Fallen Angel II
By: Tracie Podger
Copyright
Fallen Angel II
Copyright 2014 © Tracie Podger
All rights reserved.
This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places, and incidents, either, are products of the author’s imagination, or they are used fictitiously. Any reference to actual locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any electronic, or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, to include, but not exclusive to audio or visual recordings of any description without permission from the copyright owner.
About The Author
Hi, I’m Tracie and currently live in Kent, UK with my husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. In between being a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor and having a full time job, I’ve managed to, so far, write four books with a fifth in the planning stages. I’ve been so fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world and it’s only under the water, that I feel the most relaxed.
Thank you for giving your time to read my book and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.
Twitter, @Tracie Podger
Facebook, Tracie Podger, Author
or via www.TraciePodger.com
Out now
Fallen Angel
Fallen Angel II
Coming soon
Fallen Angel - Robert’s Story
A Virtual Affair
Acknowledgements
I could never have written the Fallen Angel series without the support of my family. My husband has been my rock, without him, I wouldn’t be here. My mum, dad, stepmum, brothers and sister. Each one of you has played a part in helping get these books out of my head and into print.
Thank you to my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Lucy Avena and her family who inspired some of the characters. To my American family, the Burlacks, who play parts throughout the series in one guise or another or gave me the inspiration for locations - thank you.
Huge thanks to a wonderful Author, Tom Ericson for all his help, encouragement and his involvement in the cover design, again.
My heartfelt thanks to the best readers and proofreaders a girl could want, Nikki Mason, Romy Lazzari. Your input is invaluable.
I have to give thanks to the many people who bought Part I and the wonderful reviews and messages I’ve received. I’m still humbled that you love what I do.
So how did this all start? It’s been a long journey but my love of writing came about after I was encouraged to do so as part of my recovery from depression. I have always loved to read and lose myself in books, words soothe me.
One day, after a series of dreams, I sat with my laptop and the words flowed from my fingertips - pages and pages of them. I forgot my troubles and lost myself in the characters I have created. I hope you can too.
Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money - Virginia Woolf
Chapter One
When I’d said it was in a small room in an office block in Washington, DC, that my life changed, forever, I don’t think I understood the enormity of that statement.
Just a few short months ago I’d lived a quiet suburban life in the UK. Since then I’ve been swept off my feet by trouble with a capital T, shot at, an attempt on my life made and own a wardrobe of clothes I could only once have dreamt about. To cap it all, I was living with the powerful, successful, wealthy, Robert Stone, the love of my life, my reason for breathing.
****
It was early, I lay in bed watching Robert as he slept and the winter sun rise above the tree line from the windows. It was Saturday and I had him for the whole weekend, I was looking forward to it. We would go over to the children’s home, hang out with the kids, play a little football but more importantly, I would get to spend time with Kerry. She had moved into the home now, it had taken a while for her to get the confidence to leave her drug addict of a mother but she had done it. We met once a week for our kick boxing session and I enjoyed the time and the relationship I was starting to build with her. She had called me yesterday, there was a boy she wanted to talk about. It would be her first relationship. I wanted to be part of that, to talk boys and help her establish a normal way of life.
I climbed out of bed and headed for the shower, grateful that the cast had been removed from my broken wrist and once there, I inspected my face. A scar across my eyebrow and a small one on my neck would always remind me of that night, the night Robert’s past made a dramatic return. I had made a promise to myself, the scar was to remind me of the life I now led, a member of one of the most powerful, albeit totally legitimate, families in Washington, DC.
I had the advantage of seeing him this time as he came into the bathroom, I was facing the mirror. Robert had the ability of being able to move around so silently but we had a special connection. I would always feel him long before I saw him. I always knew where he was, there was a magnetic pull I got towards him whenever he was close. I smiled at his reflection.
“Hey baby,” he said, nuzzling the side of my neck. “Bad dream?” It was only the bad dreams that had me awake before him.
“Mmm, the usual,” I turned to face him, letting my towel fall to the floor.
I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him, gently at first but as my desire for him grew, deeper and hungrier. He laughed into my mouth as he picked me up by the waist, pinning me against the sink and pushing into me. I moaned, I would never stop wanting him, his naked body next to mine, the feel of his skin and his musky, earthy scent. He had the most amazing body, so fit and muscular but it was his eyes that melted me every time. Those black eyes could bore straight through me, into my soul, into the very core of me.
“Fuck me,” I whispered into his ear, nipping as I did.
He moved slowly at first, tormenting me, his mouth on my throat, my neck and shoulder. I wrapped my legs around his waist, squeezing him to me, forcing him deeper. Soon enough that wave of an orgasm started to flow over me, through my stomach, making my legs shake and a heat creep over my body. He watched me come, not taking his eyes off me. He needed to watch, to see the emotion and love for him flood across my face. I watched the same in him. I knew he loved me, long before he did, or rather before he could admit it to himself, but the minute he realised, boy, did he show it.
