Page 78 of Hunter

I let out a sharp breath, finally giving in. “When I saw you, lying in that bed, covered in bruises with machines attached to you…I snapped.” The words feel too heavy, like they’ve been waiting in the wings, ready to suffocate me. “The rage I felt… It took over. I couldn’t think straight. I needed to do something. Anything.”

Sophia stares at me, wide-eyed, her breath caught in her throat. “What did you do?” she asks, her voice tight, like she’s bracing herself for something she might not want to hear.

Before I can answer, Luca beats me to it. “He played a scavenger hunt with Donny Antonelli’s body parts.” His tone is disturbingly nonchalant. A part of me wants to strangle him for his casual delivery, but the other part—well, the other part is scared shitless of what’s coming next.

Sophia’s face pales, and she shakes her head, trying to process what he just said. “He what?” Her voice cracks on the words, high-pitched, and it breaks my heart to see her so affected, even though it’s nothing compared to what I’m feeling.

I open my mouth to stop Luca, to stop this entire conversation, but he just barrels through. “He cut up Donny’s body, put the pieces in gift boxes, and left clues for his father to find. My favorite part was shoving the last piece of Donny into Marcos’ wide mouth.” The words come out like they’re nothing. He’s acting like we’re talking about the weather, not the grotesque shit I did.

Sophia turns to me, her eyes wide with disbelief, her voice oddly steady. “Wait, wait. Hold on. You’re telling me you actually cut up Donny’s body and put the parts in gift boxes?” Her tone is calm, almost too calm, and I can’t figure out if I should be relieved or worried. Is she awe-struck? Or is she just trying to process it without losing her shit?

“He even went as far as to put a bow on the box with the head in it,” Luca adds, as if this whole thing is nothing but casual conversation. It makes my skin crawl.

Sophia just stares at me, and I don’t know what to make of the look in her eyes. Is she disgusted? Or is she—God, is she impressed?

I can’t do this anymore. I’ve had enough of this damn conversation. “Enough.” My outburst is abrupt and sharp, and it cuts through the tension in the room. Sophia flinches, but I don’t care. It’s her reaction that’s throwing me off now. My tone is what scares her, not the fact that I mutilated a man’s body.

“Can we fucking move on from this?” My voice is rough, tight with tension. My chest rises and falls like I’m suffocating. My jaw aches from how hard I’m clenching it. “We’re getting off-topic.”

“Luca, can you please leave us for a few minutes?” she asks, never taking her eyes off me.

Fuck. My shoulder slumps. Did my stupid outburst just ruin everything with her? It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours, and I’ve already fucked it up. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep this up—constantly walking on eggshells, watching every word, every move—but she’s worth it.

She places a gentle hand on my shoulder, squeezing it before settling down on my lap. The moment her body presses against mine, my dick hardens involuntarily. All the coldness that had seeped into my skin melted away. I inhale deeply, burying my face between her neck and shoulder, intoxicated by her sweet scent. A calming warmth rushes through me, her fragrance like a drug, easing the chaos in my mind.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’ll do better. I promise,” I murmur, my hand brushing through her hair as I speak.

She strokes my head softly. “No, I should be the one apologizing, Maxim. I’ve made you feel like you have to apologize for everything. I don’t want you to feel like you’ll lose me if you lose control. I’ve been selfish, blind to your feelings. I blamed you for using my trauma to justify your need to protect me without considering how it affects you. I may not agree with everything, but I understand, and I’m done invalidating your feelings.”

Her words hit me like a blow to the chest, but this time, it felt like a release—a weight lifting. I wrap my hands around her waist, my fingers trembling. Since yesterday, I’ve been living in constant fear of losing my mind, and her accusing me again of using her trauma as an excuse—it broke me. The whole day hadbeen a fucking nightmare, and I took it out on her. I don’t want to lose her.

“You’ve spent your whole life walking alone, only trusting yourself and sometimes your brother. I should’ve thought about that before I basically gave you an ultimatum, demanding you change at my pace. Our problems won’t be solved overnight. We have to work on this, one step at a time.”

I’ll never understand how she makes me feel everything at once. How, with just one word, she can shatter me or rebuild me. She is the only one who can bring me to my knees. And as terrifying as it is, I’d kneel at her mercy without a second thought. She is my everything—the light in my darkness, the love of my life.

“You told me about the scavenger hunt, even when it was clear you didn’t want to. That was a good start,” she says, her voice light, making me feel a spark of hope.

“Does that mean you forgive me?” I ask, though I know it’s not that simple. Still, I can’t help myself.

She laughs softly. “Forgive you? Not that easily. One honest moment doesn’t absolve you, Maxim. I said it was a start. You’ve got a lot to show me. And tell me.” We both chuckle, the tension breaking slightly.

“Are Mommy and Daddy happy again?” Luca’s sarcastic tone cuts through the air, making my teeth grind. It ruins the fragile peace Sophia and I were starting to rebuild.

“Must you always be a fucking thorn in my side?”

“You wanted me here, remember?” he snaps back.

I glare at Sophia, but she turns her face away, suddenly fascinated by the wall. Yeah, this is all her fault. I didn’t ask for him to be here.

“Can we get on with it? I do have a wife and kid at home, and they’d like to see me too.” Luca’s words hit me, the guilt gnawingat my chest. He’s right. He’s here, helping us, instead of being with his own family.

“Fine,” I say, gritting my teeth. “Let’s get back to it.”

Luca gasps dramatically, slapping his hand over his mouth. For fuck’s sake, can he not make a spectacle of everything?

“Alright,” Sophia says, trying to stand, but I hold her tight. She wiggles in my lap, but I don’t relent. Eventually, she gives up, seeing I won’t let go. I can’t focus on anything but the feel of her body against mine, the perfect curve of her hips beneath my hands. The need to pull her into her room and ravish her burns through me. I trace my thumb along her spine, her skin prickling beneath my touch. A low breath escapes her, a hitch in her chest so subtle, I barely catch it—except I’m inches from her, and every little sound, every reaction, drives me wild. Her thighs tighten slightly and fuck; I love how she responds to me.

“What did your IT guy say?” Sophia’s voice cuts through my lust-filled fog. Wait, what IT guy? What the hell are they talking about?

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