The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 2
The Texas Rebel
Mark Garrett Armstrong, the Armstrong family’s playboy on the football field, loves the media. With too much partying, women, and booze, he strikes the wrong pose at every opportunity regardless of the circumstances. With his career on the line, Mark sets on a path of self-destruction, forgetting those he leaves in his wake.
Sarah Renee Mitchell, Grammy Award–winning recording artist, has lived her whole life in the spotlight. When the media and her personal life collide, her happiness is shattered. She flees, vowing never again to draw the media’s attention. Out of the paparazzi’s reach, Sarah finds peace once again, until an unexpected cowboy shows up, bringing chaos with him.
When two separate worlds intertwine, unforeseen circumstances thrust them both into the limelight neither wants. Will either of them allow their own insecurities and fears stop them from acquiring what they want the most, or will they give in to their hearts' desires?
Genre:Contemporary, Western/Cowboys
Length:76,437 words
THE TEXAS REBEL
The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 2
Rebecca Joyce
EROTIC ROMANCE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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IMPRINT: Erotic Romance
THE TEXAS REBEL
Copyright © 2013 by Rebecca Joyce
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-210-4
First E-book Publication: January 2013
Cover design by Christine Kirchoff
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
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DEDICATION
To my children…No matter what life puts in front of you, always remember that your family will always love you, be there for you, and help you. I love you my Spawns!
THE TEXAS REBEL
The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 2
REBECCA JOYCE
Copyright © 2013
Prologue
The wind was howling as the rain pelted her face as she ran through the cold, damp woods. She knew this trail. She ran it every morning, normally running for pleasure, but this morning was different. She ran to forget.
There were seven stages of grief, or so she was told, that the human body needed to go through to recover from loss.
Humph! What moron thought of that? I can think of several more, she thought to herself as she continued on.
Shock and denial. Yeah, she could relate to that. She remembered how when the news came, she didn’t believe it, and then the shock of the news hit her, but still it never really fazed her. She loved him. Oh God, how she loved him, but to realize that the news wasn’t some joke was more than she could handle.
Pain and guilt. Well yes, there was pain, but as to where that pain was actually directed was another story. Her mother-in-law seemed in more pain than she was, and as for the guilt, it was all directed toward her, for she was the guilty one.
Anger. Now that was an emotion she could relate to. Anger was something she could feel, something she could handle. Control was good. She knew who to be angry with, and right now, she was definitely angry.
The pains in her legs were killing her. She wanted to run until she literally collapsed in exhaustion. She hated him. She hated him so much. He had lied to her. All this anger she felt was his fault. He was to blame for everything. He had done exactly what he promised he wouldn’t do. He was not coming back. After so many promises, he had broken the only one she cared the most about. Oh yeah, she was angry at him.
He had left her.
The trees passed by her as she made her way up the trail. It was another cold day in Elk Plain, Washington. The rain was relentless, and with the warning of snow in the forecast, she quickened her pace. She moved stealthily through the brush, pushing herself harder and harder. The burn in her chest was unbearable, but she continued on. The pain was still there. She wanted her release. She needed the release.
She moved quicker as she ascended the rough terrain, pushing her legs as the steep hill approached. She had to make it. She needed that confirmation of achieving something in her life. She used the anger she felt deep inside her and strove to reach the top. The air around her was getting colder, making it harder for her to breathe. She pushed herself toward the top, ignoring the weather that had taken a hard turn. Snow started falling around her. Her breath escaped her warm mouth in a burst of heat. Her legs, now numb from exhaustion, felt like Jell-O. She was almost there. She could see the peak when she tripped and fell to the rocks below.
Landing hard on her hands and knees, she rolled over onto her back and screamed, “I hate you, William. You hear me…I hate you!”
Laying there on the cold earth, she closed her eyes, holding back the tears that she tried so hard to keep hidden from everyone. They didn’t deserve a single tear, for everyone blamed her. All of them, they hated her for what happened. Because of her, their precious son was dead. She had tried everything she could to talk him out of going, but it was w
hat he felt he had to do and because of it, he died. He died an honorable death, she was told. He did not suffer. He died quickly, they said.
