Read Designing Woman (The Sloan Brothers Book 2) for Free Online Page B

he glanced at Ayla, he saw terror.  His hands clenched into fists and his jaw set.  No man had the right to cause a woman to react the way Ayla was reacting.
    He moved to her side and put his arm around her, drawing her close and offering her protection.
    “Ayla, you’re practically family now and we’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.  Once Pierce finds this out...”
    She looked up at Deacon with tears in her eyes.
    “You can’t tell Pierce.  He’s already not speaking to me, Deacon.  If he finds this out, he’ll never speak to me again.  Promise me you won’t tell anyone else about this.  Promise me.”
    Deacon knew how fond of Ayla Dorothy was.  He’d grown rather fond of her himself.  Pierce had come out of his shell when Ayla came into their lives.  He knew why Pierce had pulled away from her, but the explanation wasn’t his to give.  Pierce would have to man up and come clean in his own way.
    “Pierce isn’t angry with you.  In fact, it’s more the opposite, but that’s not for me to elaborate on.  You need to quit worrying about us and let us worry about you.  The more people that are aware of him, the more eyes we’ve got watching for him.  I think you should move in with Melody for awhile.  She’s got more than enough room.”
    “I can’t impose...”
    Chase was watching them and jumped in.
    “He’s right Ay’.  Tony will expect you to be near your brother.  He’s your only living family, where else would you be?  All it would take is one night of watching the bar and he’d know that the two of you lived above it.  After that, all he has to do is find the opportunity.  He’d never look for you in Manhattan.”
    “I won’t put Austin in harm’s way like that.  There’s safety in numbers Chase, you taught me that.  If he gets the jump on Austin, I’d never forgive myself.”
    Deacon took out his cell phone and hit a contact.  The noise in the background made it difficult to hear.
    “Melody?  It’s Deke.  Get somewhere a little quieter, I need to talk to you.”
    We’d been standing at the bar waiting for Austin to finish his conversation with the bartender on duty for the night.
    “Deke?  I’ll step outside.  Just a minute.”
    “Take someone with you Mel’.  Don’t go out alone.”
     
    So big brother Deacon thought I needed a bodyguard.  Interesting.  Whatever was going on back at the Penthouse was giving off bad vibes.  I grabbed Pierce who happened to be standing next to me.  He looked at my hand on his arm and then his eyes moved to mine.  I motioned to the phone and mouthed, “Deacon”.  He nodded in understanding and followed me out.
    Street sounds and the occasional laughter of Friday night city dwellers were all that could be heard once we stepped outside the bar.
    “Pierce and I are here Deacon.  What’s up?”
    “For the foreseeable future, we need to get Ayla and Austin out of their apartment above the bar. Can they stay with you?”
    “Of course they can, but you’d better talk to Austin about that.  He may not want to be that far from his business.”
    “I hadn’t considered that.”
    Deacon looked at Chase and then down at Ayla.
    “Is that where you are?  The bar?”
    I was nodding as if he could see me, and Pierce rolled his eyes before he took my phone right out of my hands.  The domineering pig.  Next he’ll expect me to call him Sir or something.
    “Deacon, It’s Pierce.  Mel’, Anton, Austin, and I are at Austin’s bar.  What’s going on?”
    “I was telling Mel’ that we need to house Ayla and Austin somewhere other than over the bar for awhile.  She’s agreed to let them stay at her place.”
    “Is there a problem?”
    There was a pause and he hoped his brother would realize he couldn’t talk.
    “Yes.”
    “Deacon say the words, ‘okay then’, if one of them is in danger.”
    “Okay then.”
    “Is it Ayla?”
    “It is, I know, and Ayla won’t stay at Mel’s without Austin.”
    I saw