Page 15 of Maxim (The Syndicates #12)

“I cannot believe she chose Damon. Stefan was totally the better option,” Thea exclaims as she throws popcorn at the television.

I had no idea this show existed before her, but we have been doing what she calls a binge-watch of it. It reminds me that living with my father, I was deprived of so many things.

Not anymore.

I laugh. “I can see the appeal of Damon. Stefan is all about the greater good while Damon only cares about her.”

“That’s your trauma talking. It makes sense, though. You’d like the bad boy,” she teases.

The first day we met, she would tease like this, and it would make me uncomfortable. Now, I understand her a little better. She likes to joke a lot. She doesn’t hide from her trauma, she makes it part of the joke.

Slowly, I feel like I’m starting to be able to do the same.

“Well, you know me, gotta go for the guy that’s considered the monster,” I joke back to her.

I confided in her that I once thought Maxim was a monster. She finally got me to admit that I find him attractive. I think talking with her has opened my eyes to things.

Maxim still sleeps with me every night. At first, it annoyed me, but now it brings me comfort. I have even found myself gravitating toward him in the middle of the night.

“Oh, I know. Have you had the talk with him yet?” Thea asks, breaching the topic I know she has been wanting to since she arrived.

Yesterday we talked about Maxim. About how I feel about him. I’m still finding it hard to trust him. She suggested I ask him to be honest with me. To tell me why he chose me and kept me alive. She thinks it will be healing for me.

I’m not sure I’m ready to be healed yet, though. Not until I have my siblings by my side. Why should I get better when they are getting worse?

“Not yet. It was so late when he came home last night. I didn’t want to bring it up,” I admit.

She nods. “Makes sense. You should do it sooner rather than later.”

As if speaking about him conjures him, Maxim walks through the door moments later.

Thea gives me a devilish smile.

“Awesome. I’m heading home. Hey, Maxim. Olena has something she wants to talk with you about. See you tomorrow.” She blows me a kiss before blowing out the door like a storm.

Maxim sets the alarm behind her, watching from the window until she is in her car. Then he turns to me. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Maybe you should come sit,” I tell him.

He nods, heading over to the couch. He sits next to me, leaving space between us. I wish it wasn’t there.

Taking a deep breath, I ask the question that has been plaguing me. “Why did you choose me?”

He frowns. “I told you. I saw you up there and knew I had to buy you to save your life.”

I shake my head. “I know that. Why were you compelled to save me, though? There were other women there that night. You could have bought one of them.”

He sighs, running his hand over his face.

“You want a definite answer, and I don’t have one.

I met you before at the bar and was drawn to you.

Then you were in trouble that one time, and I stepped in on your behalf.

When your father put you up on that stage, I didn’t think.

I trusted my gut and I bid on you. You ask why you, but the truth is, I don’t know why.

Something inside of me told me to save you, so I did. ”

It’s not the answer I wanted, but at the same time, I have no idea what I wanted to hear. What would have been an acceptable answer?

“What is my purpose here? You keep me here. Bring in a babysitter. I need to know what you want from me.”

“Nothing,” he hisses. “I want nothing from you. All I want is for you to live a better life.”

“Why? How? I need to know more. Please. I’m begging you.” I let my emotions slip, pleading with him.

He looks conflicted. “I want to tell you, but it’s dangerous. If you were to know the truth, you could be used for it. I don’t want to paint more of a target on your back than is already there. My need to protect you is embedded under my skin.”

I can feel tears fill my eyes. I want to trust him. I can’t help but feel like there is more to him than he is letting on. If he won’t tell me, how can I trust him?

“Maxim, I know you are trying to keep me safe. I appreciate that, but I desperately am trying to find a way to put all of my trust in you. I’m keeping the negative thoughts at bay with thoughts of you saving my siblings.

I’m afraid that the longer it takes, the more my mind slips back into those demons.

Give me something. Anything to keep that hope alive. ”

“You don’t know what you’re asking. It goes against everything inside of me.”

I nod, resigned. “I understand. Trust is hard.”

I stand, ready to leave this conversation and him behind. Before I can step away, his hand shoots out to grab mine.

“Wait.”

I look back at him. He looks like he is working up to something.

“Please sit back down. I’ll tell you. It goes against my judgment, but everything with you has gone against it, so why not go all in, right?”

I have no idea how to answer that so I don’t. I take my seat, turning to face him. His hands grab mine. I have a feeling the touch is more for him than me.

After several long moments, Maxim speaks.

“Сонечко, I’m not who you think I am.”

“Сонечко, I’m not who you think I am.”

The words fall from my lips, taking my heart with them. I’m trusting her with everything. Somehow, I feel it will all be okay, though.

