Fernando - Bad Boy Love (Bad Boy Love Series Book 1) (8 page)

When Fernando didn’t hear back from Gwen, he started to wonder about the choices he was making. The fact that she hadn’t even cared enough to call him back wreaked havoc with his emotions, and he began to doubt whether or not she was worth his attention. That woman was so far out of his league, and really, what did he have to offer her? Not calling back was probably her way of politely telling him to fuck off.

During the course of the week, his mood went on a rollercoaster ride, despite the fact that he enjoyed is work. One minute he was optimistic, the next one he believed his life didn’t make any sense. At least when he had been with his gang, he had friends to hang out with, but now?

The reason for changing his life was disappearing into thin air, which made it so much harder to stay on the path. When their next meeting rolled around, he went with mixed feelings. He lingered outside the building for as long as he could, hoping for some kind of miracle. If an earthquake struck right now, he wouldn’t have to go inside. Or maybe she was sick?

Dragging his feet up the stairs, pausing on every resting place like an old out-of-shape man, he reached the third floor and knocked on her door. She barely looked up and gestured for him to sit down. Still, she was strikingly beautiful with her long blonde hair falling down her shoulders. Instead of hating her the way he’d done the last few days, his traitorous body responded to her nearness, and his dick jumped in delight.

Fernando gritted his teeth at the surge of lust. She was history. Ancient history. But try as he might, he couldn’t prohibit the warmth from spreading across his body at the sight of her, and his hands itched to tuck those unmanageable strands behind her ears.

Gwen, though, never once looked into his eyes. Worse, her voice was cold as ice with an accusatory undertone to it, as if he had done something terrible. After putting up with her for five minutes, he lost his temper.

“To hell with it. If you’re angry with me, say it to my face, but don’t play games!”

She shook her head. “I’m not angry. Now, please tell me what you achieved last week.”

“I got a job.” He burst out, unable to contain his excitement. Now she at least had to appreciate his achievement. But no word of praise came from her lips.

“Good. Can I see the paperwork?”

He stared at her, his spirits sinking as quickly as his hopes and dreams. Any probation officer – even the most hard-boiled one – would have complimented him and started a small speech about how important that first step was, blah, blah, blah. Not her. She stayed unmoved as a rock.

“I don’t have them yet.” The way she pursed her lips was enough to let his need to know push his pride aside, and he asked the question that had been a thorn in his side. “Why didn’t you call me back?”

The look she gave him was full of pain and sadness.

“Gwen, talk to me. I wanted to share the exciting news about my job with someone who’d understand. Someone who’d appreciate how much of a deal it was. But you never called back.”

“I did.”

“No, you didn’t.”

Her shoulders slumped, and he heard the tremor in her voice. “Yes, I did. A woman answered the phone…”

Fernando stared at her with wide-open eyes, then laughed. “You were jealous? I can’t believe it!”

She shook her head, still staring at the folder.

“Gwen. Look at me.” He waited until she did and the magnitude of sadness in her eyes almost toppled him over. “Gwen. The woman who answered the phone was my sister, Amada. She lives with me.”

“Your sister?” she whispered, shaking her head as if she didn’t believe him.

“My sister. She’s lived with me ever since our parents died.”

Finally, the doubt faded from her eyes and made place for something else – shame. “Now I feel really foolish.”

A stone fell from his heart. He wanted to pick her up and kiss her senseless. “I was so disappointed when you didn’t call.”

“I’m sorry. And now tell me everything about your new job. Or no, wait. I think this merits a celebration. Wait here.” She stood up and left the room. A minute later, she came back with two cups of coffee and two candies. The same candies he’d seen in a big bowl at the water cooler. “That’s the best I could come up with,” she said with an embarrassed smile.

“That’s fantastic.” They both sat at the meeting table, and he told her about his job interview, Ben, his first workdays…

“Well, it’s not my ideal job, but it’s a good start,” he concluded and added, “becoming an honest citizen is much more difficult that I imagined.”

“How’s that?”

