Page 57 of Sour Notes

13

SWAYZE

Beeeeeeeeep.

Turning sharply, my eyes lock with Mia’s wide-eyed gaze.

Oh hell. Here we go.

The sound? That’s her setting off the body scanner.

Before I can say anything, a TSA agent draws her attention away, beckoning her over to be searched.

A very male TSA agent.

Nope.

Hell no.

Pretty sure that’s against TSA policy, and if not, it’s about to be because there's absolutely no way that guy's putting his hands on my girl.

Fake girl. Whatever.

My carry-on forgotten, I make sure my police badge is in my pocket—for all the good it’ll do me here—and stride toward them.

What are you gonna do, you idiot? You can’t arrest him for doing his job.

Gritting my teeth, I roll my shoulders in a useless attempt to loosen the tension bracketing them.

As if I wasn’t already on a knife’s edge.

I haven’t eaten all day, our cab showed up late, and let's not forget the tiny issue of faking a relationship with the one girl I have very real feelings for—for the next two weeks.

The last thing I need is some dickweed groping her in the name of airport security. That’ll be the cherry on top of a shit sundae I didn’t fucking order.

She’s hardly smuggling contraband in her tight tank top, which he’s currently ogling like a starving man looks at a cheeseburger.

He can fuck right off. Those buns are mine.

“You okay, Angel?” I draw up alongside them, cocking a brow. His head snaps toward me, raising a hand in my direction.

“Sir, you need to stay right there. This doesn’t concern you, it’s a security matter.” He takes a step toward me and draws himself up—a good six inches shorter—puffing out his chest.

A for effort, but he looks about as threatening as a penguin.

“She’s mine. So yeah, whatever concerns her, concerns me.” I glare down at him, catching him gulp as my muscles flex and expand when I slide my hands into my back pockets.

Yeah, take a good look. Lay a finger on my girl, and I’ll snap every single bone in your body without even breaking a sweat, wise guy.

“Sorry, ma’am, we need to do a quick search, but our female officer got called away. If you’re comfortable I can do it, or you’ll have to wait here for her to come back. I can’t let you proceed without it.”

“We’ll wait,” I grind out before Mia can answer, crossing my arms and spearing him with my best police stare. She shoots me an amused look, but luckily, the female agent rounds the corner and hurriedly searches her.

As my girl approaches me, I catch the little fucker still watching her, and annoyance rips through me.

I’ll give him a security matter in a second.

“You didn’t have to go all caveman on him, Patrol Puppy. My piercings set those off all the time, it’s not my first rodeo.”