What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 3)

by Lauren Hawkeye

  She turned her back to him because she didn’t know what to say to him. He was her employee and she just messed up everything between them.

  Thankfully her phone beeped and she walked over to it. With unsteady hands, she picked it up without turning around she said, “hello Heather.”

  “I have a man here saying he is here to see you, his name is Angelo Giovanni.” Her heart dropped to her feet because of what she just did with Axel.

  “I’ll be right out,” she said and hung up her phone. Slowly she turned around to face her driver. His face was emotionless. “I have a meeting.”

  “You have to be kidding me, we just kissed and you tell me you have a meeting. Hell we need to talk about what happened.” He crossed his arms against his massive chest.

  “I know, it was a mistake and it won’t happen again.” She took a deep, steadying breath and forced herself to walk passed him.

  Chapter Five

  Angelo Giovanni was talking to Heather, and she laughed at something he said to her. When he saw her he winked but his eyes quickly found Axel and he lost his sweet smile and dimple.

  “We aren’t done talking,” Axel said against her ear so only she could hear and that caused Angelo’s eyes to narrow.

  She turned to face him because she didn’t know what they needed to talk about. She just messed up a perfect friendship because she kissed him, but he had kissed her back. “Later,” she whispered and turned back around and found Angelo had moved closer to her.

  She saw a black strap around his neck that held a large red camera. “Are you ready?” she smiled at him because she liked him for some reason. He made her feel more than just a rich powerful woman, he made her feel wanted. She could always tell when someone was using her for her money or power, and he didn’t give her that notation.

  “Yes, I think the best pictures would be in my office like you said.” She said and turned back around to head to her open office, Axel glared passed her to Angelo.

  “You shouldn’t allow men that aren’t authorized into your office.” She arched her eyebrow at him when he turned his icy blue eyes on her.

  “I know Angelo already, he interviewed me yesterday and treated me to dinner.” And an incredible night, she thought but didn’t want to reveal that where everyone on her top floor office would hear.

  She felt a hand grip her shoulder and her body reacted to his touch. “Fine, but I am staying outside your door.” Shrugging she reached up to take Angelo’s hands and pulled him into her office she shut the door behind them.

  Turning around she kissed him because his lips had been on her mind since he left this morning and she wanted to erase what just happened. Never did she imagine that one man could give her so much pleasure with only his mouth.

  He held her back and stared into her eyes and she knew he was trying to figure out what was going on. This was why she hated relationships, she didn’t like to explain herself.

  “Do you want to tell me why your cheeks are red and why that man wanted to thrash me?” Her eyebrows drew together. She didn’t think Axel would have done anything physical to him.

  But she knew she couldn’t keep things from him, and if she wanted to make whatever they had work she needed to have him trust her. “I kissed him,” she forced herself to keep her eyes on his.

  He narrowed his eyes and looked passed her at the closed door. “Who is he?” he asked without taking his eyes away from the door.

  “Axel, my driver and sometimes bodyguard.” He turned his molting chocolate eyes back to her.

  “I don’t share. I don’t care if you have known him longer. There is a reason why you two never tried anything until now. But know I won’t give you up, not easily at least. I want you like I have never wanted anyone before. If you don’t want me and you want to be with your driver let me know.” Truthfully she didn’t know what she wanted. She had never noticed Axel until yesterday but there was something with Angelo that made her want things.

  She took a deep breath and thought about their amazing night and how he was so caring about what she wanted. He kept asking her what she liked and what she desired. She was never shy in the bedroom, she knew what she desired and would make sure she got it. It didn’t take Angelo long to figure out what she liked, and he would do it until she screamed.

  “I want…you.” She finally said and he seized her face in his large hands and kissed her hard. He tasted like coffee and mint, her arms wrapped around his neck holding him tighter to her.

  She didn’t care that she knew almost nothing about him, because he made her feel alive. His hands came around to encircle her back and he placed a leg between hers causing her to open her legs more for him.

  The camera around his neck pressed hard into her chest, and she pulled her lips away from his. Resting her head on his chest she regained her breathing because he was good at making her breathless.

  “One day I want to know who hurt you.” She lifted her head off of his warm chest and looked into his tender eyes. “You don’t have to tell me now, but I want to be the one you let into your heart.” She wasn’t sure if she was the happy ending kind of girl. At one time she was but now she loved her life the way it was.

  “Let’s take it one day at a time,” she didn’t want to hurt him or worse get hurt herself. He brushed his knuckles down her cheek and clutched her chin.

  “I will take that, I want to be the one to take away the anguish I see in your eyes.” He smiled down at her and her heart skipped a beat.

  She needed to change the subject; she didn’t want him looking at her with pity. “Should we take some pictures by the desk?” he searched her face but nodded when he found nothing. She was good at keeping her feelings behind a closed door.

  “Yes, go lean against it.” He kissed her cheek before she could move away, and her senseless heart fluttered with the innocent gesture.

  Angelo watched Evangeline saunter away towards her massive desk. Something haunted her light blue eyes, and he wanted to be the one to take it away. Last night had been amazing but he wasn’t a fool; he knew she was scared. He didn’t want her to run, so he decided to take things slower with her.

