Page 37 of Deacon

She tilted her head.

‘I had fun with you tonight, and I don’t want it to end. Milo Vlăcić, the tech billionaire, is throwing a huge bash in the hills. Private pool, best DJs from Ibiza. Come with me.’

‘No can do. I’m heading back home, to my kid and my bed,’ I said, shaking my head.

‘Party pooper.’

I shrugged.

Smiling in reply, she leaned forward, air-kissed both my cheeks, then turned on her heel.

‘Your loss, rockstar.’

Nashami waggled her brows suggestively.

‘You’ve got my number; get lonely, call me. I’m in Málaga for two weeks.’

She stepped away and lifted a hand.

Moments later, a limousine appeared and pulled up to the curb.

‘Always have a Rolls-Royce waiting for you?’ I drawled.

She simpered as she slipped into its rear seat.

‘What else will my money buy?’

The door closed, and the sleek car sped into the night.

With a quirk to my lips, I flagged down a local taxi and gave the driver the address to the villa in Mijas.

It’d been a pleasant night.

However, Nashami’s lure had not hooked me.

I leaned my head on the backrest, eyes on the view, as the moonlight danced across the sea, mulling over the fact as we drove up the winding coastal roads.

Half an hour later, I unlocked the front door of my holiday mansion at 1 a.m.

The silent house was calm and restful.

Heading upstairs, I checked on Raff, adjusted his sheet over his bare legs, and headed to my primary.

I undressed, showered, and, finally naked and clean, I settled into the crisp sheets, my mind clear, my heart at peace with my choices.

Chapter 8

DEACON

The following day, the relentless noon sun beat down on the asphalt as I pulled our rental SUV out of the villa driveway.

Raff kicked the back of the front seats.

He was singing along to a pop track blasting through the speakers while Christine double-checked our online tickets for a popular local aquarium on her phone.

‘You’re going to break my chair, kiddo,’ I called out, catching his grin in the rearview mirror.

‘Sorry, Dad, but can’t help it; we’re seeing actual sharks today,’ he uttered, his enthusiasm bouncing off the ceiling.