by Reeni Austin
Armando Returns
Book Two of the “Barboza Brothers” Series
By Reeni Austin
Copyright 2013 Reeni Austin
http://www.reeniaustin.com
http://www.facebook.com/ReeniAustin
Published by Gossamer Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Edited by Laurie Laliberte of the Kindle All-Stars.
Thank you to my beta readers: Joni, Makayla, and Veronica.
Special thanks to Marivett for always checking my Spanish.
Table of Contents
ORDER OF BOOKS IN THE “BARBOZA BROTHERS” SERIES:
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
EPILOGUE
MORE ABOUT REENI AUSTIN
Order of books in the “Barboza Brothers” series:
1. Fresh Temptation
(Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon DE)
2. Armando Returns
3. More Than a Maid
(coming soon – please visit Reeni Austin’s website and sign up for her mailing list to receive an email when the book is published)
Chapter 1
“I’ll be back in a minute, baby.” Armando cupped Katie’s chin and gave her a playful smile. “Don’t you go anywhere.” He winked, then kissed her. He added a quick, “I love you,” before opening the door to exit the car.
“Hurry!” Katie giggled with pure glee as she watched her sexy fiance rush to the little convenience store—the first store they had seen in miles in this dry, dusty Texas landscape.
It was exactly one week after graduation. The day they looked forward to for months was finally here. With only Armando’s car, a few suitcases, and their entire combined savings of three thousand dollars, they were halfway to New Mexico where they had an appointment with a judge to get married at a courthouse. A courthouse far from Katie’s father’s jurisdiction as a judge.
Katie had never been so happy. They were three hours away from home, with three and a half more hours to go until they reached their destination. She would soon be Mrs. Armando Barboza and there was nothing anyone could do to stop her. She planned to call her parents in a few days. By her estimation, her phone call would arrive around the same time they realized she hadn’t taken that trip to Galveston with the girls from the church youth group. And by then, she and Armando would be on their honeymoon at a cozy little bed and breakfast.
Smiling, she gazed inside the store. She tucked a lock of her thick red hair behind her ear and turned her entire body to watch him chat with the cashier. He’s perfect, she thought. Every minute away from him was an eternity. She imagined those strong arms wrapped around her. Succumbing to his kiss. Quenching their need for each other with nobody around to stop them.
Tonight they could finally make love without feeling guilty. They would be husband and wife. No more sneaking around. No more lying.
They would be free.
She watched Armando, entranced. Too swept up in her daydream to give more than a passing thought to the vehicle she heard pulling up beside the car. She saw Armando’s jaw drop, then he stormed outside just as she heard an angry voice barely muffled by the closed window and the hum of the air-conditioner.
“Get out of that car right now or I’ll break that damn window and drag you out!”
Katie’s stomach tied up in one painful knot. Her perfect fantasy shred into a million pieces at the sound of her father’s rage.
This wasn’t part of the plan. They were supposed to be a safe seven hours away and married for a few days before she broke the news to Daddy. He can’t tell me what to do anymore. Mustering her anger, she sat up, crossed her arms over her chest and stared straight ahead, desperate to avoid his stare. She was just about to scream at him when she was interrupted by Armando’s voice.
“Whatta you think you’re doin’?” Armando dropped the small bag of items he had just purchased and broke into a sprint. “Get away from—”
Katie turned abruptly to the sound of her father’s fist now pounding against the door, just below the window.
Armando met the unexpected visitor just as his arm was high in the air, ready for another blow against the metal. “That’s enough!” Armando pressed his palms against Mr. McCormack’s shoulders with a violent shove, sending the tall, lanky man back a few paces, landing him on his knee as he braced his fall. “We’re both eighteen! You can’t keep us apart anymore!”
Dwayne McCormack scrambled to his feet. “Really, now?” He rushed forward to pin Armando against the rear window. “You think it’s smart to hit a judge, boy? You know what I could do to you?”
Katie’s eyes filled with tears as she opened her door and stepped outside. “Daddy! Stop!”
“Corrupt judge.” Armando snorted and returned Mr. McCormack’s glare. “I know exactly who you are and I got the right to defend my girl and my property.”
With a sinister chuckle, Dwayne said, “She’s my girl and she’s comin’ home with me.”
Katie grabbed her father’s wrist and pulled it with all of her strength. “No I’m not! You can’t tell me what to do anymore!”
Dwayne gritted his teeth and shot his daughter a threatening look, his grip tight on Armando. “The hell I can’t.”
Armando hooked his leg around Dwayne’s and, in one swift motion, brought his heel against the back of Dwayne’s knee.
In seconds, the two were on the ground, fighting, as Katie screamed her way to the convenience store to ask the clerk for help. A quick look through the glass door showed her he was nowhere to be found.