Looking down at her wrists as I hold her hands, I know I have to give her what she wants. I almost destroyed this woman. The least I can do is give her the truth.

“My name is Maxim, but my last name isn’t Boyoko.

It’s Volkov. I’m the third-in-command of the Petrov Bratva.

I’ve been sent by my family undercover due to my Ukrainian background.

My mission is to bring your father down at all costs.

I was sent to that auction to insert myself into the world and establish myself as a potential buyer.

I was always meant to make a purchase, but the purchase was supposed to be a low-risk one that I could send off to be taken care of by my family.

When I bought you, that all changed. You are the biggest risk.

You can’t just disappear. Your father will follow up with me about you over and over again.

You are the complication we never anticipated.

I wouldn’t change it for the world, though.

Know that to me, you aren’t a complication.

You are my Сонечко. The light in this dark world. ”

She is quiet for a moment. “What’s the next step then?”

“I’ve been offered a job with your father. He liked the way I handled you. I’m getting closer to him, which means we are getting closer to shutting down his entire operation,” I admit.

“I almost ruined that, didn’t I?” she asks.

“No. Absolutely not. Don’t even think like that.”

“It’s true, though. I ran away straight to him. It made him question you.” She looks down at our joined hands.

I squeeze hers. “Don’t think about it like that. If anything, you helped me. I wouldn’t have gone hard on you, but you made me because you wanted to save your siblings. You gave me more credibility.”

“Really?” she asks.

I nod. “Yes.”

“Okay. So what’s the plan from here then? How do we get Daryna and Alek out?” she asks.

Truth is, I don’t know yet. I don’t have a plan. I won’t tell her that, though. She needs the hope.

“Your father is supposed to call me with an answer about my proposal. If all goes well, I will have an inside connection into their business dealings. I can filter that information back to my family for them to strategize the best way to rescue all the people being auctioned off, take down your father, and bring Daryna and Alek home to you.”

“You really think your family will do that?” she asks.

“I know they will.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s important to me. I’ve made you and your siblings my priority. Before this is all done, you will all be free.”

“That sounds like such a fantasy,” she says wistfully.

“I’ll make it your reality.”

She gives me a small smile. “You really are like Damon.”

I frown. “What?”

“Nothing. How can I help?” she asks.

“Anything you can remember would be helpful.”

“I don’t know much. My father kept me away, but I will tell you what I do know.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“Father would bring one man to the house a lot. He has dark hair. I think he is important.”

I remember the man she is speaking of. He was in the office with us after I bought Olena.

“That’s good. Did you ever hear his name?”

She shakes her head. “No. Szymon is my father’s second-in-command. He is dangerous. He always paid too much attention to me, and my father doesn’t trust him completely. I’ve heard him say before that Szymon is like a lapdog to him.”

That’s good to know. He isn’t in on everything then. He’s the errand boy with a badge.

“Anything else?”

She sits thinking for a moment.

“At the auction. My father is the one who did the final walk-through. I remember him looking over all the people and agreeing to the ones he was sending up,” she tells me.

That’s interesting because her father always seems to be everywhere. Is he the head of the snake, or is it his partner?

“Hey, I’m so proud of you. Thank you for that. If you think of anything else, let me know.”

She nods, leaning forward as she pulls her hands from mine. Then she shocks me by wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me. I hug her back to me tightly.

“Thank you for telling me everything and for making my siblings your priority. I know you will do everything you can to bring them back to me safely. You don’t know what that means to me.”

I let out a relieved breath. “Сонечко, I would do anything for you.”

“I don’t know if I believe that, but thank you,” she whispers.

“You will. One day, you will.”

She pulls back, so I reluctantly let her go.

“My grandmother would have loved you,” I tell her.

She smiles. “Oh, really?”

“Yep. Sweet, kind, self-sacrificing. Everything that she was.”

“She sounds like she was an amazing woman.”

“She was. I miss her every day.”

“When did you lose her?” she asks.

“When I was fifteen. She had escaped the horrors of my grandfather and was living her best life. A damn heart attack took her from me. She raised me like you are raising your siblings. She was basically my mother and grandmother all in one.”

Olena gives me a soft smile. “She did an amazing job. You turned out to be a great man.”

Hearing her say that is like receiving a medal.

“Thank you. I think I really needed to hear that,” I tell her.

“You’re welcome. It’s the truth. Your cover story is good because I believed it, but I can see you now.”

“You’re the only one,” I tell her.

“That’s the way it needs to be. How about I make us some dinner?” she asks.

“Oh no. I can cook.”

She shakes her head. “Let me do this for you. It makes me feel good to have tasks. You focus on my siblings, and I will take care of our home.”

Our home.

“Okay.”

She smiles, leaving me on the couch to head toward the kitchen.

She called it our home.

I like the sound of that a little too much.