Chapter 8

Maxine’s POV

The moment I stepped back into the exam room, everything in me went on high alert.

After assuring the trainers it was nothing serious, I shifted my gaze back to Hex only for my eyes to fall on my phone in his hand.

My heart dropped so fast that it felt like it hit the floor.

Just yesterday, I took off Creed's picture as my wallpaper and now today, he was holding my phone. 

“What the hell are you doing?” I snapped, my voice coming out sharper than I intended as I rushed towards him. 

Before he could say anything I grabbed it from him, my fingers tightening around the device like it was something that could ruin everything.

I shoved it into my pocket immediately, like hiding it would undo whatever he had already seen but it was too late.

The second I looked up and met his eyes, I knew he had seen something.

His gaze was locked on me now, intense, and searching, like he was trying to piece together a puzzle that suddenly didn’t make sense anymore.

“Who’s Creed?”

The question landed between us like a grenade.

My chest tightened instantly.

No, no, no.

I forced my expression to stay neutral as I turned away from him like I hadn’t heard a word. 

“Hold still,” I said, reaching for the gauze like nothing had happened.

“Maxine.” He called but I ignored him as my attention was focused on his knee. 

“Maxine,” he repeated, his voice firmer this time around. 

I pressed the gauze a little harder than necessary.

“Stop moving.” I snapped when he wouldn’t stay still. 

“Answer me.” He demanded. 

“No.” The word came out clipped and final but he didn’t let it go.

That had always been Hex. He always pushed until he got what he wanted.

“Who is Creed?” he asked again, slower this time, like he was testing the weight of the name on his tongue.

I exhaled sharply, finally looking up at him.

“It’s none of your business.”

The moment the words left my mouth, I saw a flash of disbelief and irritation in his eyes. 

Gripping the edge of the table, he huffed out a humorless laugh, leaning back slightly despite the injury.

“You can’t tell me that,” he said.

“I just did.”

“No,” he countered, shaking his head. “You don’t get to say that when a pediatrician is involved and the message came from Addie.”

“I know you’re still best friends with her,” he continued, his voice quieter now and more controlled. “So don’t act like this has nothing to do with me.”

Something inside me snapped.

“Why do you care?” I yelled, the question ripping out of me before I could stop it.

The room went still afterwards. 

Good thing I had sent the trainers out before this drama. 

Hex didn’t say anything, he just looked at me like I had lost my mind and honestly, I didn’t blame him because the reaction was too much.

I dragged in a shaky breath, forcing myself to calm down and pull the pieces of myself back together before they scattered completely.

I turned back to his knee, my movements sharper now and more mechanical.

On the outside, I was professional, but inside, I was spiraling. 

Hex was asking the one question I couldn’t afford to answer and the way he was looking at me was like he already knew something was wrong.

“You’re acting weird,” he said suddenly but I ignored him.

“You’ve been acting weird since you got here,” he added, his tone quieter but more dangerous now. “Like you’re hiding something.”

My hands stilled for half a second but he noticed.

“Stop it,” I muttered, more to myself than to him.

“Stop what?”

“This,” I snapped, gesturing vaguely between us. “Whatever this is.”

I straightened abruptly, dragging a hand through my hair as I tried to ground myself.

“Me… you…” I started, my voice faltering slightly before I forced it to steady again. “We’re done.”

“Whatever it is that is going on in my life is solely my business,” I continued, meeting his eyes directly now. “So stay out of it.”

For a second, I thought maybe he would back off but Hex hasn't changed yet. 

“I know you’re mad at me…” he started. 

“Yes, I am,” I cut him off sharply. “Stop being careless, I’m sick of seeing you around.”

The words were deliberately harsh because I needed him to stop digging into things that would change everything.

Sucking my teeth, I turned toward the door before I said something I couldn’t take back. 

Before I could grab the handle of the door, the door opened.

“Is everything alright? I heard someone yelling.”

It was Davian.

He always showed up at the perfect time. 

I froze for half a second before forcing a smile onto my face. “Nothing to worry about,” I said smoothly.

Davian didn’t look convinced. His gaze shifted to Hex briefly, studying him in a way that felt assessing then back to me.

“If you’re having issues with Hex,” he said calmly, “you can tell me.”

Hex scoffed from the bed.

“Trying hard to impress the doctor, huh?” he muttered.

The tension in the room spiked instantly.

Davian’s expression didn’t change much, but something in his posture shifted. 

Though it was subtle, it was noticeable.

“Funny how you keep banging your head each time she's on duty.” He shot back coolly.  

My stomach dropped.

This was exactly what I didn’t need.

“Both of you, stop…” I tried to meditate but it was too late.

Hex pushed himself up abruptly, anger flashing across his face as he tried to get off the table. 

“Say that again…”

“Hex, don’t…”

His foot hit the ground which was a bad move because the second he put weight on it, his body faltered but before he could fall, I moved.

My hand shot out, grabbing and steadying him before he could hit the floor. My fingers wrapped around his arm and our bodies were close now.

“Hey,” I said softly, my voice completely different from seconds ago. It was gentler and unguarded now. 

“Be careful, you're going to hurt yourself.”