Tiana (Starkis Family #3) (5 page)

“Why do you keep running hot and cold?” I asked, determined to put our cards on the table. “Do you or do you not still want me?”

Damon blinked a few times before breaking eye contact and smoothing a hand over his tie. “I’d have to be impotent or gay not to want you, and trust me when I say I am neither.”

I wanted to grab him and shake some sense into him, to scream at him that I was his for the taking, but I had to respect decorum in the upscale little restaurant. “Why do you call me Eleni instead of El, like Mia, and now Deacon, do?”

“Eleni suits you.” His eyes roamed my face, slowly and easily, as though he was taking in every minute detail. No man had ever studied me the way he did. It was both arousing and unnerving, as though he’d looked closely enough to peel away my layers and reveal all the skeletons hiding in my closet.

I had never cared for my name. It was too stuffy, too formal. It always made people frown or tripped them up when they tried to wrap their tongue around it, but hearing it roll off Damon’s lips was something else entirely. He made it sound like foreplay.

“Does it bother you?”

“No, of course not.” I delicately cleared my throat. “I was just curious, that’s all.”

“You’ve barely touched your lunch,” he said, gesturing to the lobster salad on my plate. “Is there a problem with the food?”

I couldn’t tell him I was too nervous to eat, that I was visualizing what might happen when we left the restaurant and were able to pick up the conversation I’d instigated. “I have a dinner date tonight. Unless I want to spend an hour and a half doing cardio tomorrow morning, I’d better go easy for the rest of the day.”

“You have a date?” A look of annoyance crossed his face before he managed to school his features. “Anyone I know?”

“You might have heard of him,” I said, trying to quash the juvenile need to make him jealous. “His name is Miles Leighton. He owns that new nightclub downtown, Exodus.”

“Hmm,” he said, stabbing his lettuce with unnecessary force as he glared at his plate. “How did you two meet?”

“I was there with some friends, and he invited us up to the V.I.P. lounge for a few drinks.” I watched with satisfaction as Damon swallowed repeatedly before abandoning the pretense of eating and reached for his wine glass. “It turns out we have a lot in common. We both love football and indie music—”

“Ah, yes, the foundation of all great relationships,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Sports and music.”

I tried to hide my smile behind my water glass. “I think compatibility is important.”

“So you and he are… compatible?” He seemed to have difficulty getting out the last word, proving he was referring to a different kind of compatibility.

“If you’re asking me whether we’re compatible in the bedroom, the answer is yes.” Miles had been the perfect partner when we’d met. He’d pushed all the right buttons but had no awkward expectations after the main event. He went his way, I went mine, and one of us texted when the need arose again. Except lately he’d been texting a little too often for my liking, expecting a little too much of my time.

Damon raised a hand, beckoning to the waiter to let him know he was ready for the check. As we waited, he was unusually silent, scanning the messages on his phone, which I’d never seen him do before in my company.

“You’re upset,” I said, questioning whether it was wise to open the lines of communication while he was obviously still fuming about my little bombshell. “Because of Miles?”

“We’re not going to do this here,” he said tightly. Producing his black credit card before the waiter had even presented him with the bill for his perusal, he said, “We’re in a bit of a hurry. If you don’t mind…?”

“Of course, sir. I’ll be right back.” The older gentleman bent slightly at the waist before scurrying off.

“I don’t know what you’re so upset about. I just—”

“Not. Here.”

I swiped my palms across the napkin in my lap, wondering if I’d been crazy to bait him. I’d never seen this side of Damon. He was usually playful and flirtatious. I’d heard about his temper in tabloid reports, but I’d always assumed they had grossly exaggerated it. Maybe not.

He signed the bill before shoving his credit card back in his wallet. “Shall we?”

Those two words made me question whether I should fear for my safety. Maybe it was wiser to run the ten blocks home in my stilettos than to trust him to navigate midday traffic in his state of mind. “Um, maybe I should—”

He didn’t give me a chance to respond before he grabbed my hand and practically dragged me through the crowded restaurant. I could tell his rage must have been as obvious to the other patrons as it was to me. Conversations seemed to halt as we strode past.

