drunk and angry. Letting her mind misconstrue his words was foolish and would do nothing but hurt her in the end.


    But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care about that right now.


    Garrett could smell the alcohol on her mixed with the faint coconut perfume of her skin. She was still wearing the dress from earlier, and the thin material made it easier for him to feel every inch of her body up against his. He pushed his hips into her, wishing the anger away so he could just feel. He was still plagued with thoughts of confusion and resentment though. None of that would go away easily.


    Parker let out an involuntary whimper when he pushed his hardness against her. She had no control of her body and its reactions when Garrett was around.


    ¡°Do you think he could make you moan when he rubbed up against you?¡± Garrett asked as he ground himself harder between her legs. He didn¡¯t know if he was referring to Cole or Milo at that point. Both men¡¯s faces flashed before his eyes as he pictured them touching Parker and giving her the pleasure he was meant to.


    He pushed Parker¡¯s arms together so he could grab both wrists with one hand, letting his free hand slide down the underside of her arm, over her breast, across her stomach, and under the hem of her dress. He brought his hand up the inside of her thigh, letting his fingers graze over the thin scrap of satin between her legs.


    ¡°Do you think he could make you wet like this?¡± Garrett asked fiercely as he slid his fingers up and down over her sex, feeling her wetness soaking through the satin.


    Parker¡¯s body continued to betray her. His words angered her, but his hands and his fingers made her want him so badly she ached for him to sink himself inside her. Her hips moved forward, reaching for more of him, wanting him to keep going even though a part of her didn¡¯t want to do this when they were both so angry.


    ¡°What the hell do you want from me?¡± Parker asked brokenly as Garrett circled his finger around her satin-covered clit, forcing another moan from her.


    ¡°I want you to admit that I¡¯m the only one who can make you feel like this,¡± Garrett said through clenched teeth, knowing he was crossing a very dangerous line with Parker but unable to stop now. He pulled his hand out from between her legs, slid his arm behind her back, and pulled her up against him roughly, covering her mouth with his before she could say anything, before he could second guess his decision.


    The kiss was hard and forceful. Garrett took everything she had to give from that kiss, bruising her mouth with his lips. She wanted to tell him to stop, to slow down, but he dropped her arms from above her head and both of his hands cupped her from behind as he lifted her up against him.


    She shouldn¡¯t have wrapped her legs around his waist as he turned them both and slammed her up against their closed door while she clutched the front of his shirt and held on. She should have told him they needed to talk, but as his lips and tongue continued their assault on her mouth, all she could do was respond. She¡¯d wanted him like this for so long. She¡¯d wanted him wild for her and unrestrained. As much as she dreamed about slow, sensual loving with Garrett, she also dreamed about him finally giving in and taking her. She dreamed about him wanting her so much he couldn''t control his actions any longer.


    The door behind her was unlocked and Garrett pushed it open using her body as leverage.


    His hands found their way under her dress and grabbed onto her to pull her closer to his body as he walked, his fingers squeezing the bare flesh as he moved.


    When they were inside the room, Garrett kicked the door closed behind him and swung Parker around, her back smacking into the wall beside the door, forcing a picture hanging on the wall to crash to the floor.


    Garrett should have stopped to apologize; he didn''t want to hurt her. But right now, with her long legs wrapped around him and the heat between her thighs pressing against him, he lost all control.


    He tore his mouth away from hers and kissed and sucked his way down her neck, running his tongue over the swell of her breasts that peaked out of the V-neckline of her dress.


    Parker''s hands flew to the back of his head to hold him in place as she arched her back and let her head thump against the wall.


    Garrett pulled his mouth away from her breasts and used his hips to anchor Parker to the wall so he could remove his hands from her. He brought them around to the front of her body and grabbed the edges at the opening of her dress and yanked it open. Her smooth, creamy skin was completely exposed save for a black satin strapless bra and a minuscule black satin thong.


    Parker''s dress lay open, hanging off of her arms while she breathed heavily and watched Garrett''s eyes darken as they raked over her body. No one was listening, no one was watching, the need in his eyes was for her and her alone.


    Garrett wrapped an arm around her back and took the palm of his other hand and laid it flat against her collarbone. He slid his hand down the front of her body, looking into her eyes as the heel of his hand slid between her legs and pushed against her.


    "Say it," Garrett growled as he moved his hand back up her body, pulling the cups of her bra down until both of her breasts were exposed.


    He circled the tips of his fingers around her nipple, teasing her until it pebbled under his touch.


    "Tell me no one makes you feel like this," Garrett demanded as he took both of her breasts in the palms of his hands, cupping them and kneading them, pushing his hardness into her center, pinning her against the wall.


    "Fuck! Only you," Parker moaned as she grabbed the front of Garrett''s button-down shirt and did her own yanking. The buttons of his shirt flew in every direction as Garrett wrapped one arm around Parker, pulled her against him, and turned away from the wall, moving over to the table as she pushed his shirt down his arms. He tore the dress and her bra the rest of the way off of her.


    With one arm holding Parker''s almost-naked body against him, he used his other arm to shove everything off of the table.


    Papers, phone books, Parker''s laptop, and a vase of flowers crashed to the floor as Garrett set Parker down on the table.


    The position put Garrett''s hardness, hidden behind the cotton of his dress pants, right up against Parker''s core.


    She reached for his belt as he reached for her. Parker let her legs slide down his hips and hang off the edge of the table while he attacked her mouth again. She fumbled with his belt while he swirled his tongue through her mouth.


    Parker unfastened his pants and pushed them and his boxer briefs down on his thighs as far as she could reach.


    She wrapped her hand around the back of Garrett''s neck and pulled him with her as she leaned back on one arm, raised her legs, and used her feet to push everything the rest of the way down his legs.


    Garrett tore his mouth away from Parker¡¯s and clutched onto the elastic band of the pathetic excuse of underwear that rested on her hips. With a tug and a tear, her thong was ripped off of her body and tossed to the side. He palmed his cock and quickly brought it to her entrance.


    "Say it again," Garrett demanded as he dragged the head through her, soaking himself with her wetness before stopping right at her heat.

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    Parker didn''t hesitate to give him what he wanted. She needed him inside her so much she couldn''t breathe.Advertisement


    "You, only you," she told him, pulling his forehead down to rest against hers.


    Parker''s words shot right through Garrett. He pushed into her in one quick, hard motion, burying himself inside her as deep as he could go.


    Parker shouted his name and Garrett swallowed her cries with his mouth.


    His hands flew to her hips and gripped them tightly as he held his body still, pulsing with the sensations of being inside her.


    He couldn''t think, all he could do was feel. Feel how tight and warm she was wrapped around him. Feel how perfectly he fit inside her. His heart thumped with the realization that after years of dreaming, of watching, wanting, and hoping, he was finally exactly where he had always longed to be. A wave of guilt washed through him when he remembered what had spurred all of this on. Betrayal and anger, shock and confusion. All at the hands of someone who he thought was his best friend.


    Parker held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, letting her body adjust to Garrett. It had been so long since her body had felt this, had craved this. He was taking her, controlling her, and he needed her so much he let all of his reservations go. No one had ever desired her that much. She¡¯d been made love to in beds and under the cover of blankets. She¡¯d never had sex on a table because a man had to have her right at that moment. The fact that it was Garrett doing the taking made her heart and body soar. Parker felt every solid inch of him inside her, and it made her pulse around him with the need for more.


    Garrett ran the palm of his hand down Parker''s smooth thigh. He reached under her knee, pulling it up and hooking it over his hip as he slowly pulled out of her, only to thrust quickly right back in.


    They groaned in unison, Garrett punctuating the feeling with a curse.


    "Fuck, you feel so good,¡± Garrett whispered against her lips.


    He wanted to go slow, to savor every bit of this moment with Parker. He wanted to take his time and show her with his body how much he¡¯d always wanted this. But the anger and resentment from the day¡¯s events bubbled up inside him and made him want to just fuck it all away. The squeeze of Parker¡¯s walls around him and her wetness coating him made it impossible for him to do anything else.


    ¡°Oh, God, don¡¯t stop. Harder!" Parker told him.


    Garrett almost came on the spot at her words. He dropped his other hand from her hip to brace himself against the table.


    Parker pulled Garrett back to her mouth and pushed her hips up to meet every single one of his powerful thrusts into her. His hand wrapped around her knee and slid back down her thigh to grab her from behind, pulling her roughly against him each time he buried himself inside her.


    Garrett''s lips and tongue made a trail from Parker''s mouth down the side of her neck as he continued to piston his hips against her.


    Parker wanted every second of that moment to last, but she couldn''t slow down her approaching orgasm if she tried. Each time Garrett''s hips slammed into her, it pushed her closer and closer to the edge. The table banged against the wall with the force of their movements, causing another picture to come crashing down and the sound of shattering glass to fill the room.


    They didn''t care about the noise or the damage they were doing to the room. For once, Garrett and Parker were only concerned with the feel of each other''s bodies and the raw pleasure that was coursing through them. They threw aside the angry words, the hurtful truths, and the disappointment and took what they wanted; what they had always wanted¡ªneeded¨Dfrom each other. They fucked their minds into silence as their bodies willingly complied.


    Garrett''s teeth grazed against the skin beneath her ear, pushing Parker closer to the brink. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck and both of her legs around his hips, locking her ankles behind him. Garrett held her tight against him as he pushed himself deep and stayed there, grinding his pelvis against her.


    The orgasm exploded out of Parker as she cried out and rocked herself against Garrett.


    "Oh, Garrett, yes!"


    She clawed at his back and rode it out, pushing against him to try and prolong the feeling coursing through her.


    Parker clenched tightly around Garrett as she came, and he followed right behind her. He thrust his hips rapidly, holding Parker''s body as tightly as he could while he came deep inside her.


    Garrett''s body jerked against her with the force of his orgasm as he shouted incoherently, thrusting into her one last time.


    The room was suddenly quiet. Their flushed, sweaty bodies molded together as they both tried to catch their breaths and come back to reality.


    Garrett finally pulled his mouth away from Parker''s neck, resting his forehead against hers.


    Parker ran her hands up the back of Garrett''s neck, sliding her fingers through his hair, and holding his head against hers.


    She kept her legs locked around his naked hips and memorized the feel of him pulsing and twitching inside of her. She committed to memory the feel of his arms locked around her body and his chest pushed up against her breasts. She knew the guilt would come creeping back in soon, and she wanted to cherish every second.


    Parker would never again fault Garrett for his actions when it came to her. After what just happened between them, and the words he¡¯d spoken. she knew he¡¯d been wrestling with his own demons where she was concerned. Parker knew she was being a hypocrite by not wanting him to retreat back into himself after this, but she knew it was inevitable. She understood him better than anyone, and she should have known right from the start what kind of a struggle it would be for him to admit anything he felt for her. In Garrett¡¯s mind loyalty was one of the best qualities he possessed, and Parker would do anything to make sure he never felt like he¡¯d compromised that. She would keep it light and hopefully absolve him from any feelings of blame he put on himself.


    Parker turned her face away from Garrett, her forehead still pressed up against his, and glanced around at the disaster area of a room.


    She shook her head and sighed.


    "What''s wrong?" Garrett asked.


    "I am so not cleaning this shit up," Parker replied.


    Chapter Sixteen


    The smell of coffee wafted through the air and roused Parker from the best night of sleep she¡¯d had in a long time. She burrowed deeper into her pillow, smiling at the ache she felt in muscles that hadn¡¯t been used in a long time. She knew her back was bruised from being slammed into the wall and her thighs were tender from the hands that gripped and the body that moved between them. The soreness between her legs reminded her just how much she missed sharing that part of herself with someone.


    How much she needed to share that part of herself with Garrett.


    Parker never knew it could be like that. She¡¯d dreamed of touching Garrett, of feeling his skin against hers, and wondered what it would be like to take him inside her. She never imagined her dream would pale in comparison to reality. Nothing prepared her for the reality of fucking her best friend.


    She cringed a little, using such an abrasive word to describe what happened between them the night before. But she knew it was too raw, too new, and there were too many broken items strewn throughout the bedroom for it to be considered anything else.


    It was also yet another reason why she refused to open her eyes. She knew how Garrett worked, and she wasn¡¯t prepared to deal with the aftermath of the guilt and shame he was most likely feeling.


    When her head started to pound from consuming all of those cocktails the night before and the argument that ended in the best sex she¡¯d ever had, she knew the smell of coffee couldn¡¯t be ignored any longer.


    Parker slowly opened her eyes to an empty room and tried not to let the disappointment mar her good mood. She knew he wouldn¡¯t be there watching her sleep or cuddled up against her asking for round two. It still stung just the same because he felt the need to flee first thing in the morning before she woke up. At least he had the decency to make her coffee.


    She got up out of bed and stretched the soreness from her body before walking naked across the room to pour a cup of coffee from the small coffeemaker on the dresser. She took her coffee mug with her into the bathroom, glancing around the room on her way and noticing that the broken pictures had been re-hung, minus the shattered glass. All of the papers, books, and her laptop had been picked up off of the floor and placed back on the table. The clothing they¡¯d ripped off last night had been zipped into garment bags provided by the resort and were now hanging on the handle of the closet door. The bags would be picked up by the maid and taken to the dry cleaner to be washed and repaired. Considering Parker had ripped every single button off of Garrett¡¯s shirt, and she¡¯d heard a tearing sound on her dress when Garrett had pulled it off of her, there were quite a few repairs their clothing needed.


    Before closing the bathroom door, Parker let the realization sink in that Garrett had cleaned up any and all reminders of what they¡¯d done the night before.


    Garrett let himself into the villa and as the door shut behind him, he heard the shower turn on in the bathroom. He had hoped to be back to the room before Parker woke up, but his morning run to clear his head took longer than normal.


    Garrett couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the fact that he¡¯d had sex with his best friend for the first time on a table in a hotel room. He saw Parker naked, touched every inch of her, and felt her come while he was inside her. He¡¯d had the best orgasm of his life, carried her over to the bed, and they¡¯d both passed out from exhaustion, neither one uttering a word about what they just did and what it meant for their relationship going forward.


    He¡¯d slept soundly all night with his arms and legs wrapped around Parker¡¯s, and when he woke this morning, pressing his hardness into her from behind, he wanted nothing more than to lift one of her legs and bring it back over his hip so he could push inside her and feel her clench around him all over again.


    Garrett had forced himself out of bed before that took over all of his thoughts and cleaned up the room before going for a run to calm his libido down. He knew if he was ever lucky enough to be inside Parker he¡¯d never recover. All it took was one time and he was addicted to her from the sounds she made right before she came to the feel of her fingernails scoring down his back, how her thighs tightened and her whole body shuddered as her orgasm washed through her and squeezed his own release out of him. He woke up this morning knowing that if he didn¡¯t get out of bed right that minute, he¡¯d take Parker again and again, and he wouldn¡¯t stop until they were both useless and spent.


    Not a good way to be on a mission.


    So he cleaned up the broken glass, hung up their torn clothes, picked up the scattered papers, and laptop, that thankfully wasn¡¯t broken, and then left Parker sleeping peacefully to run his need for her out of his body by pounding his feet into the wet sand.


    When he heard the shower and realized Parker was in there wet and naked, Garrett knew that he could never run far enough or long enough. Nothing would ever diminish his craving for her. He needed her like he needed air to breathe.


    Garrett quickly toed off his shoes and pulled off his socks on his way to the closed bathroom door. He opened it silently and stood there for a moment staring at Parker¡¯s blurry silhouette through the fogged glass doors. She stood with her face turned up toward the spray, and he instantly hardened as he took in the curves of her body.


    He softly shut the door behind him to keep the steam in and stripped the rest of his clothes off.


    Parker was lost in thought as she stood under the warm shower jets and let them drench her body. She lifted her hands to her face and slid them up to wipe some of the excess water away, the sound of the spray hitting the shower floor drowning out the click of the door latch.


    Soft, warm hands grabbed her hips and slid around her waist, pulling her back against a naked, wet body, eliciting a sigh as she tipped her head back out of the water and rested it against the hard chest connected to that body.


    Parker felt Garrett¡¯s slick skin against her back, his hardness pushing into her, and his wet thighs pressed into hers. She could feel every inch of him against her and still, it wasn¡¯t enough. She turned in his arms and Garrett couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Last night was fast and hard, and he didn¡¯t have nearly enough time to fully appreciate her naked body. At that moment, with the spray from the water dripping down over every inch of her, he felt like the luckiest man in the world. He didn¡¯t know where to look first or which part of her to touch. He wanted all of her at once.


    Garrett reached up and pushed Parker¡¯s wet hair off of her forehead, gliding his hands down the back of her head and bringing them around the side of her face to cup her cheeks.


    "I''m sorry," he whispered as he looked into her eyes.


    He didn''t need to tell her what for; Parker could read it all over his face. He was sorry for the words he spoke to her in anger, he was sorry for anything he did to hurt her, he was sorry for not being there when she woke up, and he was sorry for always letting his guilt stop them from enjoying whatever this was between them.


    Garrett saw the acceptance in Parker''s eyes, and he didn¡¯t hesitate to bend down and kiss away some of the water that trickled from her wet lips. Parker¡¯s arms immediately encircled his waist, and she pulled his body closer to hers.


    They kissed under the warm stream of water, taking their time to sweep tongues through mouths, taste lips, and breathe into each other. Parker felt Garrett¡¯s hardness between her legs and even with the water cascading over her, she felt herself getting wet for him.


    Needing him.


    Aching for him.


    They didn¡¯t speak as Garrett kissed along her jaw, down the dripping skin of her neck, sucking gently and grazing the area with his teeth, as he turned her backside away from the spray so she could lean up against the wall of the shower.

 Page 31

    Garrett moved back up to Parker¡¯s lips and kissed her gently, reverently¨Dso different from the hard, bruising kisses from the night before. Those were perfect for then; this was what was needed now.Advertisement


    His tongue softly pushed past her lips as his knee moved forward between her legs, sliding against her aching center as he shifted her legs apart.


    Parker pulled Garrett¡¯s tongue into her mouth and slid her hands up the front of his wet, muscled chest, intertwining her fingers behind his neck. He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her body until her feet came off of the ground and she could wrap her legs around his hips.


    She felt Garrett resting against her, just like the other day in the pool. She shifted her hips to slide against his length and deepened the kiss they shared, water bouncing off of the sides of their bodies.


    Parker moaned into Garrett¡¯s mouth as he moved his own hips, the tip of his cock sliding down to her opening and just barely pushing inside.


    Garrett stilled his movements and pulled away from Parker¡¯s lips. She opened her eyes, blinking away the water that had bounced off of his shoulders and into her face. With her body wrapped around him, Parker was eye level with Garrett, and he stared into her eyes as he held himself against her.


    Neither one of them could say the words, voice out loud what was running rampant in their hearts and punctuated with every breath they took. But as the water pounded down around them, they both knew something was different.


    Garrett pushed Parker¡¯s back gently against the cold tile walls, his hand resting flat on the wall next to her head. With his other arm still around her waist, he pulled her tighter against him, closer to him but never close enough, sliding another inch inside of her welcoming body. His chest ached with the need to hold her like this¨Dalways.


    As they stared into each other¡¯s eyes, never breaking contact, Garrett slowly pushed every inch of his length inside Parker. She let out a shuddering breath when he got as deep as he could go and held himself inside. She felt every inch of him but still wanted more. He was deeper than before but still not deep enough.


    Garrett¡¯s breaths came out in a ragged release against her lips as he forced himself not to pull back and pound into her, slam her against the walls and take her with everything he had in him.


    They¡¯d done that last night. It had been amazing and right. But this morning, it had to be different because they were different. Whether they would admit it to themselves or not, something had shifted inside both of them. Last night had been about exorcising demons, years of pent up need and a release of anger and frustration.


    Today, under the gentle spray of the shower in the early morning light, it was about so much more: forgiveness, adoration, respect, and every other emotion they couldn¡¯t verbalize.


    Garrett bent forward and gently sucked Parker¡¯s top lip into his mouth as he gradually pulled himself almost completely out of her and then slowly pushed back in.


    Parker moaned and wrapped her legs tighter around Garrett¡¯s waist as he continued the slow push and pull, in and out, of her body. He took his time drawing the pleasure out of her, letting her orgasm build and build with each long stroke inside her and the swirl of his hips when he was buried deep.


    Their lips found their way back together, mouths and tongues moving slowly in tandem with the lower half of their bodies. Tongues swirled and tasted as water dripped down each of their faces and Garrett continued the slow pace of sliding in and out of Parker.


    He loved her against the wall of the shower, never thrusting, never taking, just giving. Sliding in and out of Parker at a slow pace was beautiful torture as the heat from her body and the slickness of her arousal enticed him to make her his¡ªto mark her so everyone would know she belonged with him. Garrett couldn¡¯t get deep enough, couldn¡¯t feel enough of her body. He wanted to drown in her and shout at the top of his lungs that she was his. It was always her, only her.


    ¡°Only you,¡± Garrett mumbled against her lips, not even aware that he had spoken out loud.


    Garrett¡¯s softly spoken words and the unhurried way he claimed her body aroused Parker like nothing else could. Her release crept up through her core and throbbed without any warning, causing her to hold Garrett as tightly as she could while she pushed her hips against him and rode out her orgasm.


    The clench of Parker around him and her quiet whimpers of release pulled his orgasm out of him, and he held still, fully sheathed inside her as he came in long, pulsing surges.


    With any other two people who had been friends for eight years and suddenly found themselves having sex, it would have been awkward. There would have been blushing, stuttering, embarrassed looks, and strained conversations.


    But not for Garrett and Parker.


    The fact that they didn''t talk about what happened or what it meant could have been the reason why all of that awkwardness was avoided, or it just could have been natural for the both of them.


    Easy.


    Nothing that needed a label or an explanation.


    At least not for now.


    Parker was still surprised Garrett wasn''t brooding, and Garrett was surprised Parker hadn''t kicked his ass for leaving the bed this morning. They were okay. Their bodies spoke the words their lips could not, and an inner peace they hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time, spread through both of them.


    They got dressed together after their shower, sneaking glances in each other''s direction out of the corner of their eyes.


    They stole kisses as they moved around the room and laughed when one of Garrett''s buttons fell out of Parker''s shoe from the night before.


    They joked about the probable shortage of hot water in the entire resort for the rest of the day as they made their way to their breakfast meeting with the team.


    They were able to be completely professional as they sat down with the other men and Garrett gave Parker a run-down of the phone call he''d received the night before after she left the room.


    He left out the part about Milo. That was not a conversation he wanted to have with her in front of other people. Telling Parker that Milo had been sneaking around for years and most likely engaged in disgusting, illegal activity with minors here in the Dominican while he planned a future with her back home was something that he needed to do with her alone. It made Garrett sick to his stomach just thinking that his friend had been capable of something like that.


    Brady understood the silent communication Garrett gave him with just a look as he stopped the story with the end of the phone call from Maria.


    Parker looked about as stunned as Garrett had felt when he originally received the phone call the night before.


    "Wait," Parker said as she squeezed her eyes closed and tried to figure out the sudden flash of a memory in her mind. "Catalina, you called her Cat."


    Garrett nodded. "Yeah, that''s what Maria called her."


    "Son of a bitch! I can''t believe I didn''t put that together before," Brady said as he flipped through the file of notes he''d brought with him. "The conversation you overheard when you were walking around the palace."


    Brady found the piece of paper he had been looking for with Parker''s notes on the conversation.


    "They talked about a cat and how we''d never figure it out," Parker said. "I thought maybe I had misinterpreted it wrong. But they weren''t talking about a cat. They were talking about Cat, as in, Catalina."


    "Fucking hell," Austin muttered.


    Parker watched Brady and Garrett stare at each other, and she felt like there was something they weren''t telling her. But Brady pulled more papers out of his file before she could question either of them.


    "I had Vargas get me a list of every local missing teenage girl between the ages of thirteen and eighteen over the past few years. There were one hundred and seventy-five," Brady explained, "and over half of them were listed as being employed by The Target Agency."


    Parker felt the quickening of her pulse and excitement in her stomach that she always got when it felt like they were on the right track during an assignment. Things were slowly starting to fall into place with regard to nailing Fernandez, but it still didn''t explain what had been going on with Milo. She said as much out loud, more to herself than anyone else. Once again, she watched the silent communication between Brady and Garrett and knew without a doubt they hadn''t told her everything.


    Parker suddenly realized that Garrett never mentioned the name of the hotel where Maria said Catalina had gone.


    "The hotel," Parker said, turning towards Garrett. "You never mentioned the name of the hotel Catalina met the American man at."


    Garrett looked away from her as soon as she said the words out loud, a cold feeling of dread washing over her as the puzzle clicked into place. She started shaking her head no before she could get the words out.


    Garrett watched Parker make the connection and it made his chest ache for her.


    "No. It wasn''t him," Parker insisted as she watched Brady start to pack up his file.


    "Can you guys give us a minute?" Garrett asked the rest of the men.


    They didn''t mask the curious looks on their faces, but they did as they were told. Brady led them away from the table to fill them in on what Garrett would be telling Parker.


    Parker stared at Garrett and Garrett stared at the retreating forms of his men, wishing he didn''t have to break the spell of last night and this morning.


    "Tell me it''s not as bad as I''m thinking," Parker demanded.


    Garrett took a deep breath and turned to face her.


    She saw it all: the pain, the betrayal, and his knowledge of the truth she didn''t want to accept. It was right there, written all over his face.


    "Brady and I went to Occidental El Embajador last night. One of the maids identified Milo. She saw him leave one of the rooms with Catalina a few months before she was killed," Garrett said softly.


    Parker saw his lips move, heard the words he spoke, but couldn¡¯t feel anything else. She was numb.


    Like she was floating in a dream, the edges of her vision just starting to blur, making it hard to focus on what was real and what wasn''t. Garrett was still talking, telling her he was sorry and that he was just as shocked as she was, but she barely heard him.


    She stared at a spot just over his shoulder, wondering what the hell was wrong with her.


    What kind of woman could be trained by the best government agency in the world, know how to force even the most hardened criminal to admit truths and crimes he''d never told anyone yet fail to see the man she befriended, loved, and was going to build a life with was doing something so vile right under her nose?


    She''d never fully trusted Milo from day one, but she''d always chalked that up to her broken family and her refusal to allow anyone to get that close.


    Now she wondered if maybe it was something deeper, maybe some sixth sense told her he wasn''t who she thought he was, and she kept him at arm¡¯s length for that reason alone.


    "Take me there," Parker stated firmly. ¡°I want to talk to the maid myself.¡±


    Garrett tried to pretend like he hadn''t heard her, but he knew it was useless. He knew she¡¯d want tangible proof this was real. She¡¯d want to confirm for herself what he already knew to be true. Even though she¡¯d tried to tell him the night before that Milo had secrets, Garrett knew Parker never expected them to be this bad. No matter what he said to her, she wouldn¡¯t trust the information until she saw it with her own eyes. All he wanted to do was go back to this morning, go back to the moment when they stood together in the room after the shower, drying each other off. Go back and pretend like nothing else existed but the two of them, crawl under the covers and pretend like they didn¡¯t have to meet the team for breakfast and this assignment wasn¡¯t top priority. They could go back to the moment when Parker looked at him like he was the only thing that mattered instead of like her whole world was crashing down around her.


    Garrett was fighting a battle with his mind and heart. He burned with jealousy. Parker was upset about Milo betraying her, and he wanted her to forget all about any other man that had ever touched her, including his best friend. But at the same time, he understood that something like this would hurt her no matter what the two of them had done in the past twenty-four hours.


    Parker stood up when Garrett didn''t make a move to leave and he grabbed her arm.


    "You don''t have to do this," he told her sadly.


    Parker didn''t want to hurt Garrett. She didn''t want him to think that she was still in love with Milo and that was the reason why she was heartbroken. The more she learned about Milo, the more she questioned her actions and her heart where he was concerned and wondered if she¡¯d ever really loved him.


    She felt betrayed by Milo. No matter what she did or didn¡¯t feel for him, he was still her best friend. If he had stopped loving her and had changed his mind about the wedding she would have understood probably more than any other woman. But this? She just couldn¡¯t wrap her mind around it. These were not the actions of the man she¡¯d known for the past eight years. These were the actions of a stranger.


    She was upset Milo had made a fool of her and that she''d spent so much time wishing she had loved him more and feeling guilty for everything she felt towards Garrett.


    All that wasted time.


    Time she''d never get back.


    Her heart broke for Garrett. His friend of more than twenty years had turned out to be a liar and a criminal. Garrett trusted him, loved him, and thought of him as a brother. She could see the sadness in his eyes and hear the betrayal in his voice even though he tried his hardest to mask it. His friend, his brother, his confidant; the man he trusted with his family and his life ¨C he was a stranger to Garrett now. The pain he felt was staggering. But he was concerned for Parker.


    Always for her.


    She thought back over the years and all the times he had put her first, supported her, and been there for her. All the times he¡¯d helped her without a second thought. She remembered how she always had to convince herself that Milo did the same things. But he didn¡¯t. Milo always put himself first, but that was his personality, and during their time together, it suited her independent nature. But maybe he was like that with her because she¡¯d always kept that little bit of space between them, that tiny bit of expanse that he just couldn¡¯t cross. That she wouldn¡¯t allow him to cross.

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    Maybe Milo knew all along she¡¯d let Garrett barrel right through that gap from day one.Advertisement


    Brick by brick, her walls started coming down the first day Garrett sat next to her in the coffee shop. She always thought they had been intact this whole time, that she¡¯d decide when and if they ever came down. But looking at him now as he stared at her with concern and worry in his eyes, she knew she¡¯d never had a choice in the matter.


    The wall crumbled to dust when she wasn¡¯t even looking.


    Parker thought she needed to see the place where Milo had betrayed them both to try and come to grips with what was happening, but as she stood there in the restaurant looking down at Garrett, she knew it wasn¡¯t necessary. The knowledge that he did it was enough.


    They needed to put all of their concentration into finding out all of the answers to their questions and end this once and for all. Things still didn¡¯t add up, and Parker knew they were missing large pieces of the puzzle. Something in her gut told her Fernandez was behind all of this. Parker had to believe that someone or something had pulled Milo into this life. Something happened a year ago that changed him, affected him in such a way he was never able to be the same man again. A man didn¡¯t just go from being a strong, trust-worthy Navy SEAL one day to a secretive, immoral human being the next. Something had to have happened to influence him.


    Parker wanted to get to the bottom of this mess and finally move on with her life.


    Move on with Garrett.


    She knew without a doubt that was where she belonged now.


    Chapter Seventeen


    For the next several days the team holed up in Parker and Garrett¡¯s villa and went to work pulling as much information as they could find. The days were spent on the computer and making phone calls. The nights were spent discussing the information that was found and what they would be doing the following day.


    When Brady, Austin, and Cole finally left to go back to their own villas each night, Parker and Garrett should have fallen into bed and passed out from exhaustion. But once they were finally alone, the clothes came off, and they fell into bed with thoughts other than sleep on their minds.


    Some nights it was hurried and intense, others it was slow and sensual. No matter how they loved with their bodies, it was always perfect. Garrett instinctively knew every spot to touch on Parker that would cause her to sigh his name with need, and Parker unconsciously knew where to kiss and slide her tongue along Garrett¡¯s skin that would cause his body to shudder with desire.


    There was a lot they should have talked about during those nights, many things they should have admitted, but neither one was ready to put into words what they felt, and they both knew they needed to put all of their concentration into the mission. Once or twice, one of them would mention the need for them to talk and the other would remind them there would be plenty of time for that when the mission was over.


    The first relevant piece of information the team came across was ten days after Garrett and Brady found out Milo had been a patron of Occidental El Embajador.


    Parker informed the team about the Vice President¡¯s use of the words girls, money, and boat, during their dinner at the palace. So far they knew a large percentage of the missing girls from the past several years were listed as employees for The Target Agency, so that took care of the girls aspect. Brady was able to find out that all of those girls had roughly the same home life as Catalina Olvera ¨C parents who didn¡¯t care enough to keep their children safe.


    They knew from all the details they¡¯d gathered that these girls were more than likely involved in some sort of prostitution ring. If Fernandez had anything to do with it, they were having a hard time proving anything. The matchbook from the Occidental El Embajador that Parker saw on his desk seemed to just be a coincidence. Garrett and Brady went back there to question the maid that helped them previously, and she stated that the President had never been a guest there as far as she knew.


    The team was unable to find any information on the missing girls once they found out they were all runaways and listed as Target employees. There were no phone numbers or any way of contacting the girls after they left home.


    The next clue they were able to uncover had to do with the boat. While Brady hacked away at his computer during the day with the rest of the team, at night he did as Garrett asked and spent the time looking into Milo¡¯s background. Brady dug up everything he could find on the man up until he left for the Dominican on his last mission.


    Brady was able to uncover that Milo¡¯s mother put in a request for a passport three months before she left Milo and his father. On the same day, she applied for a Residence Visa to none other than the Dominican Republic. Records here in this country didn¡¯t exist for her, however. There was no Visa application approval, court or bank records in her name, or any other piece of evidence that Milo¡¯s mother ever made the trip she had obviously planned for.


    While Brady continued his search into Milo¡¯s mother, he found out Milo had been the proud owner of a fifty-seven foot Bayliner. That left Parker speechless for an hour and Garrett equally as stunned. If Brady hadn¡¯t been so adept at computers, he might never have found the information. The boat was purchased several years ago under Milo¡¯s father¡¯s name. The only reason it came up as a red flag was because Brady ran a list of all boat registrations and bumped them up against court records. The registration for the boat had initially been filed years after Milo¡¯s father had died. In the state of Maryland, you didn¡¯t need to be present to register a boat; it could be done via mail, which was why the state registered a boat to a dead man. There was no record of the boat again until four years after Milo had moved to California. The boat was then re-registered in his name where he had to provide the state with the hull identification number, which worked similarly to the vehicle identification number for cars.


    With the hull identification number, Brady was able to pull up all of the maintenance records for the boat. Twice a year, without fail, the boat was docked in a marina in Santo Domingo, roughly three hours from where they were currently staying, for routine maintenance. With a quick call to the marina, Brady found out the boat was currently docked. Not wanting to raise any suspicions, he hung up without asking more questions.


    Parker and Garrett took the rental car and immediately began the long drive to the marina. They didn¡¯t speak much in the car. Garrett concentrated on driving and Parker typed away on the laptop resting on her legs. They were both nervous about what they might find once they got to the boat.


    Before long, Garrett was pulling the car into the marina parking lot. With a description of the boat in hand, they decided to walk along the dock to see if they could find it before asking any questions.


    They walked hand-in-hand, just another couple out for a stroll to look at boats. After several minutes, Parker stopped when she came to the third Bayliner. She didn¡¯t need to make sure it was the same length or if the hull identification number matched. She knew all she needed to by the name of the boat painted in black elegant script.


    ¡°La Meta Anna Bello,¡± Garrett read aloud.


    ¡°Target Annabelle?¡± Parker murmured questioningly as she stared at the boat.


    ¡°Or Anna, Beautiful Target,¡± Garrett stated.


    To see her own name on the back of a boat, regardless of the translation, left a cold feeling of dread in the pit of Parker¡¯s stomach. This was Milo¡¯s boat¨D a boat Parker knew nothing about that Milo had owned for years¨Dand at some point in time he¡¯d put her name on it whether it had anything to do with her literally or not. It could have something to do with The Target Agency, it could have something to do with Parker personally, or it could be a combination of both. The double meaning of the name he gave the boat left Parker feeling very uneasy. She glanced nervously around the boat dock, searching for eyes that she assumed were on them, watching their every move.


    Either way they looked at it, neither Parker nor Garrett could deny all signs now pointed to the fact that Milo had been in the thick of everything in regards to this mess.


