He's Captured My Trust (Captured Series Book 2)
Read He's Captured My Trust (Captured Series Book 2) Online
Authors: Karen Frances
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Erotica, #Romantic, #Romance, #Contemporary
He’s Captured My Trust
Copyright © 2015 Karen Frances
All rights reserved.
Published by: Clydeside Publishing
All characters, incidents, and events are fictitious, and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental. This work is based purely from the author’s imagination.
All songs, song titles and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
Cover Design by Aimee Bell, Author Design Studio
Proofreading by
Nichole Straus, Perfectly Publishable
Interior Design and Formatting by
Christine Borgford, Perfectly Publishable
This is for everyone who believed in me,
even when I doubted myself.
You’ve inspired me to follow my dream.
Don’t look back; you’re not going in that direction—only forward.
Never in a million years did I think I would be writing acknowledgments for my second book,
He’s Captured My Trust.
When I did this the first time around, I suppose I still had my doubts about putting
He’s Captured My Heart
out there. I had fallen in love with Libby and Alex, but would anyone else?
The answer to that has been yes, based on the reader messages I’ve received. Your e-mails and messages of support on all the social-network sites have been truly appreciated, along with the reviews that you have taken the time to write. Reviews mean the world to authors. So to all the readers who took a chance on me, a new author, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. XXX
Bloggers, from the big guns to the small ones and everyone in between . . . where would authors be without them? I can’t list you all, but you do an amazing job.
Elusively Ella’s Bookish Blogginess,
what can I say? You have put me in touch with so many people who I now class as friends. For that alone, I will always be grateful. I class you as a dear friend, and I hope it won’t be too long before we get the chance to meet properly.
Summer’s Book Blog,
I’ve said it before and will continue to say it. Your five-star review was the first I received from the blog tour. It gave me the belief that I could do this. I can’t wait to meet you ladies in person next year, but I’m sure there will be a whole load of conversations before then.
Mia’s Point of View,
thank you so much for reaching out to me, wanting to stay in touch with this newbie author, and believing in my story. I hope we get the chance to meet in person soon. So to all the book bloggers, thank you for the work you do reviewing and promoting new authors such as myself. Thank you doesn’t seem enough. XXX
Aimee Bell at Author Design Studio (
www.authordesignstudio.co.uk
), you have been a godsend to me since I started my journey, from the website design to the book cover of
He’s Captured My Trust
and all the extras in between. And all the advice you have given me, it’s always taken on-board. Thank you. XXX
All the team at Literally Public Relations, you have been fab. But special thanks to Helen, who has always been at the end of a phone call to listen to my concerns, reply to my messages, and generally put me at ease through what, has been an emotional roller coaster. I’m also so grateful we finally got to meet up in London. I have a new friend for life. Thank you. XXX
To the team at Perfectly Publishable, thank you for your work on both
He’s Captured My Heart
and
He’s Captured My Trust.
I wish I had found you ladies sooner, but better late than never. Thank you. XXX
To my gorgeous friends, I would be lost without you all. Thank you for your love and understanding through everything I’ve gone through, the last year has been an emotional one for us all. You’ve all given me so much that you don’t even realise—the support and the kick up the butt when it’s been needed. I love you ladies dearly and I truly cherish our friendship. XXX
To my family, thank you for everything, from watching the kids to advertising and listening when I’ve needed to talk and for allowing me to run ideas past you all. For all your support and encouragement, which means a great deal to me. All my love. XXX
My children, my life. My girls are still too young to know what type of book Mummy has written, and my husband says they’re not allowed to read it until they are at least thirty. Good luck with that. They have been angels in giving me the peace I’ve needed. My boys . . . what to say about them? My boys are all older and aware of the type of book I’ve written. They have all been so supportive in what I’ve done—not embarrassed, but proud. That being said, I’m still hoping they don’t read it. My five kids are my life. The love I have for them is unconditional. XXX
To my husband . . . the last year has been a roller coaster for us both. We both took a change of direction in our careers, and it’s made a difference in our family life. We are getting a lot more time together as a family. Your support and understanding is truly appreciated. Thank you for allowing me to spend many late nights with Alex. Thank you for taking kids out when I’ve been in the middle of writing and needed some peace and quiet. Thank you for everything you do. I love you. XXX
Libby and Alex’s story in
He’s Captured My Trust
has been overwhelming to write at times, with lots of tears, laughter, and happiness. I hope you, the readers, enjoy it. XXX
Alex
I SIT AT THE END
of the table, tapping my pen against it, watching my team around it. Michael is sitting watching me, frowning. I lost track ten minutes into this meeting, and I’m about to lose patience with them all. Is no one capable of doing the job I employ them to do? No wonder this deal isn’t done and dusted yet, when I can’t even get my own people on-board with my plans. The issues they are all still discussing have already been addressed. This is old news. They sound like a bunch of kids squabbling over a god damn toy.
“Get. Fucking. Out. All. Of. You.”
Everyone looks at each other with panic on their faces.
“
Now.
”
One by one they leave, whispering under their breaths.
Do they think I’m that stupid? That I don’t hear what they’re saying?
But right now I am way past the stage of caring.
“Mathews, that’s one way to clear the boardroom. What’s up, man? If you were a woman, I would say you had PMS. Seriously, you got something you want to share?” Michael laughs at me as I walk toward the window and stare blankly across the city skyline.
I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t even be in this country. I should still be in Scotland with Libby, spending time with her, getting to know more about her. Running my hands through her dark silky hair as she lies curled up in my arms sleeping. I know my trip was ultimately a business trip, and I did get that end of it tidied up nicely, but who would have thought that I, Alexander Mathews, would have fallen so hard and so fast?
Work hard and play harder
was always my motto, and it didn’t matter who I was doing it with.
I never wanted any strings attached. But Libby can attach strings to me any day. I want her here with me. I never imagined I could feel this way. Love? I never believed in it until I met her. She has changed my whole outlook on life. Before, there were many women, and if I’m honest, they were good for only one thing—a means to an end. The only constant one outside my family was Katherine, and now even that friendship is fucked up.