He shrugged. “I’ve never had a regular job that expected me to show up every day at the same time and stay there for eight hours straight.”

Gwen laughed, the sound reaching into his soul. “That’s one of the downsides to being an adult, but it’s how the majority of us live. Welcome to the real world.”

A knock on the door cut into their conversation. Gwen glanced at her watch and said, “Time’s up. We’ve been talking almost an hour. My next client is waiting outside. See you next week.”

Fernando left the building with buoyant steps and a whistle on his lips.
She was jealous!
How could he be upset? It meant she was falling for him as hard and fast as he was falling for her. But he also realized their mutual attraction would make their working relationship difficult.

He knew he could request another probation officer, but he’d have to make up a good reason, and that would probably put her in a bad light. No, he couldn’t do that to Gwen, nor did he really want to deal with any other person.

Looks like I’m stuck with you, lady. And you with me.

Gwen did her best to focus on her job, asking questions and notating his answers in his file. But the more she concentrated on his business, the more she found herself daydreaming about a different kind of business. It sure wasn’t easy to separate the client from the man.

Sitting across the table from her, she could feel the intense heat radiating off of him and every time she dared to glance up into his mesmerizing brown eyes, she saw only lust and passion in there. How could a girl stay calm and professional under those conditions?

She cleared her throat. “Have you heard from your former gang members? Have they tried to contact you?”

Fernando fixated on a point above her head. “Nah. Nothing.”

Insane attraction or not, her brain was still clear enough to recognize a lie. Gwen narrowed her eyes at him and then leaned forward on her desk. “That’s a lie.”

The stubborn expression that crossed his face tempted her to grin, but she schooled her face and said, “Fernando, you have to be honest with me. Even if you think you’ve done something you shouldn’t have. The only way I can help you is if you talk to me and tell me the truth.”

She knew she’d gotten her message across when he flushed and looked at her with embarrassment in his eyes. “Okay. They contacted me. So what? It wasn’t my fault. I ran into them on the street, and it was too late to sidestep them.”

Gwen hesitated. The answer was perfectly valid, but she was receiving strange vibes from him. Something was off. “And what did they want?”

“The usual. Big talk.” He writhed under her scrutinizing stare.

“What kind of big talk? Remember, you must be honest with me if you’re serious about turning over a new leaf in your life.”

Fernando sighed and visibly slumped. “They wanted me to disarm the security measures on a warehouse to rob the place.”

Gwen’s eyes nearly popped out of her face. “Rob a warehouse? Did they tell you which one?”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on. They’re not that stupid. I only know there’s a whole shipment of tablets and smartphones inside. They said it would be a big one with loads of easy money on the black market.” He looked at her, misreading the alarm on her face. “I told them no way. I’m serious about becoming honest – for you.”

Despite the alarming news, relief flooded her system, followed on the heels by heat rushing to her core. Damn hormones. “I didn’t expect anything less.”

But this was information she had no choice but to report to the police and the more information she could give them, the more likely they could stop the crime before anyone got hurt. With the most casual tone of voice she could muster, Gwen went on a fishing expedition. “Any idea when you were supposed to do this?”

“Nope. I sent them away. They’re always planning something, but these two goons are amateurs. Without me, they stand no chance.” His eyes glinted with pride, and Gwen instantly worried about him. It was so easy to relapse, and she recognized how much self-worth he derived from being the go-to-guy for the difficult security stuff. If he could only use that skill for the good.

“Fernando, I’m proud of you for saying no to them. I know this isn’t easy.” She paused and blew an unruly strand from her forehead. “It’s super-important for you to stay away from these guys. Not only because it’s a requirement of your probation, but more importantly, every time you talk with them will test your will to abandon your criminal past. You might not believe me, but I see it happen all the time.”

“It’s kind of hard to avoid them; we all live in the same neighborhood.”

Gwen nodded. “I realize that, and that’s why it might be a good idea for you to start looking for another place to live. If you’re serious about making a fresh start, that will increase the odds in your favor dramatically.”

