Tiana (Starkis Family #3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

been so different since I returned from Greece last year.”
    Deacon rolled his eyes. “That’s so typical of him. He’s been after you to get involved in the company for years, to settle down and stop being so irresponsible. Now that you finally have, he questions your motives. You just can’t win with that guy, Damon. Don’t even bother trying.”
    “I told him about the therapy.” Deacon was one of the few people who knew I’d sought out the help of a professional. I’d only told him because I’d suggested he seek help when he and Mia were having problems. “Needless to say, he wasn’t too happy about the idea of me spilling all of our deep, dark family secrets to some stranger.”
    “Who cares what he thinks?” Deacon demanded, his hand curling into a fist. “He’s half the reason we’re so messed up.”
    I couldn’t deny my brother’s claim, but I had to walk a tightrope that he didn’t. “I know, but I have to work for him. You don’t.”
    “I still don’t know why you decided to get involved in the family business. You graduated at the top of your class at Yale in spite of the fact you rarely cracked a book. You’re brilliant, man. You don’t have to do his bidding. You have the business acumen, intelligence, and resources to do anything you want. The only thing you’ve been lacking is drive and passion.”
    That was typical of Deacon. His compliments were always a double-edged sword, but I knew he was right. “You know me—the path of least resistance is always the chosen one for me.” I was trying to make a joke of it. Years ago, it may have seemed funny, but now it stung to admit I’d been lazy and unmotivated for most of my life. I didn’t want those characteristics to define me anymore.
    “You say that, but you’ve been working your ass off since you started at Starkis Inc. If you applied that same work ethic to any start-up, you could grow it into something incredible. That’s where the challenge lies.” Deacon fell silent, obviously considering something. “You should talk to Blake. He and a group of investors do the venture capital thing, investing in small- to medium-sized businesses, funding their expansion. I think you’d be perfect for that.”
    As intriguing as the idea sounded, I had enough on my plate at the moment. “I’ll think about it. Listen, I just wanted to give you a heads up about my talk with the old man. He’ll probably talk to you about it, and I wanted to ask you to have my back when he does.”
    “Always. You know that.”
    We shared a smile. Our relationship hadn’t always been so effortless. Deacon had resented me for years because I’d refused to take things seriously and left him with the burden of being the “good son.” But since I’d returned and he’d seen the strides I was making, we’d become closer than ever.
    “Thanks. Well, I’ll see you later. Give Mia a kiss for me.” I was almost out the door when Deacon stopped me.
    “Hold up a minute. What about this thing with El? Where do you see that going?”
    If only I could have answered honestly without giving myself away. “I don’t know. Why?”
    “Because she’s my fiancée’s best friend, my employee, and I care about her. She’s like family, and I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
    “Point taken.” I had one hand wrapped around the doorknob, but I knew there was no way he would let this go until he’d said his piece.
    “Why are you in such a hurry to get out of here?”
    “Because Eleni’s waiting for me downstairs,” I said, not even trying to conceal my annoyance at his probing. “Can we talk about this later?” That day would never come. I had no intention of talking to my brother about my relationship with Eleni, assuming there was anything worth talking about after today.
    “No, we can talk about it now,” Deacon said firmly. “Look at me, Damon.”
    I gave him a steely look that would have made most adversaries wither, but this was my brother, my