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She had a point. Tanner looked over at Alec. He had the best mind for this sort of thing.
Alec looked thoughtful. “Perhaps. Or he might be arrogant enough to believe that no one can take him down, including his sister.”
Tanner straightened. “I will not allow her to go near him.”
Alec waved his hand in the air. “Of course not. She’s yours, therefore she’s under all of our protection. We don’t send our women into danger. I took the liberty of calling Devon and Peggy to let them know she wouldn’t be working for them anymore,” Alec told him.
“And I’ve informed Jake about everything,” Linc stated.
“Okay . . . okay,” Beau said, clapping his hands. “Can we talk about the elephant in the room?”
They all stared at him.
He pointed at Linc. “What the hell is he doing here? And talking to Jake? Since when do we involve the cops in family business?”
“Since this cop wants to feel up our baby sister, apparently,” Tanner said dryly.
Everyone in the room stilled.
Oh. Fuck.
He met Alec’s resigned look with one of surprise. “Uh, I take it you hadn’t told them yet?”
“You guessed correctly. I told them that there was a threat to your woman. That her brother was going to come for her. And that he’s an abusive asshole. That’s why she ran from you six months ago and why she came here now. But I haven’t had a chance to tell them the rest.”
“Then, surprise! We have a sister.” He held his arms up in the air.
Everyone started talking at once. Well, everyone except West and Alec.
“Everyone, quiet!” Alec ordered. He didn’t yell, but he didn’t need to.
Beau was up and pacing.
“A sister?” Jaret asked. “How?”
“Apparently, the old man wasn’t finished after me,” Tanner said. “Hey, there could be dozens more Malones and we wouldn’t know.”
“Shit. That’s a thought,” Clem said.
Not entirely pleasant one. Especially for Alec who was hugely protective of his family.
“Who?” West asked.
“Ryleigh, Lilac’s friend,” Alec explained. “Apparently, she grew up with her mother and our old man used to visit them regularly.”
“She seems to have had a different experience than us with him,” Tanner said. “He was semi-decent to her. At least up until he sold her.”
“He fucking what?” Beau snapped.
“Language,” West snarled.
Beau winced. “Sorry. But, come on, West. He sold our sister?”
“What the hell?” Alec asked in a low voice.
“Yeah, Ryleigh doesn’t know this, but he sold her to Stefan. That’s Lilac’s brother. The old man died of cancer not long after and Stefan moved her in with him. It wasn’t until Ryleigh saw what he’d done to Opal, his mistress, that her rose-colored glasses came off when it came to Stefan.”
“You’re sure she’s our sister?” Maddox asked, rubbing his hand up and down Scarlett’s back.
