Page 36 of I Am Lioness

“Baggage claim for American.”

As soon as I heard the words, I saw him standing there, all 6 foot 4 of him with the phone to his ear, head craning high above everyone else in search of his bag.

I stopped in my tracks, breathless from the mere sight of him. My heart flipped and fluttered as I took him in from the distance. The man was hard to miss. He was a tower of steel—looking especially hot—with a black fitted cap sitting backwards on his head, a tight black tee that left his inked arms on display, and gray sweatpants that hung low on his narrowed hips. A pair of classic Chucks completed his comfy travel style, and I swear to God he was so disarmingly handsome that I may have drooled just a little bit.

Okay, maybe a lot.

“Turn around.” I said, starting toward him again slowly.

I watched him heft his bag off the conveyer belt and spin around in a flash.

Our eyes locked instantly, brown to blue, and a heart-stopping gorgeous smile spread across his face.

He ended the call and shoved the phone into his pocket, dropping his duffle bag to the floor as I approached.

“Come here,” he growled, throwing his arms open.

Without an ounce of hesitation, I buried my phone into the back pocket of my jeans and pounced onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

Those big, strong arms came around me squeezing me flush against him as I buried my face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his somewhat familiar scent as though it were the last breath I'd ever take.

“God, I missed you.” He rasped, threading one hand into my hair to pull me back.

Looking into those piercing blue pools, I felt myself flush under their intensity. “I think it’s quite possible I missed you more.”

“It’s irrelevant now, baby. I’m here.” He said, inching his face closer.

I smiled and cupped his cheeks in my hands. “Mmm, indeed you are.”

Our lips grazed gently, both of us taunting the other with their proximity.

My tongue flashed out, licking the seam playfully. “Are you gonna kiss me, or what?”

Knox grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Somehow I should have knownJason was going to ruin the moment. He’d done it once already, why not rain all over our damn parade again, right? Hazel’s lips had been on mine for all of five seconds before we heard someone clearing their throat behind us. I spun around with her small frame in my arms to find his prick ass standing there with that same smug expression on his face.

He took in the scene before him, his eyes lingering on Hazel’s ass far longer than I appreciated, and made quick work of reprimanding us like errant children for displaying ourselves so poorly in public.

Who the fuck did he think he was?

Hazel didn’t seem to appreciate his observation either because she looked ready to pummel him. Truth be told, I would not have stopped her if she did.

The short ride from the airport to the hospital was engulfed by a tense dead air, so thick and tense in fact I was certain it could be sliced with a knife. The closer we got, the more I felt wave after wave of unease radiating off Hazel. I was suddenly very aware of how worn down she appeared to be, how exhausted she was, both physically and emotionally. She was barely holding it together and I was becoming increasingly worried about how the next several days were going to pan out if Bernie’s condition didn't improve.

Reaching out, I wound an arm around her waist, urging her to slide closer. She melted into my side and buried her face in my chest, her fingers scrunching the front of my tee in a tight grip. Then her entire body shook, shuddering with a shaky breath I felt echo through my core.

Kissing the top of her head, I leaned back against the headrest and closed my eyes, rubbing her back in small, soothing circles. It killed me to see her like this. If it were possible for me to carry this hardship in her place and free her from despair, I would do so in a heartbeat. No questions asked.

Hazel lifted her head, her big brown eyes wet with unshed tears, lower lip quivering. I truly thought the floodgates were about to burst open and I wasn't certain I could handle that. Her current state of being was heartbreaking enough. I had no doubts her tears would only serve to wreck me. But she needed me and I needed to be strong, to carry her when she couldn’t walk on her own.

“I'm scared.” She admitted, her voice trembling.

I cupped her cheek, brushing my thumb back and forth along her soft skin. “I know but it's going to be okay. He made it through surgery, remember?”

Emmanuel slowed the SUV to a stop in front of the main entrance of the hospital and Jason was first to step out, promptly opening the back door and holding his hand out expectantly for Hazel. She scoffed and reached across my lap, pulling the latch to open my door to which I took the hint and stepped out onto the pavement with her closely on my tail. As we rounded the back of the Tahoe with her hand enveloped in mine, I heard Jason slam the door shut.

Stupid motherfucker.

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