Deacon (Starkis Family #1)

by Cheryl Douglas

  She smiled, kissing me quickly as soon as I set her down. “My pleasure. I missed you. So are you going to tell me what’s got you so worked up?” She made her way to my desk and relaxed into my enormous tufted leather swivel chair, which swallowed her up.

  I rounded the desk and tugged on her hand, pulling her to her feet before I sat and settled her into my lap. “I saw Nate earlier.” Better to get this over with.

  She picked up a framed family photo and brought it closer so she could study it. “How did that go?”

  “Not well.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her back against my chest. “He admitted he was attracted to you.”

  “He did?” She seemed surprised.

  “Yeah.” I kissed her neck to distract her from a fact I hoped she wouldn’t contemplate too long. “You make guys crazy, and now I’m the one who has to worry about it.”

  I kissed a path up her neck to nibble on her ear.

  Her hands traveled to the front of her fitted blouse, popping one button after another until she’d revealed a lacy white bra. Releasing the front closure, she moved my hands to her breasts. “Do you ever get off thinking about me?”

  “I have too much restraint to settle for less than the real thing,” I whispered, rolling her nipples between my thumbs and forefingers.

  “I have a surprise for you.” She turned her head so my mouth met her cheek.

  “What’s that?”

  “I’d rather show than tell.” She guided my hand down her stomach and beneath the flared black skirt that ended a few inches below her sexy round ass.

  “No panties? Are you serious?” I slid my finger between her folds. I realized she was soaking wet already as I pumped my finger in and out of her tight channel. “Don’t tell me you left the house like this.”

  Spreading her legs wider, she shook her head. “No, I got rid of them after you texted me. I wanted to make it easy for you to… do this.” She clenched my free wrist as I used the other hand to tease her with tight circles that stalled her breathing. “Oh God, Deacon, that feels amazing.” She lifted her hand to her mouth, biting her index finger.

  “What the hell are you doing?” I picked up the pace.

  “I don’t want anyone to hear me scream,” she said, panting.

  “You think I care if anyone hears me pleasuring you? This is my company, my building, and you’re my girlfriend. Now take your hand out of your mouth and scream for me.”

  She caressed her breasts as I alternated between patting and stroking her.

  “Now.”

  “Yessss…” Surrendering to her release, she moaned deeply, gripping the armrests as her whole body trembled.

  I continued pleasuring her until I was satisfied she was spent.

  “Deacon, you have to let me have you.”

  “Saturday night, after the party. You’ll come back to my place, and we’ll spend the rest of the weekend in bed.”

  “Hmmm, I can’t wait,” she said, closing her eyes as fatigue took over.

  “Believe me, neither can I,” I muttered, shifting to relieve the intense pressure behind my zipper.

  Chapter Nine

  Mia

  I was beyond excited to see my big brother, but I was also nervous about how he would take the news that I was now living alone in the Big Apple. He was overprotective, like my parents, who still didn’t know about the breakup.

  “So tell me what’s new with you,” Chad said, slicing into his steak. “Why didn’t Drew come with you?”

  I popped a bite of salad into my mouth, choosing my words carefully. “We broke up. He moved out a couple of days ago.”

  His jaw dropped as he shook his head. “I must be hearing things ‘cause I could have sworn you just told me you broke up with Drew.”

  “I did.”

  “Honey, I didn’t even know you guys were having problems. What the hell happened?”

  My brother’s unwavering support and concern made my eyes fill with tears. I wasn’t crying for Drew. I was crying because I missed moments like these with my family.

  “You know he decided to go back to school, right?” I sniffled as I discreetly brought the linen napkin to my eyes to dab my tears.

  “Yeah, you weren’t too thrilled about it.”

  “Only because I didn’t think we could afford it. It was tough to make it on only my salary, especially with the added pressure of his tuition.”

  “You thought he should go back to school part-time and get a job to help out,” Chad said around a forkful of mashed potatoes. “Makes perfect sense.”

