Running for Love (The Armstrongs Book 10) Read online

  “I won’t.” Tyler held up his hands. “Man. It’s fantastic to meet you in person. You have plenty of fans down at the firehouse. What you do with your foundation is awesome.”

  “Thanks. I hope we’ll see more of each other,” Rock said, hugging Vivian close. “Because I’m not going to ever let your sister go, now that I’ve found her.”

  “I saw your announcement earlier today about that actress,” Tyler said.

  “Most everyone in L.A. has seen it,” Vivian interrupted him.

  “So we watched it at the firehouse and some of the guys started talking. Last year your foundation helped one of our fellows after he lost both his legs in that awful fire.”

  “I do remember him. John Baker, right?” Rock asked.

  “Yeah. Him. Anyhow, we want to help raise funds for the planned rehab center and the entire station crew wants to participate in the race.”

  “Wow. I’m speechless. That’s an awesome offer. It’ll be a million times better than having some random actress send the wrong kind of message,” Rock said.

  “In uniform?” Vivian grinned. She’d seen more than one woman drool over pictures of hot firefighters like her brother.

  “Ha ha. Very funny,” Tyler said and exchanged phone numbers with Rock to work out the details of the firefighters’ promotionally effective participation in the triathlon.

  “Gotta run. Was nice meeting you. Take care of my sis!” Tyler turned around to leave.

  “Hey! No butting into my privacy anymore, remember?” Vivian reminded her brother and waited until he’d left to bolt the door. Then she turned around to Rock, who stood in the middle of the room, his eyes glued to her. “Where did we stop?”

  Epilogue

  The day of the triathlon

  Vivian pushed herself toward the finish line, utterly exhausted but also exhilarated that she’d done it. When she collapsed behind the white tape, she felt strong arms wrapped around her and looked up into Rock’s dark brown eyes, showering her with love and admiration.

  After the debacle with Carla, Vivian had moved into Rock’s mansion. He’d pretended it was so he could personally oversee her training, but she knew better. The truth was neither of them could handle being away from the other for more than a few hours.

  Rock had gotten his cast off two weeks earlier, and she loved how he now swept her up into his arms and carried her over to a small tent, where he sat her down and handed her a bottle of water.

  “I’m sorry to have to leave right away. I have to announce the winners in a few moments,” he said after kissing her sweetly.

  Vivian was too exhausted to speak and sank back against the soft pillows, taking another gulp from the bottle of water. She heard Rock’s name over the loudspeaker and he left the tent after telling her to wait for him. As if she could walk a single step after finishing that triathlon.

  Her entire family was at the race today. All her brothers had entered to compete after they’d learnt that Tyler’s entire fire department would be there. Officially they did it to benefit Rock’s foundation and drive further publicity, but Vivian suspected it was a private Armstrong competition, to find out, which one of them was the fastest. She grinned at their crazy competitiveness. You’d think they’d stop doing this once they were grown up. But no.

  She downed another bottle of water and then pushed herself up to walk the hundred yards to the small stage where Rock was just finishing his speech.

  “Thank you all for coming out to support Rock Solid and our mission to help the amputees, both military and civilian, that our society seems to have forgotten. I’m happy to announce that we topped last year’s donations by almost ten percent.”

  Cheers from the thousands of people rang out.

  “So, let’s get to some awards, shall we?”

  He announced the winner in each of the different categories of the triathlon and ceremoniously presented their medals. The male and female overall winners – both professional triathletes – gave a very short speech and then climbed off the stage again.

  Rock scanned the crowd and when his eyes locked with Vivian’s a broad smile crossed his face. “Folks, would you indulge me for a moment? Vivian come up here.”

  Vivian cast him a puzzled look, but his only answer was that irresistible grin of his.

  “What’s going on?” she whispered as soon as she’d reached the stage and he helped her climb up. The grin intensified. He wouldn’t do something crazy, would he?

  Rock waited until she was center stage and then knelt down on one knee and retrieved a small dark blue box from his pocket. The crowed oohhed and ahhed, while Vivian thought she would faint. She must be dreaming, this couldn’t be real.

  “Vivian Armstrong, you are the most giving, most loving woman I’ve ever met. I know we haven’t known one another for very long, but I can’t live another moment without you by my side.” His eyes never left hers and she saw so much honest love in them, it touched her soul and warmed her heart.

  “Vivian, will you be my wife?”

  Her eyes went wide and she was sure, she’d faint and wake up to find out this was but a dream. Then her jaw dropped to the ground as he opened the jewelers’ box and showed her the elegant solitaire.

  “Rock, are you sure?”

  He nodded. “There’s never been a thing in my life that I’ve been more certain about.”

  “Then…yes. I will marry you.” Tears of emotion welled in her eyes and she whispered, “I love you so much.”

  Rock stood up and slid the ring onto her finger, kissing her while the gathered crowded cat called and whistled at them. He broke away after several minutes and grabbed the microphone once more. “She said yes!”

  The crowd erupted again, but Rock and Vivian didn’t care. He swept her into his strong arms – a feeling she could get used to – and carried her off the stage and into the tent, where her entire family was waiting to congratulate the newly engaged couple.