    Garrett looked around to see if anyone was watching them. Confident that the other individuals in the marina were otherwise occupied, he started to take a step towards the wooden ramp allowing them to board the boat.


    Before he could move, he felt Parker¡¯s hand on his arm. He stopped and turned to look at her. She slid her hand up his arm and placed it on his cheek. Garrett reached up and placed his hand over hers and held it in place, wanting to feel her touch against his skin for as long as possible. Parker needed to touch Garrett to keep her grounded. Feeling his warm skin against her hand always soothed her, and right then it helped her process what was going on.


    ¡°He owned a boat,¡± Parker stated.


    ¡°He did,¡± Garrett answered softly.


    ¡°He probably put girls on that boat. Young girls who could have had bright futures if someone would have just believed in them,¡± Parker said sadly. ¡°Put them on that boat and did God knows what to them.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Garrett agreed with a frown as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over the top of Parker¡¯s hand.


    ¡°He did vile, illegal things on that boat and then came home to me and pretended he wanted to build a life together,¡± Parker said as she took a step closer to Garrett so she could feel his warmth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Garrett stated, reaching out to brush a piece of hair out of Parker¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Parker stopped him, placing her fingers to his lips. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m just angry. All that time I wasted feeling guilty, feeling like I was a bad person for wanting¡­¡±


    Garrett held his breath, waiting for her to finish the sentence, hoping that she¡¯d wanted him, wishing that everything he felt all those years wasn¡¯t just one sided. He knew she cared about him. There was no mistaking that every single time they were alone at night. Every kiss, every touch, every moment they shared showed Garrett how much she cared. He just wanted to know it all didn''t just happen because of their circumstances. He needed to believe that maybe this would have happened even if they hadn¡¯t been on the mission together.


    With a small shake of her head, Parker cleared the thought from her mind and removed her hand from his lips.


    ¡°Would it be okay if I go in there alone for a minute?¡± Parker asked as she nodded in the direction of the boat. ¡°I just¡­I need a second to process this. And I kind of don¡¯t want to freak you out when I start screaming profanities,¡± she said with a smile to ease the sting of her request.


    Parker didn¡¯t want Garrett to think she didn¡¯t want or need him there with her. She just needed a few minutes alone to let everything sink in. She¡¯d seen the proof on Brady¡¯s computer; Milo owned a boat. But standing a few feet away from the actual evidence, and knowing that Milo had plastered her name all over it, was a tough pill to swallow.


    Garrett leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to Parker¡¯s forehead. He didn¡¯t like the idea of leaving her alone to deal with her demons, but he would do whatever she asked.


    Garrett¡¯s lips lingered against Parker¡¯s skin, and she closed her eyes for a moment and let his touch, his smell, and his warmth surround her like a cocoon. He pulled back and looked into her eyes.


    ¡°You have your gun?¡± he asked quietly.


    Parker nodded and smiled at his question. Garrett had toned down his constant fear for her safety and trusted she knew what she was doing but not before making sure she was protected.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to head over to the office and ask a couple of questions. I¡¯ll meet you back here at the boat in a few minutes,¡± Garrett said before they dropped their hands from his cheek and stepped in opposite directions.


    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.

 Page 33

    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.Advertisement


    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.


    "Shut up, Parker. I''m not letting you go, so just deal with it," Garrett said as he started walking at a fast pace down the dock and out into the parking lot to where he parked the car.


    Parker wrapped her arms around Garrett''s neck and stared at his profile as he got them to the end of the dock in record time. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the look on Garrett¡¯s face as he¡¯d pulled her from the water. His eyes had been watery, full of unshed tears. The blood had drained from his face like every single fear he¡¯d ever known had come to fruition.


    "I''m sorry I scared you," Parker whispered as Garrett opened the passenger door of the car and gently placed her inside.


    He knelt down next to the open door and pulled the seatbelt across her chest and fastened it while she shivered from shock and cold.


    Parker knew now wasn''t the time to break down, but she couldn''t stop the tears from pooling in her eyes when she thought about how close she¡¯d come to never being able to touch or kiss Garrett again.


    He wiped the tears from her cheeks and brushed the hair out of her face. Something cracked wide open inside of Garrett the moment he thought he might have lost Parker forever. He was done pretending, done keeping everything he felt buried deep inside. But he needed to get them out of the marina. The sirens were getting louder. It would only be a matter of minutes before the place was filled with the authorities.


    "I wasn''t worried," Garrett said with a shrug and a smile. "You''re too stubborn to let anything happen to you."


    Parker let out a laugh and rolled her eyes as Garrett stood up and shut the car door.


    Garrett called Brady after they pulled out of the marina and explained what happened. Instead of making Parker sit in the car for over three hours with wet clothes, Garrett decided to get a hotel room so she could rest. They could get up first thing in the morning to head back to the resort.


    He checked them into the first hotel he came to, drew Parker a hot bath so she could get rid of the chill, and then walked to a corner store once she was situated in the tub. He picked up first aid supplies for the cut on her head and a change of clothes since hers wouldn''t be dry any time soon.


    Forty minutes later he paced back and forth outside of the bathroom door waiting for Parker to emerge.


    The light splashes of water and soft sighs he heard on the other side of the door every so often were the only things preventing him from barging in to make sure she was okay.


    Garrett''s phone rang and he momentarily stopped his pacing to answer it.


    "McCarthy."


    "Hey, man," Brady replied. "How''s Parker?"


    Garrett sat down on the end of the bed and stared at the closed door.


    "She''s alright. Relaxing in the tub. Did you find out anything?" Garrett asked.


    On Garrett''s walk to the store, he had asked Brady to get a copy of the marina''s phone records and find out what the blocked number was that always made the appointments for Milo''s boat.


    "Yeah," Brady sighed. "The number is the same one for the extra cell phone Milo owned."


    Garrett suspected that would most likely be the case, but it was still frustrating to have it confirmed. He kept thinking back to the kid he''d grown up with, the one his parents had taken under their wings, encouraged, and supported in every way. Garrett had no idea how Milo had strayed so far from them and turned into someone like this.


    "There''s something else," Brady said, the trepidation evident in his voice.


    Garrett waited for him to continue.


    "I tried to pull up flight records for Milo, but there was absolutely nothing listed on any of the public airline''s itineraries for him," Brady explained. "I found the records of his trips for the military easy enough, and they all legitimately matched his missions. I find it hard to believe that Milo never took one personal flight his entire life though."


    Garrett''s head spun as Brady added even more details to the mystery.


    "I looked through every private charter service¡¯s flight plan, and he''s not listed on a passenger log on of any of them. But, my computer has an anagram program that will take the letters of a name, mix them up, and tell you what other names can be made using those exact letters," Brady explained in a rush of growing excitement.


    ¡°On August 29th, 2004, there was a passenger by the name of Roberto Mils listed on the flight roster of a private jet that landed in Maryland from the Dominican at Saint John¡¯s private airport. If you take that name and rearrange it, you get Milo Roberts.¡±


    Brady paused to let the information sink in with Garrett.


    ¡°That flight was in the summer right before Parker started her senior year of college,¡± Garrett mused to himself out loud. ¡°Milo flew to Florida around that time for a cousin¡¯s funeral...or so he said. He never mentioned the guy in all the time I knew him but said something about how it was the only family member he kept in touch with, occasionally. I tried to go with him but he said he wanted to go alone,¡± Garrett told Brady.


    The door to the bathroom opened and Parker stepped out into the room, wrapped in a towel.


    ¡°Good work, Marshall. Call me if you find anything new.¡±


    Garrett disconnected the call and tossed the phone down onto the bed as he stood up and crossed the room to Parker.


    He immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. Parker hadn¡¯t been able to get warm enough no matter how hot she made the water. She¡¯d been in plenty of dangerous situations but none where she was two steps away from being blown to bits. The chill that burrowed deep down into her bones had more to do with nerves than it did with actually being cold. Garrett¡¯s arms enveloped her and melted everything away from the past couple of hours.


    Parker slid her arms around Garrett¡¯s waist and turned her head to the side so she could rest her cheek against his chest, right above his heart. The muffled thumps of each beat reverberated through her ear, and she counted each one.


    Garrett let out a sigh of relief at having Parker in his arms again and being able to feel that she was safe and alive. He rested his chin on top of her head and rubbed slow circles across the skin of her back above where the towel ended.


    Garrett wasn¡¯t sure when it had happened, but he had accepted the fact that CIA Parker was independent, strong, and could take care of herself. He realized that watching her in action made him care about her even more than he thought possible. She excelled at what she did, and he was amazed at how easily his previous notions of her personality before he knew she was CIA fit so well with who she really was and who he had always known her to be.


    The only problem he had, the one realization that sucker punched him in the gut with the force of a freight train, was that he was powerless to keep her safe. Garrett would never forget the staggering pain he felt when he thought she¡¯d been hurt.


    Or worse.


    There was one thought on his mind and one thought only ¨C if she was gone, she¡¯d never know how much he loved her.


    Garrett squeezed his eyes closed and kissed the top of Parker¡¯s head. She pulled her cheek away from his chest and looked up at him, keeping the rest of her body as close to him as she could. He stared deep into her eyes, and she felt her heart speed up.


    Garrett brought his hand up to push some of her hair behind her ears so he could cup her cheek. His thumb moved lazily back and forth against her skin while the butterflies in his stomach fluttered rapidly.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he told her softly, his gaze never wavering from her own.


    Parker heard him say the words, she saw his mouth move to form the sounds she waited a lifetime to hear, but it didn¡¯t seem real. She was afraid if she closed her eyes, if she looked away, it would all be a dream. Nothing about this day made sense. It only seemed right that this shouldn¡¯t either. Of course Garrett loved her. They¡¯d been friends for years and now they were intimate. He was scared he''d almost lost her today, and it made him want to reaffirm the love he had for his friend. It was a natural response to a scary situation, a knee-jerk reaction to the adrenalin still coursing through him.


    ¡°I know,¡± Parker replied softly, understanding evident on her face even though she wished things were different.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think you do,¡± Garrett said with a shake of his head. ¡°And that¡¯s completely my fault. I should have told you a long time ago. I shouldn¡¯t have waited until I almost lost you. I know love isn¡¯t something that comes easy for you or that you even believe in it. I know and I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re afraid to love me back, I don¡¯t care if you never feel the same way that I do. I just need you to know, right here and right now, that I am in love with you, Annabelle Parker.¡±


    Parker bit her bottom lip in an effort to stop the flow of tears that were threatening to spill over onto her cheeks, but it was useless. His admission alone would have made her fall apart, but the way he said her name, like she was the most important person in the world to him, forced a sob past her lips.


    Garrett hadn¡¯t given one thought to how Parker would react to his declaration. He just spit it out. She hadn¡¯t said a word since he¡¯d spoken; the tears just slowly leaked from her eyes as she stared at him in disbelief. Garrett felt like maybe he said something wrong. He should have planned it better, given her some kind of warning about how he felt before throwing it at her after the day she had. He was so busy kicking himself he almost missed Parker¡¯s whispered response through the tears.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Garrett knew because of her father and the way she was treated she refused to give all of her heart to someone. Garrett didn¡¯t want her to feel guilty for one minute because she couldn¡¯t return his feelings.


    He bent his knees so he was eye level with her.


    ¡°I told you, it doesn¡¯t matter to me if you can¡¯t-¡±


    Parker quickly reached up and covered his mouth with her hand before he could finish.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared because I can¡¯t give you my love in return,¡± she told him softly. ¡°I¡¯m scared because I love you so much sometimes it¡¯s hard to breathe.¡±


    Garrett groaned softly behind her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared because I never ever wanted to lose myself in someone as deeply as my parents did. I¡¯m scared because I was so stupid to realize I would have no control over that where you were concerned.¡±


    Garrett closed his eyes for a moment, letting Parker¡¯s words sink in and letting himself believe in everything she was saying. He opened his eyes as another tear fell from her eyes and slipped down her cheek and over her lip.

 Page 34

    ¡°Everything I have to give, it¡¯s yours. It¡¯s always been yours,¡± Parker told him with a sob.Advertisement


    Garrett lifted Parker up into his arms, her hand quickly falling away from his mouth as he captured her lips and sighed once they were connected. The exchange of breaths, the slide of tongues, everything was more enhanced than it had been before. Garrett¡¯s hand went to the back of Parker¡¯s head, holding her in place against his mouth. He turned and walked with her to the bed, climbing onto it and laying her down in the middle, never breaking the kiss.


    The towel was pulled away from Parker¡¯s body, and Garrett¡¯s clothes were quickly shed. The words had finally been spoken and now the actions took their place. Garrett kissed his way down Parker¡¯s body, savoring every inch of her, finally accepting she was his. He worshiped every spot that his mouth touched, repeating the words of love after each press of his lips against her. He brought her to release with his mouth and knew he¡¯d never hear anything sweeter than the sound of Parker shouting his name.


    She pulled his body up the length of hers, needing him close and his skin touching her everywhere. She traced Garrett¡¯s lips with her fingertips and sighed in contentment when he slowly pushed into her. They moved together, never once breaking eye contact. There was more meaning in the touches and greater significance in the way that they fit together. Everything was heightened and nothing was lost on either one of them. They both knew everything about this moment would change them forever. They both understood there was no going back.


    Garrett didn¡¯t know how he ever survived without the knowledge of Parker¡¯s love before. He was overwhelmed with emotion as he rocked against her and pulsed inside of her. He felt like he could finally breathe but at the same time, he felt a clawing tightness in his throat with the need to keep repeating his words of love so she¡¯d never forget.


    Parker¡¯s legs wrapped tightly around Garrett¡¯s hips, and her arms held him firmly against her as she flew over the edge of another release, arching her back with the force of pleasure that coursed through her body. Garrett never wanted the moment to end, but she was slick and throbbed around him as he pushed deeper. She craned her neck forward and pressed her mouth against his, pulling away just enough to tell him she loved him again. Her soft words ghosted against his lips, and he came fast and hard, her name echoing into the room as he shouted his pleasure and spilled inside of her.


    Parker fell asleep wrapped in Garrett¡¯s arms, exhaustion from the day¡¯s events and admissions finally taking its toll on her. Garrett wanted to know what exactly happened out on the dock. He wanted to know how it was possible she hadn¡¯t been on board when it exploded.


    Now more than ever Garrett knew the timing of Parker¡¯s job offer for the CIA, her friend Lacie Butler¡¯s death, Milo¡¯s trip to the Dominican, and the formation of The Target Agency all happening at the same time hadn¡¯t just been a coincidence. There was something more than a little suspicious about all of those facts lining up, and he knew that he and Parker needed to talk about those things immediately.


    For now, he pulled her in close and let the woman he loved sleep. He closed his eyes and prayed that nothing would ever ruin the perfection of this night.


    Chapter Eighteen


    ¡°I did board the boat. I looked around for a few minutes before I realized I left my camera in the car and needed to have it in case I came across something,¡± Parker explained to Garrett as he drove them back to the resort, early the following morning.


    Now that everything was on the table between them, so to speak, Parker had no problem resting her hand on Garrett¡¯s thigh while he drove, and Garrett had no problem lifting her hand to his lips so he could kiss the back of it every time they came to a stop.


    After the horror of yesterday, it seemed frivolous to both of them that they had wasted so much time denying their hearts what they really wanted. It took a near-death experience for them to finally realize they needed to take hold of every moment together and cherish it. Professing their love for each other had been so easy. They¡¯d both been so stupid and blind, wasted so much time not talking; all they wanted to do now was tell each other everything.


    ¡°I was so jealous when I came back to the resort and saw you with Cole the other night,¡± Garrett told Parker with a sheepish smile, glancing over at her nervously to gauge her reaction.


    He¡¯d been doing that ever since they left the hotel that morning, throwing in little tidbits of his feelings while she explained what happened the previous day. It felt good to finally say those things out loud, but at the same time, it helped ease the ache in his chest while Parker replayed the events for him. Garrett had barely slept the night before. He was afraid if he closed his eyes, he would wake up and realize he lost everything, that he''d open his eyes and find out he never pulled Parker from the water, never heard her tell him that she loved him. Garrett had held her body close and watched her sleep, felt her low, even breaths until the sun shone through the window.


    Parker let her head fall back on the head rest and stared at Garrett¡¯s profile as he navigated the streets, taking in his strong jaw line, the slope of his nose, and the way the sunlight streaming in through the front windshield of the car highlighted the dimples in his cheeks.


    ¡°You had nothing to be jealous of. Cole is like a big brother to me,¡± Parker told him softly.


    Garrett brought her hand up to his lips once again, this time kissing the inside of her palm. She knew he was trying to keep her calm as she went through the events from the day before, and it made her love him even more. Parker knew he had been scared. When he pulled her from the water his eyes roamed frantically over her checking for injuries and he refused to leave her side or stop touching her in some way the entire night and this morning, as if to reassure himself that she was really okay. She knew it had affected him and forced him to think about losing another person in his life and that had been the catalyst to him pouring his heart out to her, but he would put all of that in the back of his mind to make sure she was okay first. Parker was finally realizing that it was all about her when it came to Garrett; that it always had been. For all these years, he always put her feelings first, always made sure she was taken care of that she was okay. That¡¯s why he never acted on his feelings for her, because he only wanted her to be happy. He saw her happy with Milo and vowed to never do anything to ruin it for her. Parker wanted to crawl across the car and climb onto Garrett¡¯s lap to be as close to him as possible. She wanted to roll down the window and shout her happiness to the world. But all that would have to wait. Right now they needed to concentrate on what happened at the marina.


    ¡°I noticed a stack of papers on the table in the lower cabin. They were lists of names. I flipped through them quickly but none of the names were ones I recognized. They were definitely all female though. I knew Brady would have better luck with them and I didn¡¯t want to risk moving them, so I made my way up to the deck and got off of the boat so I could jog back to the car and get my camera, but I never made it there,¡± Parker explained.


    ¡°Did you see any clothing laying around that you recognized? Anything that would implicate that Milo had definitely been on the boat at some point? Just because he owned it doesn¡¯t mean he was the one using it.¡±


    Even though Garrett had come to terms with his best friend hiding a huge secret, it still didn¡¯t mean he was guilty of anything¨Dyet. There was a maid who saw him in a hotel and paperwork showing he owned a boat. Neither proved, without a shadow of a doubt, he was the one responsible for the disappearances and deaths of those girls. The whole purpose of this mission was to find out why he was killed and so far, all they¡¯d done was uncover more questions. They could wager a guess that Milo¡¯s death had something to do with his involvement, innocent or not, with the missing girls, but they still didn¡¯t know for sure.


    ¡°I glanced around but the first things that caught my eye were the papers on the table. Nothing else stuck out as being familiar or something that would belong to him,¡± Parker explained.


    Her knee bounced nervously as they sat in silence for a few minutes at an intersection. Garrett squeezed her hand gently and tried, once again, to lighten the situation and calm her nerves.


    ¡°I was hard as fucking stone when we were on the plane and you stole my gun out of its holster,¡± Garrett muttered. He tried to inflict irritation in his voice, but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away.


    Parker laughed and wished for what seemed like the millionth time that they hadn¡¯t been so stubborn and would have done this a long time ago. She didn¡¯t have to work at being happy with Garrett; it just came naturally as it always had from day one. The way they argued, the way they joked, the way they loved, and the way they took care of one another¨Dit all boiled down to the fact that they were just meant to be together like this.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to remember to make an appointment at the shooting range when we get back home now that I know you have a thing for chicks with guns,¡± she told him with a smile.


    ¡°Not any chick with a gun, just you. And as long as we have the place to ourselves, I have no problem with that,¡± Garrett replied with a mischievous look on his face.


    The thought of Garrett bending her over the waist-high ledge in one of the shooting booths while other patrons fired off shots around them and had no clue what was going on made Parker cross her legs and shift in her seat. She could almost feel Garrett¡¯s breath on the back of her neck as he looked over her shoulder while she aimed at the paper target hanging down from the ceiling. She could picture the noise of firearms discharging all around, masking the sounds of him pounding into her and her echoing cries of pleasure.


    Parker cleared her throat and her mind from those thoughts before she lost all of her concentration. She needed to spit this next part out quickly before the memories of it threatened to break her down.


    ¡°When I stepped off of the boat, I heard a ticking sound. Almost like someone typing on a computer. I actually laughed a little because I figured I¡¯d been spending too much time with you and Brady lately, listening to the two of you bang away on your keyboards. I walked a few feet down the dock and the ticking sound got a bit louder and then suddenly¡­it stopped.¡±


    Garrett swallowed roughly and kept his eyes on the road. He knew if he looked over at Parker, he¡¯d have to pull the car over so he could pull her against him again to feel the heat of her skin and the beat of her heart, reminding him that she was safe.


    ¡°I did a few weeks of training with the CIA¡¯s Special Activities Division, and they were going through bomb diffusion certification at the time. I don¡¯t know how many videos I watched about making bombs, detonating bombs, wiring bombs¡­it only took me a second to recognize what that ticking sound was. I took off as fast as I could. I probably only made it a couple of feet before the explosion.¡±


    Parker closed her eyes, took a couple of cleansing breaths, and felt Garrett give her hand another gentle squeeze.


    ¡°You know those dreams you have where someone is chasing you and no matter how hard you try or how fast you think you¡¯re going, it¡¯s like you¡¯re running through quicksand or marshmallow? That¡¯s how it felt when I heard the ticking sound. Each click seemed to echo in my ears, and it seemed like it took ten minutes for me to turn my head away from the boat and start to run,¡± Parker explained, opening her eyes and staring straight ahead. ¡°Everything happened so fast after that. I saw some debris fly past me and a lot of black smoke. As soon as everything went dark from the smoke, a huge gust of wind blew my legs out from under me. Before I knew it, something smacked into the back of my head, and I was crashing into the marina and swallowing a gallon of water.¡±


    Garrett squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles were white, and Parker watched the muscles in his jaw twitch. She pulled her hand out from under his, resting on his thigh, and moved it up to the back of his neck. She kneaded his tense muscles and ran her fingernails through his scalp.


    ¡°Do you think it was on a timer or did something you touch set it off? Garrett asked, letting Parker¡¯s fingers calm his nerves as he attempted to clear his mind of visions of Parker being swallowed by fire and smoke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Someone had to have known we found the boat. It¡¯s been in and out of that marina for years and all of a sudden, the day we find out about it, it explodes. I doubt it was a timer. Whoever did it wouldn''t have had any idea of when or if we¡¯d find the boat. There was no way for them to properly gauge the right time to make it go off,¡± Parker said. ¡°Fuck! I wish I would have seen something that could have help us. There was something familiar about the cover sheet of that list. It feels like something I¡¯ve seen before. But it was just a fax cover sheet with a picture of a nondescript flag up in the top right-hand corner. I don¡¯t know why when I first looked at it I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The papers didn¡¯t even have Milo¡¯s name on them. They were addressed to someone named Roberto.¡±


    Garrett took his eyes off of the road for a moment to look over at Parker.


    ¡°Roberto Mils?¡±


    Parker nodded. ¡°Yeah, that was it. Why? Do you recognize it?¡±


    Garrett swore under his breath and then explained who Roberto Mils was and how Brady had stumbled across that name. He told her the truth, how there was no record of Milo ever taking a domestic flight his entire life and his mother had coincidentally applied for visa applications to the Dominican right before she left Milo and his father. He even shared his concerns about everything they uncovered revolving around Parker and when she met Milo. Parker couldn¡¯t help but stare at Garrett in amazement as he rattled off all their findings and admitted his fears. Garrett wasn¡¯t the type of person who shared his feelings easily. The fact that he didn¡¯t even hesitate to share all of this information with her showed her that professionally, he really did view her as an equal and not just someone he needed to protect.

 Page 35

    He connected all of the dots for her. The day Lacie died was the same date Milo flew home from the Dominican, and within a few short months, they were running into Parker in a coffee shop. Milo, who had never been the kind of guy to settle down, immediately jumped at the chance to do so with Parker, almost to the point of obsession.Advertisement


    ¡°I think we need to talk about Lacie again,¡± Garrett said softly.


    Ever since Parker told him about her death, he had suspicions. He knew the CIA could be sketchy at times and did a lot of things off the books, but they would never kill an innocent college student just for being friends with a new recruit. At most, Parker would have been reprimanded for divulging the secret of her job. Garrett had figured once this mess was over and they were home, he could get to the bottom of what really happened to Parker¡¯s one and only girlfriend. He never imagined it could have something to do with Milo. If Milo was connected in some way to Lacie¡¯s death, it could also be conceivable that he had something to do with Parker¡¯s father getting involved with the Capuano family. At this point Garrett just didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore. He didn¡¯t know who to trust or who the real enemy was, and it began to mess with his mind.


    ¡°You always assumed the CIA was responsible for Lacie¡¯s death as a way to keep you in their pocket or show you what they were capable of, right?¡± Garrett asked.


    Parker nodded her head, trying to focus on what Garrett was saying to her instead of dwelling on all of the secrets he¡¯d just spilled about Milo¡¯s timeline in her life.


    ¡°Every once in a while, when I was feeling particularly melancholy, I¡¯d wonder if I misinterpreted things or let the fear I had for my father¡¯s life cloud my judgment of what happened over the course of the week she was killed. But I never had any reason to act on those suspicions or to think what I believed wasn¡¯t true. There was never any reason to doubt that the CIA would do whatever it took to get what they wanted. I mean, let¡¯s face it, they aren¡¯t exactly known as a touchy-feely, friendly organization,¡± Parker admitted as she pulled one of her legs up under her in the seat. ¡°They dangled my father¡¯s life over my head and basically told me to join them or his debts would eventually get him killed. And who knows what would have happened to me if they hadn¡¯t paid for me to finish school? I got swept up into the romance of it all. I could save my father¡¯s life and have all my money worries put to rest. All I had to do was sign on the dotted line,¡± Parker said softly with a shrug of her shoulders. ¡°Anytime I got stuck in memories of the past and got pissed off about what happened to Lacie, all I had to do was wonder what would have happened to my father, or even myself if I said no to the CIA. It was better if I just didn¡¯t think about it at all. Pretend like it never happened. There¡¯s only so much anger a person can hold inside before they explode.¡±


    Parker didn¡¯t want to think about it, and she certainly didn¡¯t want to go down memory lane and recall every detail of that dark time, but she knew it was necessary. If it was true, and she really did let her anger blur reality, she would need to amend every thought and belief she ever had about her employer.


    ¡°I think you know better than anyone that you can¡¯t pretend like it didn¡¯t happen. Something awful happened to one of your friends. Something that I know, deep in my gut, the CIA wouldn¡¯t have done. And I think some small part of you knows that¡¯s true, has always known that¡¯s true,¡± Garrett told her, reaching across the console to brush Parker¡¯s bangs out of her eyes and cup her cheek while they waited at a red light. ¡°But it¡¯s easier to blame something you can see and something you know, than to think there¡¯s some faceless, nameless entity out there that wanted to do you harm. If you accepted it was the CIA, you had something to be angry at, someone to blame, a reason to work your ass off and make sure her death wasn¡¯t in vain. If you let yourself go down the path of wondering who or what could be out there, trying to hurt you, it would''ve driven you crazy.¡±


    Garrett slid his fingertips softly down the side of her face as the light turned green. Parker turned away from him and stared out her window, opening her memories for the first time without the fog of anger.


    Numb.


    That had been the only way to describe how Annabelle felt. Every time she turned the corner, she saw a student or two crying over the loss of Lacie. No one knew her, not really. With a campus this size it was impossible to know everyone. Just the idea that one of their own had died right there on campus, in her own dorm room, was enough to send people into a tailspin. There were brightly colored flyers handed out about grief counseling sessions: Join us! Share your grief with those who understand! The exclamation marks lured you in and made you think it sounded like a good time. Candlelight vigils and piles of flowers, pictures and stuffed animals were left outside of Lacie¡¯s door. Students who had never spoken to one another before but shared a table in Art History class for three semesters were hugging and talking about all of the memories they had of a girl they never knew.


    It had been two days since Annabelle had found Lacie lying in a pool of her own blood in the middle of her bed. Two days and she had yet to cry. Lacie had been her friend, her only friend, and she was incapable of mourning her loss. Strangers were gathering after dark to sing and say prayers, and Annabelle couldn¡¯t even scrape up one tear for the girl who kicked through her defenses and made her feel normal.


    Annabelle walked along the sidewalk in between the Arts and Humanities building and the cafeteria. She was busy counting the cracks in the sidewalk and avoiding the stares of people who knew she was the girl that found Lacie, so she didn¡¯t notice the black sedan with tinted windows following her at a crawling pace on the street to her left.


    Her head jerked up at the sound of a car door opening and the voice of Brad Richmond, the CIA agent who had recruited her. She hadn¡¯t spoken to him since the day she signed on with them. He left messages on her cell phone every couple of days with a time and place to go for training, which was the extent of their communication.


    Seeing him now, standing beside the open car door, the man who may have had a hand in ending the life of her one and only friend made her blood boil.


    ¡°Get in the car , Miss Parker.¡±


    She stood there staring at him with her hands clenched at her sides. She didn¡¯t want to make a scene. It was early afternoon and hundreds of students were out on campus, but it took everything in her not to scream at the man standing with the car door open and a casual look on his face like it was just another day.


    Several minutes passed where neither one said a word. Agent Richmond finally gave in when he realized Annabelle wasn¡¯t budging and people were starting to notice the unmarked car with windows so dark you couldn¡¯t see inside.


    ¡°Please, Agent Parker.¡±


    The use of her title, even though she hadn¡¯t earned it yet, made Annabelle bristle. It was like he was trying to tell her she had importance, that she had control over what would happen if she stepped into that car or that she mattered and her being an agent would guarantee she would be okay.


    He was subtly reminding her that she belonged to them.


    Annabelle walked over to the curb and got inside the car without another glance in his direction. Agent Richmond got in after her, and as soon as he closed the door, the car took off and he closed the divider between the driver and them. Annabelle stared out of the side window, refusing to face the man next to her.


    ¡°I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for your loss, Annabelle.¡±


    She clenched her teeth together to keep the screams from spilling out. She opened her mouth loud enough to whisper the one question she had.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    She heard Agent Richmond shift in his seat beside her, obviously frustrated that she refused to meet his gaze.


    ¡°We thought it was best to clean up the mess. To avoid anything tainting your career or getting back to those who only recently released your father from his debts. You have no idea what people like that would do with this kind of information.¡±


    Annabelle closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart. She¡¯d only had a few weeks of training, but she¡¯d learned on the first day how to cut off a man¡¯s air supply by hitting a certain spot on his windpipe with the heel of her hand.


    Lacie¡¯s death had officially been ruled a suicide. Her family, even though they had been nonexistent in her life, now believed their daughter had taken her own life. They were wallowing in grief and shame all because of these people.


    ¡°If the Capuano family found out that someone wanted to prove a point to you by killing one of your friends, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to partner up with them and make your life a living hell,¡± Agent Richmond told her. ¡°That¡¯s something you need to always remember, Annabelle. For right now, it¡¯s safer for all involved that everyone thinks she died from suicide.¡±


    Annabelle¡¯s head whipped around at his words, which sounded strangely threatening. Was he telling her that the CIA would work with the Capuano¡¯s? That they¡¯d keep the secret of Lacie¡¯s death from the mob, but at any moment that could change and she could be targeted by them? He was telling her that she should always remember the control the CIA had over her.


    ¡°We know this is a bit shocking for you right now, and we are using all of our resources to make sure that from now on we know absolutely everything. The cover-up used in her death is so airtight, it¡¯s almost unbelievable,¡± Agent Richmond had said with a shake of his head and a raise of his eyebrows, like he almost couldn¡¯t believe how good his precious CIA was.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say one more word to him after that. I just got out of the car and went back to my dorm. I was so fueled by rage, I just shut down. Until I met you and Milo,¡± Parker told Garrett, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth and softening the look in her eyes.


    Garrett processed every single word Parker had told him about Agent Richmond with the perspective of an outsider. He could take what Agent Richmond said several different ways. He knew Parker had been in no position to think objectively about it.


    ¡°You know, he never came right out and said the CIA were the ones responsible for her death,¡± Garrett said.


    ¡°I know. Every single time I¡¯ve gone over that conversation in my head I always remember that. He was careful not to implicate anyone in her murder. I thought he was doing it just to be a dick. Now I¡¯m wondering if he just assumed that we were on the same page. That he didn¡¯t need to spell it out because I already knew I had other enemies. At the time, the only enemy I had was the CIA¨Dthe people who knew everything about me and coerced me into joining them by holding my father¡¯s life over my head. It never occurred to me that there could have been someone else out there,¡± Parker explained.


    ¡°When he said they cleaned up the mess, maybe he really meant just that. They were protecting you by making her death a suicide. Now that we know more of the facts, it is completely possible someone else killed Lacie.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been Milo, could it?¡± Parker asked.


    Garrett didn¡¯t answer her. When he found out Milo had flown back to Maryland from the Dominican the day Lacie was killed, he knew it was more than just a coincidence. As much as he hated to think about it, he wondered if Parker had been on Milo¡¯s radar before they¡¯d even met that day in the coffee shop. Garrett was scared to death to think about what that implicated. Maybe the Capuano¡¯s used him to spy on Parker as a way to threaten her father. Maybe there never was a Capuano threat and it had been Fernandez the entire time. Or maybe Fernandez was working with the mob, completely under the CIA¡¯s radar. Garrett¡¯s mind conjured up all sorts of scenarios, each one more extravagant than the last, and all that did was add more questions to their ever-growing list.


    Garrett and Parker drove the rest of the way back to the resort in silence, lost in their own thoughts. They walked hand-in-hand through the lobby, and as they passed the front desk, the receptionist called out to them. They paused as the man hurried around the counter towards them with a slip of paper in his hand.


    ¡°There was a message left for you early this morning,¡± the man said as he handed Garrett and envelope with his name on it and then hurried back to the desk to answer an incoming call.


    They continued walking as Garrett tore into the envelope and pulled out a note written in neat, block letters.


    ¡°Urgent. Need to speak with you. Will come to your villa at ten this evening,¡± Garrett read to Parker out loud.


    ¡°It¡¯s not signed?¡± Parker asked as she reached for the note and looked it over.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Garrett replied as he pulled out the key card for their villa and swiped it through the slot.


    Parker studied the note while she waited for Garrett to get the door open. Something about the handwriting was familiar to her. Her heart thumped erratically in her chest when she saw the date in the top right-hand corner The way it was written¨Dday, then month, then year¨Dsuch a little thing, but something she¡¯d seen enough times over the years.


    Garrett held the door open for Parker as she walked through, stopping in her tracks and forcing Garrett to bump into the back of her.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Parker muttered.


    ¡°What? Do you recognize the handwriting or something?¡± Garrett asked as he dropped their bags at the foot of the bed.


    ¡°Kind of, but there¡¯s something else. The flag that was on that fax cover sheet I saw on the boat? This is it,¡± Parker said, holding the note up so Garrett could see and pointing to the flag in the top right-hand corner. ¡°And I remember where I saw it before. The day Milo left to come here, I was in his office doing some cleaning and there was a fax on the machine. I picked it up and turned to take it out to him in the living room, but he was already there in the doorway. He saw the fax in my hands and blew his top. He started yelling at me to stay out of his things, snatched the fax out of my hand, and shoved me up against the bookshelf,¡± Parker explained.

 Page 36

    ¡°He pushed you? Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Garrett yelled.Advertisement


    ¡°I told you, it was really bad at the end,¡± Parker said sheepishly. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point. That fax? I glanced down at it when I picked it up. It had the same flag at the top of the first page.¡±


    Garrett folded his arms in front of him so he wouldn¡¯t feel the need to punch the wall at the thought of Milo being physically abusive with Parker. Arguing with her, keeping secrets from her, and closing her off was one thing. But pushing her around threw Garrett into a whole new level of pissed off towards his former best friend.


