RIDE OR CRY
The silence after Derek left was deafening.
Maya stood in the middle of the bar, her arms wrapped around herself, her whole body trembling. She could still feel the echo of his presence, like a stain that wouldn't wash out. She could still hear his voice, still see his smile, still feel the cold dread that had settled in her stomach when she'd first seen him sitting in that corner. The air was still thick with the tension of the confrontation, and she could feel it pressing against her skin like a physical weight.
But he was gone now. He was gone, and she was still standing.
Knox was at her side in an instant, his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay? Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?"
"No." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I'm fine. I'm just... shaking."
"That's adrena