  She turned around and a small smile played at the corner of her full swollen lips. She was so beautiful and she knew it, he loved how confident she was. It might be her best quality, and she was a dominatrix in the bedroom.

  “Stop looking at me like that.” She ordered. He glanced back at her face and she narrowed her eyes.

  He grinned and took the camera off of his neck and moved towards her. When he saw her come out of her office he knew something happened with her and the man behind her. Axel was staring at her as if he was staking a claim on her. “Like what?” he asked and she laughed.

  “Like I am prime piece of real estate, and you want to own me.” Problem was he did want to own her, and not in a controlling way but in a partnership.

  “Angel no one could ever own you, you would never consent it.” He stopped right in front of her and her heavenly scent wrapped around him. He wanted to bury his nose in her neck to inhale her scent. She smelt like daisies and it had just became his favorite smell.

  “True…but you make me break all of my rules. Rules I had for a reason.” He removed the cover on the lens and turned his attention to the camera. He had read the articles calling her the Ice Queen, and Heartless. But she wasn’t that. He has seen her feel something for him even if she didn’t understand it or want to.

  He lifted the red camera to his eye and stared at her through it. “Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.” He took the first picture of her glancing down at the image and he grinned. She was looking right at him she was so beautiful it nearly brought him to his knees.

  “Next time tell me when you are going to take a picture. I want to be ready.” She tried to look annoyed but failed because she bit her bottom lip to keep her smile back. But he noticed. He took another picture of her glaring at him. “Seriously,” she placed her hands on her hips, and arc
hed her eyebrows. She looked sexier.

  “I always find the best pictures are when the person doesn’t expect it. Angel you are beautiful and so are the pictures.” He glanced at her large window that over looked the city. Tall buildings surrounded her mirrored building and the sun was peeking out through a couple of the tall buildings. “Can you stand at the window, I want to take a picture of you looking out.”

  She glanced at her opened window and frowned. “Isn’t that little cliché, you know the successful business woman looking out on the city?” she asked and he smiled. She was always getting him to smile and he liked that. It had been so long since he had truly smiled, and she was changing him.

  “Cliché? No I don’t think it is,” he said and strolled towards her. He took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips. Gently he brushed his lips along her knuckles, he was always finding some way to touch her.

  She looked down at her hand he was holding and then back up to his eyes. “What are you doing to me?” he didn’t miss the fear in her sweet voice.

  “I am making you feel.” He wanted to kiss her again but she moved away from him and to the window.

  Evangeline had to move away from Angelo’s touch. He was right about making her feel and she hated it. She walked towards the window and stared out like she has done many times. When she was feeling lonely or that she wasn’t good enough she would look out and see what she had accomplished in her life.

  Flash. She turned her head to the side and found him aiming the camera at her; she gave him a smile as he took another picture.

  “Are you done taking pictures? You’ve take a few now.” She wasn’t angry, not really she just didn’t like her picture taken. He looked down at the camera’s screen and nodded.

  “Yes, I got some worthy ones.” He turned his attention back to her and her heart skipped a beat. He looked at her with so much affection it almost hurt. “The camera loves you.” He winked at her and she laughed.

  “I don’t know about that, I can never seem to take a good one of myself.” He smiled as he sat the camera on her desk.

  He strolled towards her and wrapped his arms around her. “Come to my place tonight, I want to cook you dinner.” She looked up at him and he was staring down at her, she couldn’t read his face.

  She couldn’t cook if her life depended on it. She had tried in the past and always set off fire alarms. “You can cook?” she heard the astonishment in her own voice.

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Angel, I am from Italy my mother had me in the kitchen with her since I was able to stand.” He rubbed the tip of his nose against hers, and she grinned.

  She knew she should say no and that she was going to work late but she didn’t want to. “I have a lot of work…” she looked into his chocolate eyes and knew she would have to change her answer. “But I think dinner sounds incredible.” His grin lit up his face showcasing his dimple.

  “Okay then I will see you tonight.” He kissed her forehead, then he walked away leaving her more confused.

  A faint knock at her door had her glaring because she thought Axel would come in telling her how wrong Angelo was, but Heather stood there. “Wow, Angelo is a charmer.” She said at the doorway, and Evangeline grinned because she knew just how charming he could be.

  “He is,” her wicked mind took her to what he had done to her last night. Even his kisses made her wild.

  Heather moved towards her and she noticed a white envelope in her hands. “This came for you when your Italian was here.” Evangeline took the envelope and smiled at Heather. She didn’t make friends with women because she intimidated them, but she could see a great friendship building with her personal assistant. She opened the letter and read, YOU HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON YOUR SWEET LIFE. APPRECIATE IT WHILE YOU CAN. She gasped as the words sank in and she heard her heartbeat in her ears and nothing else. Faintly she heard Heather say her name, but she sank to the floor and read the words again.

  “What happened?” she heard Axel’s voice.

