I held her beautiful face, careful not to ruin her flawless makeup. “You know I won’t be able to take my eyes off you. Good luck, baby.”
She giggled. “I like hearing you say that. It sounds so sexy, so out of character. I’m guessing you’ve never been big on pet names or terms of endearment.” She stood and smoothed her dress.
“You’re right.” I ran a finger down the front of her neck. It was bare, making me want to decorate it with an impressive gem to enhance her brilliance. “I guess the proverbial cat is out of the bag.” I glanced at the people crossing through the lobby trying to pretend they weren’t watching us.
“What do you mean?”
“Us. Our relationship. It seems people are on to us.”
She slipped her hands inside my jacket, wrapped her arms around my waist, and drew me close as she tipped her head back to look me in the eye. “I’m sure they’ve seen you being affectionate with women before. They probably think I’m just the flavor of the week.”
I rolled my eyes. “You have no idea how wrong you are. I rarely date. Unless I have to escort a woman to a charity function, I never attend a company event with a woman—and certainly never one of the models working for our company.”
“Really?” She sounded surprised. “You don’t wine and dine the women in your life?”
“Again, at the risk of sounding arrogant”—I ran my hands up and down her arms lightly until, with satisfaction, I felt thrill bumps rise on her skin—“I’ve never had to put much effort into it.”
Her lips twisted into a wry grin. “You must hate that I’m making you work so hard for it.”
“A man with my work ethic understands the value of hard work. Nothing worth having comes easily. This relationship is worth the effort, in my mind. Anything I have to do to make this work, I will. It’s as simple as that.”
Her eyes glowed with affection. “Just for the record, I feel the same way. If anything I said or did last night led you to believe otherwise, I’m sorry.”
“We’re not going to talk about last night again.” I rested her head on my shoulder as my other hand drifted to her lower back. “What happened last night is in the past. I’m only interested in looking to the future. With you.”
***
I was seated at the end of the runway, my brother on one side and Blake on the other, when Damon leaned into whisper, “When you’re done with her, I’ve got dibs.”
“I should kick your ass for telling her we shared women.” I was careful to keep my voice low enough to avoid unwanted attention. “And you can get the idea of sharing Mia out of your head. That’ll never happen.”
“When you’re done with her—”
“That’s just it—I’m never going to be done with her.”
Damon gave me a sidelong glance, obviously trying to gauge my sincerity. “What are you saying?”
I half-listened to the M.C. introduce the various items in our collection, along with the models wearing the pieces, before I said, “That Mia is the one.” I had never made such a claim, so I knew my brother would have no reason to question my intentions.
“Jesus,” he whispered, swiping a hand over his mouth. “I know I’ve been away a while, but you’re like a stranger. Who the hell are you, and what have you done with the selfish, ruthless man-whore who used to occupy my brother’s body?”
I fixed my attention on the models, admiring the beautiful lingerie our loyal customers would rush to buy, but I felt nothing for the taut, tanned bodies displaying them. My brother was right. I had changed. Mia had changed me. “It’s time for me to grow up. You might want to think about doing the same.”
My brother was only three years younger than I, but his immaturity often made me feel as though decades separated us. While we were both womanizers, I’d spent the past twelve years building a successful business. My brother had spent them jet-setting, drinking, partying like a rock star, and making the front page of all the tabloids.
“Let’s not get crazy,” he muttered. “Do Mom and Dad know about Mia?”
“I intend to introduce her to them tomorrow at dinner.” I’d already called my mother and told her I’d invited a guest to dinner. She’d been surprised since I’d never brought a woman home, even during high school or college. I’d always known the one and only girl I would subject to my judgmental parents would be the one I intended to marry.
“You’d better watch the old man,” Damon said, chuckling. “He’s going to stroke out when he sees her. I bet you a hundred bucks he makes a play for her before appetizers.”
Another reason I never brought women home: my father was a letch. He loved beautiful young women, and they loved his billions. My mother had become a master of looking the other way. According to her, Demetrius was a good father, husband, and provider. That was the only thing that mattered to a poor girl from the village whose family hadn’t been able to buy her shoes as a child.
“Demetrius will know in no uncertain terms that she is off-limits. If he touches her, I’ll break his hand.” Father or no, I wouldn’t tolerate him disrespecting Mia or making her uncomfortable. She would be the mother of his grandchildren, and he would treat her with the respect she deserved.
“They’re going to hate that she’s a lingerie model,” Damon pointed out. “Not to mention the fact she’s not Greek.”
My brother was right. I’d considered the possibility my parents would argue that I should look for someone more suitable, but I’d never surrendered to them before, and I wouldn’t start now. I was the only one with the guts to stand up to my father, mainly because I knew he would never disown his firstborn. According to tradition, my son would one day bear his name, and to my father, that was the ultimate symbol of immortality.
“Too bad.” I crossed my arms as Eleni sauntered across the stage.
Miss Eleni Litras was obviously not a traditional Greek girl, but my parents would have liked her if for no other reason than that she understood our cultural idiosyncrasies. Too bad. She wasn’t Mia, and for me, there was no one else.
