Page 31 of Hunter

It may seem small to someone else, but to me, it’s everything—a step forward, a crack in the walls she built so high around herself.

I resist the primal urge to scoop her up and take her to our room, to lose myself in her completely, to drown every ounce of pain and heartbreak in the pleasure of being with her.

But I won’t do that. Not yet.

I’ll wait.

I rest my forehead against hers for a few moments, grounding myself, trying to hold back the storm inside me. That kiss was progress. Take it slow, Maxim. Everything will be okay. We will be okay.

When I finally pull back, I grab her hand, lacing my fingers with hers.

“I parked the car already.” Her lips curl into a faint smile. “And the bags are already on their way to the room.”

My brows knit together. “What?” Sophia’s words seem casual, but they snag in my mind like a thorn.

“Some guy came up and asked for our last name,” she says, glancing at me as if it’s no big deal. “When I told him yours, he offered to take our bags and said they’d be waiting for us in the room.”

My jaw tightens, my grip on her hand instinctively firming. I made sure no one knew where we were going. No one. I don’t respond right away, forcing myself to nod as if I’m unaffected.

“What did he look like?” I ask, keeping my tone as even as I can manage.

She shrugs, her expression easy. “Dark hair, about mid-thirties. He was wearing a uniform, so I assumed he worked here.”

Assumed. The word grates against my nerves. I glance around the lobby, my eyes sweeping over the couple of staff members. Everyone looks normal—too normal.

My pulse is a drumbeat in my ears, my hand tightening slightly around hers. Staff or not, how do I know he’s not watching us right now? That he’s not the one behind everything—waiting for the right moment to strike again?

“Maxim?” Sophia’s voice pulls me back, her brows knitting together as she looks up at me. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” I mutter, though it’s far from the truth. I scan the lobby discreetly, my eyes darting to every face, every corner, every shadow.

She squeezes my hand, pulling me slightly forward. “Come on, let’s just go to the room.”

I pull out my phone, my thumb flying over the screen as I fire off a message to my IT guy.

Check the hotel’s security footage. Find the guy who approached Sophia about the bags. I want his name and a full background check ASAP.

The moment I hit send, a familiar tension coils in my chest. I need answers—now. Waiting for information has never been my strong suit, and in situations like this, patience feels like a liability.

I glance at Sophia, who’s walking beside me, her expression calm but not entirely at ease. She’s trying to be brave, but I knowher well enough to see the edges of her worry. It’s yet another reminder I can’t afford to let anything slip through the cracks.

A wooden bridge stretches out before us, surrounded by dazzling, crystal-blue water that seems to sparkle under the sunlight. Sophia stops abruptly, her hand slipping from mine as her eyes widen with awe.

I watch her, captivated by the way her face lights up. She takes a few steps forward, her focus entirely on the scene before her—the way the bridge is flanked by charming bungalows perched over the water, the sound of gentle waves lapping at the wooden posts. I tug her back gently, pressing her body against mine, my free hand resting on her lower back.

“My love,” I murmur, leaning down to brush my lips against her ear. “This may not be the real deal, but…” I tilt her chin up with my fingers, my thumb grazing her jawline as I plant a soft kiss on her lips. “I plan to make this trip so magical and perfect, it’ll keep you satisfied until I can make that dream of yours a reality.”

She pulls back slightly, her face aglow with a radiant smile that steals my breath.

“It doesn’t matter where we are, Maxim,” she says, her voice filled with warmth. “As long as you’re there, it will always be magical and perfect.”

Her words hit me like a blow to the chest. The back of my eyes sting with unshed tears, but I refuse to let them fall.

I’ve spent so many years being greedy with my heart, convinced I didn’t deserve love, convinced it was safer to shut myself off than risk being hurt.

But standing here, holding her, hearing those words from this beautiful, resilient woman—despite everything we’ve been through—makes me realize something profound.

My heart always knew what it wanted.

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