    ¡°So the fax on his boat, the fax at your house, and this note all came from the same place. Or the same person,¡± Garrett surmised.


    ¡°And whoever this person is wants to talk to us,¡± Parker finished.


    They had a few hours to spare before ten o¡¯clock, so they met up with the rest of the team to go over all of the facts they knew and to make a list of possible suspects that would knock on their door that evening.


    Brady wanted the rest of the team to be assembled in and around the room just in case something went wrong, but Garrett and Parker both agreed that would be a bad idea. Whoever it was didn¡¯t want anyone to know who they were for a reason, and they didn¡¯t want this person to get spooked. They had a feeling that this person was going to provide them with all of the information they were missing so they could figure out this mystery once and for all.


    Brady, Austin, and Cole reluctantly agreed to stay away from Garrett and Parker¡¯s villa, but they refused to just sit back and do nothing. They would keep their distance while still maintaining a visual on the villa just in case they were needed. They placed bugs in the room and one on both Garrett and Parker.


    Garrett tried to get Parker to take a nap when they were done with the meeting, but she was too keyed up. Everything they¡¯d been working for was coming to a head, and they''d finally get all of the answers about what Milo had been up to and how much of a stake Fernandez had in all of it. With this one meeting, they might also get the closure they needed so they could go back home with clear heads and open hearts.


    Garrett sat at the end of the bed, his foot tapping nervously on the floor while he watched Parker pace back and forth in front of the door. At nine-thirty, three sharp raps against the wood made them both jump.


    Garrett picked up his gun sitting on the bed next to him and stood up. He double checked the chamber, making sure a round was in place, and gave Parker a look silently asking her if she was ready.


    She picked her own gun up from the nightstand and switched it back and forth between her sweaty hands as she alternated wiping each palm on the thighs of her jeans.


    Parker gave a sharp nod to Garrett and moved to one side of the door while he went to the other and put his hand on the doorknob. They stared into each other¡¯s eyes from either side of the doorway. Parker quickly leaned in and kissed Garrett¡¯s lips, pulling away too soon and getting back into position.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Parker whispered with a smile.


    ¡°Love you too,¡± Garrett whispered back right before he turned the knob and opened the door.


    Parker broke Garrett¡¯s eye contact to turn and face their mystery guest, aiming her gun straight out in front of her.


    The adrenaline coursing through her system while they waited for this moment and the feeling of content she felt from hearing Garrett tell her he loved her came to a screeching halt, and she immediately dropped her arms to her sides and stood frozen in place, staring though the open doorway.


    In an old football team t-shirt, faded jeans with tennis shoes, and his hair a little longer than she was used to seeing, he leaned against the door jam with his hands in his pockets and a guilty smile on his face, looking nothing like Parker had remembered. The heavy five o¡¯clock shadow was a new addition. As long as she remembered, he¡¯d always been clean shaven. It had been so long since she¡¯d last seen him, but he looked older than he should and the heavy bags under his eyes proved he hadn¡¯t been sleeping well for quite a while. That thought almost made her smile in satisfaction considering all of the sleepless nights he forced on her.


    But there was nothing about this moment that would make her smile. Standing in front of her was a ghost that had haunted her and made her second-guess everything. One that made her regret so many decisions and had turned her into someone she didn¡¯t even recognize, forcing her to claw her way out of a life that would have destroyed her.


    All this time, without a word, or a phone call¡­


    The anger and hatred had been simmering below the surface for so long that just the sight of him standing in the doorway made it all boil over. All the things he should have done to protect her, all of the times he should have been there for her, every moment he betrayed her love flashed before her eyes in an instant.


    ¡°Hey, sweetie.¡±


    Garrett reacted to his presence and the casual way he said spoke the endearment before Parker could. He gave up all rights to her a long time ago. The fact that he stood there in the doorway, like it was the most natural thing in the world, pushed Garrett over the edge.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡±


    Chapter Nineteen


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡±


    Garrett had raised his gun as soon as he opened the door, but unlike Parker, he refused to lower his weapon. There was no conceivable reason why Garrett should trust anyone that came to their door , least of all him.


    ¡°I know it must be a shock to see me now after all this time. Especially here,¡± he said as he took a step towards Parker.


    She instinctively took a step backwards and his face fell. He knew she wouldn¡¯t welcome him with open arms, but it still stung to see the distrust and fear on her face. He never wanted her to fear him.


    He stopped with one foot in the doorway, not wanting her to retreat any further away from him. That was the closest he¡¯d been to her in ages, and he just wanted to take all of her in. If it was possible, she¡¯d grown even more beautiful than the last time he saw her. A wave of guilt washed through him when he thought about all of the time he''d lost with her.


    ¡°McCarthy, could you please put the gun down? I¡¯m not armed,¡± he said as he put both of his palms in the air in an act of surrender and to prove he didn¡¯t come here to hurt anyone.


    Parker finally snapped out of her daze and reached up to lay a hand on Garrett¡¯s arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can put it away,¡± she told Garrett softly.


    Garrett stared at Parker, checking her face for any signs of panic or fear. All he saw was a healthy dose of shock which he was sure mirrored on his own face as well.


    He slowly lowered his arm and slid his gun into the holster in the waistband of his jeans, safely secured against his lower back. He watched as Parker crossed her arms in front of her, and he could see the muscles in her forearms constrict as she squeezed them tightly, trying to physically hold herself together.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Joe?¡± Parker asked.


    He winced at her use of his first name and had to stop himself from scolding her like a child. She wasn¡¯t a child anymore. She was a beautiful, intelligent young woman who he shut out and pushed away. He had done everything he could since then to make up for it, did everything in his power to make sure she was safe. It didn¡¯t make up for all of the hurt he caused her, though, that much he knew.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard one word from you in over twelve years. And now suddenly you show up at my doorstep in the middle of the Dominican Republic like it¡¯s no big deal? You have no right to be here. No right to have anything to do with me,¡± she fumed.


    Garrett had immediately recognized the man as Parker¡¯s estranged father as soon as he¡¯d opened the door. Not long after they¡¯d met, Garrett had found a box of old photographs she¡¯d shoved in the trunk of her car when he had gone in there to grab her spare tire.


    He wanted more than anything to cross the threshold and punch Parker¡¯s father in the face for the torment he put her through over the years. If he learned anything over the last few weeks it was to let Parker fight her own battles. She deserved this showdown with her father, even if it was at the most inopportune time.


    ¡°Look, sweetie¨C¡±


    It was Parker¡¯s turn to wince. That was twice in the span of a few minutes that he used the nickname from her childhood. She wasn¡¯t that same, gullible child anymore, and he couldn¡¯t just show up here out of the blue when she was in the middle of an assignment. His presence could mess up everything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Parker shouted. ¡°You don¡¯t get to use that name for me anymore. Tell me what the fuck you¡¯re doing here and then get the hell out.¡±


    Garrett almost felt sorry for the man. He¡¯d been on the receiving end of Parker¡¯s anger enough times to know how much her words could sting. His sympathy was short lived, however. He knew what her father did to her, and the scars he left by his actions almost hadn¡¯t healed. He¡¯d have to do a lot of groveling and ass kissing to even begin to fix things with Parker. And even then, Garrett wasn¡¯t sure Parker would ever fully be able to forgive him or trust him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not proud of the way I treated you or the way I behaved after your mother died. If I could go back and change everything, I would do it in a minute. I hope you at least believe that. I know that I¡¯m the last person you want to see right now, but I told them I had to be the one to tell you,¡± Joe explained with years of regret etched into his face.


    The muscles in Parker¡¯s jaw clenched, and Garrett knew it was taking everything in her not to lash out at him again and slam the door shut in his face.


    ¡°Tell me what? And who¡¯s them?¡± Parker asked in confusion.


    Garrett was equally puzzled by what Joe had said and tore his gaze away from Parker so he could focus on Joe and why he was there.


    ¡°You¡¯re in danger, sweetie,¡± Joe said, completely ignoring her previous admonishment of using the nickname. ¡°I never worked for the Manchester Township Police Department. I¡¯ve been an agent with the CIA for thirty-five years. My team was in charge of the Fernandez file for a majority of that time. I made a lot of enemies over the years in Fernandez¡¯s camp. Enemies that would do anything to stop us from finding out the truth about what goes on over here,¡± Joe explained in a rush of words and hand gestures. ¡°When they found out who I was, and that I had a daughter, you became their prime target in order to get me to stop digging. You were recruited into the CIA because of me. I begged them to bring you in. I knew you would never let me personally do anything to protect you, but I hoped that by learning how to protect yourself and by being involved with the organization you could shield yourself from harm if anything ever happened to me. That you¡¯d be safe. Never in a million years did we ever think Fernandez would go this far to get to you. The man who you-¡±


    Joe¡¯s frantic speech was immediately cut off and the fierce look on his face was replaced with one of shock.


    Parker¡¯s arms dropped to her sides as her father stared at her in confusion, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for its last breath. She took a tentative step towards him, wondering briefly if he¡¯d become mentally unstable in the years they¡¯d been estranged. It was shocking enough to see him standing on the other side of the door when Garrett opened it, but to hear him spouting off all of that nonsense about how he worked for the CIA had almost been too much. Parker was ready to tell him to stop talking about such ridiculous things and ask him if his shrink was traveling with him before he suddenly stopped on his own.


    ¡°Dad? Are you okay?¡± Parker asked. Was it possible for someone¡¯s brain to short circuit, to be so overloaded with fabrications that it just couldn''t handle the stress of keeping it all straight anymore?


    Joe didn¡¯t say a word. He just continued his dead fish impression and then stumbled forward into the room. Parker and Garrett both lunged towards him when they saw he was falling. His hands smacked down onto Parker¡¯s shoulders, and he became dead weight in her arms, forcing her legs to buckle and her arms to go around his waist as they both went down. Parker landed roughly on her knees, wincing in pain just as Garrett got to her and wrapped his strong arms around Joe¡¯s chest in an effort to get his weight off of her. Parker was repeating Joe¡¯s name over and over and continued to ask him what was wrong as Garrett slid his arm around Joe¡¯s chest, his other hand touching something sticky and wet when he placed it on Joe¡¯s back. Garrett pulled his hand away and stared down at it and was horrified to see it coated in blood.


    Panic rushed through him and he knew he needed to keep it together in order to protect Parker.


    ¡°Get him all the way in the room! Do it now!¡± Garrett shouted to Parker as he let go of his hold on Joe, pulled his gun out of his waistband and lunged towards the open door.


    No matter the circumstances, Parker knew never to hesitate when an order like that was given. She let Joe down gently onto the floor and then jumped to her feet, dragging him into the room and over to the foot of the bed.


    She checked his pulse and his pupils while Garrett aimed his gun out of the open door and looked around frantically before finally slamming it closed and locking the deadbolt.


    It wasn¡¯t until Garrett started to make his way over to her that she looked down at the carpet where she had dragged her father across the room and noticed a trail of blood from where she let him drop to where they currently were.


    ¡°Shots fired! I repeat, shots fired!¡± Garrett shouted into the tiny microphone clipped to the inside of his shirt collar, knowing their team was only a few hundred yards away listening to everything. ¡°Joe Parker is down with a gunshot wound to the back. Need emergency medic ASAP and all hands on deck doing a sweep of the entire resort.¡±

 Page 37

    Garrett crouched down on the other side of Joe¡¯s still form and did his own check of the man¡¯s pulse, bolstered by the fact that at least there was one. Parker looked stunned and bewildered. Garrett quickly reached across Joe to cup her cheek in his hand and force her eyes up to his.Advertisement


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re going to get him help,¡± Garrett assured her.


    He hoped like hell he wasn¡¯t lying to her right now. It wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to make sense of the garbage he spouted or his reasons for doing it under normal circumstances. If her father was shot and killed right in front of her, before she got any kind of explanation about his sudden reappearance in her life, he was afraid to think about what that would do to her. She was hanging on by a thread as it was. While he continued to keep an eye on Joe¡¯s heart rate and bent down to listen to his labored breaths, he glanced up at Parker as she sat on her knees with her arms wrapped around her waist, staring down at her father¡¯s still form.


    Garrett¡¯s cell phone rang and he took his eyes away from Parker¡¯s long enough to answer it.


    ¡°He¡¯s got a pulse, but it¡¯s slow. Did you hear any shots?¡±


    Parker listened to Garrett¡¯s steady voice as he questioned Brady, instead of focusing on the fact that her father, whom she hadn¡¯t spoken to in a decade, was dying on the floor in front of her. Parker refused to believe the last words she would ever hear him say to her were lies. She wondered if by some crazy chance everything he said was true.


    ¡°Negative. Whoever it was used a silencer. Call Captain Risner immediately and get an extra team in here for back-up. One of them should be on stand-by and ready to deploy at our command.¡±


    Garrett gave a few more orders, and Parker partially listened to him as her brain processed every single word her father said to her that evening.


    The next few hours were a blur of people rushing around, answering questions for medical personnel, and trying to make sense of the night¡¯s events. On top of it all, they still needed to maintain their undercover positions as husband and wife on the off chance that Fernandez had nothing to do with the shooting.


    Garrett remained calm and in control through everything, keeping his arm around Parker to hold her upright, making and receiving calls from the team periodically, and leaving her side only once, just long enough to get her a cup of coffee.


    Joe was initially taken Hospiten Bavaro, the local hospital only a few short miles away from their resort. Once he was stabilized, they transported him a few hours away to the much larger Hospiten Santo Domingo. Garrett and Parker followed the ambulance the entire way and had made themselves comfortable in the waiting room after Joe went immediately into surgery.


    Garrett avoided asking Parker any questions about her father during the drive to the second hospital, not wanting to open up that can of worms until she was ready. Instead, he concentrated on getting an additional SEAL team to the Dominican as soon as possible and briefing Captain Risner on the status of events. Risner assured Garrett that he knew nothing about Parker¡¯s father or his surprise visit to them. Garrett ended the call with an assurance that Risner would send back-up to them within the next few hours, and Garrett promised Risner that as soon as he found out more information about Parker¡¯s father, he would call him.


    Garrett slid his cell phone into the pocket of his pants and walked across the waiting room lobby to Parker. She had her back to him, leaning against a marble column and staring out of one of the dark windows.


    Parker heard Garrett¡¯s footsteps behind her and let out a huge sigh of relief when she felt his arms wrap around her waist and felt his chin rest on top of her head. She closed her eyes and turned in his arms, sliding her hands up his chest and draping her arms around his neck. Garrett leaned down and placed a soft kiss to her lips, pulling back far enough to look at her.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Garrett asked, watching as Parker slowly opened her eyes to him.


    ¡°Honestly? I have no idea,¡± Parker replied. ¡°My father just showed up in the Dominican Republic, over two thousand miles away from his home, to tell me he works for the CIA, and then he¡¯s gunned down right in front of me. It sounds even more insane when I say it out loud. What did your Captain say?¡±


    Garrett shrugged. ¡°Pretty much what I expected. He knows nothing about Joe or why he would be here in the middle of our mission claiming he was CIA.¡±


    Parker pulled out of Garrett¡¯s arms and began pacing in front of him.


    ¡°How crazy would I sound right now if I tell you that I¡¯m actually considering that what he said is true?¡± Parker asked.


    Garrett stuck his hands in his pockets so his arms wouldn¡¯t feel so empty after Parker moved out of them and stared at her as she walked back and forth in front of him biting one of her nails.


    ¡°Did you call Agent Richmond and see if he could verify anything?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he didn¡¯t answer. I left him a message,¡± Parker replied as she stopped pacing. ¡°I left him a message this morning too when you were in the bathroom and told him I wanted to speak to him about Lacie. There was so much going on I forgot until just now that he never returned that call.¡±


    Garrett didn¡¯t like the sound of that. He was pretty sure the CIA didn¡¯t just ignore phone calls from one of their agents.


    ¡°Do you think that bullet was meant for one of us?¡± Parker asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. There have been plenty of opportunities for whoever it was to take us out. Neither one of us were out in the open when the shot was fired. I was covered by the door and you were covered by your dad. Whoever made that shot meant for it to hit Joe.¡±


    Parker had already thought everything Garrett said on the drive over to the hospital. She didn¡¯t know if she felt justified or more confused to hear him voice the same theory out loud.


    ¡°If my father isn¡¯t really with the CIA, never had me recruited as some misguided form of protection, then why in the hell would anyone want to shoot him?¡± Parker asked.


    ¡°Maybe all roads really do lead back to Fernandez,¡± Garrett said with a shrug. ¡°He knew we were getting too close, and he did something to scare us into going away.¡±


    Parker was shaking her head before he finished talking.


    ¡°Fernandez is too smart for something like that. He¡¯d know that shooting my father would only force me to work harder at finding out what was going on.¡±


    Garrett thought for a moment.


    ¡°Someone that works for Fernandez has maybe gone off on his or her own. Maybe Fernandez did something to piss off the wrong person. Maybe if we do finally piece everything together, Fernandez won¡¯t be the only one implicated when things go bad. You know people like him never do their own dirty work anyway.¡±


    Garrett and Parker both knew exactly who Garrett was referring to when he said it, though, neither one of them would say his name out loud.


    ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± Parker whispered


    ¡°As far as we know,¡± Garrett replied gravely.


    ¡°There was a body. The remains were tested for DNA,¡± she tried to argue weakly.


    ¡°Mistakes are made every day,¡± Garrett countered. ¡°How many times during this trip have we uncovered something about him that we never thought in a million years could be true?¡±


    They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps tapping against the floor and looked over to see one of the surgeons they briefly spoke to when they first got to the hospital. He walked up to them and removed the surgical hat from his head.


    ¡°Your father sustained a bullet wound to the back as you already know. The bullet ricocheted, causing significant damage to one of his kidneys, his spleen, and his gallbladder. We have removed them and repaired the damage the path of the bullet left as best we could. Right now we just need to keep him under observation and make sure he doesn¡¯t get an infection. Obviously, the next twenty-four hours are critical. Luckily, the bullet missed his lungs, his spine, and any major arteries, but we won¡¯t know the full extent of how his recovery will progress until he is awake.¡±


    Parker thanked the doctor and Garrett shook his hand. The doctor advised them to go back to their resort and get some rest, that there was no sense in staying at the hospital when it would be hours before the anesthesia would wear off and they could run more tests.


    Garrett went out to the parking lot to pull the car around to the front of the building while Parker gave their phone numbers to the front desk, instructing them to call her with any news.


    They decided to make the couple hour trek back to the resort instead of getting a room for what remained of the night close by. Parker knew she would be of more use back with the team then she would be at the hospital. There was nothing she could do for her father now except find out what the hell was going on and if he was telling the truth. She couldn¡¯t do that at the hospital or in some run-down motel around the corner.


    Even though it was close to five in the morning, Parker tried calling Agent Richmond a few more times on the drive back, still with no answer. This disturbed her almost as much as her father showing up on her doorstep after ten years. Richmond always answered his phone, and if she had to leave a message, he''d call back within minutes. She often wondered if he took his phone into the shower with him. For him to be out of reach while she was in the middle of an assignment sanctioned by the CIA or not, was beyond unheard of.


    They made it back to the resort in record time and headed down the path that lead to their villa. As soon as they walked through the lobby and out the other side, they were stopped.


    ¡°How¡¯s your father, Parker?¡± Brady asked.


    ¡°The same as when we left a few hours ago. I just called and got an update from the hospital,¡± Parker replied.


    ¡°Were Cole and Austin able to find anything when they canvassed the area?¡± Garrett asked him.


    ¡°Negative. But there¡¯s something else we need to discuss first,¡± Brady told them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about anything else right now but finding the bastard who did this,¡± Garrett said angrily. ¡°Just give me the status of the sweep.¡±


    Brady seemed a little irritated but he covered it up quickly. ¡°Whoever it was covered their tracks extremely well. I did some surveillance of the palace while they cleared the area. There wasn¡¯t any unusual activity there through the night. No questionable vehicles coming or going or anything like that. I made an anonymous call to the local police to see if by some chance it was just a random shooting, maybe they had reports of shots being fired or other victims in the area, but there was nothing,¡± Brady explained. ¡°But we need to discuss¨D¡±


    Garrett cut him off with a slice of his hand through the air. ¡°Okay, keep checking with them just in case the reports come in late and have the guys do another sweep of the area as soon as the sun is up. They might find something in the daytime they missed in the dark,¡± Garrett told him as he grabbed Parker¡¯s hand. They started to make their way towards their villa once again.


    After only a few few feet, Brady hurried to get in front of them, stopping them abruptly.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else you need to know before you get to your villa,¡± Brady said.


    ¡°Whatever it is, can it wait a few hours?¡± Parker pleaded as she tugged on Garrett¡¯s hand and they began walking again. ¡°I¡¯m dead on my feet and just want to close my eyes and not think about anything right now.¡±


    They walked away from Brady, but once again, he caught up with them, this time keeping pace beside them instead of trying to stop them.


    ¡°It definitely can¡¯t wait. There¡¯s something that happened a few minutes before you got here.¡±


    Garrett and Parker continued walking while Brady attempted to stop them again by getting directly in their path.


    They easily stepped off of the path and onto the grass to go around him.


    Brady turned and spoke to their backs. ¡°You need to be prepared for¨D¡±


    Brady was cut off by the sound of Parker shrieking and the smack of her hand across her mouth as they rounded the corner to their villa and stopped in their tracks.


    Garrett had been focused on getting Parker to the room and making sure she didn¡¯t fall down from exhaustion. After Brady gave him the status report, he tuned out whatever else he had been trying to say. Brady¡¯s insistence on stopping them bordered on annoying, and Garrett had been a few deep breaths away from turning around and hitting him.


    It made sense now - Brady trying to prepare them for what they were about to see, the fact that Fernandez never would have got his hands dirty and most likely had someone working for him, the conversation he had with Parker right before they left the hospital, and the doubts that had been floating around in his brain for days that he kept from her.


    Even with all of these facts piling up, he still had to blink several times and shake his head to make sure what he was seeing was real and not just a figment of his imagination or the product of too little sleep and too much excitement in the past forty-eight hours.


    He knew he didn¡¯t imagine Parker¡¯s scream. She had seen the same thing he did.


    A ghost, who sat in the chair by the door to their villa, was now rising to his feet slowly, with his hands up in the air, mirroring the same position Joe had just a few hours earlier when he¡¯d shown up in the same spot.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Park. It¡¯s okay, baby.¡±


    Parker had to swallow back the bile that rose in her throat and another scream that was threatening to let loose. She blinked back tears in an effort to make the vision in front of her clearer. She used to think about this possibility in the quiet of the night right before sleep overcame her. She would even dream about something like this happening and wake up thinking about how likely it could or couldn¡¯t be.


    It was altogether different to have the product of those moments standing in front of you as real and as alive as the last time you saw him.

 Page 38

    Parker let her hand fall from away from her mouth and finally found her voice.Advertisement


    ¡°Milo?¡±


    Chapter Twenty


    The air was thick with humidity and rife with shock. Parker couldn¡¯t tell if the sweat dripping down her back was from the temperature or her nerves. The man standing a few feet in front of her looked exactly like the man who had been her best friend during a time in her life when she desperately needed friends. He was the same man she had been prepared to love and cherish for the rest of her life. He was the same man who made her laugh, took care of her, and let her be her own person.


    He looked the same, aside from the facial hair, but he was vastly different from the man she used to know. You couldn¡¯t tell by looking at him, but Parker had first-hand knowledge of all the things that were different. She had proof he was a liar and so far removed from the man she thought she knew, she could almost pretend like they were two different people.


    But they weren¡¯t.


    Her best friend and the disgusting man she discovered as they delved deeper and deeper into the mission were one in the same.


    Frozen, just like she had been when she stood in the casket room of the funeral home and spent three hours trying to decide between solid mahogany wood with jewel-tone accessories and sienna bronze with European-style hardware until she finally curled up in the corner of the room and told Garrett she couldn¡¯t do it because she wasn¡¯t ready to say goodbye. She remembered the sickly sweet smell of the flowers surrounding the closed casket. Garrett had chosen the twenty-four by thirty-six black and white photograph of Milo propped up on an easel in the corner. The military report she was given showed, with ninety-nine point nine percent accuracy, the man sent home in a box was her fianc¨¦.


    But then she remembered the photographs of Catalina Olivera lying in a dirty, dark alley after being beaten and raped. She remembered the testimony of a woman who saw Milo with Catalina, and many other girls over the years, coming out of hotel rooms while he was supposed to be home building a life with her.


    At some point Milo listened to Garrett¡¯s warnings to not come any closer and had stopped where he was, his hands still in the air and a flash of fear in his eyes.


    The past and the present swirled through Parker¡¯s mind, conversations and memories, lies and facts, all merged together until she finally understood that she wasn¡¯t dreaming; Milo was alive and well and standing close enough for her to touch.


    And the fear she caught a glimpse of in his eyes moments ago was because of her, since presently she held her weapon with shaking hands and aimed it directly at his chest.


    ¡°Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t pull the trigger, you miserable piece of shit,¡± Parker growled.


    ¡°Parker, put the gun down,¡± Garrett told her softly as he shuffled himself slowly in her direction.


    Garrett watched Parker struggle with what to do and wished he could just turn back the clock. He didn¡¯t even know where he wished the hands of time could take them; he just knew anywhere was better than where they were right then.


    Garrett made it quietly to Parker¡¯s side and reached out with his hand, wrapping it around hers.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Garrett whispered in her ear as he gently pushed her hands down until the gun pointed at the ground instead of the man in front of them. Neither one noticed the same man clench his hands as he watched the tender exchange unfold in front of him.


    Garrett didn¡¯t have any clue if they could trust Milo or what he was trying to prove by showing up, but he was certain that if Brady was aware of his presence and didn¡¯t take him out immediately, there must be a good explanation for it. His team would never let a dangerous man anywhere near them if they could help it. Brady knew Milo had been there waiting for them, and instead of shooting him point blank or taking him into custody, Brady let him wait by their villa and tried to warn them that he was there.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to brief the new team that just landed, do you think everything will be okay now?¡± Brady asked Garrett.


    Garrett gave him a questioning glance, wondering the same thing himself. Brady gave Garrett a slight nod of his head in answer to his non-verbal question. Garrett dismissed him and pried the gun from Parker¡¯s hands after he walked away.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Milo said to him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that for you, asshole. Parker¡¯s not thinking too clearly right now, and she might be a little irritated with herself if she killed you and wasn¡¯t alert enough to watch while you suffered,¡± Garrett said with enough bite in his words, making Milo look away from him sheepishly.


    ¡°Look, I know you guys have a lot of questions, and you have every right to be pissed off. Please, just give me a chance to explain everything,¡± Milo begged.


    ¡°We planned your funeral. We mourned you. There is nothing you can say right now that could make up for that,¡± Parker said with scorn as she took a step towards him. ¡°We know about the girls, about all of your sick trips here to the Dominican. Catalina Olivera was a child. Just barely sixteen years old. She had her whole life ahead of her.¡±


    Parker took another step in Milo¡¯s direction until she stood toe-to-toe with him. Garrett stuck close to her side, still not one hundred percent certain of Milo¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Everything about you is a lie and it makes me sick to stand here and look at you, alive and well, when you¡¯ve left a trail of young girls in your wake. They''d still be here today if it weren¡¯t for you,¡± Parker fumed, narrowing her eyes and clenching her jaw.


    Milo let out a sigh and looked at Parker sadly.


    ¡°There is an explanation for all of that, I swear. I¡¯m not the bad guy you think I am. And if we¡¯re going to discuss lies, I think you had quite a big one yourself, Agent Parker,¡± Milo said softly.


    Parker¡¯s hand flew out before he barely finished the sentence. Instead of the smack across the face she had given Garrett not that long ago, her fingers curled into a fist and her knuckles connected with his nose. The sound of cartilage shattering with the force of her blow made Garrett wince.


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Milo yelled as his hands flew to his nose and blood poured down the front of his face, dripping off of his chin.


    Parker stepped back and shook out her hand.


    ¡°Jesus, Parker!¡± Milo said in a nasally voice as he tipped his head back and put pressure on his nose with one hand and tried to wipe the blood off of his lips with the other. ¡°Garrett, can you please calm her down?¡±


    Garrett laughed and crossed his arms in front of him.


    ¡°Obviously, in the time that you¡¯ve been away, pretending to be dead, you¡¯ve lost what little brain cells you still had left,¡± Garrett said with a sneer. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not pummeling your face myself.¡±


    Milo managed to stop the bleeding and wiped his hands on the front of his shirt. ¡°I told you, there are genuine reasons why I did the things I did. If you would just give me a chance¨D¡±


    Garrett wasn¡¯t in the mood to give Milo anything and had reached the end of his patience with him. He lunged forward and wrapped his fists around the material of Milo¡¯s shirt, shoving him backwards until he slammed into the wall of the villa.


    ¡°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 fuck 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.


    ¡°Parker, don¡¯t do this. Can you honestly tell me that you trust him and everything he¡¯s told us? We need to let Austin restrain him immediately and keep him in our custody until we can get him back to the states and he can be questioned properly,¡± Garrett argued.


    ¡°If you keep me here, Fernandez will know. He¡¯ll pull together every single resource he has to get to you. As it stands, I¡¯m the only one he¡¯ll listen to. I can keep him at bay long enough for you guys to get what you need. If I don¡¯t get back to that palace and head him off, there¡¯s no telling what he might do to you or the girls who he still has control of,¡± Milo warned.


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is if we don¡¯t believe this bullshit story about how you¡¯re trying to protect us and let you go scurrying back to Fernandez, people will die, including us,¡± Garrett said sarcastically. ¡°Well isn¡¯t that convenient for you.¡±

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    Time was running out and Parker didn¡¯t know what to do. She just knew she couldn¡¯t stand there and watch the two of them have a pissing contest. Parker had no problem gambling with her own life if it came down to it, but she would never put the lives of so many young girls, who had no idea what they were getting into, in jeopardy. If there was even a thread of truth to what Milo said, she had to do something.Advertisement


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then you need to get back to the palace ASAP,¡± Parker said calmly.


    ¡°Will you listen to yourself?¡± Garrett shouted. ¡°You¡¯re doing it again. You¡¯re letting yourself fall for his lies. We don¡¯t have one shred of evidence that says he won¡¯t go running back to Fernandez and help him kill us.¡±


    Milo stepped closer to Garrett and pleaded with. ¡°I let both of you down, and I know that. You have no reason to believe me when time and time again I let you down. Garrett, you were my best friend. My only friend during a time when no one gave two shits about me. Give me a chance to make this right.¡±


    Parker moved to Garrett¡¯s side to try and calm him down but he stepped away from her. She tried to hide the hurt she felt because she knew Garrett was in just as much turmoil.


    Garrett saw the belief in Milo¡¯s words written all over Parker¡¯s face, and it opened up old wounds inside of him that he thought he had laid to rest. Once again, Garrett was on the sidelines watching his former best friend get the girl. Only this time she knew exactly how much Garrett loved her, but her choice was still the same.


    ¡°If you want to take his side, be my guest. But I won¡¯t have any part of it,¡± Garrett told her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking anyone¡¯s side, Garrett,¡± Parker pleaded with him. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and take away the hurt she knew he was feeling, but all of a sudden it didn¡¯t feel appropriate. She was so confused by everything going on around her that she didn¡¯t know what to believe. She wrung her hands together nervously as she looked back and forth between Garrett and Milo while they stared each other down. Regardless of the fact she no longer loved Milo, he¡¯d still been her best friend at one time. She wasn¡¯t a hundred percent certain she trusted everything he said, but she felt like she needed to give him a chance to prove what he said was true. She had never been the type of person to pass judgment on anyone, least of all the people she cared about. Garrett was wrong. She wasn¡¯t falling for Milo¡¯s lies. She just wanted to know the truth. And to do that, she had to show Milo she was willing to listen.


    ¡°I want to hear what else he has to say, what other information he can give us. If he really is who he says he is, he can get us what we need,¡± Parker explained, leaning her body closer to Garrett¡¯s. ¡°All of this can finally be over.¡±


    Garrett knew nothing he said would change her mind. He knew they didn¡¯t need Milo to nail Fernandez, but Parker didn¡¯t trust that. She didn¡¯t trust him and his team to do their job. She¡¯d rather put her faith in a man who almost ruined all of them. Garrett felt like he¡¯d been punched in the face instead of Milo. He was disappointed in Parker and disappointed in himself. Maybe Garrett was overreacting, maybe he was letting his emotions cloud his judgment, but hearing Parker say that all of this could finally be over made him wonder if she was including the two of them in that statement. He needed some distance. He needed to clear his head and let Parker do whatever it was she needed to. He would meet with the new SEAL team and take care of business on his own. He wasn¡¯t a complete ass though; he wouldn¡¯t let her do this alone. He would tell Brady that their team was now completely at Parker¡¯s disposal.


    With his decision made, Garrett began walking backwards away from her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you,¡± he said, turning his back on her, rounding the corner of their villa, and disappearing from sight.


    Parker watched him go, too pissed off to try and stop him. He claimed to trust her and to love her, but at the first sign of trouble or conflict he walked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t say that enough,¡± Milo said quietly from behind her.


    Parker had been staring after Garrett for so long she almost forgot he was there.


    ¡°You should be,¡± she told him as she turned around. ¡°If you knew I was with the CIA, you should have known that I could help you.¡±


    Milo shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell anyone. I had strict orders. The less people who knew, the better our chances. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you, Park.¡±


    He grew bold, stepping up to her and brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. Parker pulled her head away before he could touch her anymore. Even if what he said to them tonight proved to be the absolute truth, she wasn¡¯t the same person that Milo left all those months ago. She wouldn¡¯t be able to fall back into any kind of relationship with him easily, even one as simple as friendship. There would always be complications between them that no amount of time or understanding could fix.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Parker warned him.


    Milo quickly pulled his hand back and shoved it into the pocket of his pants.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s so good to see you, Parker.¡±


    Parker shook her head and took a deep breath, but Milo spoke before she could say anything.


    ¡°I know this is all confusing and you¡¯re pissed and I don¡¯t blame you. But I just want you to know that I love you. If I could go back and change everything I would. It kills me that I had to leave you, to make you believe I was dead in order to make this work. I hope you can see how sorry I am and maybe someday we can get back to¨D¡±


    ¡°Milo, stop,¡± Parker interrupted, squeezing her eyes shut to ward off those awful memories and holding her hand in the air to silence him. ¡°Just because you¡¯re here and you¡¯re claiming to be one of the good guys doesn¡¯t mean we can all just go back to the way things were. It¡¯s not the same anymore.¡±


    ¡°But it can be. We were going to get married and have a life together. I still love you. Not a day has gone by that I haven¡¯t thought about you or wished I could be with you. If you can just forgive me, we can go back to that,¡± he pleaded.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Milo, we¡¯re in the middle of trying to take down the leader of this country. Someone who has been exploiting teenage girls for his own gain for God knows how many years. And even if that wasn¡¯t the case, even if we were home and you suddenly showed up out of the blue, it still wouldn¡¯t change anything.¡±


    Milo looked panicked now. He began to pace back and forth in front of Parker while they still remained in the alcove of the villa.


    ¡°Okay, I get it. You need time. You need to let things calm down and then we can talk and work things out.¡±


    Parker shook her head in disbelief. He still wasn¡¯t getting it. She knew now was not the most appropriate time to put everything on the table when they had work to do, but nothing would get through to Milo unless she was blunt.


    ¡°Milo. I don¡¯t love you. Not that way. Not anymore. Maybe not ever,¡± Parker admitted softly, trying to soften the blow by easing up on the anger and looking him in the eyes with sympathy. She shouldn¡¯t be concerned with sparing his feelings, but it was in her nature. She didn¡¯t know how else to behave.