  He finally snagged a moment alone with her and whispered into her ear, “I love you, Miss Armstrong.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and sighed. “I love you too.”

  Gina’s words came back to her as she lounged in Rock’s arms for another moment. An accident made in heaven. Vivian could accept the concept. But now…now she knew with every breath in her body that running into Rock was fate. It really hadn’t been an accident at all.

  Preview FERNANDO

  Fernando Garcia leaned against the streetlight, keeping watch over the front doors of the social services office, wondering what his probation officer would be like. Just like everything, there were good ones and some who completely sucked. Fortunately, at least in his experience, most of them had a quest to help their clients turn their lives around and become honest, hard-working, upright citizens.

  As if I even had a chance to become an honest person.

  This wasn’t his first brush with the law. On the contrary, at the age of twenty-five, he’d amassed a long history of petty crimes and misdemeanors. Nothing really bad. But this time had been different. He’d crossed the line and was lucky to have gotten away with probation.

  He sucked in a breath and kicked some pebbles out of his way. He’d been here before, so why was he nervous now? His assigned probation officer would be nice, even friendly, trying to gain his trust. And Fernando would put on his act, pretending he could turn his life around, even though everyone knew it wouldn’t happen. Not by a long shot.

  There was nothing to be nervous about. He’d long ago accepted the fact that he would lead the life of a criminal, whether he wanted to or not. His wishes didn’t matter. Taking care of his younger sister mattered.

  But Amada’s grown up now.

  Depressed by that thought, Fernando opened the front door and trudged up the stairs to the third floor where he presented himself at reception.

  “Gwen Cohen, Room 326, have a seat outside, please. She’ll call you momentarily,” the receptionist said with a friendly smile.


  “Thank you,” Fernando answered and walked down the long hallway to the indicated room. He’d just sat down when the door opened, and a burly man stepped out and walked toward the exit, ignoring him completely. A young woman around his own age was left standing in the doorway.

  Fernando’s chest constricted the moment he saw her, and he had to remind himself to breathe. Oh shit, she’s awesome. Around five-eight, she was tall and slender with blonde, shoulder length hair, and a tan that came from spending plenty of time in the sun. She looked like an advertisement for a typical California girl, and he could easily imagine her in a bikini, holding onto a surfboard. But what undid him was the shimmer in her baby-blue eyes. They were combined with the most heartwarming smile he’d ever seen.

  Lost in his momentary daydream, it took a few moments before he realized she was calling his name. “Fernando Garcia?”

  He blinked and then straightened. “Yes.”

  She gestured him forward and gave him another breathtaking smile. A smile he wanted to hold on to, trace with his fingers and kiss until she begged him to do more. “Hi. Come on in.”

  Fernando cleared his throat and cursed the hot blood rushing through his veins. He stepped through the door into a room that contained a file cabinet, a table, and two chairs. While following her, he had a prime view of her gorgeous backside. Her worn blue jeans hugged a firm and perky ass, and with every step her t-shirt rode just above the waistband, exposing a hint of tanned skin.

  He didn’t even bother to hide his interest and let his eyes travel all the way down to her brown leather sandals that sported a modest heel. When she turned around to stand behind the table in the middle of the room, he sharply inhaled at the sight of her bright-red painted toenails peeking between the leather straps.

  Turning his gaze upward again, he became painfully aware of her perfect, flat stomach, her firm breasts, and the riot of varying shades of blonde curls that tumbled around her face, framing her blue eyes. Eyes full of life – and disapproval.

  As soon as their eyes met, he realized she’d caught him checking her out, and he inwardly grimaced. Great way to make an impression.

  She didn’t miss a beat. “I’m Gwen Cohen, and I’ve been assigned to act as your probation officer. But you probably already surmised that?” she asked with a more neutral smile and reached across the desk to shake his hand. “Please sit down.”

  He sat down and rubbed his palm on his thigh to dispel the burning sensation her touch had left behind. Fire was moving through his veins, and he mentally cursed his wayward libido. This office most definitely wasn’t a place for a quick fuck.

  Get it together, idiot. You’re not here to get that woman into your bed. Even if she’s the hottest thing you’ve seen in…ever.

  Gwen pulled a manila folder open and then looked at him with a questioning smile. Second after second elapsed in slow motion while she flipped through the file, furrowing her brows.

  Fernando’s ears burned with shame, a feeling he wasn’t very familiar with. On those pages, his whole miserable life was spread out in front of her. A life he was everything but proud of. The report would show the many times he’d done the wrong things, broken the law, stolen, and hurt other people.

  What the report wouldn’t show was the reason behind his actions. His younger sister, Amada. No, her notes wouldn’t say anything about his struggle to provide for both of them after their parents died more than a decade ago. How he was forced to drop out of school and earn money to escape the abusive guardian they’d been assigned. Neither would the notes show how proud he was of his sister. Raising her was probably the only thing he’d done well in his life – his crowning achievement.