That’s when she heard the sound of a car entering the parking lot. She turned around and saw a police vehicle. Its tires screeched as it stopped behind Armando’s car. The doors instantly opened and two Texas state troopers stepped out.
Katie ran back to the car to see her father helping Armando to his feet, then grabbing him by the back of his shirt, shoving him toward the officers
.
One of the troopers said, “We got him, Dwayne,” as he put his arm around Armando’s shoulders; Dwayne let go.
Dumbfounded, Katie yelled, “What are you doing?” She ran to the vehicle where the officers were now escorting her fiance. “He didn’t do anything wrong!”
Armando shook his head, blood running from the side of his mouth. “Katie…” His frightened eyes met hers, but the officers ignored her.
“No!” Katie held out her arms, intent on running to Armando, when she felt her father’s arm around her waist, pulling her away. “No! He did nothing wrong! Where are you taking him?”
Dwayne stopped as one of the officers helped Armando into the backseat of the police vehicle. He turned his daughter around and steadied her in front of him, holding her by the shoulders. “It’s over. The sooner you accept it, the better off you’ll be.”
“I don’t understand.” Her voice and bottom lip both trembled. “What are they arresting him for? How’d they get here? How’d they know your name?” Anger swept through her as a little of her shock wore off. “You did this! Why would you do this to me?” Tears of fury rolled down her cheeks. “I love him!” She wriggled away from her father’s grasp and turned around to the car where Armando sat. “Armando! I love you!” She raised her voice, emitting a cry that came from the depths of her soul. “I love you!”
Dwayne grabbed his daughter’s waist as she tried to run to the police vehicle again. Thick tears streamed down her face as she watched it back out of the parking lot and head down the road toward home. Over and over, she screamed, “Armando!” at the top of her lungs until she was hoarse.
Katie felt a gentle hand on her shoulder as her father let her go.
“Katie-bug.”
“Mom?” Katie turned around. “You’re here?”
“Yes.” Her mom handed Katie a wad of tissues. In a gentle voice, she said, “I’m sorry. I was hiding till it was all over.”
“You knew about this?” Katie looked away to see her father open the door to Armando’s car, which was still running. She brought the tissues to her eyes. “What is this? I don’t understand.”
“Sweetheart.” Mrs. McCormack choked back her own tears as she put her hand on her daughter’s face. “Sometimes things just happen and you’ll never understand why. You have to trust us. I know it’s hard right now, but you’ll get over it and find someone else. You’ll forget all about him.”
“What?” Katie’s eyes were wide. “You can’t be serious. I deserve an explanation!” In a mocking voice, she said, “Sometimes things happen and you’ll never understand…” quoting her mom. “I can’t believe you! This isn’t like that time my cat ran off and went to live at Kayla Murphy’s house when I was in the first grade. You think I can just blow this off and forget my parents and the state troopers tracked me and my boyfriend down and had him hauled off to God knows where? This is insane! And it’s bullshit!”
Dwayne said, “Watch that language, girl,” and marched up to his daughter. “We know what’s best for you.
“You’re crazy! He didn’t do anything wrong. You just had him taken away because you could! Nobody read him his rights or anything! I’m not stupid.” She sniffled. “It’s true. You really are corrupt, aren’t you?”
Dwayne produced a grim chuckle and looked in his daughter’s angry eyes. “You need to watch the way you speak to me.”
Lisa McCormack narrowed her eyes at her husband. “Please, Dwayne. We knew she’d be upset. Let me talk to her.”
He shook his head and looked down at the ground, then silently headed back to Armando’s car.
Lisa’s eyes, filled with pain, stared into Katie’s. She glanced at her husband to make sure he was out of earshot, then lowered her voice to a whisper as she focused on her daughter. “Please, sweetie. Trust me this time. I know it’s not fair but I can’t explain it to you right now. I just can’t.” She took her hand from Katie’s cheek to wipe her own tears away. “Please, for the sake of our family. Forget about this boy.”
Katie had never seen her like this. Her mother seemed desperate, like she was begging a friend for help, not like a concerned mother trying to comfort her daughter. “What do you mean, our family?” Katie asked. “Are we in trouble?” She glanced at her dad, who was now pulling luggage out of the backseat of Armando’s car. She then asked her mom, whispering, “What could Armando possibly do to our family? Why are you so afraid?”
Her mom sighed. “There’s a lot of history with his family…stuff you don’t need to know about.” Tears fell down her face and she suddenly threw herself against Katie, hugging her and sobbing.
Katie’s stomach went sour as her mother cried on her shoulder like she was the one who really needed to be soothed. Her mother was the strongest woman Katie knew and she had never seen her like this--vulnerable and desperate, with no explanation.
