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

by Lauren Hawkeye

  Angelo got out of the car and she was just about to open the door but it opened. Angelo’s handsome face filled the doorway with his panty melting grin on his face. Before she could move he had her in his arms and he started to walk towards her lit house.

  “I had James turn on your lights earlier today. I know how you like to come home to a bright house.” Axel said from behind her.

  She rested her head on Angelo’s shoulder as he carried her into her warm house. He strolled straight to her bedroom and gently laid her on top of the neatly made bed.

  “I know you are going to work tomorrow but tonight you are staying in this bed and resting. And when you are at work I will be by your side.” he moved away but she seized his hand.

  “Don’t get me wrong, but you don’t need to be so protective of me. I know that my stalker has crossed the line but I am highly guarded at Skyler Tower.” He smiled down at her but something new haunted his chocolate eyes.

  Slowly he brought her hand to his lips and he brushed his heaven-sent lips against her palm. “Angel, I thought I lost you and I couldn’t even find out how you were doing without your family. I will be forever grateful to your sister for finding me.” These were new emotions for her but she wasn’t fighting those feelings that terrified her.

  The way he was looking at her made her heart ache because she wasn’t sure if she deserved that kind of love. “Angelo, you are an amazing man.” She would do anything to keep him with her.

  He brushed some hair out of her face and grinned his sexy as sin grin down at her. “You have it wrong Evangeline, you are the amazing one. I am lucky to have you in my life.” Lightly he kissed her lips and slowly stood up. “I will be back in a little bit I want to talk to Axel before we go to bed.” She watched him walk to the door and paused in the doorway. He turned his head to the side. “I won’t let anything else happen to you Angel.” He said and walked out of the room leaving her alone with her thoughts.

  She wanted to know who was after her. Last time it was a janitor that became infatuated with her. He was young and thought she was the one meant for him. The worst he did to her was sleep on her doorstep and wait there until she came out. When she told him that he needed to stop or she would have to call the police he started to get more violent.

  He smashed out her car windows and her first floor windows at her house. She and Axel had to stay at a hotel until he was caught. A few months ago she went to see him in prison and he apologized. He told her he was off his medication and that he fully regretted what he had done. After that she started to make sure that he was being taken care of.

  Reaching to the left she grabbed the TV remote and turned on Lifetime to watch a sappy love story.

  Angelo found Axel in the kitchen drinking a beer. Before the accident Axel despised him and Angelo wasn’t too fond of him either.

  “There’s beer in the refrigerator.” Axel said before he took a drink and Angelo open the refrigerator and found a full case of beer. “I figured we both would need a few.” After the last forty-eight hours he had never been happier to have an alcoholic drink. He grabbed one for himself and turned to face the man that was in love with the woman he was falling for.

  “Axel,” he said and Axel turned to face him. “Are we good now?” the other man took a drink of his beer and grinned.

  “I guess, but I still don’t think you are good enough for her. Hell I know I’m not good enough for her but I know you make her happy and that is all that matters.” Angelo had to rub his chest because it ached when he thought about what he did to her when he left.

  “All I want to do is make her happy. But I need to know who the hell her stalker is.” He wondered if his haunted past was catching up to him. Inspector Bertolazzi was still convinced that he was behind his family’s murder and he hadn’t looked for anyone else.

  “I will find out who is behind this. Has Evangeline told you about Nick Woods, her last stalker?” she hadn’t told him anything besides she had another pursuer.

  “She hasn’t told me much.” He said as he made his way to sit down at the kitchen table.

  “Well I don’t think Evangeline knows everything. At first she didn’t think the stalker was too harmful because he would just send her messages and flowers. But when she told him to stop he got violent and started to send her dead animals with sick love notes. I never let her see them because she didn’t need to know how gruesome he got. It got serious when he shattered all of the windows on her car and the whole bottom level of the house. That was when I took her to a hotel because I knew she would be safer there.”

  Angelo watched the other man’s eyes grow dark with his anger. “She is good at putting up a front and she never showed any fear no matter what. We stayed in the hotel for almost two weeks when she had enough and left in the middle of the night without me. She knew he would follow her and she called the cops. He was arrested with a Glock 9mm and a new roll of duct tape.”

  Angelo was shocked because he couldn’t imagine what she went through. “I had no clue. But she would be the type of woman that put herself out there to keep the ones she cares for safe.” He wouldn’t let her do that again, because this person had already tried to kill her.

  “She is that type of woman and I never thought I would see her fall in love. I have seen her happy with her past lovers but they never meant more than just sex to her. Normally she would be with that man for a few months and be done. Whatever you did to her made her change everything she believed in.”

  Truth was he wasn’t too sure what he did. His plan when he first saw her went out of the door because he was taken aback by her outstanding beauty. Evangeline Skyler knew how beautiful she was but she didn’t use it to get what she wanted.

  “I just gave her what she wanted the most, unconditional love and affection.” He knew it was too soon to love her but there was no denying what he wouldn’t do for her. She was never a fling to him because instantly she meant more to him than any woman before. He knew he loved his late wife but he didn’t feel the instant attraction to her like he did for Evangeline.

