I can’t help the tears that fall and pull away as Sebastian moves across and kneels before me. He takes my hands in his and says in a broken voice, “I agreed to marry your sister for him. When I made that decision, I vowed that was all it would be—a pretense. I never once kissed her, I certainly never touched her, and I just played the fiancé in public. In private I kept my distance and her coming here today was to threaten me all over again.”
“What do you mean?”
“She told me that unless we married and become a proper couple, when you leave and she inherits the company, she would make sure I lost everything. She told me it was certain you will leave and I would end up with nothing.”
“What did you do?” My voice comes out in a whisper, almost fearful for his answer, as he says firmly, “I broke off our fake engagement and told her to leave.”
Reaching up, he strokes the side of my face and says huskily, “It was always you, Angel. You know that. Losing everything was a price I was willing to pay because without you, I have nothing. I did what I had to for my father but now I owe nobody. It’s time I did what my heart always wanted and try to win you back. I never wanted to lose you in the first place but you ran before I had the chance to explain. I never stopped loving you and you were always the first thing I thought about when I woke and the last thing at night.”
I almost can’t breathe as the past swirls around like a choking fog. It seeps into my mind and distorts my feelings. On the one hand, I want to forgive Sebastian and recover a future that was always meant to be, but I have lived with the hurt for five long painful years and I’m not sure it’s so easy.
Pulling back, my voice sounds strangled as I say, “I need time.”
I don’t miss the disappointment in his eyes as he drops my hands and stands up. “Of course, I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”
Unsure about what to do next, I stand on shaking limbs and clear my throat. “Um… I need to get some rest and think about everything. Maybe you should too.”
I turn to leave and his hand on my shoulder causes my heart to beat frantically as he says softly, “Please believe me, Angel. I was never going to marry Anastasia. I did what I had to for my father; I can’t change it and would do it again. My biggest regret was that you never got to hear it from me.”
It’s tempting. So tempting to give into what I know is inevitable but something is preventing me from doing it. It’s too much and will take a lot more than words to rebuild the broken person I became, so I just nod. “I believe you, Seb, I’m sorry, I just need time, a lot has happened in the past five years and I’m not the girl who left all those years ago. I’m not sure Angel is who you think she is and you may not like what I’ve become. Please, let’s just deal with the future of this company and worry about the rest another day.”
I walk away from Sebastian as is becoming the habit. I walk from the building and wonder about its future.
As I head back to the cabin, I do so with fear in my heart because I’m not sure I am strong enough for the days ahead. My daddy broke me for a reason and now I just need to discover what that reason is.
Chapter 16
Sebastian
I’m not sure I slept a wink all night. Angel is so far inside my head there’s no room for me anymore. Every time I see her, I just want to rewind time and make it all better. Five years is a long time to regret one decision. I have been lonely for the entire time because the only physical contact I’ve had is with the subs at the club. They ask no questions and demand nothing. It’s just sex, and I was a fool for thinking it would drive the memory of her away. It didn’t. All it did was reinforced the fact I miss her so much my heart hurts more each day. Now she’s back and there’s so much I want to say and yet my words sound weak and pathetic even to my own ears. No, Angel deserves a strong man, one who will never let her down, so whatever it takes I will stand by her side and see this through—wherever it may lead.
As soon as I step foot inside the office, I know she’s here already. Her door is closed but I know she’s inside. We always did have a sixth sense where the other was concerned and I wonder how she’s feeling. A staff meeting was called for 9 am today in the board room and I sense the unease in the air as the staff fear the worst. I fear nothing except that she will leave. Turn her back on the lot of us and head right back where she came from.
Thinking of the company she’s been keeping makes my blood boil. Bikers. It doesn’t bear thinking about and thinking of Angel in their world, being used like a cheap whore is enough to send me over the edge. I try not to think about it but seeing that beast waiting for her that day has painted a picture I’m not keen to dwell on. I did that. I sent her to hell and I have no right to judge her for it.
Pamela, my assistant, smiles as I head toward my office. “Good morning, sir.”
I note the tense set to her lips and the worry in her eyes. She is worried about her job, it’s obvious but I have no words of comfort. I don’t know which way this will go as much as the rest of them and can only hope that Angel has seen enough to make the right decision and not act out of revenge.
For the next hour, I catch up on emails and wonder what’s going on inside her head. I wish I knew because its agony waiting for her to determine all our fate. I only want one thing—her and if it takes me the rest of my miserable life, I’m going to make it up to her.
“Um... excuse me, Mr. Stone.”
Looking up, I see Pamela waiting nervously by the open door. “What is it?”
“Um... Dora told me to add a meeting in the diary for this afternoon and I wanted to check it was ok with you first.”
“What meeting?”
“Um... it’s at 2 o’clock with Tobias Moretti.”
I just nod because I expected this. Angel means business, and it’s what I would have done in her shoes.
“Fine, add it to my schedule.”
