Armando Returns (Barboza Brothers)

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
)

“
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?”