Tiana (Starkis Family #3) (21 page)

I knew he felt it because his voice was broken when he said, “Don’t do this. Don’t shut down on me now. Not after what we shared last night. Please.”

He sounded sincere, but if I’d learned one thing over the years, it was that men were really good actors, especially when they were trying to manipulate a woman. “I didn’t do anything. You did.”

I turned my head away when he tried to bury his face in my neck. His arms tightened around me, as though he could prevent me from leaving through sheer force of will.

“I know I screwed up,” he whispered, caressing my cheek with his lips. “I should have told you why I had to leave town instead of rushing out the way I did.”

“I still don’t understand why you had to go to her.” What hurt the most was knowing he’d left me for someone else.

He inhaled deeply, but no words came. The sinking feeling only intensified when I turned to face him. His face was ashen, his hands trembling as they closed around my shoulders.

“There’s more,” I whispered. “What is it?” With my stomach tied up in knots, I didn’t know if I could stand to hear more, but I was determined to stay until I had the whole story.

“She has nowhere to go, baby.” Looking desperate, his fingers bit into my flesh. “I thought of what you told me about your mother and—”

He couldn’t have hurt me more if he’d slapped me. Pushing him back, I said, “Don’t you dare bring my mother into this!” I’d told him about my parents in a moment of weakness, never believing he’d use the information to break my heart. “I know what you’re going to say. She’s coming here, isn’t she? She’s going to be staying with you.” Maybe it was the desperation in his eyes or the silent pleading, but I knew her arrival would mark the beginning of the end of us.

“She has a daughter.” He swallowed. “She has two kids actually, but her husband took their son when he left.”

“Wait a minute,” I said, raising a hand to ward him off when he moved closer. “If he left, why doesn’t she have anywhere to go?”

“The bank is foreclosing on their home.” He shook his head, stepping back. “I guess that was part of the problem. Their marriage couldn’t withstand the financial pressure.”

“But that wasn’t the only reason her husband walked out on her, was it?” I narrowed my eyes when he refused to respond. “Of course it wasn’t. He walked out on her because of you.” It was all becoming crystal clear. “Are you sleeping with her?” I didn’t even know why I asked. Even if he denied it, I didn’t think I could believe him.

“No.” There was no trace of vehemence when he hung his head, covering his eyes with both hands. “I know you probably don’t believe me, but I swear to you I haven’t been with that woman in years.”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore. The only thing I know for sure is that I have to get out of here.” The last thing I wanted was to meet his former lover. “Now.”

He reached for my wrist. “I love you, Eleni. I meant every word I said last night. You have to believe that.”

“How can I believe anything you say? You’re Deacon’s brother, which means you’re a part of my life whether I like it or not, but I can’t be with a man I can’t trust.”

“You can trust me.”

He couldn’t even say it with conviction, which confirmed I was making the right decision to leave him before I lost myself.

“I would
never
cheat on you.” He wrapped his hands around my wrists as though that would somehow prevent me from leaving. “No matter what you think, there’s no other woman for me. You’re it.”

Part of me that wanted to pretend I could believe him, but no one had ever accused me of being gullible. I had an uncanny ability to cut through lies. I leaned in close enough to touch my former lover’s lips. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. You won’t shame me. Better men than you have tried.” My heart was breaking. I was crying on the inside, begging him to say something that would make me want to stay, but on the outside, I remained stoic. “Let go of me.”

He uncurled his hands from around my wrists slowly. “They won’t be here more than a few weeks—”

“They wouldn’t be here at all if you didn’t want them here. You’re Damon-freakin’-Starkis. Your father probably owns at least one hotel in the city. Even if he doesn’t, you could
buy
your ex a new house by noon if you wanted to. There’s only one reason she’s coming here: because you want to spend time with her.” I poked him in the chest. “So don’t insult my intelligence by trying to convince me otherwise.”

He covered his mouth with one hand, as though he feared what might come out if he didn’t. Knowing there was nothing more either of us could say, I got the last word in by tearing off his T-shirt and throwing it in his face as I sauntered down the hall naked.
Let the bastard get a good long look at what he’s throwing away.