She nods and heads back to her desk and I wonder what Angel will make of Tobias. I’ve had the displeasure of meeting him three times and hated every minute of it. He’s cold, calculating and cruel and the thought of sitting across the table from him is not a pleasant one. I just hope she’s made the right decision because if, as I fear, she’s about to make him an offer he would be a fool to refuse, it’s all over for the lot of us.
Just before nine, I make my way to the boardroom and wonder what I’ll find. Only the department managers have been summoned because there isn’t a room big enough in the building to accommodate all the staff in one sitting.
They nod as I pass but I’m not interested in exchanging pleasantries with any of them. I don’t care that they look worried and I have no words to reassure them, so I stand by the large window and look out over the city. Everything looks the same but soon it may all change - forever.
I hear the hushed voices of the employees and feel bad for them. I’ve learned over the years they are a good team and although they feared Harvey Johnson, they respected him. They must be wondering what the hell is going on and then, right on the stroke of 9, the door opens and Angel breezes into the room, looking so hot I can’t think of anything other than fucking her senseless on this boardroom table.
Her blonde hair hangs straight down her back and her blue eyes look tired but excited. I know that look and can tell she’s made a decision. As her gaze falls on me, I feel the blood rushing to my cock as it’s always done and feel the physical ache that was left when she was no longer mine.
She nods but I can’t read her expression as she makes her way to the head of the table with Dora close behind her and I note the swell of her ass in the tightest black skirt falling just above the knee. Her tight shirt accentuates her curves and as her ass sways from side to side, it takes all my self-control not to grab her and run.
When she turns, the sunlight reflects off her smile and I see the beauty of an Angel, my Angel. She looks around the room and I can tell she takes in every expression, every look and every guarded smile of the nervous managers waiting thei
r fate.
“Good morning everyone, I’m pleased to meet you all. You probably know already but my name’s Angel Johnson and I’m the daughter of the late Harvey Johnson.”
You could hear a feather blow across the floor as everyone stares at the miracle of nature that addresses them. She takes her seat and looks around at every last man and woman and smiles. “As of yesterday, I took my daddy’s place at the forefront of this company. I didn’t ask for it and spent all of yesterday wondering what the hell I was going to do about it. My first thought was to sell out and to be honest, I’m not sure if that idea has totally gone away.”
I feel the tension in the room as she carries on in a gentle voice. “However, one thing my daddy never knew about me—at least I don’t think he did, is that I’m not one to give up at the first hurdle. I just wanted to reassure you all that it will be business as usual, for the short term, anyway. I wish I could say nothing will change but I’m sure many of you agree that everything must change if we are to survive.”
Her eyes find mine and I see the determination in hers as she says firmly, “The world no longer considers plastic as acceptable. In fact, it’s increasingly obvious that unless we change, we won’t have a business going forward. Now, I don’t have any answers to that but I’m guessing my daddy was already working on it. So, I need all your help to brief me on where we’re at and what the proposals are going forward. We all need to know where we stand and that’s what this meeting’s about. I want to lay my cards out on this table and ask for your help. One thing that’s become obvious to me over the short time I’ve been here, is that my father valued his staff. His business was his passion and meant everything to him. I’m only just realizing how strong a man he really was and although I may not understand his choices in life, I respect them. So, if you don’t mind, please can you send me a report by the end of the day of where your department stands. What you’re working on, what needs to be done and any thoughts you have going forward. We need to work as a team and only then will we come out the other side. This is your time to step up and be counted because you hold the answers to my questions. Now, are there any questions before you head off?”
I sense many questions lingering in the air but none have a voice, so Angel smiles brightly. “Thank you for coming and I’ll look forward to meeting all of you personally over the coming days.”
She stands to leave and I sense the relief in the air as she walks toward the door. As she passes me, she leans down and whispers, “May I have a word, Sebastian?”
Nodding, I stand and follow her to her office, neither one of us speaking until we step inside and the door shuts the rest of the world out.
She turns and I see the light in her eyes as she grins. “What do you think?”
“Of what?”
“Of my plan to try and make a go of this.”
“Is this what you’ve decided?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Not really. All I saw was somebody buying themselves some time. You may decide it’s too difficult and sell out from under us. How can we trust you not to do that?”
Immediately, I regret my words because I see the light dim in her eyes and she turns away. “Fine, maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“Maybe I don’t.”
I’m not sure why I’m being such a bastard and can only think it’s because I feel frustrated at not being able to even touch her. I don’t like this wall that’s built up between us and maybe that’s what’s making me so tetchy.
She moves toward her desk and says wearily, “Maybe you should leave.”
“Not before you tell me why you’ve scheduled a meeting with Moretti?”
“So that’s it?”
“What?”
“You’re pissed because I’ve made a decision behind your back. You don’t like the fact I’ve arranged something without consulting the great Sebastian. What’s the matter, feeling threatened, honey?”
“If that’s what you think.”
“Well, prove me wrong.”