Eleni was wearing a black corset paired with silky black panties and a black sheer robe hanging off her shoulders. It was one of the outfits they’d selected for Mia that I had promptly discounted. I had to admit that Eleni looked sensational in it.
“Who the hell is that?” my brother asked, slack-jawed as he watched Eleni play the crowd.
“Eleni Litras.” I smiled, waiting for my brother to acknowledge her heritage. “She’s Mia’s best friend.”
“I have to meet her.” Damon looked like I must have the first time I saw Mia’s picture, and the very same words had come to mind.
“Don’t mess with her,” I warned, knowing exactly what he had in mind. Damon changed beautiful women as often as most men changed their socks, and I knew Eleni would be no exception.
“You can’t dangle that in front of me,” Damon said, gesturing to Eleni, “and tell me to back off. That’s like lining up shots in front of an alcoholic and warning him not to drink.”
The analogy made me uncomfortable, mainly because I fit the mold of an addict, but my poison was very different from most.
Chapter Fifteen
Mia
If I had met both Starkis brothers at the same time, I would have been hard-pressed to choose one. Damon was equally attractive and charming, funny, carefree—as spirited as Deacon—but they were very different. While my man was gorgeous and captivating, he was intense, bordering on frightening. I suspected his brother would have been just as dangerous to an unsuspecting woman’s heart, but he would have drawn her in before she even knew what had hit her.
That was what I feared may be happening to Eleni as I watched the two interact. Normally, I wouldn’t have worried about my man-eater, but I feared she may never have encountered the likes of Damon Starkis. Some may have said being played by the master was her comeuppance for breaking so many hearts over the years, but I loved her and didn’t want to see her get hurt.
“I’m n
ot sure I like this,” I said to Deacon as I turned my back on my friend and my lover’s brother. “It seems like they would be a bit like a volcano and tornado coming together.”
Deacon chuckled. “I have a feeling you’re right.”
“So what will we do about it?”
“I warned my brother to back off,” he said, sipping his drink. “Trouble is he doesn’t take orders from me or anyone else. Maybe you’d have better luck with Eleni?”
Once Eleni had made up her mind about something, it was nearly impossible for anyone to change it. Still, I had to try to talk some sense into her before it was too late. If Deacon and I went the distance, having my best friend and his brother despise each other would make holidays at our house painfully uncomfortable.
“I’ll do my best,” I whispered. “But with this one, I can’t make any promises.” I turned, walked up to them, and smiled sweetly at Damon as I linked arms with my best friend. “Forgive me, Damon. I have to steal her away for a few minutes. Girl talk.”
“Let me refresh your drinks while you’re gone,” Damon offered, taking Eleni’s empty champagne flute.
“Mia won’t need another,” Deacon said quickly. “We’ll be heading out soon.” He gave Eleni a pointed look. “Can we drop you off on our way home?”
Before Eleni could respond, Damon interjected. “No need. I can take her home.”
“We have Barry tonight,” Deacon reminded him. “And you’re not in any condition to drive. We’ll drop you off first.”
Watching the two of them interact was a bit like watching a tennis match. Eleni’s and my heads snapped back and forth, waiting to see who would be victorious.
“No need,” Damon said with a wave. “I came with Tiana. We used her driver, and I heard her say Blake’s taking her home.”
Deacon grimaced before muttering, “What the hell is it with you two? Do I need to hire a full-time babysitter?”
I ushered Eleni away from the men. It would be best to let them figure it out on their own. Instead of guiding my friend toward the ladies’ room, I decided to get a breath of fresh air. There were a few smokers lingering by the door when we went outside, most of them men. Their eyes traveled the lengths of our bodies, making me uneasy.
“Let’s grab that bench.” I pointed at a single bench in the midst of a circle of flowers. “We need to talk.”
“What’s got you so uptight?” Eleni asked, trying to break free of my grip. “Did you and Deacon get into it again? I know that guy thinks he’s untouchable, but I swear, if he did anything to hurt you—”
“It’s not Deacon.” I sat on the bench as she claimed the spot beside me. I took her hands, clasping them tightly. I knew she’d had a few drinks after the show and may not be thinking too clearly, so I had to make my point slowly and carefully. “It’s Damon I’m worried about. And you.”
Eleni frowned as though she was having difficulty following my train of thought. “Deacon’s brother? What about him?”
“He’s into you, El. Don’t pretend you couldn’t tell.”
She was used to men hitting on her, but not even she could ignore the attention of a billionaire playboy who looked like a cover model. She giggled. “So what? Maybe I’ll take him home. Maybe I won’t. The night is young.”
“That’s just it. He’s not the kind of guy you can set a fire under without getting burned.”
“What do you mean?”
I let out a harsh sigh, wishing she were sober so she could appreciate the severity of my warning. “Damon just isn’t the kind of guy you want to mess with. He’s… dangerous.” While Deacon had only divulged snippets about his younger brother, I knew they were as similar and dissimilar as two men could be. I sensed they shared a penchant for women, but Deacon was a straight shooter. I got the feeling Damon got a rush from playing games.
“Kind of like your man?” Eleni snorted. “That didn’t stop you.”