    Milo stopped pacing long enough to laugh. It wasn¡¯t the laugh of someone who just caught on to the joke. It was the laugh of someone who couldn¡¯t believe what was happening; it was maniacal and disturbing.


    ¡°That¡¯s your anger talking, Parker. Once you calm down and realize that I¡¯m here, and I won¡¯t ever leave you again, you¡¯ll come to your senses.¡±


    Milo started pacing again, muttering to himself under his breath. Parker didn¡¯t like the way he was acting. She had no idea what he¡¯d been through or the extent to which his undercover assignment had affected him, but one thing was certain: Milo was not behaving rationally.


    Parker slowly reached behind her back to grab her gun when she suddenly realized it wasn¡¯t there. Garrett had taken it from her when she was aiming it at Milo.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid you know?¡± Milo said. ¡°I saw the two of you. You were holding hands when you got here. Whatever you¡¯ve done with him while I was gone, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care. You were lonely and he was there. Now that I¡¯m back you don¡¯t have to do that anymore.¡±


    Parker quickly glanced around, wondering why tonight of all nights, there were no other patrons of the resort walking around so she could signal them to get help. She cursed Garrett for his stubbornness and wished he wouldn¡¯t have walked away. She had a feeling he¡¯d be better equipped to talk Milo down from whatever ledge he was standing on, having done it plenty of times while the two of them were growing up.


    ¡°Milo, listen to what you¡¯re saying. Nothing is okay between us and it never will be. I love Garrett. He¡¯s not just someone I passed the time with after you were gone. I know this isn¡¯t going to be easy for you to hear, but I¡¯ve loved him from the first moment I saw him. It¡¯s always been Garrett and it always will be. You were my friend, and I thought I was doing the right thing by staying with you and planning a future with you. But it wasn¡¯t fair to either of us when my heart always belonged to someone else,¡± Parker explained.


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE LYING!¡± Milo yelled as he stalked towards her. ¡°You¡¯re just confused. You¡¯re still in shock.¡±


    Parker moved backwards but found herself stopped by the wall of the villa next to her and Garrett¡¯s.


    ¡°Milo, take a deep breath and calm down. I need you to focus on Fernandez and what¡¯s really important here. We can talk about all of this at another time. Right now you need to remember what we¡¯re here for. What you spent all this time away from us for.¡±


    Now that Parker was cornered Milo was able to get closer. He nodded his head, seeming to calm down and agree with what she was saying. Parker relaxed thinking that maybe reminding him about the mission had centered him, but she shouldn¡¯t have let her guard down.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Milo said quietly, a serene look taking over his face. ¡°I can¡¯t lose focus. Not now. Not after everything I¡¯ve done. Thank you for reminding me what I¡¯m here for.¡±


    Parker didn¡¯t have any time to think about the way Milo worded his statement and no time to prepare for the needle that was quickly jammed into the side of her neck. As a syringe full of sedatives was emptied into her bloodstream, her last conscious thought before the world went black was that her time had just run out.


    Chapter Twenty-One


    By the time Garrett rounded the corner of the row of villas he¡¯d managed to cool down somewhat. He was so lost in thought he ran right into Brady.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Parker?¡± Brady asked as he picked up the cell phone he¡¯d dropped when Garrett had come barreling around the corner.


    ¡°Talking to Milo,¡± Garrett growled. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you find out anything?¡±


    Brady took a step past Garrett to peer around the corner and saw Milo and Parker talking in front of the Villa about a hundred yards away. Satisfied everything looked okay, he moved back in front of Garrett.


    ¡°I called a few of my contacts and word on the street is there was a very top secret, unofficial mission here in the Dominican involving someone from our SEAL division. It was an undercover operation that had been in place for at least six years. There was never a paper trail because it was not a government sanctioned mission, so we can only go by word of mouth at this point. About a year ago, critical information about the mission was leaked and supposedly, the undercover SEAL was compromised. According to the official reports, Milo was sent to the Dominican at that time to clean up a ¡®routine mission that went awry.'' At least seventy-five percent of the report is blacked out. There was definitely something in that report no one was supposed to know about. My contacts believe Milo was the undercover agent the entire time, and that the government needed to send him to the Dominican in an official capacity to solidify his cover as a double agent. Obviously the information they have wasn¡¯t obtained legally, so they had to go through several channels to get it. I don¡¯t have concrete evidence Milo is telling the truth, but I trust these guys, and they wouldn¡¯t tell me something they didn¡¯t believe to be accurate.¡±


    Garrett paced back and forth in front of Brady and tried to make sense of everything he just learned. Garrett trusted Brady and if Brady trusted his contacts, Garrett had no choice but to believe the information he found, even if his gut was telling him something wasn¡¯t right, that everything was falling too easily into place after weeks of hitting dead ends.


    ¡°So Milo was telling the truth,¡± Garrett muttered as he stopped his pacing. He didn¡¯t expect an answer from Brady; he just felt the need to say the words out loud to see if it changed anything.


    It didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I decided to err on the side of caution anyway,¡± Brady explained. ¡°Captain Risner sent us a few of the boys from SEAL Team four. I did some training with them early on in my career, and they are all good men. I currently have them stationed at the entrance of the resort. If Milo leaves, they¡¯ll follow him. Vargas and Conrad are canvassing the area to make sure Milo came alone.¡±


    Garrett went to reach into his pocket for his cell phone to get a status update from his men when he realized he still had Parker¡¯s gun in his side holster from when he unarmed her. A feeling of dread washed through him when he realized he¡¯d left her unarmed, alone with Milo.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Garrett cursed as he looked down at the gun and then quickly turned to go back to Parker. He stepped around the corner and stopped in his tracks at what he saw.

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    Across the lawn Parker¡¯s back was to him. He couldn¡¯t see her face, but he could clearly see her body pressed up against Milo¡¯s and her arms around his shoulders. Milo had his face buried in her hair at the side of her neck and his arms wrapped tightly around her body as the two of them swayed slowly from side to side. The happy reunion made Garrett sick to his stomach, so he turned back around and realized Brady had come up behind him and was taking in the same tender scene across the way.Advertisement


    ¡°This is a lot for her mind and heart to process all at once,¡± Brady tried to reason. ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot today, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s just confused. Once things settle down and you two have time to talk it through¨D¡±


    Garrett unholstered the gun, grabbing it by the barrel, and pushed the butt of Parker''s weapon into Brady''s chest so he would take it. ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time with your psychobabble bullshit. Make sure she gets her gun back and keep an eye on her.¡±


    Garrett walked around Brady, pulling out his cell phone as he went.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Brady called to Garrett¡¯s retreating form.


    ¡°Burry that son-of-a-bitch,¡± Garrett responded.


    Brady shook his head and sighed as he watched Garrett disappear from sight, wondering if he was referring to Fernandez or Milo.


    Milo always felt out of place in life. He always felt like there was something better waiting for him just out of his reach. One day, eight years ago, he found out what that something was.


    He had a father.


    Not the man his mother had left him with that used him as a punching bag. He¡¯d celebrated the day that asshole drove his car into a tree and felt an enormous amount of satisfaction that his life had been snuffed out.


    No, he had a real father. The kind of man you could look up to. The kind of man a son could be proud to share a bloodline with. Milo had been understandably upset when he found out his father allowed for him to be abused all those years by a man that hated the very sight of him, but he understood it now. He saw the big picture and realized that his suffering and years of torment would all be rewarded.


    Milo had spent most of his life being envious of the people around him, people like Garrett McCarthy who had the world handed to him on a silver platter, who had parents that fawned over him and gave him everything his heart desired. Day in and day out he watched his so-called friend succeed and have the perfect life without even trying. Soon the envy Milo felt burned through him like a raging inferno, turning his heart and soul to ashes and his jealousy into the kind of deep-seeded hatred that he¡¯d never be able to break free from.


    It was his turn now, his turn to get everything he wanted.


    Standing next to a palm tree in the Dominican Republic, holding his unconscious former fianc¨¦ and waiting to hear from his men that Garrett¡¯s team had been eliminated so he could leave, Milo felt vindicated. He¡¯d always known Garrett had a thing for Parker. He knew it that first day in the coffee shop. But he had his orders, and he would not fail. It felt good to take something from that smug bastard for once, to finally have something that Garrett desired more than anything. He never loved Parker. She was just a means to an end. But she was his. And he would be damned if he let Garrett have her.


    Milo hugged Parker¡¯s limp body tightly to his chest and put a few well-placed kisses on her cheek and the side of her neck, making sure she still had a pulse and keeping up the ruse at the same time. He knew Garrett¡¯s people would be watching him. Subduing Parker with a syringe full of Ketamine was risky but necessary. Milo made sure he¡¯d backed her under the cover of a few palm trees before palming the needle in his pocket and then throwing his arm in a flash up to push it in. He thought she¡¯d go with him easily.


    He thought she¡¯d be happy to see him no matter what his father had told him the last few weeks.


    ¡°Your American woman is quite the hellcat in bed, my son. Did you enjoy years of pleasure between her thighs or did she save the best for Mr. McCarthy?¡±


    Milo had been listening to his father regale him with every single sordid detail of what Parker and Garrett had done in the bedroom and pool during their stay. His hands were clenched into fists, and he felt the edges of his vision blur with rage.


    ¡°Tell me, did the lovely Parker ever shout your name in ecstasy like she did Garrett¡¯s?¡±


    His father laughed, pleased with the torment he was inflicting on his son. Milo knew this was a test. His father was just baiting him, making sure he was strong enough, dedicated enough. He knew he could show no weakness, no matter what the man said or did.


    Milo¡¯s nostrils flared as he watched his father signal to one of his guards seated at the desk in the security office where they stood, surrounded by more than a dozen monitors that showcased every inch of the palace grounds.


    The guard pressed a few buttons on the console in front of him and soon the room was flooded with the sounds of passion.


    ¡°Touch me.¡±


    ¡°Oh God, yes!¡±


    ¡°Let go, baby.¡±


    ¡°Oh God¡­Garrett¡­fuck!¡±


    ¡°Come for me, Garrett. I need to feel you.¡±


    ¡°Ungh, more, more¡­¡±


    ¡°Garrett¡­Garrett¡­Garrett¡­¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Milo bellowed.


    Milo¡¯s father placed his hand on the guard¡¯s shoulder and the man immediately cut off the tape.


    ¡°Rodriguez, you are dismissed.¡±


    At his father¡¯s command, the guard quickly stood and exited the small room.


    Milo knew he¡¯d made a mistake, but there was no taking it back now. Listening to his father tell him how much Parker and Garrett enjoyed one another made his blood boil, but hearing the sounds of their moans, the creak of the bed, the splash of the water as their bodies moved against one another made him feel murderous.


    Before the door clicked shut behind the guard, his father had crossed the room to him. He felt the man¡¯s fist connect with his mouth before he even saw it coming. When Milo¡¯s hand flew up to cover his busted lip, his father took the opportunity to throw another punch to his ribs.


    Milo doubled over when he heard a distinctive crunch, knowing one of his ribs had cracked. He kept one hand pressed against the cut on his lip from where his father¡¯s ring connected and the other hand held tightly to his rib that screamed out in pain.


    ¡°No son of mine will allow a woman to bring him to his knees. You show too much weakness for a whore and do nothing but snivel and whine about the unfairness of your life and how Garrett McCarthy received everything that should have been yours.¡±


    Milo listened to his father berate him as he spit blood out of his mouth and slowly stood up to face him. He should have known better. He should have been stronger and more in control. He never deserved the beatings the man who raised him had given him each day, but this was warranted. Milo wanted to make his father proud and show him he was worthy to stand by his side. He stood tall in front of his father, ignoring the throbbing pain that cut into his side and the blood that dripped down from his lip.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± Milo replied.


    ¡°I permitted another man to raise you in the hopes that it would make you stronger so when the day came and I needed to call on you, you would be ready. Maybe I made a mistake eight years ago in telling you about your heritage and bringing you into the fold. Maybe you weren¡¯t ready,¡± his father said pensively.


    Milo bristled at his father thinking he couldn¡¯t do the job at hand. He¡¯d been preparing for this for years. He was ready.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry, sir. I will not show any weakness again. I am ready to finish this and make you proud. I will not let anything stand in my way,¡± Milo promised with firm resolve.


    His father removed a small square of white cloth from the breast pocket of his suit coat and handed it to Milo.


    ¡°I have rewarded you with all of the riches and beautiful, young girls you could imagine. I have brought you into my family and my business in the hopes that one day soon you will take over and lead. I have shown you a life you never knew existed. I expect never to regret this decision. Are we clear?¡±


    Milo had pressed the cloth to his busted lip and nodded solemnly.


    ¡°I will do what needs to be done. I will make you proud.¡±


    Confident in Milo¡¯s promise, his father had nodded and turned to leave the room, pausing with his hand on the doorknob.


    ¡°Take care of the problem. They¡¯ve gotten too close. It¡¯s time for you to show them who you really are. The whore¡¯s father arrived in the Dominican today. That man knows too much. Lucky for us, he decided to step foot on my land. End him before he tells them everything. After that I¡¯m sure you will enjoy executing the two lovers.¡±


    Milo had watched his father leave the room and had mentally prepared himself for what was to come.


    Milo¡¯s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. Pressing Parker firmly against him with one arm, he reached into his pants with the other and flipped open the phone.


    ¡°Status?¡± Milo questioned.


    ¡°All clear, sir. Three SEALS are dead, two are incapacitated,¡± came the reply.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they all dead?¡± Milo questioned angrily.


    ¡°No time, sir. We need to leave now. The car is waiting out front.¡±


    ¡°What about McCarthy?¡± Milo asked.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t with the others. He went off on his own and we haven¡¯t seen him since. Castillo and his men have the place surrounded. They¡¯ll kill him on site.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Milo shouted into the phone. ¡°No. Leave him for me.¡±


    Milo hung up the phone and shoved it back in his pocket. He bent down and slid his arm behind Parker¡¯s knees, scooping her up into his arms easily and walking towards the lobby. He smiled at several guests and a few resort employees, laughing about how his wife had a little bit too much to drink, easily explaining her unconsciousness.


    His father would be angry since he hadn¡¯t killed Parker immediately, but Milo had other plans for her.


    Garrett had been on hold waiting for Risner to come on the line the entire time he walked to the villa Marshall, Conrad, and Vargas shared. He stopped in his tracks as he came up the walkway, pulling the phone slowly away from his ear.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. McCarthy,¡± the woman greeted him nervously as she stood up from the chair next to the door.


    ¡°Margarita Fernandez?¡± Garrett replied in shock as he stared at the wife of Fernandez standing in front of him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t make our meeting earlier. I believed I was being followed, so I had to turn around and go back to the palace,¡± she told him.


    Garrett looked at her in confusion, having absolutely no idea why this woman, who supposedly didn¡¯t speak a lick of English, was standing there at the resort talking to him like it was no big deal and speaking his real name instead of the undercover one he¡¯d been introduced to her with.


    On instinct he quickly reached into his waistband and pulled out his gun, leveling it at her chest. It made no sense to Garrett why she was here unless it was some sort of set-up.


    ¡°You have thirty seconds to explain your business here before I put a bullet through your heart,¡± Garrett told her menacingly.


    Margarita quickly raised her hands in the air and a look of panic washed over her face.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m not here to harm you. I left a note at the front desk for you this morning saying I needed to talk to you and would be here this evening at ten. Did you receive the note?¡± she asked hurriedly.


    Garrett recalled the note in question, the note they assumed was from Joe since he was the one who knocked on their door around that time. Now that he thought about it, Joe showed up thirty minutes before the note stated.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who wrote that note?¡± Garrett asked.


    Margarita nodded her head and Garrett slowly lowered his gun. He still didn¡¯t trust her, but there had to be a very important reason for her showing up. Fernandez would kill her just for thinking about talking to him.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t speak English?¡± Garrett asked.


    Margarita looked around nervously and began to wring her hands.


    ¡°Could we go inside please? I don¡¯t feel safe out here.¡±


    Garrett looked around as well but didn¡¯t see anything amiss. Against his better judgment, he walked past her and unlocked the door to the villa, holding it open for her to enter. As she walked into the room, Garrett made a quick call to Brady and got his voicemail. He left him a message to have one of the men meet him at his villa immediately


    Garrett disconnected the call and shoved the phone in his back pocket. He indicated with his hand that Margarita should take a seat at the end of the bed while he pulled a chair up close to her, his gun resting on his thigh, pointed in her direction.


    ¡°You understand why I can¡¯t put my gun away,¡± Garrett told her as he watched her stare at the weapon nervously.


    Margarita nodded, quickly moving her eyes away from the gun and onto Garrett¡¯s face.


    ¡°Tell me what you¡¯re doing here and why the entire U.S. government and this country think you don¡¯t speak English,¡± Garrett demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± she replied quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got time.¡±


    Margarita cleared her throat nervously, her hands folding and unfolding in her lap, giving her something to do with them.


    ¡°My name hasn¡¯t always been Margarita.¡±


    Garrett raised his eyebrow. ¡°I gathered that considering before you married Fernandez you didn¡¯t exist.¡±


    She smiled sadly. ¡°Oh, I existed. If that¡¯s what you want to call it. I was born and raised in the United States. When I was in my twenties, I worked for a large engineering company as a marketing assistant. I met a delivery man that came into the office several times a week. We fell in love and got married. A year or so later I was sent here to the Dominican for work. During one of the meetings, Emilio Fernandez joined us. He was in his first presidential term at that time. He was larger than life. So charismatic, charming, and sweet.¡±

 Page 41

    Garrett rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a real peach.¡±Advertisement


    Margarita nodded in understanding. ¡°I was young. I made a mistake. My husband and I were having troubles. We had been trying to have a baby, and it just wasn¡¯t working out for us. We got into a fight right before I left for the Dominican. I was confused and angry, then suddenly this man comes in. This figurehead of the country who could have any woman he wanted, but he chose me. He flattered me, took me to dinner, and bought me lavish gifts. We had an affair. I flew home two weeks later feeling ashamed of what I¡¯d done. I never told my husband, but four weeks later I found out I was pregnant. He knew it wasn¡¯t his. Aside from the fact that the dates corresponded to my time out of the country, he found out he was sterile while I was gone.¡±


    Garrett listened to Margarita¡¯s story quietly, processing everything she was telling him and trying not to judge her or jump to conclusions about why she was there telling him all this.


    ¡°He became enraged, understandably. The abuse started not long after that, verbal and physical. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was so lost and alone I did the only thing I could think of. I called Emilio,¡± she admitted, fidgeting in her seat nervously, her eyes never leaving the gun. ¡°He felt awful for what I was going through, but he was in the middle of huge political campaign, and it wouldn¡¯t have looked right to bring a married, pregnant woman from America into his home. He gave me encouragement and strength and talked me through the worst of it. He promised he would send for me and the baby as soon as it was safe and begged me to stay strong for him. For years I put up with my husband¡¯s anger, just biding my time until I could be with Emilio again,¡± she continued to explain, wiping her sweaty palms on the top of her thighs. ¡°We talked regularly and he sent me money that I kept in a secret account to use on the day I finally got away from my husband. And then one day the call came. Emilio was finally rescuing me. I was leaving the anger and the abuse behind, and we were going to be a family. My son would be able to have a real father who wouldn¡¯t ignore him or push him around. He would have a man in his life he could respect and look up to.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s blood went cold at Margarita¡¯s mention of the word son.


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t to be. Emilio explained I couldn¡¯t take him with me. He told me I needed to come alone, just until he could come up with a plausible story for why he suddenly had a wife and child. He promised me I would only be apart from our son for a very short time, a few weeks at most,¡± Margarita explained as a tear rolled down her cheek. ¡°I was immediately given a new identity and told that I could never speak English unless I was alone with him. He said it was the only way for the cover he¡¯d crafted to work.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s mind filled with the things he knew from years past, along with information he¡¯d uncovered recently. All of the pieces fell together in a neat, orderly fashion, leaving his hands shaking in fear.


    ¡°A few weeks turned into years, though, didn¡¯t it?¡± Garrett asked.


    Margarita nodded her head, the tears falling faster now.


    ¡°After months of begging and pleading, he became angry. He had a plan for our son, one that didn¡¯t involve him being coddled by a woman. He wanted him to be raised in an environment that would teach him how to be strong. How to be a man he could one day be proud of and use for his gain. I found out about how he made his money that night. I also found out how imperative it was to never cross Emilio Fernandez. Myself along with twelve young girls were auctioned off to the highest bidders among several of his friends that evening. I spent twenty-four hours being used and degraded by the man who paid for me, fear and shame eating away at me, wondering what was happening to the girls who stood in the room with me earlier, being bet on like cattle at an auction.¡±


    Her voice quivered and she took a tremulous breath as she told Garrett about her horrific ordeal. He couldn¡¯t stand to hear the pain in her voice. He aimed his gun away from her and leaned forward resting his elbows on his thighs and gently patting one of her knees with his hand in comfort. ¡°At least I was older, had experience so to speak. Some of those girls couldn¡¯t have been more than thirteen,¡± she said with a sob. ¡°When I was returned to Fernandez, he told me how I would continue the charade of being a dutiful wife, a woman that he rescued from poverty and devastation. I would stick by his side and support him like a loving wife should so the people of this country knew he was a man to be trusted. If I didn¡¯t do exactly as he instructed, I would continue to attend the ''auctions'', and I would never see my son again.¡±


    Garrett held head in his hands. All this time, the information was right in front of them and they hadn¡¯t found it. The only thing keeping him from running out of the room to make sure Parker was safe was the fact that he knew Brady wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to her.


    After several minutes of Garrett mentally kicking himself and listening to the sounds of stifled sobs fill the room, Garrett finally looked up.


    ¡°Just so we¡¯re on the same page, what was your name before you became Margarita Fernandez?¡± Garrett asked.


    The woman across from him wiped the tears from her cheeks and tilted her head to the side as she looked at him.


    ¡°My name was Michelle Roberts.¡±


    Garrett closed his eyes and let his head drop down between his shoulders.


    ¡°Milo is my son.¡±


    Chapter Twenty-Two


    The sound of dripping water and the dank, musty smell of the room she was in were the first things Parker noticed upon regaining consciousness. The next was the fact that she had no idea why the entire left side of her neck stung like a bitch, and lastly and probably more importantly, she was sitting on a stool with her back against what felt like a wooden post with her arms chained together above her head.


    Parker blinked rapidly to clear the blurriness from her vision and took in her surroundings in an attempt to piece together how she had managed to get herself into this mess.


    She was in a basement of some sort. It was about eight-hundred square feet with standard cement walls. The wetness in the air seeped into her bones and the boxes of clutter all around the room made her feel claustrophobic. A door in the corner of the room caught Parker''s eye, but it was closed and she had no idea if it led to another room or a way out.


    She looked above her head, wincing as a fresh wave of pain shot behind her eyes and squeezed her head like it was in a vice. She squinted through the blinding pain that felt like the worst hangover ever and slowly looked above her head again. She was handcuffed with standard issue police hardware and then chained to a metal hook imbedded in the wooden support beam. Parker gave the chain a good pull and was rewarded with absolutely nothing. There was no give to the metal hook and no way her hands were going to slip out of the cuffs. They were almost tight enough to cut off circulation. And Parker knew that sitting there too long with her arms above her head would speed that process along. Her fingers were already starting to tingle with numbness and the muscles in her arms were burning from being in the awkward position for so long. She closed her eyes and let her head drop back down slowly, careful not to agitate the headache that was causing pinpricks of pain behind her eyes.


    Parker took inventory of everything she could remember. She and Garrett had just come back to the resort after leaving her father at the hospital. Milo had been waiting for them. Milo was alive.


    Milo was alive, Parker remembered with aching clarity.


    Parker¡¯s heart rate picked up at the memory of rounding the corner and seeing him standing there by the front door. Milo told them he was a double agent. She remembered that part. She remembered how angry she¡¯d been and how she¡¯d punched him in the nose. Garrett had been pissed and walked away from her. Tears pooled in her eyes when she remembered the look on his face when he told her she was on her own.


    He had been upset with her, thinking she was choosing Milo over him. She could see it written all over his face. He left and she didn¡¯t even get a chance to explain anything. Garrett jumped to conclusions, just like always. He told her he trusted her, but that wasn¡¯t really true. She¡¯d learned a lot about herself these past few weeks. She knew given the chance to go back in time, she would have done everything differently. She would have chosen Garrett from the beginning and made the decision to be happy no matter what the cost to her heart.


    Telling Milo she would give him a chance to help make things right had nothing to do with choosing him over Garrett and everything to do with putting an end to Fernandez, no matter the cost. She just wanted this to be over. She had just wanted to go back home and start her life and her future with the man she loved.


    Garrett must have thought she was a complete idiot. He had honestly believed she would jump head first into something like this and take everything Milo said as the truth. If Garrett knew her at all, he would have known she was just placating Milo, telling him what he wanted to hear so she would have time to find out if he was really telling the truth. If Garrett would have stuck by her side and supported her, she would have told him all of this. He would have seen the text she sent while Milo was busy explaining things and understood what she was trying to do.


    Now she was stuck in a basement with no recollection of how she got there.


    She remembered Garrett walking away. She remembered Milo trying to comfort her and pushing him away¡­ Everything after that was fuzzy and made her head hurt worse than it already did.


    Pushing away from the wooden beam with her foot, Parker managed to angle her body to the side and slide off of the stool. Doing so caused something attached to her ankle to slip down a little further towards her foot. She held her breath and calmed her racing heart when she realized whoever brought her down here had failed to search her for weapons. Her back-up .357 snubnosed revolver was still resting comfortably in her ankle holster. Before she could get to her gun though, she needed to get unchained.


    She clasped the metal hook holding her to the beam with both hands and twisted around and under one arm, shocked to realize the hook turned with her. When she was facing the beam, she looked up at the hook and noticed that it was screwed into the wood. It would take some effort, but if she continued twisting, she might be able to free herself enough to reach her gun. Her hands would still be cuffed together, but she¡¯d fired it under worse conditions.


    On Parker¡¯s fourth twist and turn, she heard the pounding of footsteps descending stairs close by. She hooked her foot around the bottom rung of the stool and pulled it back to her, sitting down on top of it just as the door in the corner of the room opened.


    ¡°Ahhhh, Senorita, I see you are finally awake.¡±


    Fernandez smiled at her as he made his way across the room to stand directly in front of her.


    ¡°Why am I not surprised to see you here?¡± Parker asked sarcastically.


    ¡°My dear, you seem to have attracted quite a bit of trouble since you set foot in my country,¡± he told her, ignoring her statement. ¡°Almost getting yourself blown to pieces, watching your father shot right in front of you, and now this. Such a pity.¡±


    Fernandez shook his head in disappointment while Parker calculated how many more turns would pull the hook from the beam so she could reach down for her revolver and shoot him between the eyes.


    ¡°Well then, since you¡¯re the one who¡¯s caused all of this trouble for me, it¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m going to end your pathetic, miserable life, you pompous asshole,¡± Parker seethed.


    Fernandez stood up straighter and stared her down, all previous signs of mirth wiped from his face.


    ¡°You have a mouth on you, Miss Parker. A lady shouldn¡¯t behave the way you do,¡± he replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing for me I¡¯m not a lady,¡± Parker said with a smile as she kicked her foot out in front of her, slamming it right between Fernandez¡¯s legs.


    As he dropped to his knees with a whimper and his hands clasped to the family jewels, Parker jumped down from the stool and kicked it across the room. She twisted around and around, as fast as she could, pulling against the cuffs and ignoring the slices she was making against her wrists and the blood that started trickling down her arms. In just a few seconds she felt the give from the hook and with one more twist, she stumbled backwards as it popped out of the wood.


    She whipped around, all set to kick Fernandez again just for good measure when she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.


    ¡°Seriously, Park, you''ve got to stop beating people up,¡± Milo told her with a laugh, his face full of surprise and mirth.


    Her head protested in pain when she looked him in the eyes and all of her memories came flooding back in a rush of clarity.


    Milo in denial that she didn¡¯t want to be with him.


    Milo pacing back and forth in agitation when she told him she¡¯d never loved him.


    Milo¡¯s hand, clenching a hypodermic needle rushing towards her neck.


    ¡°You lying piece of shit,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    She had a feeling the things he told them earlier were all fabrications, but she hadn¡¯t been absolutely positive until now.


    A few of Fernandez¡¯s guards had entered the room with Milo and helped Fernandez get up from the floor.


    ¡°Now, now, my dear, let¡¯s not cast stones,¡± Fernandez said as he brushed off the front of his pants calmly and moved to stand next to Milo. ¡°After all, someone in the CIA has most likely done her own share of lying, has she not?¡±


    The two guards moved behind Parker. One of them grabbed her elbow and wrenched it back so tightly she couldn¡¯t move while the other pointed his gun towards her kneecaps, just in case she had any more bright ideas of putting her foot between someone else¡¯s legs.


    ¡°The difference is that my lying was to protect the people I loved, not to deceive an entire country and hurt innocent girls.¡±

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    Milo pressed his gun against her temple and pushed against the soft skin until Parker was sure there would be an indent.Advertisement


    ¡°Those girls were far from innocent. They were whores. No one wanted them. No one cared about them. Their own father¡¯s couldn¡¯t stand them. Kind of like you,¡± Milo said with a sneer.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Parker snarled.


    Milo frowned and Fernandez looked at him expectantly. After several moments of silence, Fernandez spoke.


    ¡°Put her in her place, son.¡±


    Milo moved so quickly all Parker saw was a blur of color as he pistol whipped her across the cheek with the hand that held the gun.


    Her head snapped to the side with the force of the blow and she squeezed her eyes shut to ward off the pain. Parker leaned over as far as the goon holding her arms would allow and spit a mouthful of blood onto the floor by Milo¡¯s feet.


    Hands grabbed a clump of hair from the back of her head and yanked her face up until she was staring into Fernandez¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I allowed you to live as long as you have because I thought that one day you might prove to be useful to me. With your checkered past, deadbeat father, and CIA background, I thought recruiting you would be easy. How perfect would it be for me to have not one but two U.S. government employees at my disposal? However, you my dear have proved to be nothing but a thorn in my side. At least my son is proving to be somewhat useful, which is why I went along with his ludicrous plan to keep you for himself. His ridiculous jealousy of Mr. McCarthy has caused him to become quite sloppy as of late. And I just can¡¯t have that, Miss Parker. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡±


    Parker¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked back and forth between Milo and Fernandez in confusion, picking apart everything he¡¯d just told her and noting that two times in a matter of seconds he had referred to Milo as his son. As she studied the two men, realization dawning on her as she saw the similarities: the same deep brown eyes; the same long, dark lashes; the same olive skin tone; brown hair highlighted by the sun, and the same dimple on their left cheek. Milo¡¯s looks had changed considerably in the year since she last saw him. His hair had never been this light, his skin never this dark. The Dominican sun had brought out every single similarity between the two men, making it glaringly obvious who they were to each other.


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that sweet? You didn¡¯t know, did you?¡± Fernandez asked Parker with a sick smile on his face when he noticed her confusion. He threw his head back and let out a booming, obnoxious laugh. ¡°The big, bad CIA agent doesn¡¯t know everything. Isn¡¯t that amusing?¡±


    While Fernandez laughed at her obvious naivety, Parker wondered how in the hell she could have missed something so vital. She had no idea how, in all of their research, they never uncovered information this big. How could no one in the CIA, FBI, or SEALS know Milo was the son of one of the biggest criminals in the world?


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame you had to tell my son that you never really loved him. He had grand disillusions that you would follow him anywhere and do anything for him, even when I showed him physical proof that you preferred to spread your legs for another man in uniform.¡±


    Parker¡¯s stomach rolled with every word that Fernandez spoke. Garrett and Parker had known they were being recorded the entire time they were at the palace, but the moment got away from them and the chaos that ensued when they got back to the resort gave her little time to dwell on that fact. Hearing that Fernandez, Milo, and God knows who else had listened to every intimate moment between the two of them disgusted her.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to check on the status of, shall we say, a disposal. My son was distracted earlier, and it seems he¡¯s not as good of a shot as I thought,¡± Fernandez stated as he turned and left the room. The guard who held a gun pointed at her head followed closely behind him.


    Parker¡¯s head whipped in Milo¡¯s direction, and she stared at him with anger and revulsion.


    ¡°You shot my father?¡±


    Milo shrugged like it was no big deal.


    ¡°I knew he was there to tell you about me. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. Not before I had a chance to explain and make you see how much better it would be if you came with me. But you opened the door, and I saw Garrett in there with you and it made me so angry!¡± he shouted. ¡°I lost focus. I fired too soon. I just want to make my father proud but because of you, everything keeps getting fucked up.¡±


    Milo turned and started to walk away while Parker began struggling against the guard who held her arms.


    ¡°You son of a bitch! After everything I did for you, everything I gave you, why are you doing this? You were my friend!¡± Parker screamed to Milo¡¯s back as he paused with his hand on the doorknob.


    ¡°You ruined everything, Parker,¡± Milo stated calmly. ¡°You had to stick your nose where it didn¡¯t belong. I was just supposed to keep an eye on you. Make sure you didn¡¯t get too close to what was going on here. He told me it would be the most important job I would ever do for him. I made Garrett go to that coffee shop off of campus that day even though he said it was too far away. But you were going to be there, and I had to make contact. You just had to like him more than me, didn¡¯t you? I always knew you did, and it made me hate you. The only good thing was I finally had something Garrett McCarthy couldn¡¯t have. And pretty soon, I¡¯ll get to have one more thing he can never have.¡±


    Parker wouldn¡¯t cry. Not now, not in front of him. Even though she¡¯d never loved him like she did Garrett, it was still real to her. Every moment, every memory, it was genuine and it meant something to her. She had been nothing more than a job to him.


    And a way to make Garrett jealous.


    Milo turned around to face her. ¡°Go on. Ask me what I¡¯ll have that Garrett won¡¯t.¡±


    Parker refused to look at him or ask his absurd question. She wouldn¡¯t play his game anymore. She suddenly realized just how alike Milo and Fernandez were. They were both sick, sadistic bastards.


    ¡°Fine. You always were a stubborn bitch. I guess I¡¯ll just tell you,¡± Milo said as he walked back across the room to her. The guard tightened his grip on her when Milo got to her and pressed his body up against hers. She craned her neck as far away from him as she could and cringed in revulsion when he wrapped one of his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter against him. She could feel his breath against her neck as he took the gun that was still in his hand and trailed the barrel down the side of her face until it was under her chin. Milo roughly pressed the gun upward and forced her face to turn toward his.


    He looked back and forth between her eyes as Parker gritted her teeth.


    ¡°The one thing I¡¯ll have that he won¡¯t,¡± Milo said softly, leaning forward to press his lips against one of her cheeks and then pulling back to look at her again, ¡°the one thing I¡¯ll take from him,¡± he said, pressing his lips to her other cheek before sliding them across her skin until they were brushing her ear, ¡°is his poor, sad, beating heart.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Garrett yelled as he tried for the fifth time to get a hold of someone from his team. Marshall, Vargas, Conrad ¨C none of them were answering his calls. He¡¯d left Margarita-Michelle-whoever she was in his room with strict orders not to leave. If what she¡¯d told him was true, and he was betting his life it was, then she was in just as much danger, if not more, than any of them. Fernandez wouldn¡¯t take too kindly to having his wife betray him.


    His calls to Parker had gone straight to voicemail, and even though he knew Parker could take care of herself, the fact that she wasn¡¯t answering and he had searched the entire resort and hadn¡¯t found her made his blood run cold. As he knocked on doors and asked if anyone had seen Parker or Milo, his anger grew in leaps and bounds. He knew just because Milo was Fernandez¡¯s son didn¡¯t necessarily mean what he¡¯d told them earlier was a lie, but something in his gut told him Milo wasn¡¯t at all what he seemed. He never would have just trusted Milo blindly like Parker had. She should have known better. And now she¡¯d gone off with him to God knew where and wasn¡¯t answering her phone, and he had no way to tell her what he¡¯d learned. Maybe if she knew Fernandez was Milo¡¯s father, she¡¯d realize just how stupid it was to trust anything he said.


