Page 40 of The Torturer's Target

Bose shrugged, knowing Clinton was right.

“You haven’t had a good fight in a long time. I know it felt good.” Clinton’s laughter died down as he stepped closer to Bose, who was examining the damage on his face from the broken window glass.

“Leave me alone,” Bose huffed.

“Come on, big guy; tell the truth,” Clinton urged, nudging his side. “Admit it—it felt good as fuck.”

Bose chuckled, giving in. “OK, it felt good.”

“Ha, I knew it. Someone finally worked the tension out of those shoulders that Sharon left on them, huh?”

At the mention of his ex-girlfriend, Bose glared at his best friend and gave him the middle finger again. “Go to hell, man.”

Clinton burst into laughter again.

The end of Max's shift had finally arrived, and he was eager to go home and relax. Bose and Clinton were the first to exit the building, with Bose carrying Max's briefcase and Clinton opening the door for him. Tesiera walked behind Max, keeping a watchful eye out for any danger.

As they stepped out into the warm sunshine, a car pulled up, and a little girl burst out of it, running straight toward them.

“Uncle Max!” the little girl squealed with excitement.

Max's tired face lit up with joy at the sight of his niece, Hazel. He picked her up and spun her around, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. Her cute, cheeky smile was infectious, and Max couldn’t help but feel his own weariness melt away.

He kissed her forehead and asked. “Did you miss Uncle Max, my little princess?”

“Yesssss!” Hazel replied, hugging him tightly.

“I missed you too, sweetheart,” Max said with a smile. He then spotted his sister in the distance. She was wearing a lilac two-piece outfit, and her blonde hair was pulled back. She waved at him, and he waved back before walking towards her.

“So, Hazel, how did you get here? Did you fly here with the fairy wings Princess Strawberry gave you or with the flying bubble gum chariot you told me about last month, the one driven by rainbow unicorns?” Max asked his niece.

“The fairies brought us!” Hazel replied excitedly, flashing her missing front teeth. Her imagination was unparalleled, and Max loved indulging her in any conversation she wanted to have. No matter how absurd.

Valerie rolled her eyes playfully. “You two and your magic talk again. I just can’t with the both of you.”

She approached them and hugged Max. “Oh, I’ve missed you so much, big brother. It’s been too long.”

“I missed you too, Val,” Max replied, kissing her forehead. Hazel wiggled in his arms, signaling to be put down.

Valerie stepped back and cupped Max's cheeks. “How have you been? You look so stressed. Are you getting enough rest?” she asked, turning to Clinton and Bose before he could answer. “I told both of you to make sure he got enough rest, didn’t I?”

“We do our best, ma’am. It’s just that the boss doesn’t listen to—” Clinton began but when Max glared at him, he cleared his throat. “He is getting more than enough rest, ma’am,” he finished.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Valerie pursed her lips in obvious disappointment. Her eyes landed on Tesiera. “Oh…who’s the new…” she trailed off, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Tesiera stepped forward. “I’m Tesiera Anderson. I’m his new protector.”

“His bodyguard, huh?” Valerie extended her hand. “I’m Valerie, his younger sister, and that little girl captivated by your clothing is Hazel.”

Tesiera didn’t expect the extended hand, but she shook it anyway, saying nothing. She hadn’t had much experience interacting with normal people. People usually avoided her, so she had no idea how to respond to the friendly woman.

“What are you doing here at the hospital?” Max asked, changing the subject. “I hope everything is alright?”

Valerie waved her hand dismissively. “I am just here for a check-up. I may have the flu or something. I have an appointment with Dr. James.”

“Then you should hurry. Ann doesn’t appreciate patients being late,” Max replied.

“Heh, she likes me. Probably because I am the only sister of the almighty neurosurgeon and chief of surgery, Dr. Maximilian Kingston.” Her smile showed all her teeth.

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