  Axel lifted his beer to toast him. “Well, you are a fucking woman whisper and I am in awe of you Angelo Giovanni.” Angelo tapped his beer bottle against Axel’s and smiled. He believed he was gaining a new friend.

  Evangeline couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore and as she closed her eyes she felt him enter the room. In books the author would describe a connection between the leading man and woman that stole the woman’s breath, she just thought it was in the books. But she was wrong because she could always feel Angelo and when his chocolate eyes were on her it seemed as if he could see through her and know all of her secrets.

  “You didn’t have to wait up for me Angel.” he said and she turned her head to the side to watch him undress. God, he was truly beautiful and she knew that the man upstairs spent a little extra time creating Angelo Giovanni. His impeccable muscular bronzed chest to the V that pointed to his large manhood.

  “I was just going to fall asleep.” Truth was she was waiting for him so she could fall asleep in his arms. That was the thing she missed the most from him when he wasn’t in her bed.

  His laugh made her shiver and bite her bottom lip. “Oh Angel, if you keep looking at me like that I will break your doctor’s orders.” Before she was discharged the doctor had told her not to have sex for the next few days so her body could heal properly.

  “I just want you to hold me…please?” she hated that she sounded weak because she had made herself so strong. But with Angelo she knew he could really hurt her and he already proved that. That was the reason why she never allowed herself to get close enough to someone where they had the power to break her heart.

  He finished stripping down to his black boxers and moved towards her. He dropped to his knees by the bed and stared into her eyes. “Evangeline, I will never forgive myself for putting that hurt in your eyes. I vow to you I will show you every day what you mean to me.” He stood up and walked to the oth
er side of the bed. “Lay however it doesn’t hurt you and I will hold you.”

  She sat up and stared down at him laying down on his back with his arms behind his head, she knew in that moment she was in love with him. She laid on his chest and he wrapped an arm around her. All she could hear was the steady beat of his heart as she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The best feeling in the world to Evangeline was waking up with Angelo’s arms around her. For once she woke up before her alarm and listened to his heartbeat that was under her ear. When he wasn’t in her bed those lonely nights she didn’t sleep very much and last night was the best night of sleep she had.

  “We could stay in bed like this all morning if you stay home.” She grinned when she heard his voice.

  “I do have a company to run,” she said and moved her head so she could look up at him. It wasn’t fair that he looked incredible in the mornings.

  “That you do Ms. Skyler.” He ran his hands down her backside and gently cupped her. “Go take a shower and I will cook you breakfast.” She leaned up on her elbows to brush her lips against his, and he groaned.

  She got up and bent down to pick up her robe; she heard him curse. Laughing she walked into the bathroom. She turned on the water to hot and moved back to take off her robe. She couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time. She was totally against relationships when she first met Angelo and somehow he had changed her.

  She twisted around to face the mirror and her eyes burned with her tears. Her body was riddled in bruises ranging in all different colors and shapes. Now she knew why he swore when he saw her bending over and it wasn’t because she was naked. It looked like someone beat the crap out of her.

  She closed her eyes tightly and tried to think of something happy. And the only thing that came up was Angelo. Turning away from the mirror she made her way to the shower. Scorching water hit her skin and she placed her hands on the shower wall. The water ran down her tender body.

  After her shower she blow-dried her hair and put on her make up. Putting her robe back on, she walked out of the steamy bathroom and towards the kitchen. That was where she found four sexy men standing in her kitchen drinking coffee.

  But her eyes went straight to Angelo, he had her back to her because he was cooking at the stove.

  “Good morning, Ms. Skyler.” Ryan said and winked at her.

  “Good morning Ryan.” She said as she tightened her slash on her robe and walked towards the coffee maker to pour herself a cup. When she turned around Angelo was standing in front of her with her favorite salted caramel mocha creamer.

  “I have your breakfast ready Angel.” He bent down to kiss her cheek making her smile. He moved away from her and walked back to the stove. When he turned back around he had a plate with bacon, eggs and pancakes. She never really ate in the mornings. “I know you don’t like food in the morning but if you are going to take a pain pill before you go to work, then you need to.”

  She narrowed her eyes and slowly walked towards the table. She heard Axel chuckle and she turned her heated gaze to him. He put his hands up with a wicked grin on his handsome face. “Sorry, but it’s funny to me because if anyone else ordered you to do something you would have bit off their head.”

  Glancing up she noticed that sadness in his normal cheerful look and it broke her heart for him. He had been the one there for her when she needed someone to be. He had taught her how to defend herself because she hadn’t learned how to. In the hotel room when her first stalker was after her he had showed her how to defend herself.

  Thankfully she never had to use it. “I don’t take orders from anyone but I do take advice.” Now it was Angelo’s turn to laugh, he glanced at her over his shoulder and winked.

  Her two new security guard grinned and nodded at her as they walked out of the kitchen. “Hayden called me and he doesn’t sound too happy that you are coming in this soon.” She took a bite of food and smiled. It was amazing.