Ever the gentleman, Damon opened the car door and made sure I was safely tucked into the passenger seat of his Ferrari before he slammed the door so hard the window rattled. I was no stranger to jealous and possessive boyfriends. I’d even been stalked by crazed ex-lovers a time or two, but something about Damon’s demeanor told me this went beyond jealousy. Something more, something deeper was going on, and the tension in his body as he claimed the seat beside me and gunned the engine made me fear we’d barely scratched the surface.

Damon

I could barely see through the haze of my rage as I punched the button for her third-floor apartment. She was going out with some other guy tonight. Someone I knew. A man whose hand I’d shaken numerous times as we discussed our respective business interests. Miles Leighton was a serious threat. He was attractive, intelligent, successful, and I had no doubt he wanted Eleni almost as much as I did. How could he not? He’d already had her, already shared her bed. Of course he would want more. He would want all of her. Just as I did.

“Damon, you’re making me kind of nervous,” Eleni said once we’d stepped off the elevator.

Her hand shook as she fit the key into the lock. I grabbed for the key, nudging her out of the way as I forced the door open. I didn’t wait for an invitation before storming inside.

“You’ve hardly said a word since we left the restaurant,” she said, catching the keys I tossed to her. “If this is about Miles, we’re just—”

“You’re just what?” I demanded, feeling anger and frustration bubbling dangerously close to the surface. I was too close to erupting, to telling her things that would upend my life. “Having sex? Dating? Yeah, you mentioned that. I’m just curious. Why is this the first I’m hearing of it?”

“Because it’s none of your business.” She stood taller, taking advantage of her five-inch heels to look me directly in the eye. “You and I are nothing more than friends. You’ve never touched me, never even asked to touch me.”

She stepped closer, and I could practically taste the perfume on her neck. “When I touch you, I won’t ask permission first.” Her eyes widened when I grabbed her wrist and pulled her body flush against mine so she could feel the rock-hard erection bulging in my pants. I cupped her ass, grinding against her. “Is this what you had in mind when you asked if I wanted you? You need proof? This is the proof of how much I want you. You want to know why it makes me crazy to think of you with other men? This is why. Because I want you like I’ve never wanted another woman in my life, and I can’t have you.”

“Why?” she asked breathlessly. “If this is about Mia and Deacon—”

“It’s not.”

“Miles?”

Just the mention of his name had me fisting her long black hair and tugging her head back so I had access to her neck. Long, leisurely swipes of my tongue had her moaning my name and reaching for my tie.

I pulled back, fighting breathlessness, though we hadn’t even kissed yet. “You think you’re going to screw me today and him tonight?” I asked the question to incense her because I had to abate the lust coursing through me before I damned the consequences and took her on the living room floor. “Sorry, not gonna happen.”

“You bastard,” she said, pushing me away. “Are you calling me a slut?”

“No. You’re a woman who knows how gorgeous she is, what she does to men.”

“Then you’re calling me a tease?” Her eyes flared with fire. “I’ll show you I’m not a tease.” She reached for my belt buckle as I grabbed her wrists. “I think you’re the tease, Starkis. You talk a big game, but if there’s even a threat of something more than a one-nighter, you run. Well, you don’t have to worry about that with me. We’re on the same page.”

I grabbed her beautiful face, holding her captive as I punished her with a kiss so deep and penetrating it quickly flourished into something neither of us could control. She tore at my clothes as I practically shredded the straps of her dress in my haste to get her naked.

Then I heard it—the ring tone I’d assigned Andra. We’d spoken only once, when she’d begged me to stop sending the monthly checks, claiming the constant arguments with her husband were taking a toll on her marriage.
Why was she calling?
Had she had a change of heart about letting me see my daughter? I had to find out. Now.

“I have to go,” I said, tucking my shirt in and refastening my pants.

