Page 74 of Hunter

Maxim? My heart skips a beat. What the fuck is he doing here?

“Sophia. Where are you?” The panic in his voice has me jumping to my feet, knocking a few boxes over in the process. I hurry to the stairs.

“I’m stuck in the attic!” I scream, jiggling the doorknob. His footsteps grow closer then stop. I hear him pulling on the door, but it doesn’t budge.

“I’m going to kick down the door. If you’re near it, I suggest you move back.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. Smart move, Sophia. “Give me a second.” I walk up the stairs, ensuring I’m well out of the way. “Go,” I call out loudly, hoping he can hear me. Even though I’m far from the door, my body still flinches at the sound of his footsteps.

Maxim charges up the stairs two steps at a time. “Are you okay? How the hell did you get stuck in here?” His hands gently cup my face, his eyes scanning every inch of me, looking for any sign of injury. When he’s satisfied I’m unharmed, his gaze drifts past me to the room. “And why does it look like an episode of Hoarders in here?” I snort a laugh. He has no idea how true that is.

“What’s so funny?” He raises an eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“My dad was an actual hoarder. You have no idea how much junk I’ve had to go through.”

“Did you at least find what you were looking for?” My smile fades, replaced by a deep sigh. Shit. I forgot about the deed for the clinic. I was so wrapped up in the memories, I completely lost focus.

By the look on my face, Maxim can tell immediately. “By the look on your face, I can safely say you didn’t find it.”

I shake my head, huffing out a breath. “No, I didn’t.” I hesitate before finally deciding to tell him the truth. “I’ve been forcing myself not to ask, but my curiosity can’t take it anymore. What exactly are you looking for? Maybe I missed something. You know what they say—four eyes are better than two.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You really think I can help?”

I nod. “Maybe. Besides, I was planning on telling you eventually. Might as well get it over with.” I take a breath then finally say the words I’ve been holding back. “I’m looking for the deed to the clinic.”

Maxim’s face tightens, his brow furrowing slightly. He hesitates for a heartbeat. “Why?”

“To take it to the lawyers…and sell the practice.” There. It’s out now. The weight of the words feels strangely freeing. My shoulders slump, and I feel a mixture of relief and guilt.

He tilts his head, his expression confused. “You’re going to sell the practice? Your dad’s practice?” His voice is slow, almost as if he’s trying to process it.

I cross my arms over my chest, defensive. “Yes, that’s what I’m planning to do.”

Maxim raises his hands and palms outward, as if to calm me down, then steps closer, closing the space I created. “No need to get defensive, krasavitsa,” he says, his tone soft. “I didn’t mean anything by my question. You just caught me off guard.”

I uncross my arms, but I still feel tense. “Why are you going to sell the practice? You love that place.”

I shake my head. “You don’t understand,” I say, my voice shaky. I try to walk past him, but he extends his arm in front of me, blocking my path.

“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gentle but firm. “I keep asking the wrong questions. Please…tell me what’s going on inside that beautiful head of yours.” His eyes plead with me, and I can see the concern written all over his face.

With a heavy sigh, I lower myself to the stairs, sitting down with my back against the wall. He mirrors my movement, sitting beside me. “I never wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps,” I admit. “That’s why I left for New York. The clinic was his baby, not mine. But when he died…I felt responsible for it.” A tear slips down my cheek. “I kept thinking about keeping his memoryalive, trying to make him proud from beyond the grave, and eventually, all of my dreams got buried under the weight of it all.” I bury my face in my palms, a sob escaping before I can stop it. “No one’s to blame for how I’m feeling…except me.”

Maxim leans in, his body pressing against mine, and I feel an overwhelming sense of comfort just from being near him. The reassurance and strength he gives off by merely being close is almost too much to handle. I lean into his touch, resting my head on his shoulder, letting myself savor the rare moment of peace in this chaotic situation.

“Do you have any idea what you want to do after you sell?”

I shake my head slowly. “I’m not sure what my next step will be, but one thing I’m a hundred percent sure of is that the unknown doesn’t scare me anymore like it used to. On the contrary, I feel free when I think of all the options I have.”

Maxim pulls me closer with a soft, reassuring arm around my shoulders. I close my eyes, breathing in deeply, letting the comforting scent of whiskey and mint calm my racing thoughts.

“You know what I believe?” His voice is lighter than I’ve heard in a while, a warmth in it I haven’t felt from him for some time.

“What?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, enjoying the feel of his hand gently caressing my head.

“Whatever step you decide to take next, I’m positive your dad would be proud of you, no matter what.”

My chest tightens, swelling with emotion I hadn’t been ready for. I didn’t know how badly I needed to hear those words until now. It doesn’t erase the gnawing guilt that still lingers, but it makes space for something lighter, something like hope.

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