Page 47 of I Am Lioness

“Where are you two off to?”

I peered over my shoulder to find Jason sitting in one of the plush arm chairs with a newspaper shielding his face. He set it down on his lap and removed the sunglasses perched on his nose, folding the legs inward and tucking them into the inner pocket of his blazer.

What a dipshit.

“Nice get up you got going on there. Real low key, bud.” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

He chuckled. “Perhaps I wasn't going for low key. So, where are you off to?”

Releasing Hazel’s hand, I pivoted to face him, lifting my chin. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“Considering this includes Miss Perry, it is every bit my business.” He laid the newspaper down on the table beside him. “So I’ll ask you again. Where are you off to?”

“Um, hello? You act like I’m not standing right here.” Hazel said, coming around me. “What part of it’s none of your business did you not understand the first time?”

Jason shot her an unamused look and promptly returned his attention to me, regarding me intently.

I crossed my arms and sighed deeply. “I’m taking Hazel out as she requested.”

“Ever the gentleman, are you? Your little act might have her convinced,” he sneered, standing to his feet and closing in the distance between us. “But I can see right through you. Just be aware, Mr. Carr, I’m watching your every single move.”

Was this dude for real?

Stepping into his personal space, I brought my face inches from his, holding his stare without falter. “Your observations are clearly miscalculated. The only one putting on an act hereis you.I don't want to get hostile but I will, if you keeping fucking with me and what's mine. Do not underestimate me, Mr. Fremont.”

“Enough,”Hazel exclaimed, wedging herself between us. She lifted a warning finger in Jason’s face. “You need to back off, seriously.”

His eyes didn’t drift away from mine as he gritted out, “I’m just looking out for you.”

Hazel scoffed and shoved him back ever so slightly. “Threatening my boyfriend is not looking out for me.”

“Stubborn as ever.” He said with a shake of his head, turning back to collect his props off the table.

Small fingers threaded themselves through mine. “I’m sorry, yet again.”

I dragged my gaze away from Jason’s retreating form into frustrated brown eyes. “Stop apologizing. He’s a dick. What he doesn’t realize is that his efforts to put me off won’t work, no matter how hard he tries.”

“You’re amazing.”

“No, I just refuse to let him or anyone else tear us apart.”

Brass House was a small jazz lounge in the downtown area of Austin. Classy yet laid back, it wasn’t the sparkling, vivid nightlife of Vegas but it wasn’t anywhere near empty or dull either.

One of the brass colored walls was lined with plush white couches while the other housed a massive fully stocked bar. The main focal point though was the crescent shaped stage at the very end of the room where a curvaceous blonde sat on a lone stool with a microphone clutched in her hands.

Her smooth, melodious voice passionately belted out Norah’sTurn Me On,luring Hazel’s chocolate brown eyes to peek up at me as the lyrics enveloped us. I offered her a crooked smirk to which she returned with one of her own.

Lifting onto her toes, she steadied herself with a hand at my shoulder. “Drinks?”

I nodded. “I’ll take care of them. Go save us a seat.”

“You got it, stud.” She cooed, pressing a kiss to my cheek and with a playful wink, peeled herself away from my side.

Her pert little ass looked incredible swaying side to side beneath the soft black fabric of her dress as she sashayed through the small crowd to the other side of the room.

I shook my head to clear the enticing images that flooded me at once and turned back to the bar, wondering how the hell I was going to keep myself in check when she looked likethat.

Time seemed to stand still as we sat tucked away in a corner at the very back of the room. Hazel was curled under my arm with her second gin spritzer in hand, watching a new performer capture the audience with a Frank Sinatra classic.

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