Page 6 of Hunter

Luca smirks, the sarcasm creeping back. “Knowing her is a loose term. But yeah. We know each other.”

Andrei’s frustration is evident. “How?”

“That’s a story for another time, brother,” I cut in, impatient. The past doesn’t matter right now. I’ve wasted too much time, and I need to see her. I turn to Luca, my voice cold. “Let’s go.”

I just hope this isn’t some kind of trap.

TWO

MAXIM

On the way here, Luca filled me in. Sophia had to be sedated longer than planned after her surgery. He said she was in critical condition when he found her—shot twice, once in the abdomen and once in her left leg. The blood loss was severe, and he had to make a life-or-death decision. He couldn’t wait for me. Instead, he took her to the nearest hospital, lying his way into becoming responsible for her care. Once she was stabilized, the doctors he hired orchestrated a switch, pretending they were transferring her to a hospital closer to home. He left his wife to stay with her while they transported her back to Miami, and he waited to meet me. On top of the gunshot wounds, Sophia had knife cuts on her chest, scraped knees and palms, and lacerations on the bottoms of her feet from running barefoot. Luca claimed the doctors were amazed she survived.

But something about his story doesn’t sit right with me. It’s too neat, too rehearsed. He has an answer for everything, which only makes me more suspicious. That’s why I messaged my tech guy to pull footage from around where Luca said he rescued her from, around the hospital he said he took her first, and around here. Soon, I’ll know for sure if Luca’s being honest with me. Until then, I’ll play nice.

Looking up at the sky, I take a deep breath, trying to prepare myself for what awaits inside this mansion Luca is renting. I’ve faced countless dangerous situations without hesitation, but right now, fear has a chokehold on me. I’m terrified of what I’ll find when I step through those doors. I silently beg for whoever might be listening to help her, to give her the strength I know she’ll need. Her recovery is going to be brutal, and my gut tells me they did more to her than the injuries we can see. Men like that—scum at the very bottom of the food chain—don’t kidnap a woman like Sophia without taking everything they can.

She’ll be okay. She has to be.

She’s the strongest, most stubborn person I’ve ever met, but even so, what she has endured won’t be easy to overcome. I don’t know what’s next for us—if there’s even an “us” anymore—but I swear, I’ll be by her side every step of the way. I owe her that much. She’s in this mess because of me.

“Maxim, are you coming inside, or is being a statue your new job?”

Luca’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. I roll my eyes. Of course, he has to make a joke. Squaring my shoulders, I muster the strength to face what’s ahead. Without a word to him, I walk past and step inside.

The soles of my shoes squeak on the shiny marble floor as I make my way down a long corridor, following the sound of Andrei’s voice. The walls are lined with stunning artwork—whoever owns this place has impeccable taste—but I barely notice. My focus is on the voices ahead.

When I reach the living room, Andrei sits on a sleek black leather couch, deep in conversation with a young woman. She’s wearing a white sleeveless dress that falls below her knees, her dark hair swept up into a messy bun.

The way she carries herself—poised, unwavering, with an air of no-nonsense authority—tells me without a doubt this is Cecilia.

I cough lightly to announce myself. Both heads turn. Andrei gives me a small smile, but the brunette crosses her arms over her chest, her gaze raking up and down. A frown settles on her face.

“So you must be Maxim Volkov,” she says coolly, her tone laced with irritation. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Her annoyance is obvious, and the feeling is mutual. I wouldn’t be here ifSophia wasn’t fighting for her life somewhere in this house.

I step further into the living room. “You have an advantage. I know nothing about you,” I say through pursed lips, trying—but failing—to hide my annoyance.

She narrows her eyes, squares her shoulders, and opens her mouth to say something, but Luca quickly walks in and silences her with a look. Her narrowed gaze shifts to him.

“Cecilia, whatever you’re about to say, don’t. He’s already having a bad day. Let’s not rub lemon juice on his wounds.”

She looks up at him with soft, concerned eyes that don’t match her sharp tone, as though she doesn’t want to show strangers her emotions.. “Luca, who will I have the pleasure of killing today?”

“Your loyalty is both terrifying and endearing, sole mio.” He slips an arm around her waist, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Luca,” she says, her voice sharpening as her eyes scan him. “What the hell happened? You look like you tried to arm wrestle a baby—and lost.” I can see her fighting a laugh and trying not to look my way. God, they’re made for each other.

“Not a baby,” he replies, straight-faced. “More like a very upset chimpanzee.”

Her brows shot up, but her lips twitched. “A chimpanzee? Seriously? If you’re going to get your ass kicked, at least aim higher on the food chain. What’s next? A flamingo?”

“A flamingo’s legs are weapons, Cecilia. You don’t mess with those,” he deadpans.

They both laugh, and I roll my eyes so hard, I might’ve pulled a muscle. Their cutesy banter is grating enough without the squeak of my shoes on the floor adding insult to injury as I shuffle over to stand next to Andrei.

“Take me to Sophia.” I order, cutting through their banter. Luca glances at me, and I see a flicker of sadness in his eyes before he turns, gesturing for me to follow. I take a deep breath and follow him down a narrow hallway.

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