  “I don’t know she opened the letter and freaked out.” Heather said and Evangeline looked up at her two employees. Axel baby blues found her eyes and he moved to her and took the note out of her hands. She watched him read it and he swore.

  “Heather, call the police and close the door behind you.” Heather nodded with her wide eyes and did what he told her. Evangeline didn’t think anyone ever argued with him except her. He waited until they were alone and then took her hands in his. His tan skin made her hands look like snow.

  “I thought we were done with this.” A year ago she had a crazy stalker. That was when she asked Axel to be more than her driver and be her bodyguard as well. Her stalker would send her messages telling her if he couldn’t have her then no one would, and that her end was coming. She was terrified and turned to her friend; she asked him for his helped because she knew he had a military background in Special Forces. He stayed with her every night for just over a month until she had enough and handle things herself. Everything ended and she went to the trial and looked her stalker in the eyes. He was a young boy barely eighteen with a shaved head and bright green eyes.

  Axel took her face in his hands and kept his face serious. “We were, but sometimes things don’t stay buried.” She prided herself for not being weak, but when it came to someone stalking her she would always check over her shoulder. And always felt as though she were being watched even if she was the only person in the room.

  She shook her head and forced herself up. She wasn’t going to let another bastard do this to her again. “I won’t go through this again.” She said and meant it, she wasn’t as weak as she was a year ago.

  Chapter Six

  Evangeline was standing gazing out her window. So many emotions were going through her, and she wasn’t sure where she would land. It seemed like her life was changing and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for what was being offered to her.

  The detective finished asking her a series of questions. She was used to it and answered them with as much detail as she could. Axel was asked to leave unless he was her lawyer, so she told him to leave and she sent a quick text to Angelo asking him to be here for her. She wasn’t unwise, she knew Axel thought her new lover was behind it, and the police were checking on him. But she didn’t get the feeling that he was, but she knew she didn’t know him very well.

  “Evangeline,” a sweet Italian voice said from behind her. Slowly she turned around and found Angelo, his eyes found hers and locked on. He took in her wide eyes and pale skin, and he moved to her but an officer stopped him.

  “Sir, you can’t just walk in here.” She didn’t need this. She needed him.

  “He is here because I asked him to be.” She walked to him and took his hand in hers, and felt his warmth travel through his hand to hers. “Do you have any more questions?” The officer looked at the detective and he shook his head.

  The detective that questioned her smiled at her. “If anything else happens, call me. If you want to have a patrol car parked outside your house let me know.” She glanced at the man she texted to be there for her, and she shook her head.

  “I’m going to stay with him tonight so I should be fine.” Angelo squeezed her hand when everyone passed them to leave. She turned to face him and he wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his warm chest. She couldn’t believe he dropped what he was doing to be here with her. He hadn’t texted her back so she wasn’t even sure he would come. She hadn’t let someone hold her like this in so long, but she liked knowing it was his arms around her.

  “I don’t think you staying at his house is the best idea.” Axel’s voice broke her peacefulness. She lifted her head off of Angelo and turned to face her driver and friend. “Look someone is after you and it’s not the same guy since he is still locked up. So whoever this is, is someone new and I have to know you are safe.” She didn’t know how to answer what he just said. If she was right she saw feelings in those baby blues and her heart responded to him.


  “Axel, right?” Angelo asked and moved passed her to place his hand in front of Axel; her driver glanced down at the open hand and then to her. “I get you don’t trust me because I am the new man in Evangeline’s life. I would never do anything to hurt her.”

  Axel narrowed his eyes but took Angelo’s hand. He squeezed tightly causing Angelo’s bronzed hand to turn pale with the blood loss. “You’re right, I don’t trust you. For all we know you are the one behind this.” Axel released Angelo’s hand and looked in her eyes. “You don’t trust people easily, I think you should let me stay at your place.” His eyes begged her. He was right she didn’t trust easily. Trust was rare for her, but for some reason she trusted Angelo. If he was the one that wanted her hurt he could have done that last night when she was sleeping in his arms.

  Taking a deep breath she walked towards the two men. They were totally opposite from one another. One was her tall, dark and handsome, and the other was her all American boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. Stopping in front of them she took one of each of their hands in hers. Truth was she needed both of them, Angelo made her feel safe and Axel had been by her side through the scariest time of her life.

  “I need both of you right now, so please stop trying to see whose dick is bigger.” She glanced between them but kept her eyes on Axel. “I know this is the worst time to start a new relationship but I am.” She turned her attention to Angelo. “I’m putting my trust in you, so don’t break it.”

  “Angel, I am honored you can trust me, and I won’t break it.” He smiled at her and her eyes drifted to his dimple. She glanced at Axel, and he didn’t look too convinced. She never understood the meaning of love triangles until she was part of one. She looked down at hers and Axel’s connected hands and she couldn’t deny that she had feelings for him.

  Squeezing Angelo’s hands she turned her eyes back to him. “Can I speak with Axel alone for a moment?” Slowly he nodded and leaned in to kiss her cheek before he turned around and walked to the door. Axel waited until the door closed before he closed the distance between them. Wrapping his arms around her he pulled his hard warm body against hers.