***

Damon

I was still reeling from my argument with Eleni when I sat down to share a pizza with Dalia and Andra that night. I couldn’t believe she’d walked out like that. Yes, I could. I would have done the same thing had she told me her ex-boyfriend and his kid were moving in with her. What I couldn’t believe was that I’d been stupid enough to let her leave.

“I can’t believe how big this place is,” Dalia said, looking around the penthouse apartment, wide-eyed. “You could fit our house in here, plus, like, four of our neighbors’ houses.”

In spite of my bad mood, I smiled at her enthusiasm. She’d been gushing over every little detail of my home since she’d arrived. Her mother said she was obsessed with decorating, often making pretty things to embellish her room with and asking to rearrange her furniture.

“So, Dalia,” I said, leaning in to let her know she had my full attention, “your mom tells me you’re an interior designer in the making. Is that what you want to be when you grow up?”

She thought about it for half a second before tilting her head. “I don’t know for sure. I love to dance. Maybe I’ll be a dancer.” Her expression was solemn when she added, “I used to wanna be a vet ‘cause I love dogs, but cats kinda scare me.” She wrinkled her nose. “That’s ‘cause my friend’s cat scratched me once.” She extended her arm, turning it over so I could see her wrist. “See?” She pointed at a faint white line. “I just wanted to play with him, but Jenny said he was old and cranky and didn’t wanna play.”

I bit my lip, trying not to smile, as I studied her arm. “You might be right. Being an interior designer might be the safest bet.”

She looked at the crystal chandelier hanging overhead. “Did you have a designer help you with this place?”

“I did.”

She nodded. “That’s what I thought. Boys aren’t very good at decorating. At least that’s what my daddy says.”

Andra caught my eye from across the table. I was sure I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding that fact that it felt like a dagger in the chest every time I heard my daughter call another man daddy while she treated me like a polite stranger.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I said, trying to keep Dalia engaged in the conversation. “I’ve known some very talented interior designers who were men.” I smiled when she appeared to consider my input. “Tell me about your dancing. Jazz? Tap, ballet…?”

Her eyes lit with enthusiasm. “I love all kinds of dance, but I really love ballet.”

“So you take lessons?” From the research I’d done, I knew she did.

“Yeah.”

“My friend owns a dance studio,” Andra explained. “I help her out there, and she lets Dalia take lessons for free.”

“That’s nice.” I thought about my sister’s love of dance and imagined how she would feel about having a niece who shared her passion. I was still struck by how much Dalia looked like Tiana at that age.

I realized I was studying her too closely when Dalia wriggled in her seat and asked, “What?”

“Nothing.” I grinned as I tweaked her nose. “I just let my mind wander for a minute. Sorry, didn’t mean to stare.”

“I hope you’ll excuse me,” Andra said, pushing her chair back. “This is the night I usually call my mother, and she worries if she doesn’t hear from me.” She collected our plates and glasses. “I won’t be long.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I said when she stacked my plate on top of theirs.

She blushed. “Don’t be silly. It’s the least I can do. You were so kind, giving us a place to stay and all.”

Dalia waited until her mother had loaded the dishwasher and headed down the hall before she asked, “Were you my mommy’s boyfriend?”

I sputtered on the water I’d been drinking, forcing me to cover my mouth as I swallowed. I coughed before clearing my throat. “What makes you think that?”

She shrugged as though it were obvious. “Why else would you let us stay here when the bank kicked us out of our house?”

I hated that she had to go through this. It was enough that her parents were having trouble, but she had to deal with the fear of being homeless and living with a stranger too. “Your mom’s a friend.” I would rather have told her the whole truth, but I couldn’t. “We’re both from Saronida. Do you like spending time in the village?”

“It’s okay, I guess.” She tossed her napkin on the table. “There’s not a lot to do though.”

“Have you been back since your dedo passed away?” Since Andra’s parents was Greek-Macedonian, I knew Dalia called them Baba and Dedo.

“No.” She looked at the table, her expression reflecting her sadness. “My baba misses us a lot, but Mommy says it costs too much to fly.”