  “Yeah, well, not to him.” I sighed, thinking about the argument that had ensued when he insisted I was jealous he was getting an education while I sold my body to the highest bidder. God, what an ass. “Long story short, I got tired of his shit and told him to pack his stuff and get out.”

  Chad grinned. “Good for you. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thanks, I—”

  “Good evening, theia. This is a pleasant surprise.”

  I looked up to see Deacon standing over us. A surprise? Like hell. My psycho freak had probably hired another bodyguard to take Nate’s place and track my whereabouts.

  “What are you doing here, Mr. Starkis?” I smiled sweetly, but he wouldn’t win this round. He wanted me to introduce him as my boyfriend even though I’d told him I wasn’t ready.

  He lifted an eyebrow and set his hand on my shoulder. “I was just having dinner with my partner.” He motioned toward Blake, who raised his glass in greeting.

  I didn’t know Deacon’s minority partner well, but from what I’d heard, he and my soon-to-be lover were cut from the same cloth.

  “How nice.” I gestured toward my brother. “I’d like you to meet my brother, Sergeant Chad Barnes.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sergeant,” Deacon said, shaking Chad’s hand. “Deacon Starkis, your sister’s boyfriend.”

  I opened and closed my mouth multiple times before I realized I must look like a baby bird.

  My brother shot me a quizzical look. “Your boyfriend? When did this happen, sis? You told me Drew just moved out a couple days ago.”

  “He did.” I glared at Deacon. I was going to kill him when I got him alone. “Deacon and I have known each other a while. He’s my boss.”

  “Your boss?” Chad gave Deacon a quick once-over, taking in his impeccably cut gray suit, designer tie, and imported shoes. “Your boss at Alabaster’s?”

  I nodded as I reached for my wine. I wished my brother had the good sense to table the third degree until Deacon left.

  “That sounds like a recipe for disaster,” Chad said, bringing his beer glass to his lips. “Couldn’t you get fired for that? Surely the company has some sort of policy against employee fraternization.”

  I squirmed when I saw Deacon grin. He was having way too much fun with this.

  “Your sister’s job is safe, Sergeant. You see, I’m the one who sets the policies, and I’m more than willing to make an exception for her.”

  I glared at him, hoping to remind him I wasn’t the first employee he’d dated.

  “You set the policies. Does that mean you’re—”

  “I own the company,” Deacon said smoothly.

  “Oh God.” Chad ran a hand over the stubble covering his jaw. “Sorry, I had no idea. I have to admit I’m not really up on that… market. I knew the owner of the company was some Greek billionaire, but—”

  I raised my hand. “Chad, just stop. Deacon doesn’t need an explanation. If you’ll excuse us”—I narrowed my eyes at my so-called boyfriend—“my brother and I would like to finish our dinner. I’ll call you later.”

  “Of course.” He bent to kiss my cheek. “There will be a car waiting for you at the curb when you are ready to leave.”

  “I’d planned to share a taxi with Chad,” I said through clenched teeth. I didn’t know if I could get used to his constant interference in every aspect of my life.

  “Now you can share a l
imo.” Deacon offered Chad his hand again. “It was a pleasure, Chad. I hope you’ll be my dinner guest the next time you’re in town. Perhaps we can include your parents as well.”

  “I’d like that.” Chad grinned. “Listen, can you do me a favor, man to man, since you’re the guy calling the shots?”

  “What’s that?” Deacon looked amused as he crossed his arms.

  “There’s nothing worse than all the guys in your platoon drooling over pics of your baby sister in lingerie. Can you put her in a parka or something instead?”

  Deacon threw his head back, laughing. “That’s the easiest promise I’ve ever been asked to make. Consider it done.”

  “Excuse me?” I asked, dumbfounded. I looked from Chad to Deacon and back again. “You can’t be serious! I love modeling lingerie and swimsuits. You can’t dictate what I wear!”

  Chad pretended to be confused. “Sorry, sis. I could have sworn you said this guy owns the company you work for. I’d say that gives him the right.”