She sat up, trying to steady her breathing. She looked around up toward the peak and shook her head. “Another ten feet and I would have made it, damn.” The snow was starting to come down quicker now as she sat there on the cold, wet ground. Her anger radiated for her. She took in a deep breath and sighed. Knowing she must be getting back, the thought of what was awaiting her made her cringe. They would all be waiting, wondering what was taking her so long.
The peacefulness of her surroundings comforted her. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to stay. Wearing only a thin pair of cotton running pants and a flimsy jacket, she knew she must return back down the hill before the weather got worse. Standing up, she brushed her legs off and headed back down to the warmth of her Jeep.
Chapter 1
Washington State, October 4th
The house was bustling with somber activity when she walked in. Trying to avoid the stares from his family, she quietly walked up the stairs to their bedroom and shut the door. Her only place of serenity awaited her. Everything was as it should be.
His bed lay in the middle of the room, and his uniform hung neatly, still on the arm of the chair against the wall. His dresser, still standing in its place, held their engagement picture. All of his belongings, his watch, his brush, his wallet, his cologne—nothing had been touched. The closet still held all of his clothes. His scent engulfed her as she walked through, heading to the bathroom. She stopped a moment to take everything in.
Today, she would bury her fiancé. The thought of putting him in the ground infuriated her. He would not want this. He wanted to be cremated. His ashes were to be spread into the Bering Strait. That was what he had asked of her, and she had promised.
Neither of them had ever counted on his mother. The woman was mad. The moment her mother-in-law arrived, she commanded everyone’s attention and took over. She demanded that her only son be buried in the family plot, and she would not listen to reason. She took over all the arrangements, even refusing the traditional military burial that the Army was going to provide. She wanted nothing to do with the military. She blamed them as much as she blamed Sarah.
Looking for some solitude, she walked in to the bathroom and started the shower.
* * * *
“I don’t even know why we are waiting for that girl. She isn’t even family,” the overweight woman complained.
“Catherine, enough,” her husband quietly scolded. Swiftly turning, she shot daggers at the man she had been married to for the last twenty-six years. Huffing, she walked into the kitchen.
“Maybe someone should go up and check on her,” the older man asked the room of family members and friends. When no one offered, he turned to the only person in the room who was ignoring the drama. He walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“Steven. Would you, please? I don’t want Catherine making a big fuss.”
Steven turned to look at his father. He knew his father was still as young and virile as he remembered last month. But also it looked like he aged twenty years in the last few weeks. Who wouldn’t when they received news that their youngest son was killed in battle. Steven still had a hard time wrapping his head around it. But no matter how he felt, because he really didn’t know, he was damn sure of one thing. That fat bitch could go to hell.
“You have to be joking. I wouldn’t walk five feet to help that bitch,” he said, staring his dad in the eyes. The old man looked toward the kitchen and sighed.
Turning back to his son, he pleaded, “Steven, please not today. Don’t talk about your mother that way, she’s—” he started, and Steven interrupted him. “Sheisnotmy mother.”
“All right, Steven. Please go check on Sarah,” his father asked. Steven just shook his head and walked toward the stairs.
He didn’t want to do this. He really didn’t want to do this.
Slowly making his way up the stairs, he looked at all the photos that lined the walls.
Smiling, he remembered how the three of them had taken off for some adventure on the Mountain of Mount Rainier. It took them two days to climb that damn mountain, and there at the top, William asked Sarah to marry him. He remembered how loud she had screamed as the echo vibrated of the mountain. His brother was elated, as Sarah jumped into his arms, kissing his face and yelling yes, yes, yes. Neither of them could wait, so once they made it back down, they quickly wanted to find the nearest justice of the peace, but it was him that stopped them, telling them that Pop would be upset if he wasn’t there. Of course they moaned and complained, but all it took was a little reasoning on his part and mentioning their father, and he knew Sarah would wait.
