Page 24 of Colombian Chemistry

He stepped back. “Me? I’m despicable. I’m out here risking my life to save yours, and you’re the one who flat out lied!”

“A lie of necessity.”

“Then maybe it’s necessary to leave your lying ass right here in the middle of the Colombian jungle.”

He spun away and stormed off through the foliage. I hurried after him.

“Wait! Please don’t. I’m sorry I lied. And even though I don’t have the money, and neither does my father, we’ll find some way to pay you.”

“How?” he called over his shoulder. “Not only am I not getting my fifty G’s, I’m now without a fucking Jeep as well. You gonna pay for that too?”

“I don’t know how, but I swear to you I will find some way to repay you for this. Like a payment plan, maybe? Please don’t abandon me in the jungle.”

I grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him to a stop. With a deep sigh, he turned back to face me.

“Please. I need your help.”

His face twisted up, and finally, he rolled his eyes. “I’m not a complete asshole, so I won’t fucking leave you in the jungle, but I’m not dragging your ass all the way to Bogotá either. I’ll get you safely to the town we’re nearly at, and then you’re on your own. You can find some other sucker to take you the rest of the way.”

“Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I opened my arms for a hug, but he just soured his face and stepped back.

“I don’t fucking hug.”

“Yeah. Right. Sorry,” I said as I stepped back. “I promise I won’t get in your way. Just take me to the town, and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Can’t get there soon enough.” He turned and grumbled as he started back down the path he’d been creating.

“Wait!” I said as I hurried after him. “Your name.”

“You lied to me, and now you want me to honestly tell you my name?”

“A deal’s a deal. I was honest with you.”

He grumbled out some words under his breath, then mumbled out, “Marcus. My real name is Marcus.”

Marcus. Sexy. Definitely fit him well.

“And your last name?”

“Don’t push it, Sweetcheeks. Just be happy I’m not leaving you to be tiger food.”

I glanced around at the thick foliage surrounding me, knowing how many predators could be lurking just on the other side of the bushes. “Right. Fair enough.”

I continued hurrying after him, keeping quiet now and trying not to get in his way. I did feel awful about the lie, but he’d left me with no choice. My father was gone, and I had to find him. And from what John... er, Marcus... had told me, the help I needed was in Bogotá. I’d have lied, cheated, or stolen just to save my father, and I didn’t feel bad that I’d done what needed to be done.

Well, maybe a little bad. I did almost get him killed. But I would find some way to make this up to him.

An animal shrieked in the distance, and I scurried closer to him.

If I survived.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Marcus

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“Of all the lying, despicable, fucked up shit. How in the hell did I get the broad who tricks me into thinking she’s paying me fifty grand? Me. Someone tricked me. Impossible,” I grumbled under my breath.