Page 56 of Maxim

I’ll take him down one way or another, and then he will see the flames I make as I burn his organization to the ground.

“Na zdrowie!” Jan calls out.

“??????!” I say in response, saying my own sort of cheers in Ukrainian.

We clink glasses before we all swallow it back.

“I better go. I have some tasks to complete.”

Jan looks pleased.

“Remember five bodies. Doesn’t matter if they are male or female, young or old.”

“Understood.”

My stomach feels sick at his words. I don’t know how I am going to pull this off. It goes against everything I believe in. Everything we are trying to stop. How can I claim to be the good guy when I’m going to have to become the evil I am trying to chase from the world?

I can feel that moral compass of mine bending further and further.

How long until it finally breaks?

When Maxim slips through the door, I can’t help but sit up a little straighter. He slipped out this morning while I was in the shower. When I got out, I was kind of sad to see him gone, but Thea quickly distracted me.

We spent the day doing something that she called diamond art. I’m not exactly sure if I like it or not, but it did make the day go by faster as I waited for him to come home.

I want to thank him for everything he did this morning. For whatever he left to do as well because I have a feeling it’s to help my siblings in some way.

Knowing what I know now, I really want to show him that I appreciate the sacrifices he’s making. Especially as I look at him now.

Whatever he had to do has taken its toll on him. To anyone else, he would look tired, but to me, he looks haunted. I understand the feeling. I feel the same way after spending time with my father.

“I’ll see you later,” Thea says as she stands.

“Get home safe,” I call out to her.

I watch as she walks over to him. They whisper back and forth before he slips her a piece of paper.

What kind of note did he slip her? Did he tell her something about my father or siblings?

Thea slips out and Maxim locks the door behind her before coming and sitting next to me.

“How was your day?” he asks as he picks up the remote control for the TV.

“It was fine. Yours?”

“I’m alive.” His bitter words make me feel sick.

What does that mean? I want to ask, but I’m still so unsure about what I can and can’t do with him.

While he turns on the TV, clicking through to the show we started together, I let my mind wander. It’s been a week since he confessed his plans to take down my father and his operation.

Has he made any progress?

Does he have a timeline now on when I should expect things to happen?

“Did you and Thea have fun?” he says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“As much fun as one can have when they are confined to four walls.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I flinch, fully expecting him to smack me for sassing him.