Page 117 of Cadence
“You’ve punished yourself long enough,” he says, firmer now, like he’s giving me permission to move on. “There was nothing,nothing,you could have done to save my little girl.”
His face hardens into the powerful man the world knows him to be. The one who built an empire from nothing. But his eyes—Paige’s eyes—burn with the same intensity hers do when she’s furious.
“But from what I heard, youdidsave one of them. God help whoever laid hands on Paige if you hadn’t been there.”
I look down. The cold seeps into my boots and up through my thighs, even though the sun’s shining down on us. I hear him exhale, like the weight of that sentence finally caught up to him.
“She’s been staying with us,” he adds quietly. “Since you got home.”
My head snaps up as a shot of adrenaline races through me. I’ve been texting, calling, leaving messages that go unanswered since we got back.
Not seeing her is killing me. Not hearing her voice or her laugh. Not fighting until my blood boils, then lying together in a mess of limbs and teeth. Not being able to watch her as she becomes one with the drum kit has been like someone’s ripped away a huge part of me.
But not knowing if she’s okay? That’s been torture.
“How is she?” My voice comes out rough.
“She’s…quiet,” he says after a moment. “Withdrawn. Like she unplugged herself and doesn’t know how to switch back on.”
I nod, shame pooling in every cell. “That’s my fault.”
“You really are a martyr for my girls, aren’t you?” he says with a dry chuckle. “She’s not angry anymore, Maddox. She’s disappointed, hurt, confused. You didn’t just break her heart; you kept her in the dark while she started to care about you.”
“I know.”
He watches me for a long moment, then exhales through his nose.
“Life doesn’t stop for grief, does it?” he mutters, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Not even heartache slows it down.” Turning, he gives a dry, almost reluctant smile. “James Allen called, by the way. His guy saw one of your recent shows. Been keeping tabs on you since Reign Cooper posted about you joining his tour.” He gives me a pointed look. “He said you haven’t accepted yet.”
My stomach churns, not from doubt, not even from nerves. Because the truth is, the deal came through quicker than any of us expected, and on paper, it’s everything. Full tour support, album options, Thea staying on as our manager. The guys havealready looked over it, and even they can see how good it is. We’d be stupid to turn it down.
But still, the weight of the decision sits heavy in my gut.
Because if we say yes, we might still lose the one person who actually made it possible.
“No. Paige wouldn’t want it,” I say quietly. “Not if it’s coming from you, sir.”
Kit scoffs, shaking his head. “Kid, I run one of the biggest record labels on the planet. You think I’ve got the time to personally track every agent working under me? James is a friend, but I’m a father first. He gave me the heads-up, sure, but I didn’t know about the offer until it was already made.”
I nod, swallowing thickly. “Still. She’s made it clear she doesn’t want anything handed to her.”
“And you’ve spoken about this? Paige is definitely stubborn; I’ll give her that. She’s also incredibly proud, but she had to know there was a real chance a deal would’ve come from one of my people.”
“Honestly, sir, we didn’t exactly talk about that possibility. Everything’s been about the tour—preparing, traveling, performing. Hell, we haven’t had time to think beyond the next city.”
He hums quietly to himself before turning to Penny’s grave, presses his fingers to his lips, then touches them gently to the top of the stone.
“Take the deal, Maddox. I’ll talk to Paige.”
He starts walking back toward the path, pausing just before the edge.
“And for the record,” he says over his shoulder, “if you really love my daughter, show her. You’ve both been through too much to let the past keep you from the future.”
Then he’s gone, disappearing behind the trees, and I stay where I am, staring down at the headstone one last time. Maybethis is what grace looks like. Not quite a clean slate, but a way forward.
One I have to earn.
One Iwantto.