He stilled not wanting to pull out of me just yet and I held his face.
“I love you,” I said.
Every day I had to say it, to reassure him it was still true, to let him know he could be loved, he was worthy and he could love me back.
“I know, you told me already,” he said. “In your dream, you shouted it out.”
It was the last words I’d screamed before a knife was placed to my throat, seconds before Robert had found me, had appeared from nowhere and killed Joey. He had shot him through the head that fateful night only a few weeks ago. I saw the sadness in his eyes, he hated that I still had these dreams.
“It’s okay, I’m okay,” I said, reassuring him. “Now, get in the shower, we have plans for today.”
I watched him shower, holding out a towel when he was done and then we dressed, him in his usual jeans and a plain white, cotton shirt. I chuckled as I remembered a sitcom back home, a couple that always dressed the same, as I buttoned up the white shirt I had put on and tucked it into my jeans.
“Morning, Evelyn,” I said as I made my way upstairs and sat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar. She had started to come over Saturday mornings now, just to have breakfast ready for us. I also suspected sh
e enjoyed having something to do over the weekends.
“And a good morning to you, Brooke. Did you sleep well?” She asked.
“Not so bad, only one short dream this time,” I said.
Joey had been her brother. The son of the man Robert viewed as his father, the man who had taken him and Travis in from the streets. She had her loss to deal with also.
“How about you, Ev? Are you okay?” I asked.
“Sure. Now, what would you like for breakfast, your usual?”
She had not been able to have a funeral for her brother. His body had been removed from the grounds of the house, never to be seen again and I wondered how she felt about that. I wouldn’t ask though, she would tell me in her own time.
Robert came up the stairs, Travis in tow. I had heard the crunch of his footsteps on the gravel outside as he made his way from his apartment over the garages to the main house. He often joined us for breakfast and we sat and chatted, the four of us, me the newest member to the group.
“We’re going to have to change our name,” I said, between mouthfuls of toast.
“The four musketeers it will have to be now.”
When I’d decided I couldn’t leave Robert, no matter what I knew about him, I also knew I would take on these guys as well. They had been together for twenty six years and no-one, although many had tried, could part them. I wouldn’t want to, they were an extension of Robert and I grew to love them both, as if they were my family too.
“Travis, Sam needs to know if you’re bringing a guest to his blessing?” I asked.
“I’m not going to a gay wedding,” he replied.
“Yes you are bro, if I have to, so do you,” Robert stated.
“Boys, enough, he’s my best friend and I want you there, he wants you there,” I said. “You will behave as well. Anyway, it’s a blessing, they can’t legally marry here.”
“Evelyn, you’ll accompany Travis, won’t you?” I asked.
“Of course, and don’t you worry, I’ll make sure both of them are there, suited and enjoying themselves,” she replied.
I was to be best girl so would be with Sam for the preparations, leaving Robert, Travis and Evelyn to follow on a little later. The blessing was being held in one of Robert’s hotels and with just under a month to go, there were still plenty of things to do, my outfit being one.
“Baby,” I said, looking at Robert. “Taylor has the most wonderful dress. It would be perfect for the blessing but since I’m unemployed right now, can I buy it and owe you?” I asked.
I still hated that I had access to as much money as I wanted. I hated being paid for but I had seen a dress at Taylor’s last fashion show and I really wanted to wear it for Sam and Scott’s blessing.
“Buy it, Brooke, you don’t owe me anything, ever. What’s mine is yours,” he said.
Robert earned more in one hour than I earned in a month back home in the UK, this amount of wealth was something that was going to take a long time to get used to. He had given me an unlimited black Amex card as a birthday gift. He wanted me to spend some of his money, as he said, if I didn’t, Travis would. I just felt that I couldn’t do that without asking him first and asking for money was not something I was used to or comfortable with.
I called Taylor while we were heading out to the Mercedes.
“Hi honey, it’s good to hear from you,” she said.
“You too, Taylor. Can I ask, the dress at your fashion show, the last one out, I can’t describe it because Robert is with me and I want it to be a surprise, but do you still have it?”
“The gold backless one you mean?”
“That’s it. I thought it would be perfect for Sam’s blessing. It would go with the colour scheme perfectly.”
“I can keep it to one side for you. Are you free Monday, old wives' club?” She asked.
“Absolutely, but I’ll see you tonight anyway.”
“We can talk about the dress then,” Taylor replied just before we said our goodbyes.
“Are the guys going?” Travis asked me, looking in the rear view mirror.
“Yes, Sam sent them all invitations. I don’t think it’s gone down well at work but he wants you all to be there. He doesn’t have any family, we’re all he’s got.”