    As Garrett headed towards the lobby to question people there, his phone rang. He glanced at caller ID and saw it was his boss.


    ¡°Tell me you¡¯ve heard from someone on my team within the last hour,¡± Garrett answered, skipping over a greeting and getting right to the point.


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s why I was calling you,¡± Captain Risner replied. ¡°I¡¯ve tried calling everyone and no one has answered. What the fuck is going on there? Did SEAL team four arrive?¡±


    Garrett got to the lobby and stalked across the floor to the front desk, glancing around to make sure one of the guys wasn''t there.


    ¡°According to Brady, they landed fine a few hours ago; he briefed them on the situation and put them in place surrounding the perimeter of the resort,¡± Garrett told him.


    He spent the next few minutes explaining as quickly as he could about Milo showing up and feeding them some bullshit story about being a double agent.


    ¡°Parker decided to believe every fucking word that came out of Milo¡¯s mouth and is probably at the moment, letting him fuck everything up,¡± Garrett said with a growl as he got to the front desk and rang the bell for assistance.


    ¡°Whoa, hold on a minute. What do you mean Agent Parker believed what he said? She sent me a text asking me to find out as much as I could about the possibility that Milo was a double agent. Her message said, and I quote, ''I don¡¯t believe a word that comes out of this asshole¡¯s mouth. I need proof.'' She said she would go along with him just to keep him occupied while I looked into it. I¡¯ve been trying to call her and let her know I couldn¡¯t find anything to support what Milo told her, but she¡¯s not answering her phone either.¡± Risner explained.


    Garrett shook his head in an effort to clear his thoughts.


    ¡°Wait, Parker sent you a text? When, just now?¡±


    Garrett wondered if Parker had finally come to her senses after an hour with Milo. It pissed him off again to think that it had taken her so long.


    ¡°No, the first text I got from her was at twenty-two-forty-five,¡± Risner replied.


    Garrett glanced at his watch. That would have been at ten-forty-five. He would have still been standing there with Parker and Milo when she sent that text. She hadn¡¯t trusted Milo. Not one bit. And he¡¯d overreacted and acted like a complete jealous ass and walked away from her.


    ¡°Shit! Mother fuck!¡± Garrett cursed into the phone as he ran his hand down his face.


    ¡°Tell me what you need,¡± Risner told him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t fucking know!¡± Garrett muttered angrily. ¡°Get somebody over to Hospiten Santo Domingo ASAP. I want Joe Parker under twenty-four-hour surveillance. No one gets into his room without my approval. I think he came here to warn us about Milo and someone knew it. They aren¡¯t going to stop until he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Done. What else?¡± Risner asked.


    ¡°I need to find Brady. He¡¯ll be able to put a trace on Parker¡¯s phone. In the meantime, try to get a hold of Parker¡¯s boss, Agent Richmond. She¡¯s been trying to reach him all day and he hasn¡¯t been returning her calls.¡±


    There was too much silence on the other end of the line for Garrett¡¯s liking.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Do you know something about Richmond?¡± Garrett asked.


    Captain Risner cleared his throat before answering.


    ¡°Agent Brad Richmond was found this morning by a friend in his apartment. His throat was slashed.¡±


    Garrett sagged against the counter.


    ¡°Jesus Christ. Parker told him everything. He knew all about the things we¡¯d uncovered and what we¡¯d learned. Her dad knew everything too. He must have and that¡¯s why they took a shot at him. Fuck! They¡¯re going to take out everyone who knows about them,¡± Garrett surmised.


    ¡°I already have someone en route to the hospital and they¡¯ve made contact with security there. Mr. Parker is already being heavily guarded by the CIA, so that¡¯s one less person to worry about,¡± Risner told him. Garrett could hear the rapid clacking of his fingers on the computer through the phone. He tried to block out the guilt he felt knowing he had let Parker down. She¡¯d trusted him, loved him, given everything to him, and he¡¯d turned right around and threw it back in her face. For one moment, he actually believed she would go back to Milo. He¡¯d forgotten everything between them and let his mistrust of Milo trickle over onto her. Just like everyone else in her life, he¡¯d let her down. She¡¯d never forgive him for this. And he didn¡¯t blame her one bit.


    ¡°McCarthy!¡±


    He turned in the direction of his name being shouted and some of the worry seeped out of him.


    Garrett ended the call with his captain, making him promise he¡¯d stay in his office on base where he was surrounded by guard towers and electric wire fences.


    ¡°Brady, Jesus fucking Christ! Where the hell is everyone?¡± Garrett asked as he moved across the lobby and met Brady in the middle.


    ¡°I was keeping an eye on Parker and Milo like you asked. I got a call from Austin saying there was a breach in security and he couldn¡¯t get a hold of anyone else. He needed my help subduing someone behind one of the villas. When I got to him, he was unconscious. Gunshot wound to the right shoulder,¡± Brady explained quickly.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Garrett muttered, looking at the front of Brady¡¯s shirt for the first time and noticing the splatters of blood.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be okay,¡± Brady told him. ¡°The bullet went through and through and didn¡¯t hit anything major. When he finally came to he was cursing a blue streak and wanted to put a Band-Aid on it and go find the fuckers responsible. Cole found me a few minutes later when I was calling for an ambulance. Actually, he stumbled to me. He had a nasty gash on his head and a knife wound to his torso,¡± Brady explained.

 Page 43

    ¡°What the fuck is happening?¡± Garrett asked, his eyes widening in horror.Advertisement


    ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Brady told him softly. ¡°SEAL team four¡­¡±


    Brady trailed off, unable to voice the words that tightened his throat and made him clench his teeth. Garrett closed his eyes and turned his face to the sky. He breathed deeply a few times before looking back at Brady.


    ¡°How many?¡± Garrett asked with trepidation in his voice.


    ¡°All of them. Dragon, King, and Maxwell. I went on a few training ops with them over the years. They were good men. Strong men. The best of the best,¡± Brady told him sadly, shoving his hands in his pockets and bowing his head.


    ¡°Tell me how in the fuck they are taking out trained Navy SEALS?¡± Garrett pleaded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I honestly don¡¯t know. They fight dirty. And they have a very big secret that needs to be kept. They know Fernandez will make their lives a living hell if they fail to do what he orders,¡± Brady said. ¡°They know that everyone in their lives will be dead if they don¡¯t keep his secrets. That¡¯s a lot of motivation.¡±


    ¡°We need to find Parker before Milo gets her anywhere near Fernandez,¡± Garrett said.


    ¡°Agreed. I¡¯ll access the locator chip on her phone. Assuming that she still has it on her, I should be able to find where she is in a matter of minutes.¡±


    Brady pulled out his cell phone and opened up the application linked him to Parker¡¯s phone.


    A resort employee walked up to the desk, finally responding to the bell Garrett had rung minutes ago.


    Garrett prayed Milo still had a little bit of good left in him, and he wasn¡¯t following in his father¡¯s footsteps. If he¡¯d turned into the same type of monster whose blood ran through his veins, Garrett didn¡¯t even want to think about what that would mean for Parker¡¯s safety.


    He showed the employee a picture of Parker and asked if he¡¯d seen her within the last hour. The man smiled as he recalled how her ¡°husband¡± had carried her out front to a waiting car because she¡¯d had too much to drink. He never noticed what direction the vehicle went. He¡¯d seen plenty of unconscious people needing to be carried out by a loved one over the years. He never paid much attention to where they were going or what they were doing.


    What little hope Garrett may have had about there being any good left in Milo vanished in the blink of an eye. He¡¯d taken Parker out of the resort, unconscious.


    All pretenses and fake background stories were finished. At this point, there was no need to keep up with the lies; Fernandez and his people knew everything about them. Garrett whipped out his military ID and told the resort employee to take him to the security office where the surveillance tapes were stored. They pulled up the video from the past hour and Garrett searched frame by frame until he found what he needed.


    The camera angle was from across the courtyard of his and Parker¡¯s villa, and it looked to be shot from high up in a palm tree, but he could tell immediately that he¡¯d found what he was looking for.


    Garrett watched in silent, black and white clarity as he walked away from Parker an hour ago. He watched her stare after him with a look of complete devastation on her face. He watched as Milo came up behind her and made to put his arms around her. He saw Parker move away from him and begin talking. Garrett had no idea what Parker was saying, but he could tell that whatever it was agitated Milo. He watched Milo get in her face and could tell he was yelling at her. Parker¡¯s back was to the camera. Garrett would give anything for her to turn around. He needed to see her face. He watched as Milo spoke to her, stalking towards her as she walked backwards, until her back was up against a tree. The top halves of both of their bodies were now partially behind the palm leaves.


    Garrett¡¯s hands clenched into fists and his heart rate accelerated.


    Through the leaves, he saw Milo¡¯s arm swing up and hold something against Parker¡¯s neck until her knees give out.


    Garrett¡¯s fist connected with the wall next to him, his hand easily breaking through the drywall. Brady ran into the office just as Garrett swept everything within reach off of the table, sending it crashing to the floor.


    ¡°McCarthy! Calm down man,¡± Brady shouted as he ran into the office after hearing the commotion. His words were ignored as Garrett lashed out at the wall on the other side of the table, leaving another fist-sized hole in that one as well.


    Brady hurried up behind him and wrapped his arms around Garrett, holding his back against his chest until Garrett stopped fighting him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I found her. I found Parker,¡± Brady told him.


    Brady felt the anger drain from Garrett as he unclenched his fists and his shoulders relaxed, and he finally felt confident that he could let him go. As soon as he let him go, Garrett turned to face him.


    ¡°What the hell are we waiting for then? Let¡¯s go get her,¡± Garrett said as he started backing towards the door.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Brady told him.


    ¡°What the fuck 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 fuck 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 pr¨®digo 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.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a lesson for you, asshole. Don¡¯t fuck with me,¡± Parker muttered into the quiet room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a dumbass, McCarthy. You can¡¯t do this by yourself,¡± Brady argued as they walked into the room Garrett and Parker shared.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any other options. I am not waiting another minute to get her the hell out of there,¡± Garrett replied as he stalked over to the nightstand, pulling out his Beretta Jetfire backup weapon and his Navy SEAL issued MK3 MOD knife. He lifted his foot and rested it on the edge of the bed, placing the gun safely into his leg holster and tucking the knife into his boot.


    ¡°This is suicide, McCarthy, plain and simple. Fernandez gets one look at you, he¡¯s going to shoot first and ask questions later,¡± Brady stated.


    Garrett smoothed his pant leg down over the weapons, put his foot back on the floor, and turned to face Brady.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need you to stay here, get me some back-up, and make sure that doesn¡¯t happen. The longer I wait to get over there and get to her¡­¡± Garrett stopped, placing his hand over his mouth to keep from doing something stupid like breaking down.


    In the middle of their argument, they hadn¡¯t noticed the door to the bathroom opening or Margarita coming out of it.


    ¡°I want to help,¡± she stated calmly.


    Both men turned to stare at her.


    ¡°Out of the question,¡± Brady replied as Garrett dismissed her and turned back to face him.


    ¡°Just figure out a way to get me into the¨D¡±


    ¡°STOP!¡± Margarita yelled, throwing her hands in the air and interrupting Garrett. ¡°This is my fault. I should have done something before now. I shouldn¡¯t have been such a coward. I need this chance to make things right. Please, let me fix this.¡±


    Brady glanced over at Garrett to see what his decision would be, and Garrett stared in contemplation at Margarita.


    ¡°Not that I¡¯m agreeing to this, but what exactly do you propose?¡± Garrett asked.


    Margarita took a deep breath and walked closer to the two men.


    ¡°Emilio is expecting me back any moment. The only vehicle that will be permitted into the palace is mine, especially now that they have your Parker. They won¡¯t take any chances,¡± she told Garrett, before turning to face Brady. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you have access to some kind of recording device, correct?¡±


    Brady nodded in response before muttering a curse and rushing over to Garrett¡¯s laptop that sat open on the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Garrett asked as Brady continued cursing under his breath, tapping rapidly on the keys.


    ¡°Give me a second,¡± Brady replied distractedly as he typed in passwords, opened several different programs, and entered the appropriate parameters.


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Brady finally said in astonishment.


    Garrett came up behind him and looked over his shoulder.


    ¡°Is that the bug Parker was wearing earlier when we were waiting for our mystery guest to arrive?¡± Garrett asked in shock. He ripped his off at the hospital and threw it in the trash, assuming Parker had done the same thing.


    As he stood there staring at the screen, he almost couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. A small, black box stood out in the center of the page, the audio graph filling the box with white lines and jagged strokes to indicate speech patterns. The word ¡°recording¡± blinked in the upper right-hand corner, right next to the word ¡°Parker¡±.

 Page 44

    Garrett lunged for the button on the keyboard that would turn on the sound. Parker¡¯s voice was right there, within his reach. There was nothing stopping him from being able to hear her.Advertisement


    Except for Brady.


    His hand shot out and latched onto Garrett¡¯s before he could press the speaker button.


    ¡°What the fuck, Marshall? Let go!¡± Garrett shouted as he struggled against Brady¡¯s grip.


    ¡°I think you need to let me listen to this first and see what¡¯s going on,¡± Brady told him calmly as he held onto Garrett¡¯s wrist.


    ¡®Fuck you!¡± Garrett yelled irrationally, yanking his arm out of Brady¡¯s clutch. ¡°She¡¯s right there! Parker is there on the other end of that God damn computer. Let me hear her!¡±


    Brady sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°And what if it¡¯s not her? What if that thing is just picking up dead air or it got ripped off of her at some point and thrown out the window and it¡¯s recording traffic driving by? Or what if it is her and you hear things that you don¡¯t want to? What are you going to do then, Garrett? Fly over to the palace alone in a rage and get yourself killed? Be smart about this.¡±


    Garrett got into Brady¡¯s face, keeping his hands down at his sides so he wouldn¡¯t punch him. Brady was his friend, his teammate, and one of the few people in the world he would trust his life with. But right then, he was crossing the line.


    ¡°What do you think is going to happen if you listen to that recording first and find out one of those things is true? You still have to tell me. I still have to know. Do you think the fact that you breaking the news to me is going to make it better? Make it easier? Do you think that if I don¡¯t hear her voice, hear what she¡¯s going through, that I¡¯m not going to imagine something a thousand times worse happening to her in my head? I¡¯m already in a rage, Brady. I already want to kill every fucking piece of shit that has come anywhere near her. Regardless of whether or not I hear it for myself, or you tell me, my life means nothing if she¡¯s gone. So get the fuck out of my way.¡±


    The two men stood toe-to-toe, staring each other down for several seconds. Brady knew there was nothing he could do to shield Garrett from whatever he would hear. The man was stubborn as a mule and would do whatever he wanted. Brady stepped aside, tapping the ¡°play¡± button as he went.


    There were no sounds at first. Garrett held his breath and prayed for some sign that Parker was okay. After a few seconds he had to strain his ears, but he could finally hear something - rustling, something that sounded like cloth being ripped and heavy breathing. Soon after, voices followed, echoing through the computer¡¯s speakers.


    ¡°El hijo pr¨®digo is a lucky man to have tasted your flesh. I think I will enjoy the sounds of your screams.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s heart stopped at the sound of a man¡¯s voice so close to the microphone, which meant he was close to Parker. There were some more sounds of shuffling and then he finally heard what he¡¯d been waiting for. It was mumbled and completely unintelligible, but he''d know Parker¡¯s voice anywhere.


    ¡°Did you say something, quierda?¡±


    Nothing could be heard but the sound of what he assumed was Parker, taking slow, deep breaths. Then suddenly, without warning, a loud cracking sound burst through the speakers, followed immediately but a heavy thump.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a lesson for you, asshole. Don¡¯t fuck with me.¡±


    Garrett let out the breath he¡¯d been holding with a small chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±


    He turned around to face Margarita.


    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Parker¡¯s legs had given out not long after the guard had his nose shoved up into his brain courtesy of her CIA training. She slid down the wooden beam, ignoring the splinters that bit into her arms as she moved and sunk to the floor. She lost track of time as she faded in and out of sleep, jerking awake each time her head dropped down and her chin bumped into her chest. The chaos of the last twenty-four hours, the fear, the adrenalin, the shock¡­it all came crashing down around her, and she had to fight to stay alert. It was a losing battle she finally gave up on, letting sleep consume her until the pounding of footsteps on the stairs woke her some time later.


    Parker quickly struggled to get back on her feet, feeling too vulnerable sitting on the floor where she¡¯d have to look up at everyone who entered the room. Her exhaustion, the numbness in her arms from being cuffed together behind the beam, and the awkward way her legs were tied together at the knees made it impossible for her to get any kind of leverage to stand. She huffed angrily in irritation and let her head thump back against the wood as the door to the basement opened.


    Fernandez and Milo walked into the room followed closely behind by two guards and what looked like another person sandwiched between all of them. From Parker¡¯s position, she could only see an extra set of legs.


    The group stopped short when they got into the room and took in the scene before them.


    ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± Milo yelled as he stared down in disgust at the passed out guard with dried blood caked all over his face and shirt.


    Fernandez simply shook his head in annoyance, motioning with his hands for one of the guards to remove the offending sight from the floor. When the man stepped out from behind Milo, Parker was finally able to catch a glimpse of who was behind them.


    Garrett didn¡¯t bother to struggle against the man who held his arms securely behind his back. Having a small army of guards with automatic weapons aimed at his head made him think twice about doing anything stupid.


    He knew the plan of smuggling himself into the palace by way of Margarita¡¯s trunk wasn¡¯t foolproof. He had no elaborate strategy in mind about staying hidden until Brady was able to send help and jumping out at the last minute and saving the day. Garrett simply wanted to get into the palace without any fuss; he wanted to get one step closer to Parker.


    Mission accomplished.


    As soon as Margarita had driven through the palace gates, the car was searched, the trunk was popped, and Garrett was dragged out by his shirt, punched in the face a few times for good measure, relieved of his gun that he¡¯d hidden in his ankle holster, and then hauled into one of the palace sitting rooms where he now stood, awaiting his fate. Margarita played her part well, the shock at having an extra passenger in her car clearly evident as she ranted and raved to the guards about her lack of personal safety.


    Fernandez and the man he used to call a best friend stood from their respective chairs when he was brought before them. Every guard in the place raised their weapons as soon as they saw the whites of his eyes.


    ¡°Carlos, have my wife meet us downstairs in the holding room,¡± Fernandez said to one of the gun-toting men in the corner before he finally turned to face Garrett.


    ¡°Lieutenant McCarthy, so glad you could join us,¡± Fernandez said with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s entirely my pleasure,¡± Garrett replied with sarcastic cheerfulness. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to miss out on a chance to congratulate you on your bouncing baby boy.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s eyes trailed over to Milo who stood tall with an arrogant smile on his face next to his father.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure on the protocol over here, though, is it customary to celebrate bastards?¡±


    Garrett¡¯s comment hit the mark just like he knew it would. The smile was wiped from Milo¡¯s face, and he stalked right up to Garrett and threw a punch at his jaw.


    His head flew to the side with the force of the blow. Garrett let out a chuckle and turned his head back to face Milo, licking the blood off of the cut that now adorned his bottom lip.


    ¡°You been slacking in the weight room lately, Nancy?¡± Garrett asked Milo with a mocking smile.


    Milo growled and made a lunge for Garrett when Fernandez nodded to one of the guards. The man quickly put his arm up to restrain Milo.


    ¡°In due time, son. Just be patient. The man was obviously foolish enough to try and bring a gun into my house. He won¡¯t last long,¡± Fernandez told him.


    While Milo stood across from Garrett spitting fire, Fernandez calmly walked over.


    ¡°I think we can do away with the pretenses and all of this nonsense talk, don¡¯t you? How about we head downstairs so you can be reunited with Miss Parker. I do believe Diego is finished with her.¡±


    If Garrett hadn¡¯t already heard Diego¡¯s fate with his own ears, the disgusting smile on Fernandez¡¯s face at that moment would have sent him into a blind rage. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself and allowed Fernandez¡¯s goons to drag him across the room. Fernandez and Milo led the way through the ground floor of the palace, down several hallways, until they came to a door that led to a basement. Once they got to the bottom of the stairs, they walked down another hallway until they came to a second door. It was unlocked and the small group entered the room, coming to an abrupt halt as soon as they got inside.


    Milo let out a curse and one of the guards next to Garrett moved. He tilted his head to the side and the sight before him took his breath away.


    Parker. His beautiful, strong Parker, tied up on the floor of the room. His whole body tensed in anger seeing her bruised and battered face, the blood that splattered her clothing, and the shirt she wore which was torn down the middle, exposing her smooth skin that was dotted with more blood. He watched her eyes widen in shock when she realized he was there. Just as quickly, fear and anguish took over her features and she had to look away from him.


    Parker had never known as much dread as she did right at that moment. Seeing Garrett, knowing he had come for her, should have given her hope. All it did was make her realize they were both going to die in this room. When she only had herself to worry about, it was easy. She could handle it with strength and determination. Having the man she loved but couldn''t do anything to save in the same situation as her took all of the fight she had left out of her.


    Parker watched with detachment as one of the guards grabbed Diego¡¯s arms and dragged his unconscious body from the room. Garrett willed her to look at him again, to look at his face so he could tell her with his eyes and his heart that he would get her out of there if it was the last thing he did. He didn¡¯t like the resignation he saw on her face when she realized he was there; he hated the way her body seemed to deflate right before him, her strength seeping out of her like the air from a balloon.


    ¡°Must you leave so much destruction in your wake?¡± Fernandez asked Parker with a frustrated huff.


    Parker angled her head up to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Just following your lead, asshole,¡± she replied with a deadpan expression on her face.


    Milo stepped forward and his foot connected with Parker¡¯s stomach. She let out a yelp and bent forward as much as the bindings would allow, squeezing her eyes shut to stave off the pain.


    Garrett saw red and shouted every obscenity he could think of and struggled like a wild animal against the guards who held him secure before Milo had even pulled his foot away from Parker¡¯s midsection.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking touch her, you piece of shit!¡±


    Fernandez pulled a gun out of the waistband of the guard who stood next to him and calmly walked over to Parker as she struggled to breathe. The kick to her stomach had knocked the wind out of her, and she grew lightheaded as she sucked in quick, shallow breaths.


    Fernandez pushed the barrel of the pistol against her skull and turned to stare at Garrett.


    ¡°Keep it up, Lieutenant McCarthy, and her brains will be painting the walls of this room,¡± he stated matter-of-factly.


    The fight immediately left Garrett and fear for Parker¡¯s safety replaced his anger.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Fernandez said as he pulled the gun away from Parker¡¯s head. Just then, Margarita stumbled into the room thanks to a shove from the guard who brought her down the stairs.


    ¡°Ah, Margarita. You have returned from your errand in town,¡± Fernandez said as he walked up to his wife.


    To Margarita¡¯s credit, she didn¡¯t flinch or back away. She held her head high as the man she loathed stood in front of her. She knew there could only be one outcome to this situation. She knew it the moment she came out of the bathroom back at the resort. She recognized it as she helped Garrett into the trunk of her car and drove through the palace gates. She knew there was only one way she would be free of the horrors this life had brought to her. And she intended to leave it with dignity.


    ¡°You have nothing to say? No excuses or remorse for bringing the enemy into my home? After everything I¡¯ve given you, everything I¡¯ve done, this is how you repay me? With betrayal?¡± Fernandez asked.


    ¡°You and I both know where the fault of betrayal lies. If I have let anyone down, it was myself and my son.¡±


    Margarita cast a heartbreaking look at Milo.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for ever leaving you, my son. I should have stayed. I should have protected you. I never should have let this poison into your life. I hope you know that with every breath I took, I loved you. I only wanted what was best for you. I hope you can forgive me for ever¨D¡±


    The blast from a gun cut off Margarita¡¯s heartfelt speech and a hole blossomed in the middle of her forehead, right between her eyes, before her lifeless body crumbled to the ground.


    No one moved as the echoing explosion from the gun bounced off of the walls and rang in everyone¡¯s ears in the small room. Parker stared in horror at the body that laid on the floor a few feet in front of her, barely able to comprehend what just happened and the fact that the woman dead on the floor had been Milo¡¯s mother.


    ¡°I knew that woman would be more trouble than she was worth,¡± Fernandez complained as he lowered his weapon and handed it back to the guard he¡¯d taken it from a few moments before. He wiped the palms of his hands on the front of his shirt like he just got dirt on them instead of taking the life of the mother of his child, the woman he brought to this country and promised to love and protect.

 Page 45

    Milo said nothing. He stood where he was and stared down at his mother with his head cocked to the side like he was trying to figure her out, trying to decide if the things she¡¯d said were real or just a way to ease her guilty conscience for ruining his life. She tried so hard the past few years to make him believe that his father was a bad man. She tried to convince him that he should leave the Dominican and never look back. He knew she was just jealous, jealous of the connection he had with his father that she would never have. She let him down when he was a child, abandoned him and never looked back. Never once did she check to make certain he was safe, that he was taken care of. His father at least kept an eye on him. Sure, he allowed Milo to be kicked around by a step-father who hated him, but he did it to make sure Milo would turn into a strong man. He used his contacts to make sure he was accepted into the military, to make sure he was offered a role as a Navy SEAL so one day he could join his organization and stand at his right hand. His father loved him. His mother left him.Advertisement


    ¡°Well, now that one problem is out of the way, how about we move on to the next one?¡± Fernandez asked the guard by the door. The man pulled a phone out of his pocket and made a call. Several minutes later, a button was pressed and the call was placed on speaker phone for all to hear.


    ¡°Juan, are things secured?¡± Fernandez spoke loudly so the man on the phone could hear him.


    ¡°Si, Mr. Presidente,¡± the voice replied over the line.


    ¡°How about you put our friend on the phone?¡± Fernandez asked with a smile as he looked down at Parker.


    The sounds of shuffling and a faint moan came from the speaker before a weak, raspy voice came on the line and wheezed a demand.


    ¡°What the hell do you want, Fernandez?¡±


    Garrett watched the color drain from Parker¡¯s face and wished, more than anything that he could go to her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and tell her not to worry, tell her not to lose hope no matter what she saw or what she heard. He wanted to take away all the fear and anguish he could feel radiating from her from across the room. He never wanted to hear the terror in her voice when she choked out that one word into the room just loud enough for the speaker phone to pick up.


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    Chapter Twenty-Four


    Parker knew her father¡¯s voice as soon as the first word left his mouth and traveled through the speaker. Even though they¡¯d only spoken to each other for all of five minutes in the past twelve years, she''d know her father¡¯s voice anywhere, even when it was raspy from having tubes down his throat and sluggish from pain medication. And yet she still felt the need to voice her question out loud just to make sure what she was hearing was real, to make sure her mind wasn¡¯t playing tricks on her. She should have known by the smirk on Fernandez¡¯s face that this was no trick.


    ¡°Annabelle? Sweetie, what¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡±


    Fernandez clapped his hands together in glee before Parker could answer her father.


    ¡°Oh isn¡¯t this family reunion just lovely?¡± he exclaimed with a smile. ¡°I do enjoy a happy ending. You should thank Milo for this moment. He lost his concentration and the bullet that was supposed to go through your father¡¯s head only went through his back.¡±


    Parker¡¯s eyes darted to Milo¡¯s, and he actually had the decency to look embarrassed. Unfortunately his shame had nothing to do with the fact that he¡¯d tried to kill Joe and everything to do with disappointing his father.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I promise I won¡¯t let you down again,¡± Milo assured him.


    Parker had never felt white hot rage before as she had when she stared at Milo. This person she¡¯d let into her life and into her heart was a monster, a cold-hearted, vile man just like his father. Whatever small inkling of hope she still harbored that maybe there was still some good in him disappeared in an instant. He deserved whatever he got.


    Parker wanted to scream and wrench against the bindings that held her in place so she could kill Milo with her bare hands, but she knew that wouldn''t get her anywhere. As much satisfaction as it would bring her to end his sad, miserable life, it wouldn¡¯t fix anything. It wouldn¡¯t get them out of this basement alive, and it most certainly wouldn¡¯t ensure that Fernandez went down for his crimes. As much as it killed her to do so, she had to remain calm. She had to let this play out.


    ¡°Juan, would you be so kind as to give us a status update on our friend?¡± Fernandez spoke in the general direction of the cell phone his guard held out towards him.


    ¡°I was able to persuade the nurse we spoke of to call a code blue on Agent Parker here. She was reluctant until I reminded her that her niece was still in our employ and could easily be terminated from her work with us. She was all too happy at that point to do as I asked. The code blue was called when a majority of the staff was in a meeting so my men only had to take out one other nurse and an intern. I borrowed the intern¡¯s hospital scrubs and identification and the nurse informed the CIA and Navy guards sent to keep an eye on Agent Parker that they couldn¡¯t enter the room during an emergency. I entered the room while she stood just outside the door with the men, and after several moments, informed everyone I was unable to revive Agent Parker. The guards are now scrambling around downstairs trying to figure out what should be done now that their assignment is deceased. A healthy dose of Ritalin into Agent Parker¡¯s IV perked him right up after being under heavy sedation for so many hours.¡±


    Garrett and Parker both listened to the explanation of how anyone could have possibly got anywhere near Joe with equal parts shock and anger. He was supposed to be safe in the hospital. It should have been the one place where Fernandez¡¯s far-reaching arms couldn¡¯t penetrate. They had been fools to underestimate him in any way.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Fernandez replied. ¡°I assume we will only have a few moments before someone realizes they need to see the body for verification purposes, so we¡¯ll make this quick.¡±


    Fernandez turned to face the guard who held Garrett¡¯s arms behind his back.


    ¡°Let Lieutenant McCarthy go.¡±


    It was obvious the guards and Milo were unaware of whatever Fernandez had planned at this point. They all looked at him and then each other in confusion.


    ¡°Sir?¡± the guard beside him spoke softly. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s wise?¡±


    The man who held onto Garrett squeezed his arms behind him tighter, and Garrett winced at the extra force the man used in his uncertainty about what was going on.


    Fernandez motioned to the man holding Garrett. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is in your best interest to question me,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Let him go, Alejandro. I believe the lieutenant would feel better if he could ensure his lover is well, aside from the obvious damage that has been done to her pretty face. I fear I will not have his full attention until this has been accomplished.¡±


    The guard only hesitated for a moment before he reached down and sliced through the rope that held Garrett¡¯s hands together behind his back. Garrett pulled his arms in front of him and rubbed the raw areas on each wrist. Through the entire exchange he never took his eyes off of Parker. He wanted nothing more than to touch her, to pull her into his arms and feel the beat of her heart against his chest and smooth the hair off of her face. It seemed like a million years had gone by since he kissed her lips and lay in bed with her body wrapped around him. But having Fernandez grant him this wish, allowing him the freedom to touch Parker without being unencumbered by rope, made Garrett nervous. Fernandez didn¡¯t do things just to be a nice guy; he did things for a reason. Right now Garrett¡¯s gut was telling him that a heavily trained Navy SEAL was being permitted to roam freely in a room where he could easily access a weapon because Fernandez wanted Garrett to take everyone out for him, or because he knew Garrett wouldn¡¯t live long enough to do much of anything.


    Garrett didn¡¯t want to waste any more time on trying to figure out what Fernandez was up to. In four quick strides he was across the room and down on his knees in front of Parker. If a bullet to the back of the head was what Fernandez had in store for him, he wasn¡¯t about to go without touching his girl one last time.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Garrett asked softly as he cupped the back of Parker¡¯s neck with one hand and ran the tips of his fingers over every inch of her face with the other.


    Parker nodded, her throat closing up with emotion now that Garrett was so close. With him on the other side of the room, it was easy to be strong and confident. Having him touch her, speak to her, and be so gentle with the cuts and bruises on her face was enough to break her.


    ¡°Ahhh, the lovers are together once again,¡± Fernandez spoke from behind them. ¡°Now we can finally get on with things.¡±


    Garrett kept his back to Fernandez and continued to run his fingers over Parker¡¯s lips and cheeks, staring deep into her eyes and promising her wordlessly that everything would be okay.


    ¡°Juan, would you be so kind as to let our young lovers know that everything is set on your end?¡± Fernandez asked.


    Within seconds Garrett and Parker heard the distinct clicking sound of a gun being cocked through the phone. Garrett watched Parker¡¯s eyes grow wide and saw her catch her breath. Before Garrett could fully process that Juan was most likely holding a gun to Joe¡¯s head at the hospital, he felt the distinct press of the barrel of a gun against the back of his own head.


    ¡°The Parkers, father and daughter, both agents with the CIA, both the bane of my existence,¡± Fernandez spoke.


    Garrett could tell Fernandez was the one who held the gun against his head since his voice was so close. With his back to the room, Garrett had no idea how many guns were trained on him right then, but he assumed the two guards and Milo were both taking aim to protect Fernandez. He could easily sweep his leg behind him and knock Fernandez down, but too many things could go wrong. Parker could be shot by a stray bullet or one of the other guards could take her out. It was best for him to just remain still for the moment.


    ¡°I found out about your father many years ago, Annabelle. I believe it was right before you buried your poor mother. Do you remember the day we first spoke, Joe?¡± Fernandez asked.


    ¡°You mean the day you threatened the only thing I had left to live for once my wife was gone?¡± Joe replied. Although he was forced to wake up from recovery abruptly, he still had fight left in him as his bitter words radiated through the phone line and echoed around the room.


    ¡°Well, I suppose you could put it that way. I prefer to think of it as the day I found out who in the CIA was so determined to ruin me. The day I received a name, a face, and the information about everything he held so dear. It was a very good day for me, Joe.¡±


    Fernandez spoke like he was talking to an old friend. The ease with which he said Joe¡¯s name made Parker sick to her stomach as she listened to the back and forth conversation.


    ¡°You see, Annabelle, it would have been so easy to kill your mother, the love of your father¡¯s life, his reason for existing and all that other nonsense. It would have shown him that by digging into my life and trying to put a stop to my livelihood, he would have to pay. But when we were told she was on her deathbed, it just didn¡¯t seem prudent. To kill her would have been a waste of resources, so to speak, when Mother Nature was doing such a fine job. But then luck was on our side. Joseph Parker, CIA agent extraordinaire, had a daughter. A beautiful, teenage daughter who meant the world to him and had such a bright future ahead of her. Some photographs delivered to his mailbox at work of this daughter doing a few mundane things like painting her toenails in her room after a shower and walking through a clothing store in the mall were sufficient incentives to get him to back off,¡± Fernandez explained. ¡°It also put just enough fear into dear old Dad that he thought the only way to protect you was to push you away.¡±


    Parker closed her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek. Garrett wiped it away and wished he could shut Fernandez up once and for all. His only redeeming quality was this information proved to Parker that her father had never hated her. He never pushed her away because she reminded him too much of his wife. He did it to protect her.


    They heard Joe sigh on the other end of the line.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Fernandez? What is the point in bringing all of this up now? I tried to stop you, but I couldn¡¯t. Too many people know about what you¡¯ve done now. It¡¯s over. You¡¯re over,¡± Joe stated.


    ¡°I decide when it¡¯s over. ME! You have no say in the matter.¡±


    Garrett felt the barrel of the gun being pushed harder into his skull with each word Fernandez spoke as he pressed down on the gun he held there.


