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

by Lauren Hawkeye

  “She is stubborn but when she loves she goes all for it and doesn’t take any shit. Follow me.” She walked away towards the elevators and his mind took him back to the first time he met Evangeline. He was so nervous to meet the notorious coldhearted Evangeline Skyler. He hadn’t recognized her because she was so beautiful she stole every thought in his mind. In her office when she had ordered him to kneel he wanted to take her there. It was the sexiest thing a woman had ever done. Looking back he knew he was a goner the moment when her eyes met his.

  He placed his hand on the elevator to allow Melissa to walk in and she pressed the floor number as he stepped in. She smiled at him and it reminded him of Evangeline the first time he saw her smile. There was a reason why he called her Angel, because that was what she was. She was so kind and beautiful but also he knew she gave back to the community.

  “She just came out of surgery I just went outside to get some fresh air. My mother and father are up there waiting to see her. Axel is also waiting.” He didn’t care who saw her first as long as he got to. He needed to touch her to calm his racing heart.

  “Wasn’t Axel driving her?” he knew that Evangeline drove herself but he didn’t think Axel would let her right now with the threat of the stalker.

  “Yes,” her voice broke and she cleared her throat.

  “Sorry I shouldn’t be asking questions.” He was insensitive with Melissa’s feelings.

  She turned her head to look at him. “Don’t be. I understand why you are asking questions. Hell, I grilled Axel when I saw him. There was another car that kept hitting them and I guess Axel told her to move to the other side because the car was hitting her side. Axel lost control of the car. He slammed into a street light and she never put on her seatbelt.” Tears started to stream down her cheeks and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  He wasn’t good at comforting emotional women, but he would try his best to. “Evangeline is a strong woman.” He believed she would fight for her life.

  “Axel told me about her new stalker and how he thinks what happened tonight was the pursuer.” The stalker has jumped to another level. Sending stuff to her was harmless but this person had tried to kill her. The elevator opened and she stepped away from him.

  He followed her to a light green waiting room. Glancing around, he saw a few people standing by the double doors. There was an older woman that was nearly a spitting image of Evangeline and a man with his arm around her shoulders.

  “Mom, dad this is Angelo Giovanni.” She turned to him and waved him forward. “Angelo, Martha and Charlie.” Charlie was the first to move towards them and he didn’t look too happy.

  “You are the man our daughter has been seeing?” his voice was harsh sounding.

  “I am sir,” Angelo said and the older man’s eyes appraised him.

  Martha hit her husband’s chest. “Charlie knock it off, if he passed Axel’s background check then he is fine. Plus I know our daughter is fond of him.”

  A man in blue scrubs came out of the doors and moved to the Skyler family. “She is awake and from what we can tell will make a full recovery. I would like her to stay for a few nights but she is demanding to leave. I told her I want her to stay for at least twenty-four hours.” The weight of the world lifted off of Angelo’s shoulders. His Evangeline was fine because she was a fighter, someone caught his eye and he twisted his head to the side.

  He watched Axel sit down and place his head in his hands. Angelo soundlessly moved away from the family and to the other man that loved Evangeline. He sat down and Axel didn’t move or say anything.

  “I know you did everything in your power to save her and you did.” Axel lifted his head and he wasn’t ashamed that his tears were streaming down his face.

  “I didn’t do enough.” He said and Angelo smiled.

  “She is alive because of you. Do you think if she was driving she would have made it?” slowly Axel shook his head. “See you are the reason why she is alive and demanding things.”

  “You know she loves you, right?” Angelo didn’t know that but he hoped like hell she did. “I gave up on her when I saw how broken up she was over you. I know she will give you a second chance but if you hurt her again I will destroy you.” His eyes went cold and Angelo believed he would live up to full fill that promise.

  “I know I am an idiot, but I won’t hurt her again. I know you were solely behind the folder.”

  “Angelo and Axel let’s get back there!” Melissa yelled at them. “And no cock fighting.”

  “Melissa!” Martha yelled and then covered her mouth. Everyone burst out laughing as they were led to Evangeline’s room.

  Evangeline was told she had internal bleeding. She was rushed into surgery to stop it. The nurse said she would be back in a little bit with something to take away the pain. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was smashing her head into a window. Now her head pounded with every little sound. The machines beeped every few minutes, her nurse said it was measuring her heart rate.

  She knew her family was here the doctor had told her that. She could imagine how her mother and father were doing. Melissa had told her that their father hadn’t been doing well, that he had been getting treatment for his heart. Evangeline would pay whatever it took to keep her father a little longer. She detested that she hadn’t spent the last few years with him.

  Growing up she was always a daddy’s girl and it wasn’t until she left her parent’s basement and opened Skyler Tower that she stopped visiting. She always said she didn’t want to run into her sister but the truth was she just didn’t want to see her parents worry about her. She should have been married by now with a family but she had chosen her company.

  Her mother was the first one to walk into her private room. She looked relieved that Evangeline was still alive. She rushed to her and carefully wrapped her arms around Evangeline.

