“Jen, sweetie, that’s notyou,you’re agood girl,noman sees you like that. You’re the girl that men marry, not the ones they dothose thingsto. You’re not a whore. Do you want to be like your mom?”
Deacon saw the impact that statement had on her. Itwas as if those words punched her in the stomach. He saw her deflate but crumble over a fucking lie because an insecure asshole was trying to justify him not being able to keep his dick in his pants.
That was it. Deacon had had enough.
He crossed to the parking lot in three steps and placed his hand on the blonde beauty’s back. The moment he made contact with her, even through her sweatshirt, his palm tingled with sensation as it rested on her lower back. “Jen, is everything okay here?”
Her eyes lifted to his. She looked shocked to see him, but she didn’t freeze up at his touch or step away. “Oh yeah, it’s…Yeah I’m?—”
“Who the fuck? That’s my wife get—” James started to step between them, which would be a mistake because if James touched Deacon or Jen, he’d find himself flat on the ground, but the asshole’s dismissive tone and arm both dropped when he saw Deacon’s face. “Holy shit. Jen, how do you know…?” His eyes whipped back to his wife’s, then to Deacon’s face. “Dea?—”
“Jen and I are old friends. We gowayback.” Deacon interrupted him. Not being a bartender was one thing. BeingDeacon St. Clairewas another thing entirely. “Did you still want that ride?”
Jen looked up at Deacon, confusion swimming in those fucking beautiful aqua blue eyes that were even more stunning in the setting sun.
“Um…”
“Look, I’ve been, um, I know this is not a good time for you…” James was fumbling over his words as he patted his pockets. “…and I’m so sorry for your loss, losses, but I’d love to sit down and talk with you about my firm and what we can do for you in this transitional time, if I can just…” James reached into his front pocket and pulled out his phone. “I can NameDrop you my info.”
“If I’m interested, I can get your information from Jen.” Deacon held out his arm, making it clear to her he was ready to leave.
He glanced down at her, hoping to telepathically convey that this was the last shot he’d be offering because he wasn’t about to spend one more second drawing the same breath as the piece of shit who was cheating on his fucking wife and then tried to do business on the day he buried his parents.Fuck him.
Jen either picked up on what Deacon was laying down, or she felt similarly that she could no longer share oxygen with the sorry excuse for the male species because she took his arm.
The moment her fingers wrapped around Deacon’s bicep, despite it being over white cotton, he felt the touch all the way down to the marrow in his bones.
Maybe that’s because you haven’t gotten laid in almost half a decade, Cillian’s voice filled his head.
It was a little over four years, but Cillian liked to round up to make it sound more dramatic. Kristen didn’t feel well during her pregnancy, so they hadn’t had sex, and then once Tabby was born, he’d been too invested in being a dad to date.
Deacon guided Jen to his SUV and hit the fob. Her brows lifted as he opened the door.
“Fancy,” she commented as she slid into the passenger seat of the Mercedes-Maybach SUV, but it wasn’t a good fancy, it was anoh-great-you’re-one-of-themfancy.
He grinned, shut the door, and when he got into the driver’s side and pulled away, he felt her turn towards him. “So you’rereallynot a bartender.”
“Because my car is fancy? It’s a rental.”
“James recognized you.” She said as if it were more evidence he had money. “I saw the look in his eye, you are one of his big fish, he only has a few.”
“Do you have a problem withfancy?”
They both knew they were using the word “fancy” for money.
Her phone buzzed as he pulled out of the parking lot, leaving her husband wearing a shocked and confused expression. Deacon was fairly certain it was her ex texting her.
She shrugged as she checked her phone, then set it on her lap. “It’s fine.”
“It’sfine?” Wow. He’d really never met anyone like her. “Care to elaborate?”
“Fancypeople think they can do anything. Get away with anything. There are no rules for them, or consequences, which doesn’t typically breed good people.”
As much as he’d love to say that wasn’t so, he couldn’t argue with her. There was a very unfair advantage for people who had money. That attracted most people he knew to want it. It seemed to have the opposite effect on Jen. It repelled her. He wasn’t sure that would bode well for him, but it made him respect the hell out of her.
Her phone started ringing, and she silenced it.
“My mom wasn’t a whore.”
