Page 17 of Hunter

“Is that what you want?” I manage the words like stones in my throat. I’m terrified she’ll say yes, because I don’t know how to let her go again.

“Yes,” she whispers. My heart shatters. I should’ve known this was coming.

“The moment I step out of those doors, I’m no longer your problem. You need to leave me alone and let me live my life. I was not joking when I said we were over.”

The finality, in her words, is a punch to the gut. I drop to my knees in front of her, desperate, pleading. “Don’t do this.”

She looks down at me for a moment then looks away, the tears slipping down her face. “I will always love you, Maxim. But you’re no good for me.”

The air leaves my lungs. “No, please. You can’t end this,” I whisper, grabbing her hands, but she jerks them away, the spacebetween us growing. “I can protect you better. Please don’t do this. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

She wipes her eyes and stares at me, disbelief in her voice. “Protect me?” she says. “Because you’ve done such an amazing job protecting me so far?”

The words hit me harder than anything. She’s right. I’ve failed her. And I’ve lost the right to ask her to stay. How do I go on without her? How can I live in a world where she isn’t beside me?

“I’m leaving now, Maxim.” The sound of her footsteps fades, each one a hammer to my chest. “I will always love you, Maxim. But I love myself more.”

Her words echo in the silence, and I sit there, frozen, unable to move or speak. The room feels too small, my body too heavy. It’s like the world is closing in on me, suffocating me. She’s gone.

No. She’s coming back.

Any minute now, she’ll realize she’s wrong, that she can’t walk away from me. She’s taking her time, making me suffer. She will come back—she has to.

But then, reality hits, cold and hard, like a truck slamming into me. She’s not coming back. I fucked up. I ruined the one thing that mattered. I destroyed us before we could even have a chance. Tears spill down my face as I collapse, my sobs shaking my whole body. Time passes in a blur, my mind racing with thoughts I can’t escape. The door opens, and I look up, expecting to see my brother. Instead, Luca’s face greets me, his expression a mixture of concern and pity.

“Is she gone?” I ask, my voice unrecognizable.

“Yes,” he replies. “I made sure she got home safely.”

I nod, the words sinking into me like stones. She’s gone. She wanted space, and now she has it, far away from me. The torment in my mind doesn’t stop. It plays on a loop, each thought a dagger twisting deeper. I’m drowning in it. Suddenly,Luca grabs me and lifts me to my feet, his fist connecting with my face. Blood fills my mouth, but it’s a release. The pain pulls me out of my mind, stopping the endless cycle of thoughts. I don’t know if I should be angry or grateful.

“Pathetic,” Luca spits, his disgust obvious. “You’re giving up without even trying.”

I snap. Anger surges through me, a reaction to his words. “What the fuck do you want me to do? I’m respecting her wishes. She doesn’t want me.”

“Stop being a fucking beaten dog and fight for her.” Luca shoves me, his face hard.

I shove him back harder, forcing him to stumble. “How the hell am I supposed to fight for her when she doesn’t want me around?”

Luca rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “This is stupid. We’re not going to get anywhere by beating each other up.”

“Why do you even care?” I growl.

“I’ve seen the way she looks at you,” Luca says, his voice softening slightly. “The love she feels for you doesn’t disappear that easily. All she needs is time to heal. Right now, you’re a reminder of everything that went wrong. Give her space, but don’t give up on her. Don’t leave her side, even if she’s asking for it.”

I stare at him, stunned. “When did you become such an old, wise owl?”

He smirks. “I’ve had my fair share of fuck-ups with Cecilia. Things were hell in the beginning. But trust me, if you love her, don’t let go.”

I look at Luca, this strange new ally, and I can’t help but wonder how life twisted us into this unexpected alliance. We’re not friends, but right now, we’re on the same side.

“Who took Sophia home?” I ask, my voice low as we head out of the room. The silence between Luca and me weighs heavily, but I can’t shake the feeling that I need answers.

“I did.” Luca’s words catch me off guard. I stop in my tracks and stare at him, trying to make sense of what he just said.

How the hell did he manage that? Sophia can’t stand the sight of him. How did he convince her to get in a car alone with him?

“I spoke to her last night,” Luca explains, his hands shoved deep in his pockets, as though reading my mind. “I wanted to check on you both before bed, but you were already asleep. When I turned to leave, I heard something in her room. I thought she was asleep, but when I peeked in, she was awake.” He chuckles, but I can see the edge of discomfort in his eyes.

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