Page 69 of Rafi

Her lip trembles, and she nods, but the doubt lingers in her eyes. I know she doesn’t believe me. Hell, I’m not sure I even believe myself. But I can’t let her see that. Not now.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to focus. I have to formulate a plan, but most of all, I have to keep Maxine safe. I have to make sure she finds her way back home to Mia.

The room feels colder asMaxine’s voice dips into the shadows of her past. She leans forward, her hands clasped tightly between her knees, knuckles white with tension.

“At first, I was with that man, Frank Falcone. My sister’s ex. Psycho ex,” she adds quickly, her lips twitching into a bitter smirk that vanishes as fast as it appears. Her palms press together, trembling slightly, a silent echo of her unease.

She stares past me, her eyes glassy, lost in the labyrinth of her memories. “We never should have run away.”

I nod, offering no words. Regret isn’t something that can rewrite the past, no matter how deeply it cuts.

Her voice trembles but gains momentum as she continues. “We ended up at a club, and a little while later, Frank turned up. Promised us a night out we’d never forget. So we got in the car with him and a few of his friends. That same night, they split us up. I haven’t seen Sophia since.”

My chest tightens, the air suddenly too thick. I pray she doesn’t ask me about her sister. Mia, I can explain. Sophia… that isn’t my story to tell.

“What happened after that?” I ask softly, careful not to push too hard.

Her hands tighten into fists on her lap. “He kept me in a room… for days on end. Until someone came… to collect me.”

I reach out hesitantly, my hand brushing her knee. “We can stop,” I offer, but she shakes her head. There is a fire in her eyes now, a desperate need to unburden herself.

“He wasn’t a nice man,” she says, her voice brittle. “But then another man came.”

“Igor?” I ask, already bracing myself.

She shakes her head, strands of hair falling into her face. “No. But he took me to Igor. Igor… he leaves me alone. He feeds me. But he wanted to come here. Said he had to collect someone.”

“Rafi said he saw you one night ringside at one of his matches,” I venture carefully.

Her head snaps up, and for the first time, excitement flares in her eyes. “Do you know him? The handsome one?”

A hollow laugh escapes me, forced and brittle. The ‘handsome one’ might soon be a ghost from my past if Igor gets his way.

“I do,” I admit. “But why were you there that night?”

“Igor wanted to watch the fight,” she says, her excitement building despite the ominous weight of the situation. “He took me, pointed out that the handsome one’s brother is married to my sister Mia. I couldn’t believe it.”

“He is,” I confirm, watching as her emotions shift again, flickering like a candle in the wind.

“She got married?” She says this like she can’t believe it. “Have you seen her? Do you know her? How do you know the handsome one?” she presses, her words tumbling over each other. Her excitement feels out of place, almost hysterical, as if she is teetering on the edge of control.

“I met Rafi recently,” I say carefully, choosing my words. “Through a referral. That’s how I met Mia. Although I’ve only met her in passing.”

Maxine’s gaze drops to the floor, the spark of hope in her eyes dimming. She looks hollow, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her fractured emotions.

“How is she?” she whispers.

“Missing you,” I say simply, the truth cutting through the air between us.

Her voice drops to a whisper. “And Sophia?”

I freeze, my breath hitching. The silence stretches, heavy and oppressive, until I force myself to answer.

“I haven’t met her,” I say slowly, hoping it’s enough.

Maxine’s expression softens, her shoulders relaxing slightly, but the sadness lingers in her eyes. She looks away, her hands clutching at her knees again.

“If I don’t make it…” she starts, her voice cracking.

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