His eyes lost the shine as he said in a defeated voice, “Even if I wanted to, it’s not an option. We don’t have spare money to move, and besides, who would want to rent an apartment to me?”

“There are landlords willing to give people like you a second chance.” She tried to sound optimistic, but unfortunately, he was right.

Gwen had been lucky. She’d never needed to find a place to live, to jump through the hoops of a landlord. When her parents had moved to Alaska a few years back, they’d let her stay in her childhood home. She looked at Fernando again. Yes, she had been very lucky.

“Unlikely. Nobody seems to believe that I want to change. Except for Amada. She understands and is really supportive.”

“She sounds like an amazing young woman,” Gwen offered, feeling a slight flush creeping into her cheeks.

Fernando must have noticed it too because he grinned. “You would like her. She even offered to postpone going to college and work a full-time job until I can get back on my feet. Of course I wouldn’t let her make such a sacrifice. It’s my job to take care of her, not the other way round.”

He finished speaking, but Gwen didn’t notice. She was fixated on his moving lips. Oh so kissable lips. She licked her own in an unconscious attempt to relive the sensation of his mouth closing over hers. Her chest heaved with unfulfilled desire, and she wondered how long she’d be able to resist the lure. Eleven months and a week without succumbing to his charms seemed like an impossible task.

“Are you still listening to me, Gwen?” His voice rolled over her, lulling her as if he wanted her to crawl into his skin. Be united with him.

“Gwen?”

She met his incredible brown eyes. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

He lowered his voice. “I said you want me so badly, you can’t even listen to me without daydreaming about what I could do to you.”

She blushed furiously. “You didn’t say that. And you can’t say that. And I don’t want you. Not the slightest bit.”

“It’s the worst lie I’ve heard in my life.” He chuckled and stood up. “I better leave. See you next week.”

As soon as he’d closed the door, a hollow filled the room, leaving Gwen wondering how on earth she could survive another week without seeing him. She’d longed for him to at least shake her hand, had anticipated the tingling zings on her skin, the warmth of his rough palms. She sighed deeply. And now she was left with nothing but yearning.

She gathered her things and left the meeting room to go to her office. Fernando wasn’t an evil person. The more she got to know him, the more she was certain he’d just made some poor decisions as a teenager, and from there, had spiraled down the wrong path. A path he was trying to change. Maybe there was hope for them? If both of them made it through the next eleven months without combusting from pent up desire.

On her drive home, she was still mired in her thoughts of Fernando and her mental cinema showed X-rated movies starring her and Fernando crumbling the sheets. Until the movie blacked out with a bang as she crashed into a car that crossed in front of her illegally.

She’d seen it too late to react, and metal screamed as the cars collided. She was thrown violently forward, and the airbag deployed, slamming her back into her seat before her head could hit the windshield, knocking the air out of her lungs.

Dazed, she sat there for several minutes while the world righted itself. Her head hurt like hell, and a trickle of warm liquid ran down her temple. She wanted to wipe it away, but the instant pain in her right wrist made her shriek and forsake the intention.

She breathed a few times deeply and then wiped the trickle with her left hand. At least this one seemed unscathed. But as she gazed at her fingers, they were red with blood. Shit. She must have knocked her head against the side window.

As she was still contemplating her situation, the sirens of emergency vehicles became louder. She expected the sound to pass and was surprised when it stopped. They wouldn’t be here for her, would they? But soon enough, a paramedic opened her door, asking her some questions and then placed a C-collar around her neck.
Why would he do that?

“I’m fine. My wrist hurts,” Gwen said, but nobody seemed to notice. Someone lifted her from the vehicle and placed her on a gurney and into the ambulance. She must have dozed off because she woke disoriented in the emergency room.

The emergency room doctor examined her. “Thanks to the safety belt and the airbag, you weren’t seriously injured, but you still hit your head hard enough to suffer a concussion. And your right wrist is broken, but I don’t believe it will require surgery. We’ll send you to x-ray and make the final decision tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, you’ll need to stay in the hospital under observation while we access the level of brain damage, if any.”