  He pushed his hands beneath his thighs and looked down onto the table. Gwen Cohen wasn’t his first probation officer, and so far, he’d disappointed every last one of them. It wasn’t because they weren’t nice people, they were. But they couldn’t understand that his only chance to make a decent living was to occasionally step across the line of the law.

  This time would be no different. Gwen might be friendly, optimistic and even helpful, but in the end, he’d disappoint her too. There was no hope for someone like him. It was too late. Without a high school diploma or any other type of experience, the jobs available to him were few and far between. Minimum wage didn’t pay even the barest of necessities, let alone the bills. Good jobs that came along always involved criminal activity. It was just the way it was.

  At first, it had been fun. He’d felt strong and powerful being part of a gang. Virile. Invincible. But the thrill soon had become old and made room for the constant fear of being caught, being sent to prison – being unable to protect his sister.

  “Fernando? Can I call you by your first name?” her sweet voice cut through his thoughts, slamming him back to the present. When he nodded, she continued speaking, “So, I’d like you to tell me about the armed robbery and why you were there?”

  “Why I was there?” he asked, looking up into her piercing blue eyes.

  “Yes. Why were you there? Did you know a robbery was going to take place?”

  “Yes, I knew. As for why…the gang took on the job, and…” he blew out a deep breath, “they needed me in order to pull it off.”

  She sat back in her chair. “Why did they need you?”

  “Well, I’m one of the best pick locks around here,” he said with pride before he toned down his enthusiasm and continued, “I didn’t have much of a choice anyway. When you’re part of a gang, you don’t pick and choose. You do what the group does. Period. That’s how it works.”

  “So, tell me what happened?”

  “I picked the lock, and we entered the building, but then a guard showed up and surprised us. We didn’t even know he existed, or we would have done things differently.”

  “Is that when you all ran?”

  Fernando winced at the memory and swallowed. “Not quite. Sandro shot the guard in the leg. The rest of the gang wanted to kill him, eliminate a witness. But I convinced them he’d probably already called it in, and we needed to get the f…” He stopped the curse and tried again. “We needed to get out of there.”

  “What happened next?”

  He stared at the wall just behind her left ear. “Sandro pointed his gun at the guard’s head and warned him he’d be back if he talked to the police. Then we ran, but the cops caught us before we could reach the alley.”

  Her piercing glance made him shrink in his chair, but her voice was surprisingly soft. “Everyone but you got a long prison sentence. Why were you only given probation?”

  Fernando gestured towards the file. “Don’t your notes tell you all of that?”

  She shrugged. “I want to hear it from you.”

  He searched her face for a clue, trying to gauge her angle. Does she think I belong in prison with the others? But he couldn’t find an accusatory look in her eyes, just curiosity. “I guess the judge believed the guard’s testimony.”

  “The guard?” she asked.

  “Yes.” He paused, reliving the moment when the guard had taken the stand and spoken up on his behalf at court, something no one had ever done for him before. It had been surreal. He still didn’t quite understand what had happened. “The guard testified that if it weren't for me, he’d be dead. The video from the surveillance cameras didn’t show my face, but he declared that I was the one who kept the others from shooting him.”

  “Why did you risk yourself to save him?”

  Yes, why? Fernando had asked himself the same question many times since that fateful armed robbery. He had never been afraid of using violence to get what he wanted. “Because we had to run—”

  “I don’t believe you.” Her words felt like a slap in his face and anger pooled in his stomach. She – a woman – was calling him a liar. No one called him a liar. He jumped up from his chair, fists ready for battle when he remembered where they were. Probation office. Good behavior. Damn.

  “Sorry.” He sat down again and met her e
yes. Holy shit, that woman is not only excruciatingly beautiful but also strong-willed. She hadn’t so much as flinched away from his temper.

  “So, why did you really do it?” Her eyes sparkled with a combination of curiosity and optimism.

  “I guess…this man, he hadn’t done anything wrong. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I couldn’t let them kill him.”

  She scrutinized him for a moment, then her cheeks took on a rosy color, and she quickly stared down at his folder. With her nose in the file, she asked, “Do you understand the requirements of your probation?”

  “Yes.”

  “Please explain them to me.”

  Fernando took a deep breath and did as she requested. “I have to find a job, and I can’t do anything illegal. I can have no contact with any of my gang members.” He was being as cooperative as possible, trying to earn some brownie points early in the game.

  He evidently was doing a good job because she finally looked up and smiled at him. In reaction, his entire body tightened to the point of pain.

  “So, Fernando, is there anything you want to discuss? About your probation or anything else?”

  Fernando shrugged. “Nah, I’m good.”

  She smiled at him again and cocked her head. “Well, if you change your mind, we can discuss it at next week’s meeting. Please remember our weekly meetings are not optional. You have to be here at the scheduled time. If something comes up and you know you can’t make it, you have to call me.”

  She handed him a business card, and he tucked it into his pocket without looking at it. He knew the drill, and he also knew that short of death or lying in a coma in the hospital, his ass was expected to be in this chair each week.

  No excuses.

  (End of Sneak Peak)

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