Page 17 of Just Desserts in Pelican Point
"Okay," I say quickly, hands raised. "Okay. Just... take what you want. I’ll give you the cash."
He steps around the counter fast, grabbing my arm. His grip is rough, fingers digging into my skin.
"No tricks. Open it. Now."
I nod, trying not to let the panic show on my face as I punch in the code on the register. My hands are shaking like a leaf. I fumble the drawer open, and he grabs a fistful of bills, eyes wild.
"That all of it?"
"Yes," I whisper. "Just please go. You don’t have to hurt anyone."
The door chimes again and I instantly fear for whatever customer is walking in. I raise my eyes and see Marcus.
His silhouette fills the doorway like something out of a movie—broad, controlled, and I’ve never been so happy to see a man in uniform… especially Marcus. His eyes narrow the second he sees what’s happening.
He doesn’t hesitate. "Let her go," Marcus says, voice low and lethal… his hand resting on the butt of his gun on his hip.
The man jerks me in front of him dragging us both behind the counter, knife flashing as he presses it to my throat.
"Stay back! I swear to God, I’ll cut her!"
My breath is shallow, heart hammering so loud I can barely hear anything else. I’m holding my head as far back as I can get it trying to stay away from the blade.
"Easy," Marcus says, holding his hands up trying to deescalate the situation. His eyes stay locked on mine, not the blade or the guy who’s got a death grip on me. "Julie, are you okay?"
I nod, barely.
"She’ll stay that way as long as you back off and let me get out of here," the man snarls.
“That’s not going to happen, and you know that.” His stance shifts, subtly, like he's calculating.
Then the back door creaks open and someone comes barreling in. “King!” It’s Delgado’s voice.
Thank God.
“In here.” Marcus replies.
The guy stiffens, his attention swinging toward the sound of the kitchen swing door opening, his knife twitching against my throat.
In that split second, Marcus makes his move. In the blink of an eye, he yanks me from the man’s grasp and shoves me behind him in one fluid motion. I stumble, fall against the counter, and hear the scrape of boots and the sound of a scuffle.
By the time I look up, Delgado has his gun drawn. Marcus has the man pinned, arm twisted behind his back, knife kicked across the floor.
"Stop resisting!” Marcus growls. The guy stops moving. "You done?" Marcus asks him.
The man nods defeated, breath ragged. Marcus holds him until Delgado steps in with cuffs, his expression all business.
"Already called it in," Delgado mutters. "Backup will be here in two."
I slide down the wall, legs giving out as the adrenaline crashes through me.
Marcus is there in an instant, crouching in front of me, hands on my shoulders.
"Hey. Hey. Look at me. You’re okay. He didn’t cut you, right?"
I shake my head, tears I didn’t realize were there spilling over. "No. No, he didn’t. I just... I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared."
"You did exactly what you were supposed to," he says firmly. "You stayed calm. You stayed smart."