That was William and Sarah, always living in the moment. They never thought of consequences or the future. All they knew was as long as they were together they could do anything. Steven smiled, remembering the happiness of that day as he walked into his brother’s bedroom.
“Sarah?” he quietly spoke as he walked over to the bed and sat. Looking around the room, he noticed mementos of their travels. Items from Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, India, and their last trip to Great Britain were all spread throughout the room.
William had found Sarah’s family crest and tartan, purchased replicas, and brought them back. The crest hung on the wall above her dresser. A bold statement, the crest was made of gold and silver, with ivy wrapped in a circle surrounding a sword through a dragon’s head. The family motto, “Never Surrender,” was etched through the blade of the sword. The tartan was made of the finest wool, in colors of green and red, and hung in a frame that he designed for his brother.
Together, he and his brother owned one of the finest carpentry mills on the west coast. Catering to the wealthy, the brothers had made a name for themselves.
When William was back east and had befriended a man by the name of James Abernathy, the CEO of one of New York’s best trading companies, the two hit it off instantly. When William invited him on a simple weekend excursion, James was impressed with the brothers’ skills and ordered a desk for his office. It didn’t take long before James started giving out the brothers’ names, and soon their small business turned into a company that employed over fifteen hundred men and women, with two mills and three stores in Portland, Los Angeles, and New York City.
Steven walked around the room, looking at all the pictures and memories. He took a photo off of his brother’s nightstand and held it in his hands. Looking at the photo, he smiled. It was of Sarah sitting on top of a hill overlooking the country hillside of Scotland. It was of their last adventure together. Her silky auburn hair had been blowing in the wind, and when she had turned, he snapped the photo. The expression on her face was one amazement and wonder. Love filled her beautiful blue eyes.
Those eyes still today did something to Steven. So much life in her, he envied his brother. The smile on her face warmed his heart as he remembered that day.
It had been cold, and Sarah had been determined to reach the top of that damn hill.
“Sarah, come on. It’s cold, and I’m hungry. Baby, let’s go back. We can try again tomorrow. Please, honey. My stomach needs food,” William begged her. She turned and smiled at him. Sticking out her tongue, she continued on, laughing.
Steven looked at William and laughed. “You brought her here. You should have known better.”
“That’s it. I can’t go anymore,” William said, sitting down on the damp hillside and reaching in his backpack for a power bar and a bottle of water. Steven sat next to him and took the water his brother handed him.
“She’s is trying to kill me,” William said, looking at his brother.
“I think you will live.”
“Easy for you to say. You haven’t married the indestructible woman.”
“I could always take her off of your hands, little brother. I always told you she was too much of a woman for you,” Steven said, teasin
g his brother. William just smiled and punched his brother in the arm. Together, they sat there admiring the beauty of the countryside. Everything was so green and alive. The cool air blew through the hills, with the sounds of whistles and chimes. Birds flew overhead, and the sound of water rolling through a brook made the whole scene picturesque. Steven took in a deep breath and inhaled the smells around him. The smells of morning dew, poppies, and evergreens touched every nerve in his soul. The place welcomed him home. He had never in all of his thirty-one years felt at peace, but sitting on this hill in this magical place, he had the feeling of contentment and oneness with himself.
Breaking the silence of his wonderment, he heard Sarah. “Come on, you two. You have to see this. It’s absolutely beautiful.”
The brothers turned to find her sitting at the top of the hill, some hundred yards away. Steven looked at William, who just hung his head. “Please, Steven. I can’t move.”
“Wimp!” Steven said, getting up and walking toward Sarah.
“Hey!” William said, yelling for his brother, throwing the camera at him. “Take a picture for me, will ya?”
Steven caught the camera and headed toward the top. Walking toward her, he watched her hair blowing in the wind. She sat there peacefully, overlooking the countryside. Taking the camera lenses off, he hit the power button and focused the frame. As he moved closer, he whispered, “Hey, beautiful, smile.”
The Texas Rebel [The Armstrong Brothers of Cedar Creek 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 1
