Page 130 of Maverick

Exhaling, I press my hand to his cheek. "Thank you for everything you've done for us." Kissing his cheek, I let my hand drop, and briefly rest my cheek against his shoulder. "I need a few hours to gather my things. Nan's going to stay with Connie for a few days, while I find us a place to live." I step away, praying that Nan's right. That I haven't just blown everything up.

I make it three steps before his arms wrap tightly around me, caging me in, my back against his chest. "You are not leaving."

"I'm not? What's your plan big man? You gonna stand here for the rest of your life, keeping me here?"

"Cadence," he groans. "Please baby, I love you. There's no reason for you to leave."

My chin drops to my chest, a wave of exhaustion, and sadness washing over me. "I think I just explained to you all the reasons why I should leave. And you still weren't listening." The sadness turns to anger, and my ears turn off. It's immature maybe, but I break out of his hold.

Or more accurately, I break out of his hold for a second, then he has me up against the door, body pressed against me knee to chest. The man is strong. And smart. It's harder to break out ofthis hold. Not impossible, but I would have to do some damage. "I'm pissed at you."

"I know. And I know you could break this hold baby. I know you could put me on the ground. But I just need you to listen to me. Please."

"Do you think there's anything you could say that would make any of this better?"

"My mom was killed in a shooting at the strip club she worked at when I was little. I was there. I watched it all."

42

MAVERICK

Cadence's body freezes, and she breathes out a "what?".

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the flood of memories I'm about to unleash. Cadence's body is rigid, her eyes wide with shock.

"The dressing room," I begin, my voice low and unsteady. "That's where my earliest memories are. I'd play under the makeup tables while Mom and the other girls got ready for their shifts." I step back, releasing her wrists, giving her the space to move away from me if she wants to. I fucking love being up against her, but the idea of holding her against her will makes my stomach churn.

"She'd give me paper and crayons. I'd draw or nap – typical little kid stuff. It wasn't ideal, but I was safe, and she could bring home a paycheck."

Cadence's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. I look into her eyes, seeing compassion there.

"The club was a dump in a rough part of town. Run by some real scumbags. But the manager had a soft spot for kids, especially me. He liked my mom a lot. I think she..." I swallow hard. "I think she did extra favors to keep me there."

Cadence makes a low sound, but she doesn't interrupt.

"One night, during Mom's set, I heard popping noises from the front. Like fireworks, but..." I shake my head, the sound ringing through my ears as clear as they were over thirty years ago. "Deep down, I knew. It was a sound I'd heard in the neighborhood before. Gunshots."

Cadence's breath catches. "Oh, Mav..."

"I snuck out front," I continue, my voice barely above a whisper. "There was a man yelling, waving a gun around. Other guys had weapons out too. They were in a big circle, the guns pointing in every direction. And there was Mom, frozen center stage."

I close my eyes, the scene playing out vividly in my mind. "It happened so fast. The shouting got louder, and then... the bullets started flying."

My voice breaks. Cadence steps into me, her arms wrapping around me.

"I saw it, Cady. I saw when the first bullet hit her. And the second. I watched her fall."

Cadence's hand cradles the back of my head as I bury my face in her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Maverick," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "I had no idea."

"I ran to her, as fast as I could. I sat with her, I held her hand. And I cried." My chest aches all over again. Cadence's cheek is pressed right against the spot on my chest that my mom got shot. "I don't know how she hung on as long as she did. But she made it to the hospital. There were so many people working on her, trying to save her. But it was too bad. She died in the emergency room."

I pull back, meeting her tear-filled gaze. "That's why I can't... I can't bear the thought of you in danger. Especially not in my club. I know it's different. I tried to make it different, safer, but..." Losing her in any way would do me in, but having hershot, in my club? I wouldn't survive that. The guilt would be too big.

Cadence cups my face in her hands. "I understand now," she says softly. "I understand." Taking my hand, she tugs me to the couch, and pulls me down next to her. I automatically hug her against my chest, and lay us down.

The weight of her feels good. Way better than Jonas's weighted blanket. He let me try it one time, and I understood why he liked it so much. It's comforting.

But it's nowhere near the comfort Cadence brings me, just laying against my chest, rubbing slow circles on my ribs.

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