    ¡°You thought you were so smart bringing your daughter into the CIA. You assumed she¡¯d be safe and protected, learn ways to thwart people such as myself. But you didn¡¯t anticipate the fact that the CIA would use her to continue the work you started, that they would put her on the case of trying to take me down. In all your efforts of keeping her as far away from me as possible, all you did was wrap her up in a neat little bow and deposit her in my lap. I have to tell you though, Joe, being able to keep an eye on her through my son over the years has been a joy. You have a very smart daughter. It¡¯s too bad she chose the wrong side to align herself with.¡±


    Garrett knew whatever insane idea Fernandez had planned was going to come to fruition any moment now. He needed to get him to talk immediately.


    ¡°How exactly do you think you¡¯re going to get away with this?¡± Garrett asked, turning his head a little so he could see Fernandez out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Joe is right. Too many people know about what you¡¯ve done. Do you honestly think everyone who works for you will remain faithful? Especially once they know about the girls? You might be able to lie your way out of the embezzling and money laundering, but do you really think they¡¯re going to believe you when you try to tell them you had nothing to do with their missing daughters? Their missing sisters, cousins, nieces, and granddaughters? Do you think the people of this country will stand by your side when they know you had sex with underage children and then sold them to the highest bidder?¡±

 Page 46

    Garrett hadn¡¯t been one hundred percent sure about Fernandez having sex with any of the girls. They never found concrete evidence to prove anything like that. But it just stood to reason if a man was involved in something as disgusting as selling young girls as sex slaves, he most likely sampled the merchandise before all sales were final. Garrett was taking a chance by putting that out there, and as luck would have it, it paid off.Advertisement


    ¡°Oh, Lieutenant. McCarthy, you are so naive. Those young girls you speak of? They weren¡¯t worthy of the pity you give them. They were whores who brought filth to the streets of this country. They asked for what they got, and I was more than happy to give it to them. Being able to enjoy the fruits of my labor and make money off of their bodies was an added perk. Men will pay an obscene amount of money for a taste of young flesh. Why shouldn¡¯t I take advantage of such things? This country is full of girls with low self-esteem and no real use. I gave them a purpose in life. One of my chefs complained to me a few years ago about his niece. She flaunted her body and did not behave in a way that was pure or showed the proper respect to her family. I made one million pesos showing her the error of her ways. My guard at the front gate, his stepdaughter had become mouthy and acted much older than her fourteen years. I made two point five million pesos showing her what her mouth was for.¡±


    Fernandez sighed in irritation while Garrett gave Parker a small, encouraging smile. Margarita may have died without ever truly being free of Fernandez, but Garrett would make damn sure that her death would have meaning. Every word Fernandez spoke was another nail in his coffin with Margarita secretly holding the hammer.


    ¡°All this talk is beginning to bore me, and I¡¯m getting off track. I¡¯ve had to make many difficult decisions in my lifetime. Joe, I think it¡¯s time your daughter makes one of her own,¡± Fernandez said calmly. ¡°So, Annabelle, take your pick.¡±


    Parker looked at Fernandez questioningly, not understanding what he was asking her.


    ¡°Milo, I think your Annabelle is having trouble grasping what I¡¯m asking. Do help her out, won¡¯t you?¡± Fernandez asked.


    Milo, who had been unusually silent the entire time, walked forward to stand next to Fernandez. When they were elbow to elbow, Fernandez passed off his gun, allowing Milo the opportunity to hold it against Garrett¡¯s head.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, Park. Years ago my father had to make a choice because of what your father was doing to bring him down. He chose to leave me behind and let me be raised by a disgusting man so that one day I would be strong enough and have the right connections to help him keep people like your father from sticking their noses into his business. My father had to make a difficult decision that he feels guilty about to this day. It¡¯s time for you to make a decision of your own. One where you will have to carry around the guilt for the rest of your pathetic life,¡± Milo stated.


    With each word Milo spoke, Garrett felt the pain of Milo¡¯s betrayal deep into his soul. He truly thought of this man as a friend, a brother. He wanted to feel nothing, to allow his heart to become numb, knowing it had all been a lie. He wasn¡¯t like Milo, though, he couldn¡¯t be that empty and uncaring. There were too many years, too many memories to just pretend like it never happened.


    Garrett felt like his well-intentioned plan was spiraling out of control and there was nothing he could do to stop it. They¡¯d gotten the proof they needed, but it was going to come with a hefty price. With a gun now pressed into the back of his head by a man who obviously hated him, there wasn¡¯t much he could do but stay there on his knees holding Parker¡¯s face in his hands and watch the color drain out of it with Milo¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Who will it be, Park? Your poor, estranged father or the man you¡¯ve been fucking? Who will get a nice, neat bullet to the head right now? This offer doesn¡¯t last long, so make it quick,¡± Milo informed her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious?¡± Parker yelled, looking back and forth between Fernandez and Milo.


    ¡°Oh, I assure you, this is no joke. Time is ticking, Annabelle. I have a prior engagement I can¡¯t be late for,¡± Fernandez said irritably as he glanced down at the watch on his wrist like he was waiting for her to pick something to eat for dinner instead of choosing between the two most important men in her life.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, Annabelle. He¡¯s not going to let any of us live. We know too much,¡± Joe¡¯s scratchy voice said through the speaker.


    ¡°On the contrary, my friend,¡± Fernandez answered. ¡°Your beautiful daughter here would be quite useful to my organization. I believe I could double the highest price I¡¯ve made on all of my girls for someone to get a taste of this one.¡±


    Garrett and Joe could both be heard growling obscenities at Fernandez¡¯s words.


    ¡°And the two men in your life, well, obviously neither one of them would be useful to me in any way. Only one of them needs to be around to watch you suffer and to endure his own form of torture. Having two of them lamenting about the horrors being done to your body is just overkill, don¡¯t you think? I think it¡¯s quite generous of me to let one die quickly. So who will it be, Annabelle? Make your choice.¡±


    Parker looked frantically into Garrett¡¯s eyes. All her years of training boiled down to this one moment. She had no idea how she could possibly choose between her father and Garrett. There was no choice to be made. She couldn¡¯t¡­she wouldn¡¯t choose one to be hurt worse than the other.


    Milo locked his elbow and pushed the gun harder into Garrett¡¯s skull, his fingers ghosting over the trigger.


    ¡°No, please! Choose me! Kill me instead!¡± Parker yelled as she looked frantically back and forth between Fernandez and the gun Milo held against Garrett.


    ¡°Parker, no!¡± Garrett argued.


    ¡°You feel like you need to take a life to make up for the injustices done to you, fine. Pick me,¡± Parker stated, glancing at Garrett mouthing a silent I¡¯m sorry to him. ¡°I would make the most trouble for you anyway, not them,¡± she said aloud.


    Parker felt like she was falling over a cliff and there was nothing to grab onto but crumbling dirt and rocks. She knew Fernandez wasn¡¯t a negotiator and got sick pleasure out of hurting people. She knew it, and yet she couldn¡¯t just sit there and do nothing. Parker knew telling him she would make the most trouble for him was a lie. If she died, her father and Garrett would destroy everything in their path to avenge her. Part of her knew Fernandez wasn¡¯t a fool and would never believe a word she said, but she had to try and save her men at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing herself.


    Garrett felt the gun Milo held against him move away from his head and watched it come into his peripheral vision as he pointed it straight at Parker.


    ¡°Jesus, Milo! Think about what the fuck you¡¯re doing?¡± Garrett yelled in alarm. ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡±


    Garrett could feel the panic bubble inside of him and spill over so quickly he felt like he wanted to scream. Everything he¡¯d ever learned about a hostage situation or a rescue mission vanished from his mind. The only thing he saw was the woman he loved with a gun pointed at her. A woman who would rather die than let anything happen to him or her father.


    ¡°Fuck you, Garrett!¡± Milo screamed at him, stepping forward to shove the gun roughly into the side of Parker¡¯s head now. ¡°Maybe this really is the best decision. I sat around for years and watched you get the best of everything. I thought killing you would be my way of finally getting something I wanted. But maybe having you watch her die will settle the score,¡± Milo said as he cocked the hammer, releasing a bullet into the chamber of the gun. The click of the hammer echoed through Parker¡¯s head, and she squeezed her eyes closed.


    Garrett didn¡¯t know how much more of this he could take. With one slip of the finger his whole world would collapse.


    ¡°There¡¯s no score to settle, Milo. I¡¯m sorry if you thought I got everything and you got nothing. I¡¯m sorry if you had a shitty childhood but that¡¯s not my fault. It¡¯s not Parker¡¯s fault. I stuck up for you, I protected you, and I was your friend. My family took you in and thought of you as one of their own.¡±


    Garrett knew reasoning with Milo and reminding him about their friendship wouldn¡¯t work but he didn¡¯t care. He¡¯d say anything to get that gun away from Parker¡¯s head.


    ¡°Oh please, enough of this nonsense. Your family never loved him. They tolerated him. I am his flesh and blood. I gave him life and I gave him everything he deserved for being a faithful son to me. I will continue to reward him from now until eternity for the sacrifices he¡¯s made. Anything he desires shall be his,¡± Fernandez promised.


    Garrett tore his gaze away from Parker long enough to glance up between Milo and his father. Fernandez almost sounded nervous. Garrett knew there had to be a reason why he felt the need to remind Milo about the rewards he gave him and would continue to provide for him. It was almost like the man was trying to bribe Milo, like he was afraid Milo might actually falter with his decision to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps unless he promised him the world on a silver platter.


    Garrett watched in shock at the staring contest between father and son and quickly realized it was now or never. As corrupt as Milo had become, and as much as Garrett hated him for tainting every good memory they ever shared, the only thing he could hope for at this point was that somewhere in there Milo still had a heart. That deep down inside that little boy who looked up to Garrett when he took care of the bullies who was still in there ¡ª the little boy with the easy smile, the big heart, and the yearning for family and friendship.


    ¡°My parents loved you, Milo,¡± Garrett stated. ¡°My mother hugged you and wiped away your tears every night when you woke up from a nightmare. She made you a scrapbook when we left for college filled with pictures of all of us and little notes about each picture and how much joy you brought to our family by being a part of it. My father taught you how to drive and took you out for your first beer. He bailed you out of jail in the middle of the night when you did something stupid and never, ever lectured you, put you down, or made you feel like anything other than what you were¡ªone of his sons,¡± Garrett reminded him, punctuating each fact with a shake of his head. ¡°Where was your father when you were thrown down a flight of stairs when you were ten? Where was the man who claims he did everything to make you stronger when cigarettes were being burned into your arm and your bones were being broken? This man, who promises you the world, do you think he¡¯d drop everything and fly across the country just to congratulate you in person about a promotion you got for work like my parents did? Do you think he¡¯d put flowers on your grave every single week and cry from a broken heart like my mother has done for the past year?¡± Garrett asked, shrugging his shoulders in question.


    Parker watched silently at the transformation in Milo. One minute he stood tall and proud and had nothing but vengeance and murder in his mind. After a few of Garrett¡¯s well-chosen words, he lost his confidence and confusion clouded his features.


    The hand with the gun pointing at Parker began to shake and Garrett knew that what he was doing was actually affecting Milo.


    Fernandez knew what was happening. He¡¯d known all along how weak his son was. He knew that no matter what he did to make sure Milo followed in his footsteps, there was still part of his mother¡¯s blood flowing through him, a pathetic, fragile flowing of conscience that ran through him and fought for dominance. A son worthy of this life would have already pulled the trigger and wouldn¡¯t have let foolish memories cloud his judgment. As much as he wanted a namesake, sadly, it just wasn¡¯t to be.


    ¡°Oh for God¡¯s sake, the decision is now mine,¡± Fernandez said, snatching the gun out of Milo¡¯s shaking hand. ¡°Tr¨¦s.¡±


    The calm, quiet command from Fernandez was immediately followed by the roar of a gun going off, three consecutive explosions of a chamber being emptied.


    ¡°Come on, you piece of shit, work!¡±


    Brady swore, not for the first time in the last fifteen minutes, and smacked his open palm against the side of the out-of-date computer installed in the back of the van where he sat parked outside of the palace gates.


    Before Garrett even got into the trunk of Margarita¡¯s car, Brady was on his way to the hospital to pick up Austin and Cole. A rushed phone call to Austin while Garrett attached a listening device to Margarita¡¯s bra strap gave Brady a tiny inkling of hope that they might actually be able to pull off this half-assed plan. Brady had no intention of asking either one of the men to help them, considering what happened to them earlier in the night. He had called to get an update and to try and find out if their attackers had given away any information that could be useful. Upon hearing about Garrett¡¯s plan for getting Parker out and nailing Fernandez, Austin¡¯s reply was straight, to the point, and one hundred percent SEAL.


    ¡°Get your ass over here and get me and Vargas out of this fucking hospital. We¡¯re coming with you.¡±


    Brady had wasted entirely too much time arguing with an intern at the hospital to get the two men discharged. Austin¡¯s bullet wound to the shoulder was stitched up nicely, and the area was pumped full of Lidocaine to take the edge off the pain. Luckily the injury was to his left shoulder. He could still raise his right arm and shoot a gun if needed.


    The gash in Cole¡¯s side was also stitched and bandaged and looked like it would heal nicely. The intern said he didn¡¯t have any serious restrictions where that was concerned, aside from not lifting anything heavy or twisting his body in an unnatural way that would rip the stitches out. The nasty pounding he¡¯d taken to the head was another matter. The younger man yelled to everyone who would listen that Cole needed to stay right where he was and be monitored for twenty-four hours to make sure he didn¡¯t have a concussion. Brady assured him he would shine a flashlight in Cole¡¯s eyes every thirty minutes and ask him what year it was before he told the intern to get out of his way.

 Page 47

    Luckily, a code blue alarm went off somewhere else in the hospital and the guy needed to rush off.Advertisement


    While Brady had been on the way to the hospital, Austin and Cole had called in a few favors. Austin managed to get them a nondescript van that had video and audio equipment installed in the back. Unfortunately, the van and everything inside of it was circa nineteen-ninety-something and the equipment was not up to Brady¡¯s usual standards.


    While Austin and Cole had canvassed the palace for a way inside the gates, Brady hooked his laptop up to the old computer in the van. He was trying unsuccessfully to pull up the listening device software on his laptop so he could find out what was happening inside and instruct the two men on their next moves. Since his own internet connection kept crashing, he switched gears and tried to find a way to bypass the palace¡¯s secure wireless connection. To do this he would need to access the media network that the entire palace ran on. It was proving to be one enormous cluster fuck.


    ¡°Son of a mother fucking¡­¡± Brady swore again and wiggled the cables that connected his laptop to the hard drive in the van.


    ¡°It¡¯s Friday night and the beat is sick. I¡¯m gonna get my girls and hit the club up quick.¡±


    The walkie-talkie next to his laptop on the small table in the van crackled to life with the sound of Austin singing horribly off-key. Brady scooped it up with one hand and pressed the ¡®talk¡¯ button, tapping on a few computer keys with his free hand.


    ¡°What the fuck are you singing?¡±


    ¡°Dude, have you been living under a rock? It¡¯s the new song by Layla Carlysle. It¡¯s a catchy tune,¡± Austin responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s the worst fucking song I¡¯ve ever heard in my life. What¡¯s your status?¡± Brady questioned.


    ¡°The good news is Vargas and I just scaled the fence. We¡¯re in the North corner. The guard that was stationed here got called away,¡± Austin replied.


    ¡°Good work. What¡¯s the bad news?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure we both just ripped our stitches in the process. That doc is gonna be pissed,¡± Austin said with a laugh.


    Brady heard Austin breathing heavily and the muted sounds of him shuffling across the grounds of the palace. SEALS were trained to handle more pain than the normal human being in order to complete a mission, but that didn¡¯t mean Brady wouldn¡¯t worry about the two men who were like brothers to him and hope he hadn¡¯t made the wrong decision by checking them out of the hospital against doctor¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re by a window. I see a few of Fernandez¡¯s people. They¡¯re going about their fucking business like there aren¡¯t hostages in there right under their noses,¡± Austin said angrily.


    Brady unplugged one of the cords and then reattached it, typing in one more command while he held his breath. A new screen suddenly opened on his laptop with the words ¡°Chamberlain Wireless Intercom¡± at the top.


    ¡°Well son of a bitch,¡± Brady mumbled in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Austin voice crackled over the radio.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I just found out that Chamberlain uses a wide area network, and I linked my WLAN into their secure connection without using Ethernet and running on less than four gigahertz.¡±


    ¡°Uh, in English please,¡± Austin replied as Brady typed in a few more codes.


    ¡°Basically, my friend, I just connected the bug that Margarita is wearing to the palace¡¯s intercom system.¡±


    Within seconds the bug¡¯s audio burst through Brady¡¯s laptop speaker and every single intercom that was inside of the palace walls.


    ¡°Oh, Lieutenant McCarthy, you are so naive. Those young girls you speak of? They weren¡¯t worthy of the pity you give them. They were whores who brought filth to the streets of this country. They asked for what they got and I was more than happy to give it to them¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoa! A bunch of people just converged into whatever room this is to listen. This must be the staff quarters by the looks of it. Every person we have visual on just stopped in their tracks,¡± Austin informed him.


    Brady held down the ¡®talk¡¯ button on the walkie-talkie so Austin and Cole could hear what the workers inside the palace heard. It didn¡¯t take long for Fernandez to hang himself with his own rope.


    Austin and Cole watched through the window pane as several people glanced back and forth between two men in their midst. The warriors outside the palace watched the transformation that took place inside: shock, grief, hurt, anger, and finally revenge. The emotions gripped not only the two who were most affected as they listened to Fernandez¡¯s words, but everyone who surrounded them. These people who worked together for the most powerful man in their country, they were like family. They spoke of their kin often, asked for advice, attended birthdays and weddings. They felt each other¡¯s joy; they suffered each other¡¯s sorrow. But most importantly, especially at this moment, they all sought retribution for the wrongs done to their comrades.


    It only took a few moments of silent communication for the employees who had worked tirelessly for Fernandez over the years to take action and for Brady to send up a silent prayer of thanks that their luck was finally turning around.


    Brady quickly got up, slid open the door to the van, and jumped out. He stood by the opening and checked the clip in his gun to make sure it was loaded and added as many extra rounds as he could fit into the pockets of his flak jacket. He fastened the walkie-talkie to his belt and attached the tactical headset with wireless earpiece and throat mic. He let Austin know they were switching to wireless to enter the palace since it was the only way they¡¯d be able to continue listening to what was going on inside.


    Brady slammed the door to the van closed and crouch ran along the perimeter of the fence until he got to the north corner of the property where Austin and Cole were able to get over the fence undetected.


    During his sprint the wireless ear bud crackled and filled with static off and on, and he could barely make out the conversation happening where Parker and Garrett were. He pressed the throat mic and spoke to Austin and Cole.


    ¡°The feed is spotty. What¡¯s going on inside?¡±


    Brady slid his gun into the holster of his jacket and easily climbed up and over the fence.


    ¡°It¡¯s total chaos,¡± Cole replied. ¡°People are running in and out of the room and it looks like a few are shouting orders. We need to get our asses in there. What¡¯s your ETA?¡±


    Brady jumped down to the palace grounds and raced across the lawn.


    ¡°Thirty seconds. I have visual on you.¡±


    In the seconds it took for Brady to make it to Cole and Austin¡¯s location up against one of the palace walls, all hell broke loose somewhere inside. The wireless mic roared to life with the sounds of gunfire and screams.


    Chapter Twenty-Five


    With eyes squeezed tightly closed and shoulders hunched to prepare for the bullets that were certain to tear through her flesh, Parker wondered momentarily if she¡¯d been hit and died so quickly she hadn''t felt any pain. She heard the firing of a gun and knew there was one pointed at her head just moments before it went off. She reasoned that all of the reports about death being painless were true. She felt nothing.


    Parker slowly blinked her eyes into focus and wondered where the screams were coming from. If this was heaven, no one should be screaming. The room came into focus with the startling clarity of a flashlight being shined into the eyes of someone sleeping. One moment she was wondering if she was dead, and in the next she realized that she was very much alive.


    And screaming very loudly.


    In the stark reality of the quietness that now surrounded the basement, Parker realized the reason for her screams. To her left, Fernandez remained, standing tall and arrogant. Immediately next to him stood Milo, looking properly chastised from having his gun snatched and not being able to perform his job in the swift, efficient way that Fernandez demanded.


    Directly in front of her, still on his knees, his eyes mirroring the pain that obviously clouded her features, Garrett held her face in his hands. He tried in vain to quiet her screams by forcing her to look him in the eyes instead of around the room at the monsters behind them.


    The sounds that came from Parker were heart-wrenching and cut deep into Garrett¡¯s soul. For one solitary second, his life flashed before his eyes when Fernandez gave the command. He prayed to a God he¡¯d never spoken to before, asking him to keep Parker safe and to make sure she got out of this alive. He would give anything to make sure she was safe.


    Now Garrett wished he would have had the foresight to also include her father in that silent plea for protection from all harm.


    ¡°Alejandro, do we have confirmation from our lovely nurse that all has been taken care of?¡±


    The guard pressed his fingers to the earpiece he wore and listened for several seconds.


    ¡°Si, Senor. Juan was able to succeed in terminating Agent Parker. Unfortunately, he was immediately taken out by the forces that were supposed to be guarding Parker. Our nurse and everyone in the hospital are currently being evacuated,¡± Alejandro replied.


    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 fucking 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 fucking 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.

 Page 48

    ¡°Say your goodbyes, mi amigos,¡± the guard named Alejandro stated as he pushed his gun against Garrett¡¯s head.Advertisement


    ¡°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.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready if you are,¡± Garrett told Parker conspiratorially as he wiped another tear off of her cheek. He tipped his head forward and let his forehead rest against hers. To the guards, they looked like two lovers saying goodbye. Garrett kept her face in his hands and willed her to understand the real meaning of his words. He was ready to try and get them out of there, with her help.


    Garrett watched the fight drain out of her slowly while they were held captive. After hearing her father killed over the phone and then unleashing her anger at Fernandez, her eyes glazed over and he knew she was in shock. Too much had happened down in that basement, and he feared that even if she did survive, she¡¯d never be the same again. He pulled his head back so he could see her eyes better, and it worried him that she seemed to be staring right through him.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready if you are,¡± he told her again, more firmly this time.


    Garrett¡¯s whispered statement finally got through to her. His words put a spark back into Parker¡¯s eyes, and he knew she finally understood. She lifted her chin and clenched her jaw with renewed determination.


    ¡°Remember on the flight here how surprised you were when I told you what I did for a living?¡± Parker asked in him.


    Garrett nodded his head, unsure where she was going with this.


    ¡°Remember the story I told you and how you couldn¡¯t keep your eyes off of my cleavage?¡± she asked, her voice suddenly raising an octave and turning sultry.


    Parker breathed heavily, the force of the motion pushing her breasts out from the edges of the torn shirt that hung off of her.


    Garrett wondered momentarily if she had lost her mind, when suddenly, the memory of their conversation on the plane burst forth.


    Parker had confidently reached up and popped open the first three buttons of her shirt until her cleavage and the edges of her red lace bra were visible. Garrett''s eyes immediately flew to her exposed skin, watching her chest heave with every breath she took, her breasts straining against the thin lace fabric covering them.


    "Distract man number one long enough to disarm him," she had said softly as she removed her hand from inside his coat, carefully palming the .45 caliber she slid from his shoulder holster while his eyes were otherwise occupied. With a straight face she had mimed the action of shooting him in the chest.


    Garrett¡¯s heart sped up as he replayed that moment in his mind. He knew without a doubt that the two guards behind him would be staring straight at Parker¡¯s chest right this very moment. The perfect distraction. If he had more time, he¡¯d kiss her and tell her how much he loved her for being so brilliant.


    Parker shook her hair away from her face, the action forcing her shirt to open even further and making one arm fall completely off of her shoulder and pooling around her elbow. Everyone in the room now had a clear view of the smooth, taut, naked skin of her stomach, and if they were staring hard enough, which Garrett knew they would be, they¡¯d see the rose colored circles of her nipples peeking through the lace of her bra. Parker angled her body slightly to the right, which gave the room full of men a better view of what she had on display, and it gave Garrett a clear view of where her arms came together behind the wooden beam. He watched as rivulets of blood dripped off of her fingers into a puddle on the floor directly below them. Only then did he realize that the small tremors that shook her body weren¡¯t from fear or nerves, but from the effort she was making to pull her hand through one of the handcuffs. Garrett knew if her thumb was broken, her hand would easily slide through the metal. He looked up into her eyes with a questioning look.


    Break it, she mouthed silently.


    ¡°That is enough. Time is up,¡± one of the guards stated as he cocked his gun close to Parker¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I love you. Don¡¯t snub nose me,¡± Parker told him with a wink.


    ¡°Don''t be so dramatic. The safety is on. At least I didn¡¯t grab the loaded Beretta Jetfire in your ankle holster or the back-up .357 snubnosed revolver in mine."


    Garrett only had one second to contemplate the craziness of this plan, and one second was all he needed. He ran his hands quickly down the sides of Parker¡¯s arms and wrapped his arms around her. In one swift motion, he grabbed her left hand, the one she wouldn¡¯t need to shoot with, whispered an apology in her ear, and the slammed her hand against the wooden beam. The snap of her thumb as it broke sounded like a gunshot in Garrett¡¯s mind when he knew it was probably nothing more than a whisper of noise.


    Garrett¡¯s hand quickly slid into Parker¡¯s pant leg and found her backup gun in her holster. He whipped it out and spun around, firing a round into the shoulder of the guard directly behind him before he even knew what happened. The guard¡¯s gun went off as his arm flew out to the side but Garrett paid no attention to where it landed since he knew Parker was safely behind him.


    Parker ignored the screaming pain that radiated from her thumb all the way up her arm as she pulled her hand free, letting the cuffs hang loosely and dangle from her other wrist. She jumped up onto her feet and kicked her leg up high, knocking the gun out of her guard¡¯s hand. The gun skidded to a stop against the far wall and for a moment, she and the guard stood still, staring each other down. They both took off, diving across the room for the gun at the same time. She heard scuffling and grunts from behind her, but couldn¡¯t allow herself to worry about Garrett when she had her own fight to handle. She needed to trust that he could handle himself.


    Garrett couldn¡¯t believe the guard he¡¯d shot wouldn¡¯t stay down. A bullet to the shoulder and two punches to the face hadn¡¯t slowed him one bit. Garrett had him pinned to the ground as he straddled his hips and wrestled for control of the gun the man clutched to his chest. He just wouldn¡¯t give up. Garrett threw a punch to the guard¡¯s injured shoulder and with a howl of pain, the man¡¯s grip on the gun finally abated. Garrett yanked it from him and got up off of the man, holding the gun straight at him as the guard held onto his injured shoulder, the blood seeping between his fingers.


    Parker dove to the floor, sliding across on her stomach and reaching the gun before her guard did, but that didn¡¯t mean he was giving up. As soon as her good hand wrapped around the grip of the gun, he flew into her from behind, knocking her down and slamming her head into the hard concrete of the floor. She saw stars and had to swallow back nausea, but she never let go of the gun as the man let his full weight push her into the floor and keep her where she was.


    Parker flung her hand that held the gun back and smashed it into the man¡¯s face, a splatter of blood against her cheek and a scream letting her know she¡¯d broken his nose. The man¡¯s hands flew up to cradle his shattered nose, and Parker took that opportunity to buck him off of her and scramble out from under him.


    The guard Garrett shot had more fight and determination to live than anyone he¡¯d ever seen before. As Garrett started backing away, the man bolted up and came at him head first. The guard¡¯s head slammed into Garrett¡¯s stomach and his momentum pushed them across the room until Garrett¡¯s back slammed into the wall and the gun flew out of his hands. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Parker get up from under her guard, relieved to see the man bent over on the ground with blood pouring out of his face from between his hands.


    No one paid any attention to Milo as he stood by the door watching the action. From the shouts and footsteps that echoed through the palace above, Milo knew it would only be a matter of time before it escalated. He needed to get out of there and to his waiting father. He raised his gun in an effort to make that happen quickly.


    With guns drawn, Brady, Austin, and Cole burst through the front door of the palace. No one paid any attention to the three men in tactical gear as they walked further into the front entryway. Men and women scrambled around, some grabbing their things to flee from the fight they knew would erupt, others arming themselves with weapons in preparation for what was to come. After sweeping the first ten rooms they came to and not finding Garrett or Parker, Austin grabbed the arm of the next person to walk by them.


    ¡°Where are the Americans being held?¡± he asked the woman who was hastily pulling her coat on.


    She spoke no English, but she knew what the word ¡°Americans¡± meant and she wasn¡¯t about to cross the three angry-looking men who held weapons pointed at her. She pointed down towards the floor and muttered, ¡°S¨®tano,¡± before rushing past them and out the front door.


    Austin looked towards Brady questioningly, ¡°Basement?¡±


    Brady nodded in response.


    ¡°This is out of hand,¡± muttered Cole as they crouch-walked through the first hallway they came to, opening and closing doors in search for the one that would take them downstairs. ¡°I counted at least twenty armed men rushing from room to room. They don¡¯t even give a rat¡¯s ass that we¡¯re here. They looked right at us and kept on moving. How the hell are we going to reason with them to get Garrett and Parker out of here alive?¡±


    Brady did a quick sweep of the room he just entered and backed out, shutting the door behind him.


    ¡°Well, the good news is they probably want to burn Fernandez at the stake. Let¡¯s hope we can convince them that we¡¯ll allow it without contacting the authorities as long as they let us get our team out of here,¡± Brady said as they continued down the hall.


    ¡°We¡¯re not seriously going to let them torture and maim the guy are we?¡± Austin asked as he brought his weapon back up in front of him to sweep a room across the hall from Brady. ¡°I mean, it would give me nothing but pleasure to watch the guy¡¯s toenails get plucked from his feet and his balls cut off, but I¡¯m guessing that would be morally and ethically wrong considering we work for the United States Government.¡±


    ¡°No, we definitely aren¡¯t going to let them tar and feather him. But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t give them the illusion that we will. At this point I¡¯m willing to try anything to get everyone out of here without any bullet holes in them,¡± Brady replied.


    The men noticed a room at the end of the hall where several people were coming and going. As they made their way closer, they realized a meeting of sorts was taking place with two men standing on a table giving orders.


    The team holstered their weapons and walked slowly into the room with their hands in the air in a symbol of peace. If they wanted these people who were riddled with rage and vengeance to listen to them, they had to pretend like they were one of them and completely on their side.


    ¡°STOP!¡± Milo screamed as he aimed his gun in the general area of the two fighting couples.


    Alejandro, with his head buried in Garrett¡¯s gut while Garrett pummeled the man¡¯s back with his fists stopped struggling at the sound of Milo¡¯s yell.


    Felipe, with his hands still covering his broken and bloody nose, stopped his forward movement towards Parker, who stood with the recovered weapon pointed at his head.


    All eyes were now on Milo, and he smiled to himself in satisfaction. He liked that people would stop what they were doing to listen to him. He wished his father would have stuck around to see the respect he was being given right now. Unfortunately, he could hear the distant beat of helicopter blades and knew that his father¡¯s ride would be there shortly. His father hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he had a prior engagement. He knew his father would wait for him as long as he could. Things were closing in on them and they needed to get out of the country fast if they were going to make it out alive.


    ¡°What is the matter with you?¡± Felipe asked angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there! Shoot them!¡± he shouted, gesturing towards Garrett and Parker. ¡°No wonder your father thinks you are worthless. You allowed a woman to outsmart you and bring a gun in here right under your nose! Did you even think to search her? What if she¡¯d shot the President, you stupid idiota!¡±


    Milo shifted his body, turned his gun on Felipe, and fired before the man could utter one more insult. The right side of his face exploded in a bloody mess before the man slumped to the ground. He wasn¡¯t about to let some lowlife guard disgrace him in his father¡¯s home.


    Next, he turned his gun on Parker and had a small moment of regret that it had come to this. She looked up from the dead body sprawled at her feet and her eyes grew wide with shock. He pulled the trigger and enjoyed a moment of satisfaction at hearing an anguished shout from his former best friend on the opposite side of the room.


    Parker didn¡¯t have time to think, only react. It took her one heartbeat to pull herself out of the daze and realize Milo was going to kill her if she didn¡¯t move. The gun went off at the same time her feet left the floor and she dove away from its trajectory. She landed roughly on her shoulder a few feet away, sliding a few more feet until she slammed into the wall where Garrett had been standing. She could hear him yelling and cursing, but it all sounded like it was coming from underwater. His voice sounded far away and muffled. She raised herself up on her elbow and a burning pain shot through her side. She ignored the burn and shook her head to try and clear it. She glanced over and saw Garrett on top of Milo, pummeling him with his fists. Her backup gun that Garrett must have dropped at some point laid a few feet away from her.

 Page 49

    Parker didn¡¯t want to distract him by shouting his name, but something didn¡¯t feel right. She struggled to get into a sitting position, feeling entirely too vulnerable lying on the floor. Garrett heard her grunts and a small whimper escape past her lips. He paused, holding onto the front of Milo¡¯s shirt with his fist in the air, and then turned his head towards her.Advertisement


    ¡°Parker!¡± Garrett shouted. ¡°Are you hit?¡±


    He scanned Parker¡¯s face and body for any sign of a gunshot wound but she was curled into herself and he couldn¡¯t see clearly. She was struggling to sit up so he took that as a good sign. As soon as Milo had fired off the shot at her, Garrett hadn¡¯t even realized how loudly he¡¯d screamed. He¡¯d watched the man turn his gun on her in slow motion, and he¡¯d shoved the guard off of him with strength he hadn''t even known he possessed and charged Milo. Garrett had barreled into the side of him, knocking them both to ground, Milo¡¯s gun skittering across the floor in the process.


    Milo took advantage of Garrett¡¯s hesitation as he checked on Parker and brought his fist up to the side of Garrett¡¯s head. The force of the blow toppled Garrett off of him, and Milo lunged for the gun he¡¯d dropped, snatching it up and scrambling further away from Garrett.


    ¡°This will all be easier if you just stop fighting, Garrett,¡± Milo told him as he stood up, spit some blood out of his mouth, and then wiped his chin with the back of one hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to die with dignity? Let¡¯s make this quick so I can leave with my father.¡±


    A short bark of laughter came from Alejandro, the guard who had been trying to sneak out of the room undetected as soon as Garrett shoved him away and went for Milo. He¡¯d seen Milo shoot his friend Felipe without any warning. He knew exactly what his fate would be if he stuck around in this basement. However, hearing the delusional words coming out of Milo¡¯s mouth made it hard for him to keep quiet. He knew he¡¯d never make it out of the room now anyway. The only good news was he would have the last laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but do you find this funny?¡± Milo asked him angrily as he pointed the gun in his direction.


    ¡°Si, se?or. I find it funny that you actually believe your father has any plans on taking you with him,¡± Alejandro said with a smile, pushing his hands in his pockets and leaning up against the wall.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Of course he¡¯s taking me with him. I¡¯m his son. I¡¯m the heir to his business and his only descendant,¡± Milo explained with a frustrated roll of his eyes.


    Milo cocked his gun, figuring he might as well shut this guard up as well before he moved on to Parker and Garrett.


    ¡°You are a fool. You honestly think you are his only heir? You think all of the women he¡¯s enjoyed over the years never produced other offspring? Right now three of his sons are upstairs working as guards. He promised them the same things he¡¯s promised you. Only he didn¡¯t order their execution before he left,¡± Alejandro explained with a smug smile.


