I walked into the conference room and found Mr. Vasko and Cody already sitting down.

“Sorry I’m late. I had a call.” I smiled as I walked over and shook Mr. Vasko’s hand.

“No problem, Addison. I just got here myself,” he spoke.

After going over the designs, which made him very happy, we ate lunch.

“I must say these designs are excellent and I’m excited to get started. You’ve outdone yourself, Addison.”

“Thank you, Mr. Vasko, but you need to give all the credit to Cody. He came up with most of them.”

“Good job, son.” He smiled. “Well, I have to get going. I look forward to working with the two of you again.” He shook both our hands.

As soon as he left, I held my hand up to Cody for a high-five. He smiled as he placed his hand on mine.

“Great job, Cody.”

“Like I said before, I couldn’t have done it without you. Hey, how about we go celebrate after work? Maybe just a drink or two.”

“I’ll have to take a raincheck. I have plans with Andrew tonight,” I spoke as we headed out of the conference room.

“Yeah. Sure. Maybe another time. By the way, what kind of perfume do you wear?”

“Dior.” I looked at him strangely. “Why?”

“My sister’s birthday is in a couple of days and I think she’d really like that scent. She loves perfume. She says it’s an aphrodisiac for men.”

I let out a light laugh.

“It’s Miss Dior and they have a great gift set over at Neiman Marcus.”

“I’ll go check it out. Thanks, Addison.”

“You’re welcome. Have a great night, Cody.”

“You too.”

I was sitting behind my desk when Andrew walked into my office.

“I just got a call from a very happy Mr. Vasko. He loved the design you and Cody did. He couldn’t stop raving about the two of you.”

“That was nice of him.” I smiled.

“Are you ready to go home?”

“Yeah, just give me a second.

I turned off my computer, straightened my desk, and grabbed my purse. Andrew held out his arm and I hooked mine around it.

“I’m sorry, Addison, for earlier. Maybe I was a little out of control, but I couldn’t help it. That woman will do anything to stay in my life, including befriending you. I don’t trust her, especially with everything that’s been going on. I know she’s behind all of it and there’s not a damn thing I can do unless I have proof.”

“I know.” I sighed as I laid my head on his shoulder. “Maybe after today, she’ll stop.”

“I was thinking after I got off the phone with Mr. Vasko that I’m going to talk to Lucas about partnering up you and Cody for the Sherwin project. I think the two of you could do something amazing with that.”

“I thought you were taking on the Sherwin project.”

“I’ll oversee it.” He winked as we climbed into the Escalade.

****

His hands firmly gripped my hips as he savagely moved in and out of me, sending my body into overdrive and right off the cliff into a blissful orgasm. My hands tightly gripped the bed sheets as my body trembled from head to toe. He moaned in pleasure as he halted, and an explosion erupted inside me. His body fell onto mine as he took my arms and pinned them over my head, interlacing our fingers while our rapidly beating hearts struggled to return to normal. His lips pressed gently against mine before he buried his face into the side of my neck.

“I love you, Angel.”

“I love you too,” I whispered as I tightened my arms around him.

He made me feel safe. A safety I hadn’t felt since that night I believed Charlie died.

“Are you okay?” He lifted his head and stared into my eyes.

“I’m fine.” I softly smiled.

“I’ll get to the bottom of this. I promise you that.” His lips softly brushed against mine.

The next morning after we headed into the office, I was sitting at my desk when Cody knocked on my door.

“Come on in, Cody.” I smiled.

“Hey, Addison. Good morning to you.”

“Good morning to you too. What can I do for you?”

“I just wanted to say thanks again. I went and bought that Dior perfume set for my sister. She’s going to love it.”

“You’re welcome.” I smiled.

“Oh, and this is for you.” He handed me a coffee from the Coffee Pod.

“You didn’t have to get me coffee.”

“I know I didn’t. It’s just a thank you gesture. No big deal.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.” I smiled.

“No problem. I have to get back to work. Have a good day, Addison.”

“You too, Cody.”

The day was pretty quiet until Andrew came storming into my office and shut the door.

“Hello there.” I smiled.

He threw a folded piece of paper on my desk.

“That was just delivered to me,” he spoke in anger.

I picked up the folded paper and opened it.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I looked up at him. “Ellie got a restraining order against you?”

“Do you believe that bitch!” He paced around the office with his hands tucked into his pants pockets. “She stalks me and you and there’s not a damn thing we can do about it, yet they give her a restraining order against me?”

“Well, Andrew, you did grab her. Technically, she could charge you with assault.” I arched my brow.

He narrowed his eye at me for a moment as the anger on his face grew.

“Really, Addison?”

“I only speak the truth. I’m sorry.”

I got up from my desk and walked over to him, placing my arms around his neck.

“Don’t let this upset you. Consider it a blessing. Now she can’t come anywhere near you.”

“True. But that doesn’t stop her from coming near you. I know what she’s fucking up to. Damn it!”

“Calm down. Breathe,” I softly spoke as I kissed his lips. “I don’t think she will now.”

Once I managed to calm him down, he went back up to his office and I headed out to meet Emma for lunch. When I stepped outside the door of the building, Rick, my bodyguard, was waiting to take me to the Rustic Table.

“I should only be about an hour, Rick. I’m meeting Emma, so there’s no need for you to come in. Unless you want to eat.”

“I’m good, Addison. I already ate.”

“Oh okay.” I smiled as I climbed out of the car and went inside the restaurant.

Rick was a big guy who stood about six foot six, with a big, muscular build. The moment I sat down at the table, my phone rang, and it was Emma calling.

“Hello,” I answered.

“Addy, I’m so sorry, but I won’t be able to make it,” she whispered.

“Why are you whispering?” I asked.

“Because I’m still with my pain in the ass client who I’ve been with for the past two hours. This woman is impossible. She hates everything.”

“It’s okay.” I laughed. “We can meet for lunch another day. Deal with your pain in the ass client.”

“Thanks, but I’d rather shoot myself. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

“No big deal. I’ll talk to you later.”

I ended the call and placed my order. Since I was already here, I figured I might as well stay and eat something.

“Addison? I thought that was you.”

“Cody. Hi. What you doing here?” I smiled.

“I was just running an errand and thought I’d stop in and grab some lunch before heading back to the office. Are you eating alone?”

“My friend, Emma, was supposed to meet me, but she got held up. Would you like to join me?”

“Sure. If you don’t mind.”

“No. Not at all. Lunch is on me.” I smiled.

“I can’t let you do that, Addison,” he spoke.

“Of course you can. You bought me coffee this morning.”

He shyly smiled. “That’s different.”

“No, it’s not. No more arguing. I’m buying your lunch, so deal with it.” I grinned.

“Fine. But next time, lunch is on me. Deal?” He held out his hand.

“Deal.” I lightly shook it.

After we finished eating, we stepped outside.

“You can drive back with me to the office,” I spoke.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Rick doesn’t mind. Do you, Rick?” I glanced over at him.

“No. Not at all.”

After climbing into the back seat, Cody leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Who is that?”

“A driver Andrew hired for me.”

I wasn’t about to tell him he was my bodyguard because I wasn’t getting into the reason why Andrew hired him.

“Oh. Cool.”