A Deckerstar AU

Chapter 1

Sup guys, this is my first fanfic hope y'all enjoy
(MAJOR SMUTT warning throughout the series)

Chloe stared at the sleek conference table, her leg bouncing as she counted the tiny cracks in the glass.

She tried to focus on her breaths, tried to stay calm, but her pulse pounded too loud in her ears. The fingers of her right hand tapped anxiously on the table's surface. Judging by the way he was tensing and sighing next to her, she was irritating her attorney, but Chloe couldn't find it in herself to care.

She didn't know why she was surprised. Dan was always late. He was late to every dinner with her mother. He was late picking Trixie up from school. He was even late on their wedding day, leaving her wide eyed and anxious as she stood at the end of the aisle and saw nothing waiting for her.

She supposed it was only natural he'd be late to negotiate the end of their marriage as well.

Finally, a full twenty minutes after they were supposed to meet, the heavy door creaked open and he slumped inside.

The first thing she noticed was how tired he looked. There were dark circles under his eyes, purplish bruises mottling the skin. His hair was messy and his shirt wasn't ironed and she wondered when he last ate. Then she scowled at herself and smothered the flame of concern still flickering inside her. It wasn't her job to worry about him anymore. He'd seen to that.

Her gaze was then drawn to the man walking in behind him, closing the door with a click. She assumed he was Dan's representation, but whoever he was, his presence made her own attorney tense up, his eyes widening as he stood.

She stood too, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Sorry I'm late," Dan mumbled.

"Why break the habits of a lifetime?" burned on the tip of her tongue, but she clenched her jaw shut.

"Willy!" Dan's attorney greeted in a thick British accent, a charming smile lighting up his handsome face as he extended his hand, "it is good to see you again."

Chloe didn't know her attorney all too well, didn't know if he preferred to be called William or Mr Kinley, but she imagined Willy was at the bottom of the list. She watched a muscle in his jaw leap before he took the other man's hand and gave it a reluctant shake.

She didn't miss how he stammered slightly when he spoke. It took him two tries, the words lodging in his throat.

"Mr Morningstar, I-I didn't realise you were representing Mr Espinoza."

The man's smile was wolfish, lips pulling over gleaming white teeth.

"Yes, the Detective and I go way back," he said casually before he turned his dark eyes to Chloe, inquisitive and sharp.

She blinked past her angry haze, putting Dan's lateness to the back of her mind as she truly saw the man in-front of her. She swallowed, her throat suddenly very dry. He was beautiful. He was dressed in a tailored, undoubtedly expensive black suit, his red pocket square and silver ring flashes of colour as he held his hand out to her. He had dark hair and stubble to match, lining a jaw that was square and sharp. As she took it, encasing her hand in his, she held his gaze and could see the blackness of his eyes, the indifference in them-cool, unaffected steel.

They searched her frame, starting from her face and dragging all the way to her feet and back. He was shameless about it, completely unapologetic, and she fought the urge to shrink.

It felt almost like a test-a dare not to blush, not to shiver, to stand tall.

She thought she must have passed because something akin to interest flickered through his eyes before she cleared her throat and drew her hand back.