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who looked like he was trying to piece something together.
    “Ignore his feeble attempts at humor.  He adores me.  I can even make him do magic tricks on a whim.”
    Austin cocked his head.
    “Magic tricks?  What kinds of magic tricks?”
    I leaned in and whispered so that the distracted Mr. Sloan couldn’t hear.
    “I can make him disappear.  Wanna see?”
    Austin leaned down and touched my nose in amusement.
    “This I gotta see.”
    I winked at Austin and looked at Anton, clearing my throat.
    “Anton?”
    He looked up at the mention of his name.
    “Yeah Mel’?”
    “I was just telling Austin that we’re soulmates.  That about sums it up, wouldn’t you say?”
    Anton’s eyes darted around the room, canvassing for exits while he licked his lips and moved slowly back from the table.  I lowered my voice and started edging towards the end of the table.  I was having way too much fun with this.
    “Anton?”
    “Uhm...yeah?”
    “I love you baby.”
    “I have to take this call.  I’ll meet you guys at the car.”
    His phone never rang, but like a flash, he was gone.  I turned to Austin who was unable to confine the laughter.  He doubled over, pointing at the doorway.  He clumsily followed me to the end of the table toward Pierce and Dorothy.  Pierce was kissing Dorothy on the cheek and thanking her for a lovely meal and evening.  When I got close, he placed his hand on my shoulder.
    “Melody you really shouldn’t tease him like that.  He’ll be paranoid for a week now.”
    I shrugged.
    “Served his ass right.  He’s been avoiding my calls since the wedding, the jerk.  Now he has a reason to.  If I were you, I’d be coming up with a reason of my own, Teddy Bear.  Ayla’s been worried to death that she’s done or said something that offended you.”
    Austin stopped laughing and now his attention was riveted on Pierce.  Pierce straightened his cuffs and started to follow Dorothy out into the foyer.
    “Don’t be ridiculous.  Ayla is lovely.  She doesn’t have an offensive bone in her body.”
    “Then you’ve got some explaining to do Pierce.  I’d be lining that out if I were you.”
     
    He said nothing more and we all offered Dorothy hugs as we said our goodnights and left for the garage.  Ayla, Chase, and Deacon were nowhere to be seen.
     

Chapter Three
     
    “In your expert opinion, do I need to tighten security in the building where we work?”
    Deacon had stayed at Ayla’s insistence and listened to the entire story start to finish.  His thoughts were twisted into knots as he tried to unravel and make sense of it all.  Up until twenty minutes ago, he believed his only worry was helping his wife deliver a healthy baby.
    Chase was seated behind his desk, the thumb drive he carried in his pocket with Ayla’s file had been inserted into Deacon’s computer.  He was downloading it, with Ayla’s permission, so that Deacon could refer to it as needed.  Ayla had stayed silent after retelling the beginning of the story, allowing Chase to pick it up at the aftermath when his services became necessary.
    “If you can add security without it looking like a S.W.A.T. siege, then it might not be a bad idea.  I won’t tell you how to run your business Deacon, but you need to fully understand that this man is dangerous, he’s angry, and he’s focused.  His connections in New York are sketchy, but his connections in Boston are widely known.”
    Ayla shifted from foot to foot trying to prevent herself from pacing.  She knew he wouldn’t give up searching for her, he wasn’t the type.  She’d humiliated him and his entire family before she escaped on their wedding day.  The Marconi’s might let her go with a slap on the wrist while they tried to sweep it under the carpet, but Anthony would never take it lying down.  Anthony demanded obedience and she had blatantly disobeyed in the most visible way possible.  Now he was in New York.
    Deacon might have been concerned, but when