Page 122 of Maverick

Then a small body is darting through the room, coming straight for me. Ransom lets me go as Trixie careens into my arms. I pull back to scan her, my heart in my throat. No visible injuries. Thank God. Relief floods through me, but it's short-lived.

"Cadence," I choke out. "Where's Cadence?"

Trixie's eyes go wide. "Oh my God, Mav. You wouldn't believe it. I never knew—it was incredible. Cadence, she?—"

"Trixie," I cut her off, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Is she hurt?"

"Oh God. Mav, no, no," Trixie shakes her head, words tumbling out. "She's okay. She helped disarm one of the gunmen. And Dean, he got the other one. It happened so fast. Cadence was right there and the guys only got off a shot or two."

My mind reels. Cadence disarmed a gunman? I can't process it. All I know is I need to see her, now.

"Where is she?" I demand, scanning the room frantically.

Trixie looks around, tucking herself under Ransom's arm. "She was right... There! There she is."

I follow her gaze and spot Cadence across the room, talking to a cop. My feet move before my brain catches up. I'm bolting towards her, dodging people and debris. Nothing else matters.

In seconds, I'm there. I don't slow down, just sweep her into my arms, crushing her against my chest. She's here. She's safe. I bury my face in her hair, breathing her in.

"Mav," she whispers, her arms wrapping around me.

I pull back just enough to look at her, my hands cupping her face. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

She shakes her head, her wide eyes locked on mine. "I'm fine. I promise."

I press my forehead to hers, relief washing over me in waves. "God, Cadence. When I heard... I thought..."

"I know," she says softly. "I'm okay. We're okay."

I pull back from Cadence, my hands trembling as they roam over her body. My eyes scan every inch of her, searching for any sign of injury. She said she's fine. She looks fine. But I need to check. I need to feel.

The red and blue flashing lights cast an eerie glow on her skin, making shadows dance across her face.

"I'm okay, Mav. Really," she insists softly, her voice steady despite the chaos around us. Her hands come up to cup my cheeks. Her touch grounds me, just for a moment, then the fear roars back.

The acrid smell of gunpowder still hangs in the air, mixing with the familiar scents of alcohol and perfume. Broken glass crunches under our feet as I shift my weight, pulling her closer again. Her hair glitters under the light, and that's when I realize her hair is sprinkled with glass. I carefully pick it out, switching hands when my fingers get bloody.

"What happened?" I demand, my voice hoarse. "Trixie said you disarmed him? Why would you do that? Why would you put yourself in danger like that? You should have just let them take whatever they wanted. Nothing in here is worth your life."

Cadence's eyes meet mine, unwavering. "I didn't put myself in danger. I wouldn't do that. It happened so fast. I was serving them - they'd been here a while, and I didn't really think anything of it. They were just regular customers. Then suddenly, one left the table, and the other pulled a gun right next to me."

My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out the murmur of voices around us. I can barely breathe, imagining how close she came to...

"When he swung it toward me, I reacted. I didn't have time to think. I didn't plan it. But it all turned out okay."

Logic abandons me. All I can see are the what-ifs, the horrifying possibilities. My words come out in a frantic rush. "You shouldn't be working here. You could have been killed. It's not safe. I can't... I can't let you..."

"Mav, I'm fine," Cadence argues, her brow furrowing. "It was scary, but it was a fluke. This place is safe. You know that. You hired great security."

The fear morphs into anger, hot and irrational. "Obviously not good enough! You can't come back here," I growl.

Her eyes flash, and she tilts her chin, but her voice is still low, and calm, like she's talking to one of her scared dogs. "It's my job. Of course, I'll be back."

She's not fazed, at all, while I can't seem to catch my breath.

I can't do it. I can't have her in here. There's no way I'll be able to function through the worry. My chest tightens even further, panic clawing at my throat. The words tumble out before I can stop them. "I love you too much to let you keep working here. You're fired."

The shock on Cadence's face hits me like a physical blow, but I can't take it back. Can't risk her safety. I turn away, my feet carrying me towards the waiting police officers, leaving her standing there, stunned into silence.