  “But, but…” I sputtered, my eyes pleading with Deacon to drop this stupid façade and let my brother know he was just joking. “This is my career.”

  “Of course it is, theia.” Deacon indulgently cupped my cheek. “And thanks to Alabaster’s, you’re well on your way. You’re welcome.” He grinned. “I’ll talk to you later, my beauty.”

  “Wow,” Chad said when Deacon walked away. “So that’s what a billionaire looks like, huh?”

  I downed the rest of my wine. “Don’t be too impressed. He may be rich, but he’s also a colossal ass sometimes.”

  “An ass who’s obviously into you. How did it happen?”

  “How did what happen?” I reached for the wine bottle in the center of the table when the lax waiter who was supposed to be looking after us didn’t rush to refill my glass.

  “How did you guys hook up?”

  I sat back. The rest of my dinner didn’t look as appealing as it had before Deacon graced us with his presence. “He emailed me when he spotted me in his magazine mock-up. That was a few months ago. Emails led to texts, and then we finally met.” I contemplated our unusual courtship. “It’s weird. I used to laugh at those people who fell in love online without even meeting, but I kind of get it now. Deacon and I developed this intense connection long before we ever met.”

  “Is he the real reason you broke up with Drew?”

  “He may have been part of it. I can’t deny I was developing feelings for Deacon while my feelings for Drew were dying. I’m scared though.” I was surprised to hear myself admit that. The wine must have been loosening my lips. “He’s got a history with women.”

  “You’re surprised?” He chuckled. “Look at the guy, Mia. I’m a guy, and I can see that he’s a frickin’ Greek god. Add to that the billions in the bank, and I’d consider doing him myself.”

  I laughed, mainly because my brother was the most heterosexual guy I knew. “Be serious. He’s the kind of man who could seriously mess a girl up.” I pressed my wine glass against my mouth so my big brother couldn’t see my bottom lip tremble. “I’m afraid he’ll break my heart.”

  “If he does, I’ll break that perfect Grecian nose of his.” Chad leaned over to grasp my hand. “Would that make you feel better?”

  I nodded, laughing through my tears. “Yes, thank you.”

  ***

  Two hours later, after we’d dropped Chad off at his hotel, I lowered the privacy glass so I could get to know my new bodyguard/driver. He looked to be about fifty, and he had a shaved head and a scary-looking tattoo that wrapped around his neck and covered part of his cheek. Well played, Starkis. Well played.

  “Have you worked for Deacon long?” I asked.

  “For his family, yes, ma’am. I am his younger brother’s personal bodyguard, but since Damon is in Europe, he doesn’t need my services.”

  I was surprised by the sound of his voice. It was much less gruff than I’d expected. “Then you know where Deacon lives?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Kindly take me to his house.”

  “I should check with him first.”

  I released my seat belt and leaned forward, propping my chin on the seat while I snaked my hand through the window to grip his shoulder. “I kind of want it to be a surprise.” I injected just the right amount of sultriness into my voice. “I know your boss would be pleased to see me.”

  He smiled at me in the rearview mirror. “I have no doubt he would be. Okay, you win, but if he comes down on me, I’m shifting the blame to you.”

  “It’s a deal,” I said, winking.

  “Now put your seat belt back on. If anything happens to my precious cargo, he’ll have my ass.”

  I did as I was told, my whole body warming at the thought of the lengths Deacon had gone to to take care of me. Sometimes the man irritated me to no end, but there were also times when he made me wonder how I’d gotten lucky enough to find him.

  I settled in for the ten-minute ride to his home. It was impossible to appreciate my surroundings in the dark, but I could tell by the outlines of the expansive homes and properties that we’d ventured into sacred territory. The land alone in that neighborhood probably cost more than most people earned in a lifetime.

  At the entrance to Deacon’s winding drive was a security guard posted at a gatehouse. Wow, paranoid much, my freaky psycho? My driver, whose name was Barry, explained to the security guard that I was Deacon’s girlfriend and I was there to surprise him. The uniformed man looked skeptical, which led me to believe Deacon didn’t invite many of his conquests into his private domain. Sacred territory, indeed.