    The color drained from Milo¡¯s face as he listened to the words the guard spoke. He didn¡¯t want to believe they were true, but deep down, he knew they were. He was and always would be a loser. A little boy that no one gave a shit about, always getting the raw end of the deal when everyone around him got everything their hearts desired. He knew he could never live up to his father¡¯s expectations, and his father knew that as well. With every turn in his life, he¡¯d made the wrong choices. He chose to never fight back when his stepfather used him as a punching bag. He chose to move into a home filled with happiness and love, knowing he would always be an outsider and only given those things out of pity. Milo had chosen his father¡¯s twisted life over the frivolous idea of love and friendship, thinking it would finally be his turn. And now, once again, he was being cast aside like garbage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been listening over my earpiece to all that is happening upstairs. The employees aren¡¯t happy with what you and your father have done to their women. The sounds you hear are them preparing to come down here and tear you limb from limb. Your father knew that would happen. He knew, and he walked out that door figuring if you were still alive when he left, you wouldn¡¯t be for long,¡± Alejandro said smugly. ¡°You¡¯re going to get what you deserve, little boy.¡±


    Milo didn¡¯t want to hear anymore. He raised his gun and fired off four rounds directly into Alejandro¡¯s self-righteous face before turning the gun on Garrett.


    ¡°Well, that went well,¡± Cole muttered as heavily armed employees filed past them and down the hall to show them the way to the basement.


    ¡°Offering to give them first crack at Fernandez was a good idea. It probably saved our asses,¡± Austin replied as the three men pulled their weapons back out of their holsters and followed the mob down several different hallways.


    Brady suddenly heard crackling and sporadic words coming through his wireless mic. As they walked through the palace, he pressed his finger to the button on his throat.


    ¡°Brady here, come in. Over.¡±


    Austin and Cole looked back at Brady questioningly when they heard him speak. Brady shrugged in reply and heard more static and part of a word every few seconds.


    ¡°This is Chief Brady Marshall, can you repeat that last command. Over.¡±


    After a few more seconds of annoying static, a voice came through the mic loud and clear.


    ¡°Marshall, good to hear your voice. It¡¯s Captain Risner. I¡¯m outside with an extraction team from the Navy and two special op teams from the CIA. We¡¯ve got the place surrounded. We¡¯re ready to move on your command. Over.¡±


    ¡°Be on the look-out for a helo coming in from the East, possibly landing on the south side of the property. We have intel that Fernandez is going to attempt to escape. We¡¯ve got a palace full of confused employees who seem to be sympathetic to our side but are pissed as hell at Fernandez and want first crack at him. We¡¯ve given the okay on that as long as they make sure we get out of here alive with McCarthy and Parker. We¡¯ve got at least twenty heavily armed individuals so make sure everyone is ready. Over.¡±


    ¡°Roger that. Men are getting into position now and have visual on the helo. Over.¡±


    The group of employees followed by the SEAL team stopped by a door at the end of the corridor. The man who seemed to be in charge of the employees pointed to the door and then saluted the team before ushering his people off in another direction.


    Brady, Austin, and Cole let them go knowing that the men outside would take care of the situation that was heading towards them. The sounds of gunfire from behind the door that led to the basement threw the three men into action.


    Austin flung open the door and the men raced down the stairs.


    Milo took a step in Garrett¡¯s direction and aimed the gun directly at his heart. He cocked the gun, and before the bullet had been fully released into the chamber, Milo felt something rip through his shoulder that took his breath away. His legs gave out and he dropped to his knees, his hand went numb, and the gun clamored to the floor.


    He looked over at Parker, her face bruised and bloody, her shirt half ripped off her body and one arm wrapped around her waist, the other hand holding the gun steady, aimed straight at him.


    Milo never saw Parker crawl across the floor and pick up the gun Garrett had dropped earlier. He was losing his touch.


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s son, I think I could have loved you,¡± Milo spoke to her in a pain-filled voice, stopping to press his hand to the bullet wound in his shoulder.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have mattered whose son you were. You always had the opportunity to be a better person. And I did love you. You were my best friend. No matter what, I would have always been your friend,¡± Parker told him, tears slowly falling down her cheeks.


    She hadn¡¯t hesitated to pull the trigger when Milo aimed his gun at Garrett. Parker knew she¡¯d do anything, kill anyone to make sure Garrett was safe. But she still had a conscience. She still had a heart. She¡¯d just shot the man she thought she would marry. She¡¯d just put a hole in the arm of the man who knew her biggest fears and had shared in all her joys. She wondered if his words right then were a last ditch effort to redeem himself. Maybe he figured if he made peace with her, he wouldn¡¯t go straight to hell when his heart stopped beating.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not going to live long what with the hole you¡¯ve put in me, and I highly doubt your first order of business will be to order medical attention for me. If those people upstairs find me alive, it won¡¯t be a pretty death they¡¯ll give me. They¡¯ll make sure I suffer,¡± Milo said.


    ¡°You deserve every bit of suffering you get,¡± Garrett said angrily. ¡°Do you honestly think we have any fucking sympathy for you right now?¡±


    ¡°Oh I know you couldn''t care less about what happens to me, old friend,¡± Milo said with a wince as he pressed his hand harder against the steady flow of blood that poured out of his wound. He could tell by the pulse of the flow that Parker had nicked an artery. ¡°But I don¡¯t think she has the heart to let me die so brutally, do you, Park?¡± he asked as he turned his attention back to Parker.


    For a moment, Parker wondered if she really could put her gun down and walk away, allow all of those angry people upstairs to slice him to pieces or beat him until the last breath escaped from his body. She¡¯d killed plenty of people in her career: drug dealers, foreign insurgents¨C all monsters, all killers of the innocent people exactly like Milo. The only difference was she¡¯d never shared her life with any of those people. For the most part they were faceless criminals that left a trail of death and destruction in their wake, and their deaths never gave Parker one night of restless sleep. But she¡¯d never shared her body with those individuals, never shared her soul. Parker wondered if she¡¯d sleep as easily this time around.


    Milo saw the hesitation in her eyes and thought maybe he¡¯d misjudged her. Maybe he¡¯d given her kind heart too much credit. She might actually let him suffer brutally before he took his last breath. He knew he would die in that room; his carelessness let him forget that Parker had access to a gun. His hatred of Garrett made him sloppy, and now it was all over. Milo knew of only one way to make Parker change her mind, one way into manipulating her into ending his life quickly and to show him mercy.


    Milo quickly twisted his body and reached for the gun he¡¯d dropped with his good arm. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to shoot straight left handed, but he only needed to convince Parker. Wincing, he glared at Garrett and raised the gun.


    In the end Parker gave Milo exactly what he wished for. A swift, torment-free death where he wouldn¡¯t have to answer for his sins to the people he¡¯d wronged.


    She wondered if she¡¯d see the face of a monster or the face of her best friend dying by her hand for the rest of her life.


    When she stopped firing her gun and nothing could be heard in the basement except the echo of the shots she¡¯d fired, and the clicking of an empty chamber as she continued to pull the trigger, Garrett rushed to her side and caught her just as the gun fell from her hands and she lost the strength to hold herself up.


    He eased her down to the floor just as the door to the basement burst open and his team raced in. They took in the lifeless bodies all around the room. Once they were certain they were all dead and no longer a threat to any of them, Brady sent Austin and Cole back up the stairs to find out what was happening outside with the mob and Fernandez. After they left, he sprinted to Garrett¡¯s side and crouched down next to him.


    When Garrett¡¯s hands went around Parker¡¯s waist as she fell. He felt something wet and sticky against his hand. He tried not to let the panic show as he gently pulled her into his lap, holding her tightly to him.


    He heard his team come in and knew Brady was next to him talking, but he couldn¡¯t hear the words and didn¡¯t give a shit about anything but Parker.


    ¡°You did good, baby, everything¡¯s going to be okay now.¡± He spoke to her as he pulled his hand away from her waist and saw the blood. He swallowed down a sob and smoothed the hair off of her face, leaving a bloody fingerprint trail across her cheek.


    Parker stared up into Garrett¡¯s face and knew something was wrong. Now that the adrenaline was gone from her body, the small burn she felt in her side had turned into an inferno. It felt like her stomach was on fire and like every layer of skin and muscle in that area was being burnt to a crisp. She wanted to scream for Garrett to put out the fire, to douse her with water, anything to make it stop hurting, but she couldn¡¯t find her voice. All she could think about was the pain. She didn¡¯t want to worry Garrett any more than he already was, so she was glad she couldn¡¯t speak. She didn¡¯t want him to know how much she was suffering right now. It would only scare him.


    ¡°You just hold on, okay? Help is coming. You¡¯re going to be fine,¡± he reassured her.


    In all her life she never thought she would see the day when Garrett McCarthy cried. She almost smiled at the tears she saw pooling in his eyes right then as he looked down at her, but she knew nothing about this was funny. She felt her vision getting blurry and she blinked a few times to bring Garrett back into focus. She just needed to keep looking at him. If she could see his face and his eyes, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad. She wouldn¡¯t be swallowed whole by the guilt she felt from killing Milo, and she wouldn¡¯t fade away into the nothingness she knew was hovering close by.


    Garrett pressed his hand against the hole in Parker¡¯s stomach and kept pressure on it. He could feel the beat of her heart through the wound as it pumped blood out of her body and into his hands. He held Parker¡¯s life in his hands, and it felt like he held a fragile pile of sand that seeped through his fingers and could blow away with one strong gust of wind. Garrett fixed things. He¡¯d fixed Parker and Milo¡¯s relationship more times than he could count over the years. He fixed computers at work, problems out in the field, and members of his team who needed guidance. The only thing he wanted to fix right now was Parker, but there was nothing he could do to make it happen. There was nothing to stop her from leaving him right now.

 Page 50

    Voices from far off surrounded Garrett as he stared down into Parker¡¯s eyes and watched her struggled to keep her gaze on him. He was vaguely aware of Brady making contact with the team outside and learned that the situation was under control and they had Fernandez in custody. He knew Brady had called for assistance when the sudden rush of bodies into the room meant help was finally here.Advertisement


    ¡°I love you, Parker. Do you hear me? I love you. Don¡¯t you dare leave me!¡± Garrett yelled as Parker was pulled off of his lap and placed on the floor in front of him.


    He refused to let go of her hand and snapped at someone next to him who tried to move him out of the way. Medical personnel decided it was best not to argue with him and did their best to work around him. They ripped her torn shirt the rest of the way from her body, applied bandages to her wound, started an IV, and placed an oxygen mask over her face.


    Parker watched what was happening with detachment like it was happening to someone else and not her. She watched Garrett argue with someone next to him without taking his eyes off of her. Numbness flowed through her veins and through every inch of her body, and she knew she was given some kind of pain medicine that she was immediately grateful for. The need to scream in agony diminished with each part of her that grew immune to the pain. Her body was jostled and placed onto a wooden board before being lifted onto a gurney. Garrett was pushed out of the way, and within seconds, she could no longer see his eyes. She was staring up at strangers who carried her through the corridors of the palace. These people didn¡¯t love her; they didn¡¯t know her. She felt cold and alone and wanted the warmth of Garrett¡¯s arms back. She closed her eyes and let the darkness swallow her, hoping she¡¯d find Garrett on the other side.


    Chapter 26


    The last clear memory Parker had was staring up at water-filled blue eyes and wishing she had the energy to talk and tell Garrett she would be fine and not to worry so much about her.


    She didn¡¯t remember the frantic ambulance ride to the hospital where they had to perform CPR and then jump start her heart because she had lost over forty percent of her blood and went into shock. She didn¡¯t remember being in surgery for six hours to repair the hole in her side and the damage to her small intestine. She didn¡¯t remember Garrett knocking a doctor out cold when he was told he couldn¡¯t go into her room, and she didn¡¯t remember the four days she had spent in a medically induced coma.


    One minute her world went black and the next her eyes were blinking rapidly from the bright florescent lights that hung above her hospital bed as she arched her back in pain and terror because it felt like she was choking. Her body jerked as she tried to swallow and her arms wouldn¡¯t move to clutch her throat no matter how hard she tried. She coughed and gagged in an attempt to swallow, the effort causing her eyes to water. Parker could hear loud beeping from a machine close to her bed and within seconds two nurses rushed to her bedside.


    ¡°Calm down, Annabelle. It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s a tube down your throat that¡¯s been helping you breathe,¡± one of the nurses informed her as she placed her hands on Parker¡¯s shoulders and held her still. ¡°I know it feels like you¡¯re choking but we need you to try and stay calm. We¡¯re going to call the respiratory therapist so he can run a few tests and then hopefully pull that tube out.¡±


    Parker could feel tears sliding down her cheeks and she tried bringing a hand up to swipe them away but she still couldn¡¯t move them.


    ¡°Your arms are restrained so you wouldn¡¯t pull the tube out,¡± the second nurse told her gently when she saw her tugging against the bindings. She pulled a cordless phone out of the pocket of her lab coat and dialed the therapist.


    Parker tried to do as they asked, but her mind was still fuzzy from being unconscious for so long. Her body¡¯s natural reaction was to fight the thing that was causing her discomfort.


    Although it seemed like hours that she lay in bed, being held down by a nurse, it was only minutes before a man dressed in blue hospital scrubs walked into the room pushing a giant machine in front of him.


    ¡°Good morning, Parker, it¡¯s good to see you''re awake,¡± he told her as he wheeled the machine next to her respirator and began hooking up wires and plugs. He had her perform a bunch of breathing exercises while he monitored the two machines. After twenty minutes, he told her to take a deep breath and blow out all the air as hard as she could while he pulled the tube out of her throat.


    After giving Parker several minutes to cough, they attached an oxygen mask to her face and told her to rest, injecting something into her IV that made her eyes droop closed.


    Before she succumbed to sleep, she realized that the one person she needed the most wasn¡¯t in the room when she first woke up.


    Garrett paced angrily back and forth in the small conference room of the Navy SEAL command center. After four days of sitting by Parker¡¯s bed side willing her to wake up, he¡¯d been forcibly removed by three Navy masters-at-arms at oh-two-hundred hours that morning. He knew it was his own fault for not getting in contact with Captain Risner after he left Garrett repeated voicemails. He knew the debriefing from this mission should have been top priority, but nothing could tear him away from Parker¡¯s side.


    Three fully armed, United States military police officers proved him wrong. If he didn¡¯t go with them calmly and quietly back to the states, they would take him by force. Garrett knew if that happened, he¡¯d be thrown into the Brig, the military¡¯s version of prison, for directly disobeying orders, being AWOL, and a long list of other offenses he didn¡¯t care about at the moment.


    Garrett was climbing the walls and felt like tearing all of his hair out. As soon as he deplaned, he was relieved of his military-issued firearm, his military identification, his cell phone, and driven to the command center and put into a conference room without any explanation. Garrett knew he should have never left Parker¡¯s side. All he could think about was something going wrong and not being there to do something. He hadn¡¯t done much of anything the past few days aside from hold her hand and talk to her, but at least it felt like something. Right now he felt useless.


    Several minutes later the door to the room opened and Risner walked in followed by Captain John Andrews, Risner¡¯s boss. Neither man looked happy, although Risner looked at Garrett with sad eyes and a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°Lieutenant McCarthy, have a seat,¡± Captain Andrews said stiffly with a nod of his head to the table in the middle of the room.


    The two men who held his future in their hands sat. Garrett remained standing.


    ¡°Permission to speak freely, sir?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°Granted,¡± Captain Risner replied.


    ¡°Get me the fuck out of this room and back to Parker!¡± Garrett yelled as he slammed his palms on the table in front of them.


    ¡°We understand your anger, Garrett¡­er, Lieutenant McCarthy,¡± Risner replied, glancing nervously at his boss. Garrett and Risner had been friends ever since they met in the Naval Academy. The fact that Risner was Garrett¡¯s boss never changed that. Risner trusted Garrett to do his job and left him alone to accomplish it. It was obvious now, by the way he kept glancing at Captain Andrews, that things were out of his hands as far as Garrett was concerned.


    ¡°If you would have just contacted us and willingly came in for the debrief, you might already be on your way back to the Dominican to Agent Parker,¡± Captain Andrews informed him arrogantly. ¡°A member of your team, who we thought to be dead for a year, had gone rogue and taken up with the enemy. Your silence and unknown whereabouts concerned both the Admiral and Commodore. It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    Risner gave Garrett a look of sympathy. He knew Garrett would never even come close to doing something against the Navy or against his country. He felt bad that Parker was harmed and knew Garrett wasn¡¯t thinking straight because of it, but it was out of his hands. The higher-ups in the Navy weren¡¯t happy. Milo¡¯s actions shined a negative light on the entire SEAL program, and now everyone was under scrutiny.


    ¡°The fact of the matter is, Lieutenant McCarthy, there is a man with over forty-seven counts of underage prostitution and thirteen counts of voluntary manslaughter that is sitting in a Dominican prison awaiting trial. There are also three United States Senators, four Supreme Court judges, two employees of the State Department, one employee from the Executive Office of the CIA, six members of the State Council of China, four members of the Cabinet of Australia, and the President of Egypt that were all his customers. Each one has been charged with numerous counts of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Nothing can be done with these individuals until you are fully debriefed by the Navy and we can begin trial proceedings,¡± Captain Andrews stated calmly.


    The battle inside of Garrett raged quietly. He had a responsibility to his country to see this finished. He made a vow to protect this land and all of the people who lived here. Among the forty-seven plus young girls that Fernandez sold into sexual slavery, twenty were Americans. But he¡¯d also made a promise to Parker. Even though she was unconscious at the time, he swore to her sleeping form that he would never leave her side again, that he would love her until the day he died, and he would do everything in his power to make up for the fact that his jealousy did this to her.


    Garrett knew if he managed to get away from the building and back to Parker, he would only be dragged away again. The second time wouldn¡¯t be as easy. He¡¯d be thrown into the brig and denied any leniency. He would be seen as a traitor for not standing up for the people of his country and doing what he could to put the monsters behind bars for a very long time.


    If he stayed there and went through the debriefing required by the Navy after a mission like this, conducted meetings with his SEAL team and the team of lawyers hired to try this case, organizing their testimony and evidence, and finally went to trial, he¡¯d be looking at weeks if not months away from Parker. He knew she would understand, but at the same time, the guilt he felt for leaving her would eat him alive. The choice was not an easy one to make.


    In the end, Garrett knew he needed to do whatever he could to put an end to all of the disgusting men that took advantage of children. He could do nothing but hope that the sacrifices he made now would be worth it when he was back with Parker, where he belonged.


    Two days after Parker¡¯s endotracheal tube was removed from her throat, she was able to talk without coughing and was clear-headed enough to listen to her nurse explain that three armed military guards took Garrett away in the middle of the night right before she woke up. She was told by several people she was lucky to be alive. Many people didn¡¯t come back from a class six hemorrhage on top of the all the injuries she sustained before being shot: one broken rib, a broken thumb, a cracked bone in her jaw, one in her cheek, and a bullet hole in her side with an even bigger hole in the back from the exit wound.


    Once Parker was stable enough, she was flown to George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C. so she could begin physical therapy and start the long healing process. Parker assumed she¡¯d get a say in what hospital she was transferred to, obviously wanting to be close to her home in California. However, the CIA made the decision for her and without her consent.


    As the days passed, Garrett¡¯s absence felt like another bullet wound, this time to her heart. During the day she was busy with therapy and the constant flow of doctors and nurses checking her vitals and asking her questions. But at night, in the quiet of the hospital where she was left alone to rest, Parker had plenty of time to think about how alone she was. She had no one there for her except for a blue eyed, black haired exotic beauty named Olivia.


    In the last few weeks, Parker¡¯s nurse had become a friend of sorts. For obvious reasons, Parker trusted no one, but Olivia made it hard not to like her even if she had to stare at her perfect complexion and model¡¯s figure every day. It was especially hard when Olivia smiled at Parker and told her they were going to be good friends right after Parker threw a bowl of green Jell-O at her the day they met.


    Even though Olivia forced Parker to go to physical therapy when she didn¡¯t want to and stood next to her bed, tapping her foot until Parker gave in, forced the bland hospital food down her sore throat, yanked the covers off of her, and made her go for a walk when she was feeling sorry for herself, she was the only constant in Parker¡¯s life at the moment¨Dthe only person there day in and day out that made sure she got better.


    Parker swore worse than any truck driver she¡¯d ever met and spent most of her day frowning, complaining, and arguing, but Olivia knew something else was lurking underneath that hard exterior. She tried several times to talk to Parker about the handsome soldier that she heard kept a close vigil over her for the first four days after her surgery, but each time she mentioned him, Parker shut down.


    On several occasions, Olivia came up to the hospital long before her shift was due to start just to check on Parker. She would peek in on her through the window in Parker''s hospital room door and it was always the same. Parker would be sitting in the chair by the window, staring out at nothing, with tears rolling down her cheeks. Even though the cause of Parker¡¯s injuries was top secret, Olivia knew she was with the CIA and just completed a mission in the Dominican Republic where she was held hostage. Olivia had seen her share of injured soldiers, agents, and other U.S. government workers throughout the years. She knew Parker most likely saw and experienced things that could break even the strongest of men. Olivia hoped that one day Parker would confide in her; she couldn¡¯t stand seeing the woman in so much pain. Even when she was struggling on the treadmill with sweat dripping down her face or sitting in the back of the room stone-faced and refusing to participate in her weekly PTSD group, Olivia could see the force it took for Parker not to crumble. She knew it was taking every ounce of strength Parker possessed not to break down.

 Page 51

    Olivia and Parker slowly made their way back into Parker¡¯s hospital room after a couple of leisurely laps around the recovery floor. Both women immediately stopped talking and frowned at the man who stood up from a chair in the corner of the room to greet them.Advertisement


    Parker immediately thought of Agent Brad Richmond. Right before Parker was transferred to D.C. she found out her boss of eight years died in his home when he refused to give up Parker¡¯s location to two of Fernandez¡¯s guards. He was never someone she would call a friend necessarily, but at least he knew her. They shared a history even if it wasn¡¯t all rainbows and kittens. He didn¡¯t treat her like a stranger, speak to her like a child, or ignore her requests. His replacement, Agent Jeff Charles, managed to do all of those things within the first fifteen minutes of meeting her.


    She hated him immediately.


    As soon as Parker was transported to D.C., Agent Charles came to Parker¡¯s room three different times in an attempt to talk to Parker about what happened, and each time Olivia ordered him away when she saw how upset it made Parker. She told him Parker wasn¡¯t strong enough for visitors that would upset her. Jeff bided his time for as long as he could. Agent Parker¡¯s time was up. Jeff finally went over Olivia¡¯s head and Parker¡¯s doctor gave him the okay to question her about the mission.


    Olivia was not happy.


    As she helped Parker get back into bed, she shot a dirty look to the man in corner of the room wearing a black suit and tie with a perfectly pressed white shirt.


    ¡°You buzz me if you need anything,¡± Olivia informed Parker as she helped her pull a blanket up over her legs and shot a quick glance over her shoulder at the patiently waiting CIA agent. ¡°Even if it¡¯s some good old fashioned ass kicking.¡±


    Parker cracked a small smile even though it hurt to show even that much emotion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s in your job description to beat up visitors. Especially government employed ones,¡± Parker told her softly as she got herself comfortable.


    ¡°Something tells me you wouldn¡¯t be opposed to assault and battery in this instance,¡± Olivia replied, hooking her thumb over her shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Parker assured Olivia. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After checking the IV machine and pressing a few buttons, Olivia left Parker and Agent Charles alone.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve stated in the numerous voicemails I¡¯ve left you, none of which you¡¯ve had the courtesy to respond to, there are quite a few loose ends that need to be cleared up in regards to this case,¡± Agent Charles said as he got right to the point, opening a briefcase he''d set on the table next to him and pulling out several file folders.


    ¡°And as I stated the first day you came here two weeks ago, I¡¯m not answering any of your fucking questions until you tell me what¡¯s happening with Lieutenant McCarthy and his team,¡± Parker replied, trying to keep her blood pressure down.


    ¡°Miss Parker¡ª¡±


    ¡°AGENT Parker,¡± she interrupted, correcting Jeff through gritted teeth. ¡°I may not be active right now, but I damn well deserve the respect I¡¯ve earned.¡±


    Jeff took a few calming breaths and reminded himself that losing his temper wouldn¡¯t do anyone any good. The CIA and the Navy were now in a pissing contest over who should get the credit for taking down one of the biggest prostitution rings that spanned several countries. The sad fact was the CIA couldn¡¯t get the upper hand without Parker¡¯s help. Her refusal to participate in debriefing or talk to anyone from the CIA was not helping their case.


    ¡°Please forgive me, Agent Parker.¡±


    Parker tried to ignore the obvious sarcasm in his voice, but it was impossible.


    ¡°As I informed you in two of my voicemails that I¡¯m assuming you didn¡¯t bother listening to, as an agent with the CIA, I am not privy to the whereabouts of a Navy SEAL. However, in the interest of putting this mission to bed once and for all, I made a few calls. As the leader of his SEAL team and the contact for all of the deceased members of SEAL Team Six, Lieutenant. McCarthy is being held under tight surveillance, along with the other three members of his team, until the trial date for all the parties involved in this scandal occurs. A gag order has been placed on all of them restricting them from having any contact with anyone outside of their immediate supervisors and lawyers.¡±


    Parker heard the words he spoke and understood each and every one of them. She knew Garrett¡¯s lack of contact wasn¡¯t due to the fact that he suddenly had a change of heart. She knew without a doubt he would be there if he could. Knowing this information and coming to terms with it was a whole other matter. Not having Garrett there to hold her and keep the nightmares away each night was slowly breaking her down. Each day, even with Olivia¡¯s attempts at friendship, Parker felt herself drowning in despair. Without Garrett¡¯s smile or his arms wrapped around her, the memories of all she lost and everything she did were swallowing her whole. She didn¡¯t care about her job. She didn¡¯t care about the case¡­she didn¡¯t care about anything.


    Agent Charles was only there because he wanted something from her. He didn¡¯t care that she was struggling to keep the demons at bay or barely holding on to her sanity. He wanted answers to what happened down in that basement. He wanted an explanation for why another agent with over thirty years of experience, her father, was shot to death in his hospital room. The morbid curiosity that lived inside of him wanted to know if Fernandez ever tried to sleep with her, if the rumors of her involvement with McCarthy were true, and if she was secretly thrilled at being the one to shoot her former fianc¨¦ in the head.


    She knew his kind and had worked with entirely too many men just like him over the years. They laughed at the water cooler over crime scene photos: the dead individuals in the pictures that died by the hand of other agents, nothing more than fodder for the gossip mill. Parker knew they were doing that with her now: standing in elevators, conversing over coffee, placing bets about whether or not Parker smiled as she pulled the trigger to end Milo¡¯s life, wondering if she¡¯d been in on all of it with Milo the entire time and killed him just to keep him quiet.


    ¡°So, now that I¡¯ve went out on a limb to get the information you¡¯ve requested, it¡¯s time for you to answer some of my questions,¡± Agent Charles stated, bringing her out of her thoughts.


    The first two weeks away from Parker were the hardest. Garrett didn¡¯t sleep, he barely ate, and he snapped at anyone who tried to talk to him. He gave his statements, answered all their questions, and no one would let him have any contact with Parker. They were given an official order not to talk to anyone who didn¡¯t have pre-clearance from the Navy. For the sake of the case and making sure nothing slipped through the cracks, they needed to follow their orders to a T. Garrett wasn¡¯t even permitted five minutes alone with Brady, Austin, or Cole in case they were trying to change facts about what happened and throw a wrench in the case. They were each questioned separately for hours about what happened, and then once the lawyers were satisfied that their stories matched, questioned them together. They were never left alone to talk freely about anything.


    Captain Risner managed to get a few messages to Garrett about Parker¡¯s status, each one short and barely containing any real information.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s been transported to another hospital.¡±


    ¡°She has a long road ahead of her.¡±


    Captain Andrews made sure Garrett knew just how grateful he should be that the Navy was allowing him to have even that little bit of information. They didn¡¯t want Garrett to lose focus or forget his reason for joining the Navy in the first place. But most of all, they didn¡¯t want anything to mess up one of the biggest scandals the Navy had ever been responsible for bringing to light.


    Luckily for everyone involved, the chaos the Dominican Republic was plunged into with the sudden knowledge of their President¡¯s activities and the unclear line of succession since he was removed from his position as head of the country, negotiations were handled quickly and efficiently. The Dominican Republic wanted the ¡°problem¡± removed from the country as fast as possible so they could begin to rebuild their crumbling government. Having the former head of their country right under everyone¡¯s noses was just a reminder of the mistakes they made by turning a blind eye on his illegal activity. They agreed to allow Fernandez to be transported to the United States for a trial since they had more immediate stability issues that needed to be addressed.


    One week before the trial was scheduled to begin, Garrett was in a conference room with a representative from the Navy¡¯s JAG office being prepped for testimony. Garrett was having a hard time concentrating since he knew today was the day Fernandez would be transported from the Dominican to a private corrections facility in California until the day before the trial. It was still hundreds of miles away from where he was, but having him on U.S. soil was enough to make Garrett feel murderous. An hour into the prep meeting and four ignored cell phone calls, the JAG officer finally excused himself to see who it was that kept calling.


    Several minutes later he returned to the room with a stunned look on his face.


    President Emilio Fernandez was dead. It came as a shock to the legal team, but not so much to the Navy SEALS who brought him down. They knew karma had a way of coming back to bite you in the ass.


    While awaiting transport at La Victoria, the largest prison in the Dominican Republic, Fernandez got what was coming to him. Word traveled fast, even in a third world country. Too many people knew what he did. Too many inmates, guards, and visitors wanted him to pay for what he¡¯d done to their sisters, cousins, nieces¡­


    A riot broke out and chaos ensued. When the fighting was under control and the prisoners were all back in their cells, Fernandez¡¯s holding area remained empty. His body was found within the hour. His head was no longer attached to his body, three of his fingers were sawed off with a crude instrument, and his testicles were stuffed down his own throat.


    No one mourned his death.


    The authorities turned a blind eye on the parties responsible.


    After a few chaotic hours and the rearrangement of testimonies, the trial went ahead as planned. All individuals accused of wrongdoing were found guilty and charged. It would be many years before any of them would see the light of day.


    Within fifteen minutes of leaving the courthouse, Garrett was handed back his military identification, weapon, and his cell phone. He immediately placed a call to Parker.


    After four rings a computerized message informed him that his call could not be completed as dialed because the number he was trying to reach was no longer in service.


    Parker checked herself out of George Washington University Hospital six weeks after she got there with a promise to Olivia that she would call her as soon as she got settled. Parker conveniently didn¡¯t tell her that she wouldn¡¯t be going back to her condo in California, feeling like she didn¡¯t need to divulge that type of information to her nurse.


    Her cell phone was confiscated by Agent Charles since it was property of the CIA, and she had no idea when or even if she¡¯d resume her employment there. She programmed Olivia¡¯s number into the new phone she ordered just to make the woman stop hounding her about it. As they said their goodbyes, Olivia raised an eyebrow and stared at Parker suspiciously, making her wonder if the woman knew Parker had no intention of ever calling it. Caring about someone, sharing secrets with them, relying on them, and letting them rely on you¡­it never seemed to work out very well for Parker. She decided then and there she would never make any more mistakes where friendship was concerned.


    As Parker¡¯s plane touched down and she held onto the armrest with white knuckles, she remembered the flight into the Dominican. Garrett had tried to make her forget about her nerves by informing her they¡¯d have to pretend to be husband and wife. The memory was bittersweet and made her chest ache.


    She refused to think any more about that now. Thinking about Garrett only made things worse. Parker winced as she pulled her small suitcase out from under her seat. The bullet wound in her side was healed, but any bit of movement made a dull ache form where the hole had been. She stood up, pressed her hand to her side, and followed the small handful of other passengers down the aisle. Parker tried to smile back at the pilot who stuck his head out of the cockpit to bid her goodbye on the way out the door of the small plane that had taken her on the second leg of her journey, but being in that place, knowing what she was about to face, made it impossible for her to even fake happiness.


    When she walked into the airport that morning and up to the counter to check-in, her palms started to sweat and grief began to overwhelm her. For the last few days, she did nothing but dream about sinking into her own bed in her own condo, turning off the lights, and ignoring the world around her for the.


    In a split-second decision she changed her flight plans.


    As she stepped out of the charter plane and made her way down the short set of stairs, she quickened her pace, trying to distance herself from the chipper words of airport security as they gave the same parting words to each and every flier.


    ¡°Thank you for flying with us today! We hope you enjoy your stay in Manchester, Michigan!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. No amount of yelling or harsh language is going to make me break the rules. Patient files are strictly confidential. Unless you are an immediate family member, I cannot give you the information you want.¡±


    Garrett had reached the end of his patience ten hours earlier when he kept getting the run-around about what hospital Parker was transported to after she left the Dominican. After seven phone calls and a poorly executed threat to beat the crap out of each and every person at CIA headquarters if they didn¡¯t tell him what hospital Parker went to, Risner stepped in to help before Garrett got himself arrested.

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    The most insane thing about the entire situation was that the entire time Garrett was locked away, unable to have any type of contact with Parker, she was closer than he ever imagined. Due to the high profile nature of the case, the trial was held in Washington, D.C., right around the corner from George Washington University Hospital.Advertisement


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you three fucking times already, she doesn¡¯t have any family. I¡¯m all she has. I need to find out where she is,¡± Garrett said angrily. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯m going to go up and down every single God damned hallway in this place and bang on every fucking door until I find her.¡±


    Garrett knew he was being an asshole. He heard the words as they left his mouth, but there was nothing he could do about it. He finally found out where Parker was, and now the Gestapo at the nurse¡¯s station wouldn¡¯t tell him what room she was in.


    Olivia stepped off the elevator in the middle of Garrett¡¯s rant and walked over to her co-worker Rhonda in an attempt to help her out. They had to deal with angry family members from time to time; it was just part of the job. Olivia was always better at handling them than everyone else and the look of relief on Rhonda¡¯s face as Olivia rounded the counter was evident.


    ¡°Excuse me, sir? What seems to be the problem here?¡± Olivia asked as she removed her coat and clipped her ID badge to the front of her scrubs.


    ¡°My name is Garrett McCarthy. I¡¯m just trying to find out what room my girlfr¡­my frien¡­my¡­.I just need to know where Annabelle Parker is,¡± Garrett stumbled.


    He felt like a fool. He didn¡¯t even know what to call Parker. They¡¯d been through so much together and everything changed between them in such a short time. They¡¯d gone from best friends to lovers in the blink of an eye. He knew she loved him, but he had no idea if she still felt that way, if what she went through changed things, if his not being there for her these past two months changed everything. Garrett wouldn¡¯t know anything until he saw her.


    ¡°Rhonda, could you excuse us for a minute?¡± Olivia asked softly.


    Rhonda was more than happy to leave. Olivia watched her grab a clipboard and head to one of the patient rooms before turning to face Garrett.


    This was Parker¡¯s mystery man. The one whose name she had called out in the middle of the night every single night. When Parker left the hospital two days prior, Olivia tried to get her to open up one last time and asked her about the man who haunted her dreams and caused her to wake up crying.


    Even through the quickly hidden pools of tears in Parker¡¯s eyes and the wall that slammed down over her features, Olivia knew this man was special to Parker.


    ¡°So you¡¯re Garrett,¡± Olivia stated, looking him up and down. ¡°Parker¡¯s mentioned you.¡±


    Garrett let out a sigh of relief. At least he was finally getting somewhere.


    ¡°She¡¯s okay then? Where is she? Can I see her?¡±


    Olivia let out a small, forced laugh. ¡°Slow down there, cowboy. I said she mentioned you. I didn¡¯t say she wanted anything to do with you.¡±


    Olivia watched Garrett¡¯s face fall and his shoulders slump in defeat. She felt a little bad about deceiving the guy and making him think Parker was still there. But she needed to make sure he was a good guy before saying anything. The look on Garrett¡¯s face right now told her all she needed to know.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t really mention you. She cried out your name in her sleep. Every night,¡± Olivia told him.


    The anguish on Garrett¡¯s face was heart-breaking.