“Damon is different,” I said, weighing my words. I didn’t want to bad-mouth Damon without all the facts, but I had to trust my instincts, not to mention Deacon’s blatant warning. “He travels a lot.”
“So?” Eleni was getting impatient and wanted to get back inside, either to Damon or one of the many other men who’d been flirting with her all night.
“He could be here today, gone tomorrow.”
“Who cares?” She shook her head, amusement teasing her lips. “You know me, girl. I don’t do relationships. If you’re trying to scare me off by telling me he’s a player, you’d better find a different strategy because that doesn’t do it.”
I tried to think of something that would dissuade her from getting mixed up with a man I somehow knew could ruin her. “He implied that he wanted to share me with Deacon.”
Her jaw dropped. That got her attention. “He actually said that?”
“Not in so many words, but he definitely implied it.” I stroked her hand. She didn’t look disappointed or particularly appalled. I was usually good at reading her, but this time, her eyes gave away nothing. “Deacon said they’d”—I swallowed—“shared women before. That may be what he has in mind for you. I know that’s not what you want. Trust me, if you’re looking for a little fun, look elsewhere. There are lots of good-looking guys in there who would kill to go out with you.”
“I love you for worrying about me,” she said, leaning in to kiss my cheek. “But you don’t have to. I know exactly how I intend to play him, and if anyone’s getting burned, I can promise you it won’t be me.”
I watched my friend walk away, thinking I wished I kept a fire extinguisher on hand. I would need one when this thing exploded.
***
Barry was driving us back to Deacon’s house, and we’d left the others to make their own arrangements. Before we left, I’d noticed Eleni standing in a secluded corner, chatting up one of the male models while Damon glared at them from across the room. Maybe she’d decided to heed my advice after all. I hoped so.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Deacon whispered as he massaged my scalp with his strong fingers.
“I was just thinking about Damon and Eleni. I hope I got through to her. I have a bad feeling about those two together.”
“I noticed Jordan kiss her,” Deacon said, referring to the model I’d seen her talking to. “My brother noticed it too.” He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure steam came out of his ears. I can’t say I’ve ever seen him jealous.”
“Has he ever had a serious relationship?” I asked, hoping to glean more information I could pass on to Eleni to further dissuade her.
“No, Damon doesn’t do relationships. Of course, people would have said the same thing about me before I met you.”
I tipped my head back so I could look into his eyes. “What are you saying? That you think Eleni could be the woman to change your brother?”
“God, no!” Deacon laughed at the absurdity of that notion. “Damon doesn’t want to change. He loves his life exactly as it is. Different woman every night and no strings attached.”
“I guess Eleni is kind of like that too,” I admitted. “Not that she sleeps with different men every night. She’s selective about who she sleeps with, but she likes to have fun, and she doesn’t do relationships.”
“So maybe they’re perfect for each other.”
“I don’t think so.” I couldn’t ignore the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, the same one I’d had before I got the call that my father had been rushed to the hospital after having a heart attack. “I think it would be best for everyone if they just kept their distance.”
“You’re probably right, but they’re adults, sweetheart. They’re going to do what they want, regardless of what we say.”
“Yet you still seem determined to stand firmly between your best friend and sister.”
Deacon hadn’t said anything about that pairing, but I could tell by his body language when they were nearby that he was uncomfortable with the idea of them getting too close.
“That’s different,�
� he said tightly.
“How?”
“Eleni knows the score. My sister is… innocent. She’s traditional. She’s something of a free spirit, but at the end of the day, she would never do anything to disappoint my parents.”
“How would hooking up with Blake disappoint your parents?”
He cringed at the term “hooking up,” making me smile. I’d had a chance to chat with Tiana and didn’t think she was nearly as naïve and innocent as her overprotective big brothers would have liked to believe.
“My parents don’t care for Blake, and the feeling is mutual.”
“Really?” That surprised me. While I didn’t know Blake well, I’d only heard good things about him. All of the employees at Alabaster’s seemed to like and respect him. Besides, he was Deacon’s best friend, so that had to count for something. “Why?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, he can be an arrogant ass.” He grinned. “So is my old man. Put the two of them in a room together, both posturing for dominance, and it can get ugly.”
I laughed, trying to imagine that. While I’d never met Deacon’s father, I’d heard he was a force of nature. I had to admire Blake for standing up to him. I imagined that was something few people outside the Starkis family had the nerve to do.
I settled deeper into Deacon’s arms. I wanted to know everything about him and the people who meant the most to him. “What’s Blake’s story?”
“He comes from old money, something I think my father secretly resents. My father’s family were farmers. He came here with three hundred dollars in his pocket, unable to speak the language, and got a job as a short-order cook while he worked his way through school.”
I’d read a few articles about the elusive billionaire, so I had some knowledge of his rags-to-riches story, but it was interesting to hear it from his son’s perspective. “That’s incredible, given what he’s achieved.”
“Yeah, it is. For that, I respect him a great deal.”
I had the feeling there was an underlying message in Deacon’s words, but I wasn’t sure it was the time or place to probe deeper. “He made his fortune in steel, didn’t he?”
Deacon (Starkis Family #1) Page 17