“I don’t have to prove anything to you. You’re the one who ran out for five long years. You’re the one who wouldn’t stick around to find out the reason and you’re the one who joined a...”
“MC club.”
“Yes, smart decision, Angel, I can only imagine what sort of life you’ve lived being passed around between those beasts.”
I know I’ve gone too far when she takes a step back as if I’ve physically punched her and her beautiful eyes cloud with pain. “Is that really what you think of me, that I would allow any man to use me in that way?”
I feel like a complete bastard as I shrug, “Then tell me what really happened when you left.”
For a moment nothing happens. No words, no movement and no sound. Then I watch the pride force the shutters firmly shut as she hisses, “Get out.”
As I turn my back on her, I feel like the biggest fool in the world. I’m not sure why I just said what I did because it’s obvious an asshole has taken residence in my reasoning. Am I jealous, hell yes, which is why I walk away before I do more damage than I have already.
Chapter 17
Angel
For a moment I’m so mad I can’t form thoughts. How dare he judge me without hearing the facts? The tears spill as I think about the men I’ve left behind. How dare he judge them that way—any of us? If there’s one thing in life I’m proud of the most is that I’m a member of the greatest family there is. Yes, it’s an MC club. Yes, the men there are loud, rough and play dirty but they are so much more than that. He knows nothing about their courage, their honor and their daily challenges. They have lived hard lives and continue to do so every day. They are warriors and win every battle they fight. They are also as broken as I am and that’s what makes us invincible. How dare he stand there and judge us so cruelly because when I left this town, I was lucky to find them? Maybe I did seek comfort in their arms. Maybe I did relish the attention they gave me and yes, maybe I did enjoy fucking every last one of them because he’s right about one thing, Angel is a whore but not in the way he thinks. I loved each one of them and they were every bit a whore as me. We guarded our hearts and took comfort in the physical and no money changed hands. I wouldn’t change a thing that I did because I love every one of them and if he has anyone to blame for that, he should take a long hard look in the mirror because it was him that sent me there.
Sebastian’s mood has taken the edge of what I consider a successful meeting. I was nervous at meeting the staff and changed my mind a thousand times over during the night but ultimately; I decided to buy some time. Sebastian was right about that at least. The meeting this afternoon is to meet Tobias and size him up. I know he’s a monster, that was pretty evident in the file Ryder sent me. However, we deal with monsters on a daily basis where I come from and with my family behind me; I know he is no match for us. Sebastian may think he knows everything but all he’s revealed is that he knows absolutely nothing. The Reapers are the best there is and Tobias Moretti is about to find out what that means.
Luckily, work keeps my mind occupied for the rest of the time I have before I meet the man himself. I push away any thoughts I have of Sebastian and just pore over the reports and documents that Dora drip feeds me. With every word I read, I gain a growing respect for my father. I was right; he was worried about the future of his business and was planning to diversify into ecological packaging. Biodegradable and the packaging of the future. As I continue to read, I feel the excitement growing inside me. This is amazing; he was amazing because if I’m reading this right, daddy was about to become the pioneer for a brave new world and that world was at his feet. He has a hungry customer waiting because they are keen to find something that will satisfy the next generation and ensure the longevity of their own business and my daddy holds the key to their success.
The time flies so quickly, I look up in surprise when Dora pokes her head around the door and says, “Your two-o’clock has arri
ved.”
I note the fear in her eyes as she licks her lips nervously and I feel nothing but anger toward the man waiting in the boardroom. However, I also feel the curiosity burning a hole in any nerves I have, so I smile brightly, “Great, this should be interesting.”
Dora looks doubtful and I laugh to myself. This should be fun.
She follows me along the corridor for the second time today to the boardroom. We pass Sebastian’s door which is open, revealing the man himself is probably waiting for me already. The anger bubbles up inside me as I head toward the imminent showdown and I feel the anger mingling with irritation at the way he’s been behaving. Well, I’ll show him and my father that the frightened girl who ran away grew into a strong woman with a fuck off view on life.
As I push open the door, the man waiting for me surprises me. I didn’t expect this.
Sebastian’s eyes meet mine and I see the anger evident in his as he says tightly, “May I introduce, Sergio Bellini, Tobias Moretti’s business adviser.”
I smile and extend my hand and shake the sweating palm of a man who looks as nervous as I feel inside. “I’m pleased to meet you Mr. Bellini but a little surprised. I was expecting to see Mr. Moretti.”
He clears his throat and says nervously, “I’m sorry Miss. Johnson, Mr. Moretti has sent me instead. He is a very busy man and relies on me to speak for him.”
I feel the anger bubbling up inside, as I say smoothly, “Is that so.” Turning to Sebastian, I say coolly, “Then maybe you should call Pamela in and I will do the same with Dora.”
They look at me in surprise and I say coldly, “Yes, I think that will be the best plan. All of our assistants can then conduct the meeting and relay the conversation back to us. Then we can spend another few wasted days communicating back and forth before any decisions are made.”
Completing Beauty: Books 1-3 Page 9