    ¡°I wanted to be here. It killed me not to be here,¡± Garrett replied sadly.


    ¡°It killed her not having you here,¡± Olivia told him softly. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you this to make you feel worse; I just want you to know what state she¡¯s in. Physically she¡¯s doing well. She made a quick recovery considering the trauma she endured. But mentally, she¡¯s struggling.¡±


    Garrett rested his palms on the counter and bowed his head.


    ¡°I tried to be her friend. I did what I could to let her know I was there for her and she could talk to me, but I could never get through to her. Every day I watched her body get stronger while at the same time I watched her mind and her heart get weaker. I don¡¯t know what happened to her, but I know it was bad. I know she feels insurmountable guilt about something and that it¡¯s eating her alive. She was supposed to stay here for another week but she discharged herself two days ago.¡±


    Garrett¡¯s head whipped up and he looked at Olivia questioningly.


    ¡°Before you even ask, I have no idea where she went. She promised to call me when she got settled, but I haven¡¯t heard from her yet.¡±


    Garrett closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then reached across the counter to pull the nurse into a hug. He thanked her for being there for Parker when he couldn¡¯t. He promised her he would take care of Parker even if she hated him now.


    With just one phone call to Brady as Garrett made his way down the elevator he was able to find out exactly where she was headed. Thankfully, his best friend always used the same passwords for everything. Brady was able to hack into her credit card information within seconds.


    Parker should have been exhausted after the day she had: a one hour flight from D.C. to New Jersey, then a three-and-a-half hour flight from New Jersey to Manchester Township, and finally an hour drive in a rental car to the house. As she stood in the middle of the living room staring at the lounge chair in the corner, she didn¡¯t feel exhausted. She just felt numb.


    Subconsciously she knew what she had been doing wasn¡¯t healthy. She knew trying to bury the memories and the pain was only going to make things worse. Every ounce of grief, anger, guilt, and shock piled themselves on top of her day after day, hour after hour, until she felt like the weight would crush her. Week after week, sitting in the back of those post-traumatic stress groups, she heard the counselor instruct everyone that if they didn¡¯t talk about what was wrong, if they didn¡¯t face their fears and confront their demons, the nightmares would never go away.


    So now she stood alone in the house of her childhood facing the first nightmare. Almost everything in the house had changed since she¡¯d last been there: new couch, new carpet, new paint on the walls, different appliances, and a big screen television mounted above the fireplace. The only thing that remained the same was the chair, her father¡¯s favorite chair. It looked as if someone sat in it one more time it would crumble into a pile of rubble on the floor.


    The air smelled faintly of her father¡¯s cologne and lemon furniture polish, the same smells she would always attribute to this house.


    Parker walked slowly over to her father¡¯s chair and sat down. It seemed like a lifetime ago since she sat on her father¡¯s lap and watched scary movies with him in this chair. Considering everything that happened in her life since she had left home, it almost was the span of an entire life.


    The guilt overwhelmed her when she thought of all the wasted years she spent being angry at her father. If she would have only been a bigger person and tried to contact him at some point maybe it would never have come to this, sitting in the empty house of her childhood, mourning a man she knew nothing about.


    Parker leaned back into the chair and let the well-worn fabric and soft cushions envelop her. She looked to her left and saw a framed photo of her mother from her wedding day¨Dthe same picture her father had hugged to his body and silently wept over for months after her mother had died. Parker reached over and lifted the eight by ten frame off of the end table to bring it closer. The action caused an envelope that was propped up against the frame to fall flat onto the table. Parker rested the frame in her lap and picked up the envelope. In her father¡¯s small, block-lettered print was her name.


    Parker¡¯s breath caught in her throat, and she blinked back tears as she ran her fingertips over her name. She quickly turned the envelope over and ripped it open.


    Dear Annabelle:


    If you¡¯re here in the house and you¡¯ve found this letter, I¡¯m either dead or hell has frozen over. I¡¯m going to go out on a limb here and guess I¡¯m dead.


    Parker laughed through her tears at her father¡¯s blunt words.


    You know I¡¯m not good with stuff like this, but you deserve answers. So I¡¯m going to give them to you. I made so many mistakes where you were concerned. I look back at my behavior after the funeral, and I¡¯m ashamed. When I realized what I¡¯d done and that I needed to do everything I could to make you forgive me, there was a leak in the CIA and Fernandez found out I was the one who¡¯d been handling the case to try and bring him down. The only thing I could think about was how to keep you safe. He knew I had a daughter and that we were estranged. I knew if I tried to contact you at all, Fernandez would know and he would turn his focus on you as a way to get to me. I depended on Fernandez believing I hated you so he could never use you that way. In my obsession to keep you safe, I truly believed coercing you to join the CIA would be the best option. It would give you the absolute best connections and Fernandez would know that if he did anything to harm you, a CIA agent and the daughter of the man in charge of his case, he would be the first person they would blame. The photos you were given of me all beat to hell? Those cuts and bruises were courtesy of Fernandez¡¯s men, not the Capuano mob. We knew that showing you those pictures and coming up with a story about me being in debt was the only way to make you believe I was truly in danger. I¡¯m so sorry for all of the lies. I¡¯m sorry for bringing you into a life you never wanted. I hope you know it was always, ALWAYS to protect you.


    I want you to know, I was never far away. I watched you grow into the amazing woman you are now from afar so it never endangered you. I was at your college graduation, I saw every photo you ever took, and I reviewed the notes from every mission you were involved with. You have made me so proud, Annabelle.


    When the notes came across my desk that you were assigned to the Fernandez case, I panicked. Never in a million years did I ever think you¡¯d be put on the same case and led right to him. I suddenly realized that bringing you into the CIA never protected you at all. It only gave Fernandez more access to you and insider information on the CIA¡¯s investigations.


    As soon as I found out, I demanded to get back on active duty and began putting all of my time into researching Fernandez. Just yesterday we uncovered information about Milo that made us believe he is still alive and working for Fernandez. I knew you were in the Dominican to find out what happened to Milo. I have to warn you. I refuse to let anything happen to you. My flight to the Dominican leaves in two hours so if this letter is in your hands right now, I won¡¯t feel bad at all about dying so long as you¡¯re safe.


    I always thought your mother was the love of my life¡ªmy everything. The day she died, I wanted to die right along with her. I wish more than anything that I could go back in time and change things. I should have done better by you. I should have been the father you deserved. I should have loved you better. The truth is, you¡¯re mother wasn¡¯t the love of my life, not really. She was my wife, and I always have and always will love her. But you, my Annabelle, my daughter, YOU are the love of my life.


    Be happy, Anna. Take the time to enjoy life, never take anything for granted, and do the exact opposite of what your old man¡¯s done.


    I love you. Always.


    Dad


    Chapter Twenty-Seven


    Garrett powered off his GPS as he pulled into the driveway of the small two story home in Manchester Township. The rental car already in the driveway and the light on in one of the front rooms made him nervous and excited all at the same time. He¡¯d felt empty for the past two months, like nothing in his life meant anything, and he did nothing but exist day in and day out. Being this close to Parker right now, knowing she was within an arm''s reach made his heart beat faster and his hands sweaty.


    He turned off the engine and made his way up the front walk to ring the doorbell. Within seconds the door opened and he forgot how to breathe. The last time he saw her she was covered in bruises and dried blood and a machine was breathing for her. The faint yellow color of the fading bruises around one eye and her cheek made him remember just how long it had been since he last saw her.


    Parker had been asleep, curled up in a ball in her father¡¯s chair with tears dried on her cheeks and the letter clutched to her chest when the doorbell rang. She had stumbled across the room and flung open the door without even checking to see who it was. Nothing could have prepared her for the shock of seeing Garrett.


    She had purposely avoided newspapers and televisions after she recounted all of the details of their mission to Agent Charles and a member of the Navy legal team recorded her sworn testimony for court from her hospital bed. Due to her condition, she was given a special medical waiver so she wouldn¡¯t have to testify in court. She washed her hands of the entire situation after that and wanted nothing more to do with it. The nightmares were bad enough. Watching the trial day in and day out and knowing Garrett was there and not with her would have killed her. Fernandez had robbed her of too much. The fact that the trial against him took Garrett away from her was more than she could handle.


    Due to her self-imposed ignorance, she had no idea the trial was over, though she did find out about Fernandez from Agent Charles. It was the one and only time she was happy to see the agent in her hospital room.


    ¡°Can I come in?¡± Garrett asked.


    Parker suddenly felt nervous and awkward. She¡¯d wanted Garrett there, wished him to be close enough for her to touch for weeks, and now that he was there, she didn¡¯t know what to do. All of the pain and anger she felt back in the Dominican when Garrett got mad and stormed away came rushing back to the surface. She remembered finally letting her walls collapse, allowing her reservations to crumble to the ground, and letting herself love Garrett with everything she had. She remembered finally feeling truly happy for the first time in her life. And then he turned his back on her.

 Page 53

    Parker tackled one demon by coming back to her father¡¯s house, but now another one stood right in front of her.Advertisement


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Parker muttered as she opened the door wider and stepped back out of the way so he could enter.


    Garrett walked past her and out of habit she breathed in deep, the smell of his cologne wrapping its way around her and intoxicating her.


    She closed the door behind him and took a few deep breaths to steady her racing heart before turning to face him. Parker found him staring at her when she turned.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here,¡± she told him, trying to keep the edge out of her voice.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it took me so long,¡± he replied with a sad smile.


    Parker nervously picked at her fingernails and then caught herself, quickly shoving her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and out of the way.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been crying,¡± Garrett stated, taking in the tear streaks on her face and her red, puffy eyes.


    Parker looked down at her feet, nodding her head. ¡°My dad left me a note.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Parker looked up at his face and could see the concern and worry there. It only made her angrier.


    ¡°Sorry for what? My dad dying? Not being here when I needed you? Or walking away from me because you didn¡¯t trust me enough?¡±


    Parker had rationalized with herself for weeks in the hospital that she knew Garrett would have stuck by her side if he could. Even though there was a sensible reason for his absence while she healed, she realized now that it didn¡¯t take away her feelings of abandonment. Lashing out at him just proved how upset she was and how much she hadn¡¯t forgiven him for not trusting her and leaving her alone¡ªin the hospital and with Milo.


    Garrett broke eye contact, looking away in shame.


    ¡°All of the above,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°If I could have been with you these last few months, you know I would have. It scared me to death not being there and not knowing what was going on or if you were okay. I would have given anything to not have to leave your side, Parker.¡±


    She closed her eyes to ward off any more tears at the sound of her name on his lips.


    ¡°I know that. Logically, in my head, I understand you had a job to do and it couldn¡¯t be helped. I shouldn¡¯t make you feel guilty about something you couldn¡¯t control.¡±


    Parker left out the fact that her head and her heart were currently at war with everything that happened. She knew the reasons for the choices he made, and yet, her heart couldn¡¯t find any reasonable explanation for the pain he¡¯d caused her.


    The silence stretched between them and Parker wondered if they¡¯d ever get back to the easy nature they used to have. In all the years they¡¯d known each other they¡¯d never been at a loss for words. They were always talking, laughing, or pissing each other off.


    ¡°I met your friend Olivia,¡± Garrett said after a few minutes.


    ¡°She¡¯s not my friend. She was just my nurse,¡± Parker quickly corrected.


    ¡°She definitely acted like a friend. She¡¯s a bulldog, that one. Very protective of you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just Olivia¡¯s nature. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s like that with everyone. I think history has proven I don¡¯t do well with friends,¡± Parker explained.


    The ease with which she said the words and the conviction in her voice saddened Garrett and angered him all at the same time. Parker didn¡¯t deserve any of the things she had to deal with over the years. She deserved to be loved and cherished and taken care of. The fact that Garrett had a hand in the way she felt now broke his heart. If he hadn¡¯t let her down in the Dominican, if he had trusted her love for him, she might still believe in friendship. She might still believe in him.


    ¡°You do very well with friends. Better than anyone I¡¯ve ever known. The ones you had just never deserved you,¡± Garrett told her softly.


    He didn¡¯t need to include himself in that statement, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce that it was implied. Garrett failed her. He knew that and he lived with that fact every single moment of every day since they left the Dominican.


    Parker never actually thought about what she would say to Garrett when she saw him again. She thought just being close to him would push her anger and disappointment down so far it wouldn¡¯t matter what happened as long as they were together. She realized now though, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to let it go.


    It was time to meet the next demon head on.


    ¡°After what happened between us, I still don¡¯t understand how you could look me in the eye and not know what you meant to me. How you could honestly believe I was such a horrible person that I would throw away everything we shared for a man I never really loved.¡±


    Each word Parker spoke was like a knife to Garrett¡¯s heart. He wished he could deny what she accused him of, but he knew every word of it was true. He hadn¡¯t known what he meant to her. He hadn¡¯t believed she would stay with him if Milo were still alive.


    Garrett¡¯s head would still be in the clouds about that now if Brady hadn¡¯t stepped in and set him straight the day the trial ended.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to immediately go find Parker, tell her you love her, and ride off into the sunset with her, correct?¡± Brady had asked with a laugh as they made their way to the underground parking lot of the court house.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be that simple,¡± Garrett had replied with a sigh as he tried calling Parker¡¯s cell phone again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s going to want anything to do with me now that all of this is over. What if she¡¯s going to pretend like nothing happened between us? Hell, she¡¯s probably mourning Milo all over again. He was dead, he came back to her, and now he¡¯s dead again and she¡¯s the one who had to do it.¡±


    Brady stopped walking suddenly, and Garrett took a few steps before he realized his friend wasn¡¯t right next to him anymore. He turned around to see Brady standing in the middle of the garage with his mouth hanging open.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Garrett asked.


    ¡°You have got to be the dumbest fuck in the entire world,¡± Brady muttered as he pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and started tapping keys furiously.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Garrett questioned as he walked back to where Brady stood.


    ¡°You honestly think Parker is going pretend like nothing happened? That she could even if she wanted to? How are you so intelligent when it comes to your job and a complete moron when it comes to that woman?¡±


    Garrett stood next to Brady staring at him in confusion until he pressed one final key and then held his cell phone up in the air closer to Garrett.


    ¡°Remember the day we bugged you two when Parker¡¯s dad came knocking? How she never took the bug off and it continued to record? This, my friend, is from right after your jealous ass stomped away like a two-year-old.¡±


    Within seconds Parker¡¯s voice rang out, echoing through the parking garage.


    ¡°Milo, stop. Just because you¡¯re here, and you¡¯re claiming to be one of the good guys, it doesn¡¯t mean that we can all just go back to the way everything was. It¡¯s not the same anymore.¡±


    ¡°But it can be.¡±


    Milo¡¯s voice argued.


    ¡°We were going to get married and have a life together. I still love you. Not a day has gone by that I haven¡¯t thought about you or wished I could be with you. If you can just forgive me, we can go back to that.¡±


    The pleading in Milo¡¯s voice made Garrett sick.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Milo, we¡¯re in the middle of trying to take down the leader of this country, someone who has been exploiting teenage girls for his own gain for God knows how many years. And even if that wasn¡¯t the case, even if we were home and you suddenly showed up out of the blue, it still wouldn¡¯t change anything.¡±


    Garrett could hear Milo¡¯s shuffled footsteps and knew he was pacing back and forth near Parker. He remembered the video he¡¯d seen of Milo drugging Parker and clenched his fists in anger, wishing for the thousandth time that he would have stuck around to protect her.


    ¡°Okay, I get it. You need time. You need to let things calm down and then we can talk and work things out.¡±


    Garrett was amazed at the nerve Milo had to say something like that to Parker. It brought back so much jealousy that Garrett almost couldn¡¯t see straight.


    ¡°Milo. I don¡¯t love you. Not that way. Not anymore. Maybe not ever.¡±


    Garrett hated hearing the sadness in Parker¡¯s voice. He hated that on top of everything, she had to deal with Milo doing what he could to win her back


    The silence on the recording ended abruptly with a loud, disbelieving laugh from Milo.


    ¡°Brady, that¡¯s enough. What the fuck does this have to do with anything? I don¡¯t want to hear this,¡± Garrett complained as he turned away, not wanting to listen to anymore. He didn¡¯t like feeling jealous. He didn¡¯t like remembering what it felt like when he believed Parker would choose Milo over him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit whether or not you WANT to hear this. Don¡¯t take another fucking step, Garrett. You NEED to hear this,¡± Brady threatened as he fast forwarded the recording a little and turned the volume up on his phone.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid you know?¡± Milo¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°I saw the two of you. You were holding hands when you got here. Whatever you¡¯ve done with him while I was gone, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t care. You were lonely and he was there. Now that I¡¯m back, you don¡¯t have to do that anymore.¡±


    Garrett growled in anger at the words Milo spoke.


    ¡°Milo, listen to what you¡¯re saying?¡± Parker¡¯s soft, calm voice took over. ¡°Nothing is okay between us and it never will be. I love Garrett. He¡¯s not just someone I passed the time with after you were gone. I know this isn¡¯t going to be easy for you to hear, but I¡¯ve loved him from the first moment I saw him. It¡¯s always been Garrett and it always will be. You were my best friend, and I thought I was doing the right thing by staying with you and planning a future with you. But it wasn¡¯t fair to either of us when my heart always belonged to someone else.


    Brady had clicked off the recording and both men stood in the quiet parking garage staring at one another.


    It had taken everything in side of Garrett not to break down, scream in rage, or punch a hole in something. All this time, all these years he¡¯d loved Parker, and it turned out she¡¯d loved him right back. He hated himself more than ever for what he¡¯d done to her. He had thought her declarations of love in the Dominican were because of the heat of the moment, not because it was something she¡¯d felt from the very first time they¡¯d met. He''d always known it would take a miracle for her to forgive him for letting her down.


    ¡°I deserve every bit of anger you have and more,¡± Garrett told Parker, bringing himself out of his thoughts away from the recording Brady had let him hear. ¡°You have no idea how much I wish I could go back and change everything.¡±


    Parker laughed and shook her head sadly.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t. You can¡¯t change anything, Garrett. It was always you. I knew from the very first moment that I could love you like no other, that you would make me feel things that scared the hell out of me. I tried to push them aside, I tried to do everything I could to ignore those feelings, but I couldn¡¯t. They were always there, always lurking no matter what I did to escape them. I never wanted to love so desperately like my parents did. I never wanted to get lost in someone and forget who I was. But I did it without even knowing it was happening. I never, for one minute regretted what happened between us in the Dominican. I never doubted you or what you felt for me. But you did. I gave up all of my beliefs and all of my fears about love and jumped in head first. For you. But you walked away.¡±


    Garrett brought his hand up over his mouth, the guilt and shame overwhelming him. Out of everyone in her life to let Parker down, he never though his name would be added to that list. He swallowed the lump in his throat and knew it was time to stop being a fool. It was time to stop the lies and the pretending.


    He let his hand drop back to his side and took a step closer to Parker. He couldn¡¯t stand being so far away from her. Even if she turned him down, told him she hated him and kicked him out, he wasn¡¯t leaving there without trying.


    ¡°This one day, a sweet, beautiful girl walked into a coffee shop and my world came to a standstill. She was shy and had a smile that could light up a room. But there was something in her eyes that made me want to take away all of her pain. I couldn¡¯t breathe, I couldn¡¯t speak¡­I just wanted to know her. But I had a friend who had a rough life. He was always getting pushed aside and struggling to be happy. I saw him make that beautiful girl laugh, and I knew I needed to step back. I knew I needed to let him grab onto that happiness once and for all.¡±


    Parker stood unmoving and unblinking as Garrett told his story and laid his heart out on the table.


    ¡°I stepped aside and I watched them grow together and love together and each and every moment it tore my heart in two. I wanted it to be me. I wanted to be the one to love her. So I did,¡± Garrett said with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°She just never knew it. I thought that friend was good for her, would treat her better than I ever could, would love her as much as she deserved. I did everything I could to get her face out of my mind, to get my feelings for her to disappear, but nothing worked. Nothing could ever stop me from loving her and wishing she was mine.


    When something you¡¯ve wanted for as long as you can remember is finally yours, you have a hard time believing it¡¯s real,¡± Garrett said softly as he moved closer to Parker and her body angled towards him. ¡°You find yourself wondering if it¡¯s just a dream and in one careless moment it will all be taken away from you.¡±

 Page 54

    Garrett¡¯s voice cracked with emotion as he took another step closer to Parker, bringing himself near enough to feel the heat from her body and see the speckles of gold in her green eyes.Advertisement


    ¡°I had everything I ever wanted right in the palm of my hand, and I thought it was too good to be true. Suddenly, I didn¡¯t deserve that girl. I didn¡¯t deserve the way she looked at me, the way she touched me, and the way she loved me. The bad stuff is always easier to believe. So I walked away before I could get hurt. Before I could find out if the words she said were true and she¡¯d really chosen me.¡±


    Parker struggled to see Garrett¡¯s face through her tears. They were both crying now, standing a breath apart, and it suddenly felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. She¡¯d been alone for so long trying to get passed what happened to her in that basement and trying to come to terms with the things she¡¯d done. She¡¯d been so focused on getting rid of the nightmares that she¡¯d lost sight of her dreams. Every word Garrett spoke reminded her that he was her dream. Her father¡¯s last request was that she be happy and not take anything for granted.


    Garrett was her happiness. She¡¯d always known that but there, in her father¡¯s living room with ghosts and memories surrounding her, Parker finally let her anger go and took hold of her future. Garrett was the man she was meant to love, the man to lean on, and the man to lose herself in for the rest of her life.


    Like she¡¯d told him only moments ago, it was always him.


    ¡°The words were true. And I still choose you,¡± Parker told him as she stared into his eyes through her tears. She reached up and wiped away one of his own tears from his cheek, resting her palm against the side of his face.


    Garrett let out a sigh of relief when he felt her touch.


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you,¡± he whispered, bringing his own hand up to cup her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve let you down so much.¡±


    Parker shook her head in disagreement as Garrett inched even closer to her so he could finally feel her against him. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close so he could feel her heart beating against his chest.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have our whole lives ahead of us then so you can make it up to me,¡± Parker told him with a smile.


    ¡°I love you so much, Parker,¡± Garrett told her.


    ¡°I love you too, Garrett. I always have.¡±


    They both moved at the same time, closing the final gap between them and pressing their lips against each other¡¯s. They both sighed into each other¡¯s mouths as they clung tightly to each other and deepened the kiss, neither one ever wanting to let the other go.


    In the blink of an eye, their clothes were strewn across the floor of the living room, and Garrett was sinking down onto his knees in front of Parker, his gaze zeroed in on the angry, red scar three inches above her hip bone. He gently ran his fingertips over the mark, his eyes welling with tears as he remembered holding her in his arms, his hands covered with her blood. Garrett leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to the area that would always remind him how close he¡¯d come to losing her.


    Parker stood above him, slowly running her fingers through his hair as he studied her scar. She knew his memories were threatening to intrude on this moment so she moved her hand under his chin and lifted his face so she could see his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she reassured him softly.


    ¡°I almost lost you,¡± Garrett said as he stared up at her.


    ¡°But you found me again. And I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    Parker dropped down onto her knees, not wanting to be so far away from him anymore.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Garrett told her again before he wrapped his arms around her back and brought their lips back together.


    He couldn¡¯t stop saying the words. He couldn¡¯t stop reassuring Parker how much she meant to him. He put his endearments on hold and concentrated on the feel of Parker¡¯s warm, naked body against his own. He¡¯d forgotten how soft and smooth her skin felt against his, how the curve of her neck made him want to sink his teeth into her, and how her moans that echoed in his ear made him weak in the knees.


    Garrett touched every inch of the body that haunted his dreams for too many weeks to count. When he dipped his fingers between Parker¡¯s legs and the wet heat from her arousal coated him, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could hold off much longer. He ached to be inside of her, to feel every inch of her wrapped around him, and to know that she was his. That she would always be his.


    Parker arched her back and cried out softly when Garrett pushed his fingers inside of her and began moving them gently. She¡¯d forgotten just how talented he was at knowing how to touch her. She¡¯d missed the smell of his skin and the feel of his hands driving her to the edge.


    Without moving his fingers from the depth of her heat, Garrett guided Parker to the floor in front of the fireplace, positioning himself above her as he moved between her legs, and she wrapped her thighs around his hips. He continued to work his fingers inside of her, pulling in and out with slow, dragging movements until Parker thought she would shatter from the pleasure that coursed through her.


    ¡°I need you,¡± Parker whispered softly as she wrapped her hands around the back of his head and pulled him down for a kiss. ¡°Help me forget,¡± she whispered against his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about anything right now but you and me.¡±


    ¡°I love you,¡± Garrett told her one more time before moving his hand up to place his palm over her heart, and then plunging himself fully inside of her in one swift motion.


    They both gasped together and held perfectly still. Garrett squeezed his eyes closed and buried his head in the crook of Parker¡¯s neck trying not to explode immediately from how good it felt to finally be home.


    Parker let her body get used to feel of having Garrett inside of her and slid her hands down his back, clutching onto him and pulling him in deeper. Garrett couldn¡¯t hold still any longer and Parker was grateful for that. She needed more.


    Parker tightened her thighs around Garrett¡¯s hips as he began to thrust in and out of her. Garrett let his lips and tongue taste every inch of Parker¡¯s skin that he could reach without breaking their connection. He couldn¡¯t get enough of her and he never wanted this feeling to end. Too soon though, Parker¡¯s fingernails were scoring his back and her movements against him became erratic. He sunk deep inside and ground his hips against her over and over until he felt Parker¡¯s internal muscles gripping him and her orgasm throbbing out of her.


    Garrett swallowed Parker¡¯s cries with his mouth, pushing his tongue through her mouth in the same rhythm as he pushed himself in and out of her, pulling every last bit of pleasure out of her release that he could. The heat of her mouth and the way her body hugged him like a glove as he slid in and out of her had him coming within seconds. With their arms wrapped tightly around each other and Parker¡¯s ankles locked behind Garrett¡¯s back, he gave one last deep thrust before his orgasm exploded.


    They lay on the floor together, panting heavily and covered in a thin sheen of sweat for several minutes. The ticking of the clock on the fireplace mantle was the only other sound in the room.


    When Garrett could finally speak, he pulled his face away from Parker¡¯s neck and smoothed a damp strand of hair off of her forehead.


    ¡°Have I told you lately that I love you?¡± Garrett asked.


    Parker smiled as she looked up into the eyes of her best friend, the man she¡¯d loved for as long as she could remember.


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t mind hearing it again,¡± she told him as she ran a hand down the side of his face.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Garrett whispered softly. ¡°Always.¡±


    In that moment, with Garrett speaking the same words her father had in his letter, Parker knew without a doubt that wherever he was right now, he approved.


    And in time she knew all of her wounds would heal as long as she had Garrett to love her.


    Epilogue


    One year later


    Garrett carefully walked down the rickety wooden steps nestled between the wild grass and glanced at his watch before stepping off the bottom step into the sand. He looked across the beach and the sight before him made Garrett realize he didn¡¯t care if they were late. He could spend all night watching her work and be completely happy.


    Parker sat Indian-style right at the water¡¯s edge with her camera up to her eyes focusing in on the setting sun as it reflected across the water. She was so lost in her work she didn¡¯t notice the waves softly lapping up around her, soaking her skirt.


    Garrett kicked off his shoes and walked across the sand, his feet sinking into its softness, still warm from the sun. He thought back to an evening almost like this a year and a half ago. He remembered walking across the sand towards Parker on her birthday, wondering how many more of her birthdays of hers he¡¯d spend wishing for something he¡¯d never have.


    He stood silently behind Parker and watched her hair move softly around her face with the gentle breeze that came in off of the ocean. The sun setting in the distance caught the reflection of the blue sapphire ring on the fourth finger of Parker¡¯s left hand and the glint from the sparkle caught Garrett¡¯s eye and made him smile. Right before Parker was wheeled into surgery for the gunshot wound, the nurse handed Garrett the ring he¡¯d put on her finger for their pretend marriage for the mission. Garrett once again had found himself carrying that ring around in his pocket, pulling it out and staring at it day after day, wondering when and if he would ever get the chance to slip it onto Parker¡¯s finger, this time, without the pretense of a mission.


    The night they¡¯d reconnected in her childhood home, Garrett slipped it on Parker¡¯s finger while she slept peacefully in his arms. He knew their problems were far from over. He knew they had a long road to go before all would be forgiven and mistakes would be forgotten. But Garrett knew without a doubt that he would do whatever it took to spend the rest of his life with Parker. Putting that ring back on her finger symbolized more than just a promise that Garrett wanted Parker to marry him. It symbolized their past, present, and future. It represented the fact that through it all, the love they shared could heal even the most severe wounds. It served as a reminder that no matter where she went, no matter what she did, no one would ever know Parker or love her like Garrett did.


    Parker smiled to herself as she adjusted the shutter speed on her camera and took three more pictures, finishing up this month¡¯s assignment for Travel Magazine. Even over the sounds of the ocean waves breaking and cresting, Parker heard Garrett walk up behind her and felt him watching her work. Even now, after everything they¡¯d been through, his nearness still gave her goose bumps and made butterflies flap around in her stomach. She pulled the camera away from her eye and snapped the lens cap on before pushing herself up from the wet sand and turning around.


    Parker and Garrett stood inches apart, staring into each other¡¯s eyes as the last sliver of sun disappeared into the horizon. A small noise broke the moment and they both looked down into Garrett¡¯s arms.


    Joanna Lacie McCarthy, Annie for short, slept peacefully in her father¡¯s arms. Every so often a soft sigh or a little squeak would pass her perfect pink lips making her parents smile.


    ¡°You let her nap in your arms this entire time, didn¡¯t you?¡± Parker asked Garrett with a smile as she ran her fingertips gently over her daughter¡¯s cheeks.


    Garrett shrugged sheepishly and leaned over to kiss the top of Parker¡¯s head.


    ¡°I tried to put her down, I swear. But she was sleeping so well I didn¡¯t want to wake her.¡±


    Annie had come into the world three months prior, on her mother¡¯s birthday, letting everyone within a mile radius know how well her lungs worked, her tiny fists flailing at the doctor and nurses, her feet kicking out in anger. She had reminded Garrett so much of Parker he couldn¡¯t help but laugh through his tears when he saw her. He also couldn¡¯t help falling absolutely in love with his daughter right at that moment.


    This beautiful, tiny addition to their life wasn¡¯t planned, but the fact that she was conceived in love, in her mother¡¯s childhood home on the night her parents found each other again, meant she was the most important and most wanted accident any two people could have ever hoped for.


    Before Parker found out she was pregnant, she already came to terms with the fact that she would never again be an agent for the CIA. Aside from the physical restrictions the bullet wound and trauma put on her body, Parker realized she no longer had the heart for it. She knew one of the main reasons she enjoyed her job for so many years was that it allowed her to be another person, to run away from things in her life she didn¡¯t want to deal with. Parker had no desire to run anymore, no need to be anyone than who she really was. The day before she took the pregnancy test, she had handed over her badge and her gun and said goodbye to that chapter of her life.


    She had spent her pregnancy and the three months since the birth of her daughter taking on freelance photography assignments. Taking pictures provided Parker with the kind of therapy you couldn¡¯t pay someone enough for. It gave her time to think about everything she¡¯d gone through and to come to terms with the grief that weighed her down. Each picture she took was a step towards healing and feeling whole again. At night when she¡¯d develop her pictures in her darkroom, she¡¯d ask Garrett to come inside with her, something she¡¯d never let anyone do before. Parker¡¯s darkroom was her sanctuary. A place where she alone could make beauty come to life. In that room, day after day, week after week, Parker and Garrett talked. There was something about the small, confined space with its dim red light that made it easier to pour out all of your hurt and all of your fears and talk to the person you loved about pain and forgiveness. In that dark room they remembered what made them friends and they shared the memories that made them fall in love.

 Page 55

    ¡°Will you guys hurry up?!¡±Advertisement


    Garrett and Parker turned to look at the voice that shouted down to them from the top of the stairs that led down to the beach.


    Parker laughed at the sight of Olivia standing at the top with her hands on her hips and her foot tapping in irritation.


    Unbeknownst to Parker, Garrett had called Olivia the next morning from Joe¡¯s house to thank her again for helping him and to let her know how Parker was doing. One hour later, Olivia called Parker, using the number Garrett had kindly given her, and demanded to know why Parker never called to update her after she got settled in. Parker had held the phone an inch away from her ear while Olivia raged, shooting Garrett dirty looks from across the room.


    From that moment on, Parker reluctantly agreed that maybe she could use a friend like Olivia¨Dsomeone who was blunt, honest, and would kick the ass of anyone who hurt her friend. Olivia came to California for a visit two weeks later, and like Parker so many years before, she fell in love with the beach and the warm weather.


    Her nursing residency was finishing up soon at George Washington University Hospital, and then she would have her choice of hospitals to work with. Olivia decided after two days that she would continue her career UC San Diego Health System.


    She refused to admit that part of her decision was based on the gorgeous, blond, Navy SEAL with a southern accent that charmed the pants off of her, literally, the night they¡¯d met at a dinner at Garrett¡¯s house. Although after six months of dating, Olivia couldn¡¯t really deny the fact that Cole was one of the main reasons she was so happy living in California, just a few minutes down the street from Garrett and Parker.


    ¡°Seriously, guys, Parker still needs to shower the sand off of her and get dressed. The minister I booked isn¡¯t going to wait all night to marry you two,¡± Olivia yelled before stomping off.


    ¡°Tell me again why I let her plan our wedding?¡± Parker asked with a laugh.


    ¡°Because she would have kicked both of our asses if we didn¡¯t let her. That woman scares me,¡± Garrett said as he handed his still-sleeping daughter over to her mother.


    Annie rested her head on Parker¡¯s shoulder, never once waking up as Parker held her close and wrapped her free arm around Garrett¡¯s waist. They made their way across the sand to the steps before Olivia came back and scolded them again.


    Garrett and Parker, while knowing for quite some time they wanted to get married, decided to wait until their daughter arrived to make it official. Olivia made them wait three more months so she could make everything ¡°perfect¡±. Even though their wedding would only be attended by a small handful of friends and Garrett¡¯s parents, Olivia still required some planning time.


    When they got to the top of the stairs and the path that would lead them to the new house they moved into six month earlier, Parker couldn¡¯t believe what Olivia had accomplished in the small handful of hours she¡¯d been down on the beach taking pictures. Their house had been transformed into something out of a bridal magazine. White lights hung from every tree and candles lined every walkway. An archway of white flowers waited for them at the edge of the hill overlooking the ocean where they would soon stand and vow to love each other for the rest of their lives.


    Garrett¡¯s mother walked up to them and scooped Annie out of Parker¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that beautiful granddaughter of mine now so you two can go get cleaned up,¡± she said with a smile before placing a kiss on Garrett and Parker¡¯s cheeks and then walking away.


    Garrett watched her walk with Annie over to his father before turning to Parker and pulling her up against him.


    ¡°Are you ready to become Mrs. McCarthy?¡± Garrett asked Parker playfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been ready since the day I met you,¡± Parker told him as she stood on her tip toes and placed a kiss on his lips.


    Garrett always wondered if he was given the chance to go back, tell the truth instead of lie, and change the way he and Parker started out¡­would he take that chance?


    In that moment, standing by the ocean with the love of his life in his arms, surrounded by family and friends, he finally knew the answer to that question.


    All of the pain, all of the longing and regrets, every single moment was worth it in the end. If he made different choices back then, if he¡¯d told the truth and made her his, they might not be where they were right now.


    If Garrett had made other decisions, he might not be marrying his best friend, he might not be the father of a beautiful little girl, and he might not be the happiest man in the world.


    Garrett realized in that moment it was time to say goodbye to the past and the beautiful lies he¡¯d told and say hello to his future.