Sam inviting his boss, Robert, the shareholders and their wives would cause some problems once it was known. He had already felt the tension from his colleagues because of his relationship with me and my relationship with the man who owns Vassago Corp. It was something that, in time, we hoped would settle.
“Old wives' club on Monday, is that okay?’” I asked Robert.
I never needed his permission as such, but I did need to tell him what my movements were, every time. I had my own driver, Gary, and Robert’s PA, Gina, kept my diary. It was part of the deal of being with this man. He had to know where I was, he would panic if he didn’t. Because of his past, and more so because of what had happened, he was seriously protective of me.
“Old wives' club?” He asked.
I laughed. “That’s what the girls call themselves, although I’m only an honorary member.”
Once a week, the wives of the shareholders of Vassago Corp met at a club come restaurant the company owned. It was always a lovely lunch and I looked forward to it. The other women were wonderful, they had taken me into their circle and we had started to become great friends. Sadly, one of us, Rosa, had returned to Ireland. She hadn’t got over the shooting we had recently been caught up in. She didn’t want a return to the life they had led many years ago and I hoped that she and Paul could work through their problems and she would return.
“Has anyone heard from Rosa?” I asked.
“Paul’s been speaking with her, he’ll fly out to see her next week, maybe he can talk her round to coming home,” Robert said.
“Would it help if I called her?” I asked.
He turned to me, taking my face in his hands.
“Baby, you’re too busy fixing me, leave that one to Paul,” he said, gently kissing me.
“For fuck sake man, get a room,” I heard Travis grumble, and laughed.
“Leave him be, Travis,” Evelyn scolded.
Travis loved Robert with all his heart, he and Evelyn had spent years trying to get him to have some kind of normal life and now he was starting to, Travis took no time to rib him about it. I hoped that now Robert had someone in his life, Travis might feel he could too. I knew why he was the way he was, he felt he owed Robert his life and until Robert was settled, no-one felt they could move on themselves. The trouble was, Robert hated that they felt this way. He felt guilty that he had disrupted their lives to such an extent but there was nothing he could do about it, it was just their way until one broke the circle. It was a conversation we’d had many times.
“Trav, you might find a lovely young woman at the blessing,” I said.
“How many women do you think are going to be there?” he replied.
“Sam and Scott have female friends as well as straight guys, you know,” I told him.
I did love to wind Travis up about Sam and Scott. They got on okay, Sam was the ultimate queen but we had been best friends since primary school. We’d had dinner together recently, my first time out after the incident. All Sam had been told was that I had fallen whilst out for a run, broken my wrist and cut my face. It was a sad fact of my new life that I couldn’t share everything with him anymore. Robert was so secretive and protective of his past, it was only because of what happened to me that I knew about it. He most certainly would not want Sam knowing anything and neither did I, he was a terrible gossip.
It had been funny, watching Travis squirm as Sam fussed around me, pushing my hair back to inspect my scars, but I was pleased to spend some time with him. I hadn’t seen him for a couple of weeks although we spoke every day on the phone. Robert and Scott got on, Robert was a benefactor at the Smithsonian and Scott worked there. It was lovely to see him interact with someone outside of his usual circle.
Sam had talked about the blessing plans, how hard it had been to get someone to perform the ceremony and then all of a sudden, a Minister had appeared. I’d looked sideways at Robert, who just shrugged his shoulders. The Hotel Manager had been most accommodating despite some of Sam’s lavish plans.
We arrived at the home and I was surprised to see a gate had been installed with a key pad allowing access, Robert was taking this increase in security seriously. He had never wanted gates here before, he wanted kids to know they could just walk straight in. We parked and before we could exit, a bundle of kids surrounded the car.
“Get your mitts off my car,” Travis said, ruffling a few heads as he climbed out.
Kerry had come down with them, no longer hanging in the background, hiding behind a door frame and I placed my arm around her shoulder. She still tensed at any touch but was getting better.
“Hi, Kerry. Let’s go get a coffee and you can tell me what you’ve been up to,” I said, leading her back into the kitchen.
Sally was there, the new cook and she smiled as she handed me a cup, already made. She would have known we had arrived the minute we came through the gates. I took my cup, Kerry a can and we headed outside, wrapped in our coats to sit on the porch, the place, a few months ago, she occasionally slept. She had new clothes, ones that fitted and I was pleased to see her wearing the coat I had bought, using the last of my savings.
“So, come on, tell me,” I said with a smile.
“Well, please don’t tell anyone but there’s this boy, at school.”
She had only just started going back to school, sadly she had missed so much she’d had to move down a year to catch up.
“I think he likes me but I’m not sure,” she said.
“Has he spoken to you? What are you not sure about?” I asked.
“Well, he smiles at me a lot, he tried to talk to me but I got a bit worried. I know it’s dumb, but I kind of ran off,” she said.
“Do you like him? Would you like to have him as a friend?”
“I guess so.”
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Fallen Angel, Part II Page 1
