Page 99 of Sour Notes

Mia notices my glare, smiles sheepishly, finally untangles herself from the douche, and walks across the black—like my mood—sand, to clasp my hand at my side.

Nope. I don’t fucking think so, Angel.

I tug her right in front of me and wrap my entire body around hers, resting my chin on her head. I couldn’t get physically closer to her if I tried, unless I whipped my dick out and buried it inside her right here and now, which isn’t the worst idea, but that’d probably be frowned upon… maybe.

But then, at least, there’d be no doubt in anyone’s mind that she’s mine.

The guy who just had his hands all over my girl steps forward and I glare at him in a silent warning to back the hell off.

Totally unbothered, he smirks, offering me his hand.

“Swayze, I assume? Nick’s told me all about you. I’m their cousin, Mario.”

Cousin.

He’s her fucking cousin.

Fuck me.

I’ve definitely lost my mind.

Entirely batshit.

The idea that he could be one of their million relatives didn’t even remotely occur to me—so out of my mind with need for this girl.

It takes me a minute to recover from the mental whiplash. I was so ready to slay this motherfucker, it’s a hard shift moving him back into the safe zone.

Biting back a snarl, I reluctantly lift a hand from around Mia’s waist to shake his, gripping it a little too tight, just because.

Nick claps his hands again, drawing all eyes back to him. “Well now, since we’re all here, how about a little truth or dare?”

Oh, fuck me.

23

MIA

Truth or dare? I love a dare as much as the next girl, and this game is our whole-ass jam, but I’m not sure it’s wise right now.

Even in my buzzed state, I detected the Richter scale tremors coming off Swayze while he watched me with Mario.

I thought for sure he’d recognize the family resemblance. We’ve always been told we’d pass for brother and sister because Mario looks a lot like Nick, and failing that, you’d think my idiot brother might’ve clued him in, but apparently not.

He was jealous.

I shouldn’t like that, but I kinda do.

Is he just playing the part of how he thinks a boyfriend should act?

I mean, he might be.

My heart sinks at the thought, but we’re not about to examine that. I shouldn’t want him to be jealous because this isn’t real.

We aren’t catching feelings.

But I’ve never had a partner care enough about me to act that way.

To want me and me alone.