  “I should call up just to be sure,” he said, scratching his head as he peered into the backseat through the open driver’s window.

  “Sir, I know you don’t want to lose your job, but I promise if Deacon is upset, I’ll tell him it was all my fault.”

  Barry said to the other man, “I’ve worked for the Starkis family for a long time, and when Mr. Starkis asked me to take this assignment, he made it clear this young lady is very special to him. I have no doubt your job would be at risk if you made the mistake of sending her away, Jack.”

  “Okay, okay.” The man reached into the gatehouse to press the button that would open the gate. “But this is against my better judgment.”

  “Thanks for coming through for me, Barry,” I said as he pulled through the gate.

  “I was just telling the truth, ma’am.”

  I giggled. “You’re happily married, aren’t you?”

  “With two beautiful children and a grandbaby on the way. Why do you ask?”

  “Because my sexy psycho got jealous of my last bodyguard and reassigned him.” Oops… maybe I shouldn’t have polished off that entire bottle of wine.

  Barry chuckled, his twinkling brown eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. “Is that so? I won’t tell Mr. Starkis you called him a psycho. It’ll be our little secret.”

  I shrugged. “It’s okay. I call him that to his face all the time.”

  “You do?” His chuckle deepened. “You and I will get along just fine, Miss Barnes. Don’t tell Mr. Starkis I said this, but I’ve been waiting for him to meet a woman who’ll put him in his place, and I think he’s finally found the one.”

  The one. I liked the sound of that.

  I gaped at the two-story stone-and-stucco monstrosity in front of me. It had to be twenty thousand square feet, and even with only the security lights illuminating it, I could tell the manicured grounds were equally impressive. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? One person needs this much space? It looks like he could house a small country here!”

  Barry’s booming laughter filled the car. “This is where he feels comfortable. He grew up living in the lap of luxury. This is all he knows.”

  I felt intimidated, as though I were stepping into a world where I didn’t know how to speak the language. Downplaying his wealth was easy when we were at the office, on my turf, or on neutral ground, but just a glimpse into
his world showed me how different we were.

  “Are you having second thoughts about this?” Barry asked.

  I wasn’t going to let his wealth intimidate me, I decided, squaring my shoulders. Deacon knew who I was and wasn’t asking me to pretend to be anyone else. If I truly loved him, I would find a way to be myself in his world.

  “No, let’s do this.”

  I waited for Barry to round the car to collect me before I walked up to the massive, richly stained oak doors. I had another moment’s hesitation when I tried to decide whether or not I should ring the doorbell. Of course, that would have spoiled the surprise. Maybe I could catch him in bed… with his guard down.

  With a deep breath, I twisted the knob and was shocked to find the door unlocked. I guessed having an armed security guard meant he didn’t have to bother locking his doors. I gave Barry the thumbs-up and said a silent prayer as he drove away.

  After slipping out of my high heels, I curled my feet into the Persian entrance rug. The house was dark, but I couldn’t turn on a light without alerting him to my presence. I prayed he had a good ticker ‘cause I just might give him a heart attack.

  I looked right and left as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. There was a hallway in each direction, but when I heard a masculine voice, I froze. At first, I thought he was talking on the phone. Then I heard her voice. I clutched my stomach. Oh, God. He wasn’t alone. What had I been thinking coming here uninvited? More importantly, how could I have been stupid enough to believe his lies? Great, I was stuck in the middle of nowhere without a ride and…

  “Oh God, Selene, that feels amazing. Deeper. Oh yeah, just like that. Ohhh, you have no idea how much I needed this tonight.”

  That son of a bitch! I tiptoed to the closed door, holding my breath as I fought back tears. I’d trusted him. In spite of my fears, I’d let my guard down and started to trust him, and this was how he repaid me? I fought back nausea as I thought of all the things he’d said to me—love, trust, devotion… what a crock!