Chapter 9 · Court Hall

"Get her off him. Now."

The courthouse guard's hand locks around Maya's arm and hauls her back so hard her sneaker skids sideways on the marble. She yelps. Cade's hand shoots out — not touching Maya, just hovering, like he doesn't trust himself not to make it worse.

"Don't grab her like that," I snap, already moving. "She's five."

"She's five feet inside a thirty-foot restraining line, counselor." The guard doesn't loosen his grip. "That's the report I have to file."

Cade steps between us, voice low and flat. "I didn't call her over."

"You didn't send her back either." I get my hands on Maya's shoulders and pull her into me, checking her face, her wrist, anything that got hurt in the yank. She's crying now, more scared than sorry. "You just stood there."

"What was I supposed to do, Avery? Push my own kid?"

The word lands and three heads turn in the hallway. I feel my face go hot. "Not here."

Ms. Halloran, the custody evaluator, is waiting outside courtroom 4B with a legal pad already half full. She doesn't say hello. She says, "That's going in my report."

"It was an accident," I say.