“What?” She ran a hand through her tousled hair before bringing her fingertips to her swollen lips. “But I thought we were—”

“I’m sorry.” There was so much more I wanted to say, so much more she deserved to hear, but this wasn’t the time. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

***

I was staring at my cell phone later that day. As afternoon gave way to evening, I waited for Andra to return my call. I hadn’t made it out of Eleni’s apartment in time to answer, and Andra had been forced to leave a message. When I’d called back minutes later, I got her machine. If there was one thing I hated, especially when I was feeling so desperate, it was telephone tag.

My thoughts drifted to Eleni. I knew Miles would soon be fanning the fire I’d set a match to earlier, forcing me to do the only thing I could think of to stall the inevitable…

“Miles,” I said, as soon as he picked up the phone. “How are you, man? It’s Damon Starkis.”

“Hey, Damon. Great to hear from you. What’s up?”

“I’ve been thinking about what you said the last time we talked, you know, about bringing investors on board to help with the new club you’re planning to open in L.A. I think I’d like to be a part of it. Why don’t we get together tonight and hammer out the details?” The thought of going into business with Eleni’s lover was abhorrent, but if push came to shove, my lawyer could find a loophole during the due diligence phase.

“Ah, man, that’s great. I’d be stoked to have you as a partner. But I have plans tonight. Can we meet in the morning?”

I took a deep breath, trying to temper my frustration with a masking chuckle. “You have plans tonight? Must be pretty important if you’re blowing off a potential investor.”

He laughed. “I wouldn’t say this to just anyone, but I consider you a friend, and I know you’ll get what I’m talking about. This girl I’m going out with tonight is…” He laughed again. “Let’s just say there are no words.”

“Is that right?” I crossed the room and poured a finger of scotch into a crystal glass. I hated using alcohol as a crutch, but I needed something to take the edge off this conversation. “Now you’ve got me curious. Tell me more.”

“She’s a freakin’ lingerie model, if you can believe that.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yeah, am I the luckiest bastard in the world or what?”

I threw the drink back in one deep swallow before pouring another. “I didn’t even know you had a girlfriend.”

“She’s not ready to call it that. I’ve been seeing her for a few months, yet she still wants to keep me at arm’s length.” He chuckled. “I know that seems like every guy’s fantasy and I’m crazy to complain, but I keep hoping it’ll evolve into more. I’m not getting any younger. You know how it is. If I wanna settle down, it has to happen soon.”

I set the phone against the table as I forced air into my lungs. I’d believed I’d have all the time in the world to work things out, but Miles’s words rang like a warning bell in my head. I was a fool to think there weren’t dozens of guys just like him hoping Eleni would take notice of them. When I brought the phone back to my ear, he was calling my name. “Yeah, sorry about that, Miles. I’m still here. Well, good luck with your date tonight
.” I hope you break your leg on your way to pick her up.
“Give me a call tomorrow. We’ll try to connect.”

“You got it, Damon. Hey, thanks for calling. I’m really excited about working with you.”

I knew he thought a partnership with me would result in access to a twenty-four-hour ATM with no withdrawal limit.
In his dreams.

***

“Damon, I need to see you,” Andra said. “Can you come to Boston? I would come to you, but—”

“When?” I checked my watch, wondering how long it would take them to gas up the jet and prepare the flight plan.

“As soon as possible.”

I sank back in my desk chair, closing my eyes as I wrestled with hope and fear. I wanted to be a part of my daughter’s life, but not if it meant upending her safe little world.

“Damon? Are you still there?”

“Yes.” I cleared my throat. “I’m still here.” I wanted to ask if this trip meant she was finally willing to let me see my little girl, but I was afraid of her answer. Though I’d been hoping for an opportunity like this for so long, I still wasn’t sure I was ready. Dalia would have a million questions, questions I couldn’t answer without forcing her to choose sides.

“We can’t go on like this.” Her voice broke. “All this pressure is putting a strain on my marriage. Nic resents that you’re trying to throw money at the problem—”

“That’s not what I’m doing!” I tempered my reaction, reminding myself I might feel the same way in his position. “I’m just trying to do right by my daughter.”

“I know you see it that way,” Andra said gently, “but you have to realize emotions are running high right now.” After a beat of silence, she said, “There’s no way we can work this out on the phone. You need to come here. The three of us need to sit down and talk this out.”