Her mom took one big breath, calming herself, then whispered in Katie’s ear, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it’d come to this. I thought you only dated for a few weeks.” She groaned quietly. “Now I know you were sneaking around this whole time. I thought I kept a better eye on you.”
Katie thought back to that wintry night when Daddy caught Armando in her bedroom, just seconds after he’d climbed in through the window. Daddy had forbidden her to see him again and he grounded Katie for a month. Little did her parents know they sneaked around before and after that for months, seeing each other almost every day. “Mom, I love him. No matter what you do, you can’t keep us apart forever.”
Lisa pulled away and took her daughter’s hand, gazing into her eyes with a sad grin. “I know you love him. And I’m sure your dad’s gonna rant and rave about you being too young to know what love is, but I can see that look in your eyes. And that’s why you’ve been so happy lately.” She sniffled, trying to stop her tears. “Because you knew you were running off to marry him today, right?”
Katie nodded and began to cry again. “Yes.”
“Sweetie, I’m sorry. I mean it. Words can’t express how much I mean it. But I’m begging you, please try to move on.”
“How can I do that if you won’t tell me why? I’m worried sick about Armando.”
Lisa glanced away to see Dwayne leave the car and head to the store. “You know I wouldn’t ask this of you if I didn’t have a good reason, right? I hate to see you hurting like this. I want my kids to be happy, and that boy makes you happy. I’m sorry. Please, trust me. If nothing else, do it for your dad.”
Katie grunted. “I’m not doing anything for him. I didn’t know he could be so mean. I’ve never seen him like this.”
“You better not be thinking about running away. ‘Cause if you do find a way to run off, you’ll never see us again. Not your sister. And not me. Your dad won’t allow it.”
“What? He can’t do that!”
“He was capable of doing this today, wasn’t he? He can call in favors just about anywhere.”
“Yeah, in Texas.” Katie scoffed. “All we have to do is leave the state. That’s why we were going to New Mexico, to keep you two from hearing about the wedding. I’m eighteen. Daddy can’t stop me anymore.”
Her mom’s face crumpled as her tears flowed once again. “Oh, sweetie. Don’t you understand what I’m trying to say? Your dad will keep you and Armando apart.” Her eyes widened. “Trust me.”
Katie’s breath hitched; the haunting look in her mom’s eyes chilled her to the bone. “You don’t mean…he’d do something...to Armando?”
Her mom’s eyes went to the ground as she wept, quietly.
“Mom.” Katie’s mouth gaped as she waited for her mom to answer. “Surely not. Daddy wouldn’t…” Her voice trailed off as her mom’s face grew even sadder. “I can’t believe this. How can he be so ruthless?” She looked away, nausea building again in her stomach. For years she had heard rumors about Daddy. Occasionally she overheard conversations she knew she wasn’t supposed to hear. Ones that made her question his integrity. But she always ch
alked it up to misunderstanding. She loved her father dearly, and until today, she had never seen him so calculating. He was always strict and overprotective, but never like this. No. Something was very, very wrong. She waited a few moments longer until the disgust coursing through her subsided enough for her to speak. Then she asked, “Mom, why would you stay married to someone like him?”
Lisa took a deep breath and started to answer her, then caught a glimpse of Dwayne heading toward them. Softly, she said, “Sometimes you just gotta take the good with the bad.”
Loudly, Dwayne let out a weary sigh and put his hand on Katie’s back as soon as he was close enough. His tone was gentle. “I’m sorry I had to do this, darlin’. I love you. You know that. I didn’t mean to be so harsh with you.”
Katie shrugged away from him, chills going through her body from the touch of his hand. He sounded like her loving, overly protective father again. Except now, he was someone Katie didn’t know at all. And she was too numb to cry, as though every emotion from horror to devastation flooded her senses at once and she didn’t know which was strongest. In a volume barely loud enough for him to hear, and without looking him in the eye, she asked, “Where’d they take him?”
“Don’t worry, honey,” he said. “They won’t hurt him. They’ll just scare him a little.”
Katie gulped, then nodded, staring straight down at the ground.
“Here.” Dwayne handed his keys to Lisa. “You girls take the truck home. I’m gonna drive this,” he nodded toward Armando’s car, “back to Turnbrook.” He bent down and kissed Katie’s forehead. “Tonight we’ll go to San Antonio, to that restaurant you like.” He gave her another kiss then walked to the car.
Katie closed her eyes, thick with tears. Yeah. My favorite restaurant. That’s gonna smooth everything over?
It was ten minutes before Katie spoke again. Lisa was content to let her daughter sit beside her in silence as she drove down the highway.
