I was hearing Officer Michaels speaking. “You don’t touch her. Ever.” He breathed through clenched teeth. “Now listen, you scumbag. First off, her name is Jenny, not J, and not fucking babe. Not to you. Show the lady some much due respect. She is not interested in your problems, and she certainly has no interest in taking you back. I think you need to be clear on something in that tiny pea brain of yours. She is not at fault for what happened. You made the choice to cheat, not her. This was all on you.” His hand settled on his hip, pulling his jacket away from his waist. I saw John’s eyes look down before they snapped back to Connor’s face. John’s cheeks reddened, and he stepped back.
“We are a couple now, John, and I have no intention of letting her go. Unlike you, I’m not stupid. I look after the people I love—you understand me?”
John nodded, but he didn’t say a word.
“I suggest you apologize to my lady and leave. Don’t contact her, and don’t come near her. I’d hate to see your bad luck get worse.”
John took another step back, glancing between us. I had no idea what he had seen that made him so uncomfortable, but he looked downright ill. “Yeah, so I’m gonna go. Sorry to have bothered you. Um, have a good night and, ah, yeah. The whole Tami thing? My bad. Bye.”
He turned and hurried away.
Connor stood watching him before he turned around. “You okay, Wren?”
“What just happened?”
Connor shrugged. “I said my piece. I wasn’t going to listen to him degrade you in front of me.”
I shook my head. “I get that, Connor. Why did he look so frightened?”
He shrugged and grabbed the cart. “He doesn’t like dealing with someone his own size.”
I narrowed my eyes and pulled his jacket away. My mouth dropped open. “Connor!”
“What?”
“Don’t you what me. You know perfectly well. John saw your badge and your gun clip.”
“It’s empty, Jenny. My gun is at work, in my locker. I had left the clip on so I remembered to clean it tonight. It got some sticky donut stuff on it.” He grinned, no doubt hoping I would laugh with him.
“He didn’t know that. You only let him see you were wearing one. He thought you were threatening him.”
“I can’t help what he thought—or thought he saw. He was being an asshole and disrespecting you!”
“What if he makes trouble?”
“I have lots of witnesses that saw me lock my gun away. I always carry my badge. I forgot I was wearing my clip. There was no threat. I did nothing wrong.”
“You forgot? You did nothing wrong? At all? Nothing in that conversation sounded familiar to you?”
He had the grace to look slightly ashamed, but he shook his head. “No.”
“You always flash your badge at ex-boyfriends? As a warning?”
“No, I only do that for you.”
I huffed out a sigh and shook my head.
“We are not done with this, Officer Michaels.” I grabbed the cart and started to walk away. Connor followed me to the register, shifting uncomfortably behind me as we waited in line.
“He fucking ignored me, Jenny. He was trying to get you back, and I was standing right there!”
“So, he isn’t very observant. He’s always been an idiot, and I think it’s worse now. You didn’t have to scare him.”
“All I did was send him a subtle message,” he muttered.
I snorted. “Subtle? Dragging him out back and beating him with your nightstick would have been more subtle.”
He leaned forward, his lips ghosting my ear. “The only person I want to take out my ‘nightstick’ for is you, Jenny.”
“Stop it,” I said with a hiss. “I’m mad at you.”
“Damn it! I should have taken a swing at him. It would’ve served him right.”
“Why would you say that?” I gasped.
“Fucker just cost me some hot sexing with my girlfriend,” he grumbled, his soft lips pouting the way I liked. Every time he pouted like that, I wanted to kiss him—hard.
He looked at me, winked, and deliberately pouted, lowering his face in a silent invitation. I felt a smile tug on my lips, knowing I had spoken out loud again as well as loving the pleading, hopeful expression on his face. Leaning up, I kissed his pouty lips, unable to refuse him.
“Jaywalking, Connor? Your fellow officers have nothing better to do than watch for him to jaywalk?”
He chuckled. “He makes it too easy on them.” He pressed his lips to mine. “Don’t be angry. I