She wanted to nod, but the pain in her neck stopped her. “Ouch.”

“Your neck muscles were also strained in the accident. It’s called whiplash. Nothing to worry about, but don’t make harsh movements for the next twenty-four hours. It will take a few days for the pain to abate. If it doesn’t, we’ll need to re-look at it.”

She rubbed the sore muscles. “Okay.”

A nurse wheeled her upstairs to a patient room and gave her some pain meds. Once her headache subsided, she placed a call to her boss, Stephanie.

“Baxter residence.”

“Stephanie? This is Gwen.”

“Gwen, is something wrong? It’s almost eight o’clock.”

“Actually, that’s why I’m calling. I was in a car accident on the way home this evening, and I’m in the hospital.” She eased her head back into the pillows, careful not to move it rashly.

“Oh my God. Are you okay?”

“I have a broken wrist and a concussion. They’re keeping me in the hospital overnight. But I wanted to let you know that the doctor won’t release me back to work until they’re sure my head is okay.”

“How long will that be?”

“They don’t know. They said each case is different. Anywhere from one to three weeks I’m told.”

“I’m so sorry about the car accident, but I’m happy you’re not more seriously injured.”

“What will happen to my offenders?” Gwen asked.

“Well now, that is a good question. Leaving them without a probation officer for an unspecified amount of time is a bad idea.”

“Some of them need that weekly connection with me to keep trying.” Gwen felt sick at the thought of letting her probationers down.

“You’re right. I’ll transfer them one by one starting tomorrow. Where do you keep your files?”

“Files?” She shook her head to clear it and instantly regretted the movement. “Oh. In my desk. Nancy has a spare key.”

“Good. I think that’s the best solution for the moment. You concentrate on getting back on your feet, and once you’re cleared for work, I’ll assign you new clients. There’s never a shortage of probationers.”

“I’m so sorry for the trouble.”

“Nonsense. It was an accident, and the best you can do to heal fast is not worry about work. Get better and keep me in the loop,” Stephanie said. That woman might be strict at work, but she had a good heart.

“I will. Goodnight.” Gwen disconnected the call and closed her eyes. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about how to handle the attraction she felt for Fernando. That notion consoled her for a moment before her eyes filled with tears when she recognized the full implication.

I won’t see him again!

A nurse with hip-length gorgeous black hair and a friendly smile walked into the room with a cup of medicine for Gwen. “Hi. I’m Marcela. How are you feeling, hon?”

“Like I got hit by a truck.”

“Well, since you got hit by a van, that’s close enough. Here, drink this, it will make you feel better.”

Gwen dutifully swallowed the bitter tasting medicine. Anything that made the dull ache in her head go away was welcome.

“Should I put your purse into the wardrobe? And do you want me to call anyone to bring you some personal effects?”

“Personal effects?” Her brain didn’t comprehend, and she stared at the nurse.

Marcela smiled. “Don’t worry. The concussion makes your thinking slow, but our doctors have everything under control. You have to stay here overnight for observation so you might ask a relative or friend to bring over a few necessities like a toothbrush, comb, and a nightgown. Unless you prefer the sexy hospital robe you’re wearing.”

Gwen looked down at the white hospital gown and shook her head. “Ouch.”

“Easy. Don’t move your head.”

“I noticed. Thanks for the offer; I’ll call a friend.” This time, she remembered to move her head slowly and gestured with her good hand to the cell phone on the nightstand. The nurse handed it to her.

“Well then, I’ll be back to check on you. If you fall asleep, I’ll wake you every two hours to make sure you awaken easily.”

Gwen wrinkled her nose, and the nurse laughed.

“I know. Not fun, but necessary. Head injuries need to be watched closely.”

Wonderful.

She thanked the nurse, then sent a quick text message to Vivian after the door had closed behind her.

Viv – was in car accident. Held hostage in the hospital, but ok. Concussion and broken wrist. Room 548. Visit tomorrow?

She pushed the send button, then leaned back and let her eyes close. Her eyelids simply refused to stay open a second longer.