  “I don’t care if he is happy or not.” When Hayden gave her the money to make Sky Tech a real company she told him from the start she would control the company. He was fine with that because he was in control of the money.

  Axel laughed and shook his head. “I do like that you don’t take shit, you never have.”

  “I’m not a shit taker.” Both of the men laughed at her and she finished her breakfast.

  Twenty minutes later she was sitting in the car heading to her tower. Angelo was sitting next to her with his phone in his hand and Axel was driving slower than normal. She wondered if he had post-traumatic stress disorder because he seemed a little jumpy whenever a car would pull up beside them. James was driving behind them and didn’t allow any cars to get between them. Ryan was in the front leading them to the tower.

  Axel had told her when they were leaving the house that he wanted to make sure nothing ever happened again. She remembered everything that happened before she hit her head, and he had done everything in his power to keep them from dying.

  “Axel?” she asked him and he glanced up at her through the rear view mirror. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded but she didn’t believe him and when they got to the next stoplight he put on his dark sunglasses. She knew he didn’t put them on to keep the sun out of his eyes but to keep her from knowing something was bothering him. She had a pretty good idea what it was and she felt horrible about it.

  She turned her attention to the man that was stealing her heart, and her heart soared when he looked up at her. “We could turn around, Angel.” She shook her head but smiled. He had been trying to convince her to stay all morning and she had come close to giving in once. She thought back to her bedroom after breakfast, when Angelo followed her.

  He had walked in her bedroom when she was naked and she had reached down for her robe. She didn’t want him to see her badly broken and bruised body.

  He kept his eyes on hers as he strolled to her and he took her robe in his hands. Tugging on the soft fabric he frowned when she didn’t give it to him. She had told him she didn’t want him to see her like she was. He didn’t look away from her eyes as he slowly lowered his forehead on hers.

  “Angel, never hide your body from me. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did when I first saw you. I don’t like knowing you were hurt that badly to have all of those bruises on your flawless body.” He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her nose. “I never thought I would feel like this about another woman again. You have come to mean so much to me in such a little amount of time.” She knew she wasn’t the only one falling in love.

  The way he always had to touch her either with his hands or he would keep his leg pressed against hers. “Angelo, I am terrified.” She took a deep breath because she didn’t want to have a panic attack. “I am terrified that when I give my heart fully to you, you will shatter it in your hand.” She always believed that telling the full truth was better for everyone because lies always had a way coming out.

  Slowly he smiled down at her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Angel, when you give me your heart I won’t let it shatter.” She closed her eyes when she felt his hypnotic lips tease hers.

  “Angel, we are here.” Concern dripped from Angelo’s voice and she opened her eyes to find him staring at her.

  “I’m fine, I was just thinking about this morning.” His scowl didn’t turn into his standard smile. “Axel, can you give us a couple of minutes?” she glanced up at her driver and he gradually nodded.

  Axel got out of the car and walked to the sidewalk. “You are not fine.” He said and she shrugged because he was right she wasn’t fine. Her body still hurt and she refused to take anything this morning. Angelo brought her pain pills because he said she would want them later.

  “Angelo, I will never lie to you not even for something small. I’m not fine, my body hurts but I don’t want to be drugged up when I have to work. But this wasn’t what I wanted to tell you.” She licked her lips as
he stared intensely at her. “I don’t believe we should keep things from one another because I want us to work. I have read that the best relationships have trust as the foundation.”

  He took her hands in his and carefully enfolded her hands in his. “Evangeline, darling what is it? What do you want to tell me?” she knew she was delaying by rambling.

  “You have changed my life in this short amount of time. Before you placed your hand in the elevator I didn’t think I would ever find love again in my life. I thought I would adopt a child or go to a sperm bank.” He lifted his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. “But then you came and started to make me feel things for you, things I thought I lost forever. I am falling in love with you Angelo and I pray you are falling for me.”

  He opened his mouth and she shook his head. She needed to finish or she would lose her nerve. “Please, I need to finish or I will never say what I need to. I know you will always love your wife and I am fine with that. Because as long as I have you in my life I am happy. I know we haven’t known each other that long and this is a little crazy.”

  He place his hand over her mouth and smirked down at her. “Will you shut up and let me talk?” she grinned under his hand and nodded. “Damn woman, you sure know how to make a man speechless. I have already fallen in love with you. You are the kindest, loving woman I know. I am the luckiest man in the world.” He framed her face with his hands. “I know you don’t want to replace my wife and that is what I love about you.”

  Love about you, echoed in her mind and she smiled at him. “We’re crazy, aren’t we?” he shrugged and he kissed her softly on her lips.

  “As long as we are together we can be crazy. I don’t want to be without you again Angel. It felt as if I lost a piece of myself when I left.” She had felt the same way when he had left.

  “Mr. Giovanni, you are stuck with me and if you try to leave me again. I will find you and bring you back home.” He laughed a gently pulled her into an embrace. He smelled incredible as she inhaled his scent which was amber and woody.