Cuffing The Law Book 2 in The Willowbrook Series

Chapter 11

Daisy

I glance over my shoulder to see who Sage is raising her eyebrows at, and see Logan and Deacon filling up the doorway. Trust me, Deacon could fill it up on his own with those broad shoulders of his. There is a look of thunder on his face, I frown whilst this jerk who has been trying to chat me up for the last fifteen minutes says something to me.

"What? No of course I don't want to go back to yours with you. Are you insane?" I say when my brain engages, for a moment it was lost in the sight of Deacon with his large biceps on display and those tatts that he has running up his left arm. I swear when that man is around I get some kind of brain fog. No wonder the single girls and moms in town all hanker after him.

I try to move from the guy, whose name is Saunder. That sounds like a surname to me but he swears it's his real name. I have been telling him that I'm not interested in having a drink bought for me and that I have no intention of dancing with him or going back to his, but he is persistent like a damn pest. His breath smells of liquor.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Before I know what's happened, I see Deacon grabbing Saunder by the scruff of the neck and pulling him away from me. Oh. My. God. Logan saunters over and places a hand on Deacon's shoulder.

"Hey, Man. Easy."

"Does the lady want your attention?" Deacon asks, his voice kind of mean.

"We were just talking is all." Saunder offers.

"Deacon, are you crazy?" I screech at him. "What the hell are you doing? Put him down." The poor guy's feet are only just touching the ground. I can see people turning round to look at us now, great now we have an audience.

"Daisy, are you talking with this man?" Deacon asks, still not letting go of Saunder's shirt.

"Er, no. Yes. I don't know. Not really." Shit, what am I supposed to say that Saunder was being a pest and a pain in the butt. Only, I know Deacon may slap him in cuffs and drag him to his office. Can you do that? No, right? That's not a thing, surely trying to chat someone up isn't a cuffable offence. Being Deacon though, he may decide it is with that stormy look on his face and his dark eyes that look right now like a storm rolling in.

"See, you heard the lady. She wasn't exactly not talking to me." Deacon lowers Saunder so at least his feet can touch the ground.

"I think the lady meant she didn't want you harrassing her anymore. So if I were you, I'd get your shit together, collect your hat if that's yours over there on the bar and get out."

"You can't make me, I haven't finished my drink yet." He retorts. Great, I groan and put my hand to my head. Why can't he just go and everyone get back to their drinking? Us girls haven't even had a chance to get on stage for our karaoke yet and we haven't discussed Sage and Logan's wedding yet either. This night isn't turning out quite how I thought it would. At least we managed to eat and fill our bellies. That's a good thing.

"Everything okay here, guys?" Abe is standing in front of Deacon and Saunder with his arms folded in front of his expansive chest.

"Yes, this here guy is just leaving."

"No, I'm going to finish my drink then I'm leaving."

God, I wish the ground would open up and swallow me, all this fuss over a guy talking to me. I don't whether to be pleased that Deacon is clearly jealous or damn right embarrassed for the display. Thankfully, folks are tired of the show and carry on minding their own business.

"I think it's best you leave." Abe tells Saunder who humpfs but does leave for the bar. He knocks his drink back, grabs his hat and leaves with his tail between his leg.

"And you," Abe says to Deacon. "No more man-handling my customer's. This is a quiet and safe drinking place. I don't need trouble in here. If there is any, I'll deal with it. You're not the law in my bar, Deacon." He turns on his heels and heads back towards the other side of the bar.

"What were you thinking?" I say to Deacon. "I'm a grown woman in my twenties, I can handle myself."

"Yeah, she can." Pipes up Lottie, my bestie always in my corner. I love her for it.

"He looked like he was being a pest to me, and wasn't taking no for an answer." Deacon pulls out a chair and sits down between Sage and Eliza who make room for him. Logan sits down on the other side of Sage, leans over and gives her a kiss on the lips. They're adorable those two. After a decade apart and now back together, it's like watching a couple of teenagers in love. If I weren't so mad at Deacon, my heart would be pooling for them but I am mad as hell at Deacon for embarrassing me.

"He was just hitting on me, Deacon for goodness sake."

"Yeah, well, he had no right."

"Who says?" Now I am fuming at him. Okay, so Saunder what a jerk and I didn't really like him hitting on me, but that was my situation to dissolve not Deacon's and his testosterone. Jeez.

"I say, and you best start listening when I say so."

"Or else?"

"Hey come on guys, break it off." Logan finally interrupts. Lottie is giggling to my side. Sadie and Eliza just look on as if they're watching some kind of comedy show.

"Ah, love birds, so sweet." Eliza says. I raise my eyebrows at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You two, like little love birds having a spat."

"We are not love birds, Eliza. Never will be. I'm going to the bar to get a drink. What's the round?" Deacon stands up. Wow, his tone was pretty direct. Fine, I don't care if he thinks like that, I don't want to be the other half of his love bird thing anyway. Stuff him.

"I'm leaving." I get up and grab my bag from the end of the chair.

"Why? We've not had our karaoke yet." Sage is clearly upset that I'm leaving already.

"I don't fancy it, Sage. Sorry, sis-to-be, but Deacon has annoyed me and if he's staying then I'm going."

"Girl, don't be so uppity, he was protecting you. If I had a man like that protecting me, I'd be throwing myself at his feet right now." Lottie says smirking.

"You are not helping." I tell her. She pulls me down so I am seated again.

"That's better. Now let's have some drinks, the boys can take us home. We're here to have some fun, sing, dance and talk about the wedding." Sage announces as she raises her glass, we all raise ours too and clink hers. Fine, I'll stay but I'm not talking to Deacon.

Over protective, my ass.