Amara stopped.
Then smiled.
Not pleasantly.
“Derek.”
“What?”
“You have your hand on the owner of the aircraft.”
He laughed hard enough that several people visibly winced.
“Sure.”
Amara continued.
“The owner of Sterling Aerospace.”
His smile remained.
“And the person whose procurement office signed Sentinel’s renewal contract last quarter.”
The smile weakened.
Not enough.
Collins looked toward the waiting jet.
Then back at her.
“Nice story.”
Amara withdrew her phone.
He did not stop her this time.
She unlocked it.
Collins watched.
“You going to call your lawyer?”
“No.”
“Your boyfriend?”
Amara's eyes narrowed.
Nina said sharply:
“Derek, that’s enough.”
Collins rounded on her.
“I told you to stay out of it.”
Nina stopped.
Amara noticed.
That mattered too.
She looked at Collins again.
“You just made your second serious mistake.”
He scoffed.
“The first was touching me.”
“And the second?”
“Thinking the employee who told you to stop is beneath you too.”
Collins shifted his grip.
Amara's voice went ice-cold.
“Remove your hand.”
He leaned closer.
“No.”
One of the suited men near the terminal pulled out a phone.
Collins saw.
“Put that away.”
The man did not.
Collins raised his free hand.
“I said—”
Static exploded from his shoulder radio.
Everyone stopped.
A voice followed.
“Collins.”
He looked down.
The radio crackled again.
“Collins, stand down immediately.”
His hand loosened slightly.
Amara did not move.
Collins pressed the radio button.
“Repeat?”
The voice returned.
“Stand down now. Release Ms. Sterling and step away from the aircraft.”
Nina's eyes widened.
The mechanic slowly straightened.
Collins stared at the radio.
“Ms. who?”
The reply came sharper.
“Amara Sterling.”
Silence.
Collins looked at Amara.
For the first time, he actually looked.
Not at the clothes.
Not the exposed midriff.
Not the handbag.
Her.
The radio continued:
“She owns the aircraft.”
Collins's face drained.
“Sterling Aerospace confirms executive departure authority.”
Another burst of static.
“And Sentinel command has been notified. Release her immediately.”
Amara looked down at his hand.
“Last chance.”
Collins released her as though burned.
He stepped backward.
No one spoke.
Amara rubbed her upper arm once.
Not because she was injured.
Because his hand had been there.
Collins opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Amara looked at him.
“You were very loud a minute ago.”
“Ms. Sterling—”
“No.”
He stopped.
She turned toward Nina.
“Are you okay?”
Nina looked stunned.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m fine.”