I hated to think of all the things Dalia had missed out on because I hadn’t been a part of her life. “Your daddy is a mechanic, right?” I realized a little too late that mentioning her father probably wasn’t the best way to raise her spirits.

“Yeah, but he lost his job a few months ago. He hasn’t been able to find work, so the bank kicked us out of our house.”

“I see.” There was so much I wanted to say, but I had to weigh my words carefully when dealing with a smart, perceptive kid like Dalia. “Do you like where you live?”

“It’s okay.” Looking thoughtful, she said, “I like my school, and I have lots of friends, but mommy says the neighborhood isn’t really safe.”

After my visit there, I had to concur. “I’m sure there are other, nicer neighborhoods in the same school district, right?”

“I don’t know. I guess. We’ve never lived anywhere else.”

As much as I would have loved to have Dalia closer to me, I couldn’t ask her to leave her friends and school behind. I’d already decided to call my residential real estate agent in the morning and have him find several houses that would be good options for Dalia and Andra, then they could choose the one they preferred. The private jet made it easy for me to travel back and forth to visit, providing Andra and I could work out an arrangement.

“It must be hard leaving the only home you’ve ever known, huh?” I thought of that pseudo-castle I’d grown up in. Most people would say it looked more like a museum than a house, but I still thought of it as home.

She blinked as though she was trying to fight back tears. “I had to leave all my stuff behind. The only thing I could bring in the suitcase was Petunia.”

I glanced at the worn pink pig she’d left on the couch. “Don’t worry about that. I called some movers, and they’re going to pack up all your stuff and put it in storage, so when we find you another house, you can have it all back.” I would have preferred to buy them a fully furnished house, or at least furnish their new house, but I didn’t want to push my luck. For all I knew, Nic would come to his senses and return to his family. I had no doubt he would hate that I’d been able to provide for his family in a way he never could.

“Do you love my mommy?”

I’d thought I’d dodged that bullet, but apparently my daughter was as tenacious as she was cute. “No, Dalia.” I smiled, thinking I’d love nothing more than to tell her
she
was the one who’d captured my heart. “Like I said, I’m just helping a friend. I’d do the same for any of my friends who’d fallen on hard times.” Of course, most of my friends were celebrities and trust fund babies, so the odds of their coffers running low were slim to none.

“You’re a nice man,” she said, eyeing me speculatively. “Mommy said you were, but I wasn’t too sure. You’re not friends with my daddy, are you?”

Obviously the tension in the room had been even thicker than I’d realized the day I’d visited Dalia’s home. “Um, no. I just met your dad through your mom.”

“Do you know why he left us?” A tear spilled down her cheek. “Did I do something to make him mad? I didn’t want to have a bath before bed last night. Maybe that’s why he—”

I pulled my chair closer and put my arm around her shoulders. “Sssh.” I kissed the top of her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetheart. Your mom and dad just have to work some things out. It has nothing to do with you.” Of course, it had everything to do with her, but I hoped she would never know that.

She sniffled before reaching for the paper napkin to dry her eyes. “I miss him. I wish he weren’t so far away.”

“I know, honey. But I’m sure you’ll see him again real soon.” I saw how much Dalia meant to Nic. Even if he did decide to divorce Andra, I couldn’t believe he would walk away from the child he’d helped raise. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I felt my heart swell with love for the angelic little girl. I brushed my lips over her silky curls.

“I hope you’re right, Damon.”

Damon

Andra had tucked Dalia in a couple of hours ago, and we were sitting on the sofa, the volume low on the TV while we surfed the net, she on her tablet, I on my laptop.

“Does your girlfriend know we’re staying here?” Andra asked.

I considered how to respond, knowing how she felt about Eleni. It was time to clear the air, to try to paint Eleni in a favorable light so my relationship with her wouldn’t hurt my chances of spending time with my daughter. Even though Eleni had walked out on me, I had no intention of letting her go without a fight. “You couldn’t be more wrong about Eleni, you know. Sure, she’s a lingerie model, and she likes to have a good time, but that doesn’t make her a bad person.”