Page 99 of Maverick

But I sure as hell don’t need some intro self-defense class.

"Nan, why are we here? What's the point of this?" I mutter, trying to tug my arm out of her claw like fingers. The woman is small but strong as hell. Maybe I don't have to worry about her as much as I thought I did. She seems pretty damn healthy.

Becca materializes beside us, like she just stepped through a portal. "The point, Cadence, is self-defense. It's crucial you learn to take care of yourself."

Her lecturing tone kinda makes me want to punch her. There's a better chance of that happening if I stick around. "Alright, I'm game."

Janey, Maya, and Bree wave from across the room, already decked out in workout gear. Holly’s a little behind them insweats, nursing her son. I give all of them a half-hearted thumbs up as Nan drags me to change.

The class starts with basic stances. I mirror Becca's movements, feeling the familiar stretch in my muscles. We move on to blocks and strikes. My body remembers more than I expected, falling into the rhythms with ease.

"Good form, Cadence," Becca calls out. Her brow furrows slightly as she watches Nan execute a perfect palm strike.That's right Becca, she's a badass, and don't you forget it.She’s been training for more years than I’ve been alive. Mind you, a lot of it was grudging, but no way would grandpa let her walk around in the world without knowing how to protect herself. He always said we were his heart, out there walking around, so we better damn well know how to protect it.

We pair up for drills. I work with Maya, carefully pulling my punches. She grins, "You're a natural!"

If only she knew.

As we progress to more complex moves, I catch Becca's eyes on us more frequently. Her head tilts, curiosity etched on her face.

"Alright, let's try some grappling," Becca announces. "Cadence, you're with me."

My stomach flips. This could get interesting.

We circle each other on the mat. Becca lunges, aiming for a takedown. Without thinking, I sidestep, using her momentum to flip her onto her back. The room goes silent.

Becca blinks up at me, shock clear on her face. "Where did you learn that?"

I shrug, offering her a hand up. "Oh, you know. Here and there."

She doesn’t buy it, but moves on to knee strikes. The rest of the class passes in a blur of sweat and adrenaline. By the end,Becca's watching Nan and me like a hawk, her earlier confidence replaced by confusion and a spectacular set of crazy eyes.

As we file out of the dojo, a group of men catches my eye. The Brash brothers, including Maverick all rolling around on the mats. He hasn't spotted us yet, so I take full advantage, tracing every line of his body with my eyes. God, the muscles are on full display. They're even better coated in sweat than they are in the middle of the kitchen at midnight.

Though stroking might be a little inappropriate here. It's all look, no touch.

I was wrong, the kitchen is better.

Maverick's gaze locks onto mine, his smile soft and private. It sends tingles down my spine. Then he's flattened under another large body.

"That boy better keep his head in the game," Nan grunts, arms crossed. She's pretending she doesn't care, but I can see the little wince as Maverick gets tackled again. "Dammit boy, flip him," she yells.

He manages to wiggle out, and ends up getting his opponent - still no idea which brother it is- into an arm bar. They tap out, then sit up with a groan. It's Jonas.

Nan nudges me, waggling her eyebrows. "Cady, go out there and wrestle around with that man."

"Nan!" I choke out a laugh, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"My, my," she drawls. "If I were a few decades younger, I'd get down there and wrestle with you. Pretty sure I could kick your nicely rounded ass," she says, pointing at Colton.

The men burst into laughter, and I bury my face in my hands. "I am so sorry," I mutter. A decade or two ago, I'm sure Nan could have taken him, and god, what I wouldn't pay to see that. They wouldn't be laughing for long.

Maverick's arm slides around my waist, his chuckle rumbling through me. "No need to apologize. Your grandmother's a riot."

"So," Maverick murmurs in my ear. "Self-defense, huh? Learn anything useful?"

I grin up at him. "Oh, I think I could take you down if I wanted to."

His eyes darken, that special smile playing on his lips again. "Is that a challenge?"

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