  “I have never been so scared in my life. When the policemen came to your sister’s house I prayed for everything to be okay. Why didn’t you tell me about your new stalker?” her mother pulled away from her.

  She didn’t want to burden her family with her stalker because until tonight her pursuer was harmless. Now she knew better and would make sure that each of her family members had a bodyguard.

  “Mom, I didn’t want to concern you. I knew Axel could keep me safe and he did. I know if he wasn’t there tonight I wouldn’t be here talking to you. But I now know that this person that is infatuated with me, will do anything to hurt me. And that includes my family.” A few tears fell from her mother’s blue eyes.

  “Sweetie, you are here that is all that matters.” Melissa her father and Brad walked in and her heart swelled. Her whole family was here for her when she hadn’t been there for them. But her eyes went to the two men standing in the back. Axel and Angelo were staring at her and tears filled her eyes.

  “Axel,” her voice cracked on his name and he slowly turned around. “Thank you.” Tears filled her eyes and he moved to her, he bent down and gently kissed her cheek and brushed her tears away with his fingers.

  “I only did what I needed to do to keep you alive.” He winked at her and walked out of the room.

  She watched Axel leave, but slowly turned her attention to the man she was in love with. He had come for her when she needed him the most. “Angelo,” she said and he grinned.

  “Mom, I think we should leave Angelo and Eva alone. They have some catching up to do.” Melissa said and Angelo turned his head to wink at her.

  “I have a lot of ass kissing to do.” Angelo said and Melissa laughed.

  When they were alone he closed the door but didn’t move to her. He stayed with his back against the door. Neither of them said anything they just stared at one another. His eyes roamed over her taking everything in. Thankfully she hadn’t seen herself so she didn’t know what was damaged. She just hoped that things could be fixed between her and Angelo.

  “I wouldn’t have stayed away from you for much longer.” H
is voice nearly startled her, and he took a few steps towards her. “Since I walked out of your house I wanted to immediately come back.” He stopped at the edge of the bed and placed his hand on her leg. Instant heat filled her. “I missed you every second I wasn’t with you. A part of me feels like I am betraying my wife because of what I feel for you.”

  He had missed her, those words made her heart race. “You aren’t betraying anyone, she would want you to be happy.” He smiled sadly at her.

  He reached for her hand and lightly squeezed. “When I saw your car on the news my heart stopped beating and it didn’t start back up until I was standing in the doorway. I am falling in love with you and I will do everything in my power to win you back.” She stared into his eyes because he wasn’t the only one that needed something. She needed him.

  “Angelo, my past is haunted with crazy ex-lovers and stalkers. You would be smart to walk away.” His smile tore down the last wall she had in place.

  “Angel, I already tried to walk away and here I am holding your hand.” Slowly she smiled at him and he moved away from her to grab a chair. He sat down and took her hand. Keeping his eyes on hers he lifted her hand to his lips and brushed his sensuous mouth against her knuckles.

  “You know, Axel was trying to make me call you.” She said and watched his eyebrows lift in astonishment and she laughed which caused a sharp stabbing pain in her ribs.

  “Hey, you need to relax. You were just in a car accident.” His eyes grew darker and she placed her other free hand on top of his.

  “I’m so happy you’re here.” The nurse she saw earlier opened the door and grinned at her and Angelo.

  “Evangeline, I have your pain killers if you want them.” She did but she also knew they would make her sleepy.

  “Yes please.” Her head felt like it was going to explode and almost everything hurt on her body.

  “Okay I’m going to put it in your IV.” There was one thing in this world she despised above all else, needles.

  Angelo tightened his hand around hers. “Angel, look at me.” She turned her head to the side and found him smiling at her with his large dimples. “There you go, just keep your eyes on mine.” She did what he said and the nurse patted her hand.

  “All done, your pain should be fading.” It was and since Evangeline had woken up she was in a lot of agony. “She needs her rest.” The older nurse ordered, and Evangeline watched Angelo turn on his charm.

  “I will make sure she gets it then.” He gave her a delightful smile and she was pretty as sure he had used to melt panties.

  Evangeline smiled at him as the nurse walked out and closed the door. “You are such a charmer.”

  He winked at her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “That I am, but I promised that nurse you would rest. So get to it and rest, Angel.” She was smiling as she let her eyes close and allowed the darkness to take her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The next night Evangeline was being wheeled out of Grace Hospital with her sexy as sin Italian. Her family left a few hours ago leaving her in the hands of Angelo and of course Axel. The police didn’t find the driver or the car that tried to kill her. They told her they were still looking, but she doubted the police would find them.

  Axel had told her and Angelo to wait for him at the front doors. James and Ryan were going to drive behind them as extra security. Hayden was still in town because of her accident. He had called her and told her to take care of herself and to stay away from the office until she was healthy enough.

  Glancing out of the doors she saw many reporters that wanted to take the first picture of her as she left the hospital. She had watched the reports about her and they varied from a crazy ex-lover to her driver losing his mind.

  “You are thinking too hard, Angel.” Angelo’s accented voice dragged her out of her thoughts.

