The moment they stepped out of Noah's room and closed the door quietly behind them, Thomas pulled Maxine into his arms. Before she could react, he kissed her. It was rushed. It was the kiss of a man who had been waiting all week to see her.Maxine froze for a heartbeat before she kissed him back. She could feel the smile tugging at his lips."I missed you," he murmured against her forehead."For this whole week."The confession warmed her heart. A few months ago, if someone had told her she would be standing in Thomas's house, hugging him willingly, she would've laughed at them. But here she was.She didn't regret it. She smiled softly."Let's get some fresh air."Thomas nodded. He followed her to the backyard beside the living room. The rain had stopped hours ago.The ground was still damp. The night air was cool.The garden lights illuminated the neatly trimmed grass and the newly planted flowers that Maxine herself had chosen during their shopping trip.Thomas noticed her looking

Maxine sat on the edge of her bed long after midnight, her knees pulled to her chest, staring blankly at the rain sliding down the window.She could still hear the sound. The gunshot. A single crack that had split the evening in half.Before Paris, before that kiss on the balcony, before she had started believing in impossible things again, she had known exactly who Thomas was, a dangerous man who walked hand in hand with death. And she had been careful.But somewhere between Noah laughing in his arms, the late-night phone calls, and the way he looked at her as if she was the most precious thing in his ruined life, she had forgotten.Forgotten that people like Thomas did not get happy endings.Maxine shut her eyes. Her stomach twisted. She pressed a hand against her mouth.She loved him. That was the most frightening realization. Not because she didn't want to. But because she did. So deeply that she had ignored every warning.The thought of losing him made her chest tighten painfully

Since the shooting incident, Maxine had made up her mind.There would be no more Thomas.No more late-night calls.No more pretending that she could somehow fit a man like him into her peaceful little life.She had loved him once, perhaps she still did, but love wasn't enough anymore.Fear had finally won.Days passed one after another.Thomas never called.Even if he did, she had already decided not to answer.At first, she waited unconsciously.Every time her phone rang, her heart would jump before disappointment settled in.Every time she saw a black sedan on the road, her pulse would quicken.But none of them were him.He had disappeared again.This time, because she asked him to.Maxine hoped he understood.Or maybe she hoped he didn't.Because if he understood, then perhaps he would truly leave.And that thought hurt more than she expected.Still, she stood firm.Whenever her mind wandered toward him, she reminded herself of the gunshot.The shattered glass.The rifle hidden in

When Maxine came home after a long day at work, she felt as though she had been carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders. She placed her bag on the table and stood silently in the middle of the room. The house was quiet. Noah was playing upstairs, and her parents were occupied with their own things. Everything around her was familiar, safe, and peaceful. Yet inside her, nothing felt peaceful anymore.For the past few months, her thoughts had been changing constantly. At first, she had been certain that staying away from Thomas was the only sensible thing to do. She had told herself that he was dangerous, that his life was nothing like hers, and that allowing him near her would only bring trouble to her family. She had tried to build walls between them, convinced that distance would eventually make her forget him.But she had failed.She had fallen back into his arms.Maxine closed her eyes and let out a slow breath.She couldn't believe how complicated everything had b

Months had passed, and Maxine had finally come to a conclusion she had been avoiding for a long time.It was over between her and Thomas.She had repeated those words to herself so many times that they had almost started to sound believable.Almost.Life had slowly returned to its usual rhythm. She went to work, came home, spent time with Noah, worked on her paintings whenever she found the energy, and tried to keep herself busy enough that she would not have time to think about him.Some days were easier.Some were not.There were still moments when something reminded her of Thomas. A particular song. A black car passing by. A certain smell of coffee. A quiet evening when Noah mentioned him without realizing how deeply the name affected her.Maxine had learned not to react.At least, she tried.One evening, after months of not seeing her, Kristen finally came to meet her.They decided to have dinner together at a small restaurant they used to visit during college. They talked about w

Thomas parked his car across the street from Maxine's workplace, far enough away that she would not notice him.The engine was turned off, but he remained inside.He had been sitting there for almost twenty minutes.He told himself he was only there to make sure she was safe.That was the reason he gave himself every time he came near her.He didn't need to speak to her. He didn't need to approach her. He didn't even need her to know he was there.He only needed to see her once.That was enough.At least, that was what he kept telling himself.The doors of the building finally opened, and several employees began walking out.Thomas's eyes immediately searched through them.Then he saw her.Maxine.His chest tightened.She walked out carrying her bag, talking to Peter.Thomas watched them from inside the car.Maxine looked tired after a long day at work, but there was a small smile on her face as Peter said something to her.Thomas stared at that smile.Something unpleasant twisted ins

All Chapters of Onenight with the Mafia: Chapter 81 - Chapter 86

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