  She glanced at the man that was opening her up to many new feelings. “It’s a sickness.” She said with a smile and he laughed.

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Flashes went off. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. I know how you like to keep your personal life private.”

  She placed her hands on top of his before he could pull away. Before he came into her life she hated her personal life being in the papers, and that was one of the rules before she started having relations with anyone. But Angelo changed all of those rules because he was her future.

  “I don’t care if they take our picture because you will be seen with me a lot.” His grin nearly split his handsome face.

  He moved in front of her and kneeled on the floor. He rested his hands on her legs. His eyes blazed with something that she didn’t recognized. “Only my death will make me leave your side again.”

  She closed her eyes because she couldn’t imagine her life with him not in it. They had tried that and they lasted only four days. She was addicted to him and from what she could tell he was addicted to her as well.

  “Angelo I can’t think about losing you.” He smiled as he took her face in his hands.

  “Angel, you won’t lose me anytime soon.” She smiled at him because after everything she had been through she had something in her life that made her unconditionally happy.

  Axel came through the doors and she noticed something that she had never seen him carry. A gun holster was on his belt. “Are you all ready?” She was past ready; she hated hospitals because they smelled like death and sickness.

  “Hell yes.” She replied and Axel smirked.

  Angelo stood up and placed his hand in front of her she took it without thinking and he led her out of the hospital. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to help her, and for once in her life she allowed someone to hold her up when she needed. Lights went off in every direction, and she kept her head high as she walked to her waiting car.

  “Evangeline Skyler, is this your new lover?” someone asked, and she had to bite her tongue before she said something she would regret later.

  “Is he the reason why you tried to kill Ms. Skyler, Axel Roberts?” Axel was behind her so she couldn’t see his reaction but she was infuriated. She stopped moving and Angelo took her hand in his.

  He leaned down and placed his lips against her ear. “Angel, they aren’t worth it. Trust me I used to be one of them.” He moved far enough away so he could look into her eyes.

  Slowly she nodded and started to walk again and she felt as if she was invincible. She didn’t hear anything else as they moved to the car, and Angelo reached to open the door. They quickly got into the backseat and Axel hurried to the front seat.

  After Angelo made sure her seatbelt was on he took her hand and she narrowed her eyes. “You know, you don’t have to treat me like a child. I’m not going to break nor will I allow this psychopath take over my life. I will be going back to work in the morning.” She knew the men in her life would try to fight her tooth and nail about this but she didn’t care.

  No one was going to make her hide out in her house.

  “Evangeline, the doctor said to take it easy for the next couple of weeks.” The doctors had told her but if she stayed in her house for two whole weeks she would go crazy.

  “I can’t stay home I have way too much to do. But I promise I will sit the whole time and have Heather do more for me.” She was never the type to order her personal assistant to do things for her. She had hired Heather to answer the phone and to make sure her schedule was in order. Evangeline had been in other offices where the boss would order their assistants to do every little thing for them and she hated that.

  Angelo tightened his hand around hers. “If you go to the tower then I will be right by your side.” she wanted to protest but when she gazed into his affectionate chocolate eyes she knew it was a losing battle.

  “Fine,” she said.

  “Does Hayden know you’re coming back to work so soon?” Axel asked as he turned onto a busy street and she leaned her head on Angelo’s arm.

  “I mentioned it to
him, I needed to keep normal in my life. I won’t let that ass hat win.” She closed her eyes but she wasn’t tired. Her body hurt too bad to even imagine it. Axel had James and Ryan get her prescriptions before she was discharged. A few minutes passed before anyone spoke.

  “I’m glad to that you are back with her. She needed you Angelo and I wasn’t sure how much more she could have taken. I have never seen her like that before, it was like she was emotionless.” Axel said and she felt Angelo stiffen but kept her eyes closed. She had a feeling if they thought she was awake they wouldn’t be talking about her.

  “I hate knowing I hurt her that bad. I knew what she went through before with her ex and her sister. And I never wanted to cause her agony. But these past few days without her made me realize that I will do anything to be with her.” Angelo said and it made her heart swell.

  “I knew the moment I saw her that I had lost her to you. It’s my own fault I should have acted on my feelings before you strolled into her life. You already know I love her, and she does as well. When you love someone like I love her, then you make sure they are happy over your own happiness.” She felt horrible for Axel because he had offered his heart fully to her but she couldn’t take it.

  No one else spoke the rest of the way home. She kept her head on Angelo’s arm as she rested her eyes. Her love life was problematic at best, but her heart had already chosen Angelo. Listening to the two men she had in her life talk about her and get along made her happy.

  She knew that she could be complicated and demanding. But she would be the first to admit that. She knew that Axel was a part of her life as her most trusted friend and she couldn’t thinking about him not being in her life. Angelo was the man she wanted to be with no matter what. She knew his past was riddled with secrets and one day she would know everything about him.

  “Angel, we are home.” She opened her eyes when she felt him brush his lips against her forehead. She liked to think of her home being his because she wanted that more than anything. But she also wasn’t going to rush into things with him because of her irrational feelings.