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Author: Rachel
last update publish date: 2025-08-31 14:48:34

The following week dragged on like a storm Maxine couldn’t escape from. Each passing day carried the weight of unanswered questions, looping memories, and an endless stream of “what ifs” she couldn’t silence no matter how hard she tried. The thought of Damien — or Thomas, as he now called himself — being back in her life gnawed at her, quietly yet persistently, like waves eroding a fragile shore.

She tried distracting herself with work, meetings, and endless design sketches for Frank Wright’s m
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  • Onenight with the Mafia   82

    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

  • Onenight with the Mafia   81

    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

  • Onenight with the Mafia   80

    Maxine and Noah got into Thomas's car as they had planned to spend the weekend with him. The moment Thomas saw her walking toward him, a grin spread across his face.Maxine shook her head."Why are you smiling like that?""Because you came.""As if I had a choice. Noah has been counting days to see you."Thomas glanced at Noah through the rearview mirror."Is that true?""Yes!" Noah exclaimed. "I even drew a calendar."Thomas laughed.Maxine couldn't help smiling.She leaned closer and placed a brief kiss on his cheek.Thomas froze.His eyes widened slightly.It was such a simple gesture, but it caught him off guard.Maxine immediately regretted it."I—"But Thomas was already smiling again, this time like an idiot."You kissed me.""Drive the car.""You kissed me first.""Thomas."He chuckled and started the engine.Before leaving, Maxine turned around.Her mother stood at the porch, watching them.The older woman smiled knowingly and waved.Maxine sighed.Ever since she returned fro

  • Onenight with the Mafia   79

    Maxine returned to her ordinary life. Or at least, she tried to convince herself that it was ordinary.Every morning she woke up, prepared Noah for school, drove to work, talked to her parents, and returned home in the evening. Everything was exactly the same as before.Except her heart. It had become restless. Sometimes while sketching, she would suddenly remember Thomas speaking fluent French to a waiter in Paris.Sometimes she would remember the way he held Noah's hand while crossing the road.And sometimes... she remembered the way he looked at her the night they made love. As if she were the only good thing he had ever found in his miserable life.Maxine sighed and closed her sketchbook. This was ridiculous. She was living in some kind of fairy tale.A dangerous fairy tale. The hero wasn't a prince. He was a criminal. A man who carried scars on his body and secrets in his heart. A man who had enemies she couldn't even name.The first time she met him after years, someone had trie

  • Onenight with the Mafia   78

    Thomas opened the champagne bottle. The soft pop echoed in the balcony. He poured a glass for her."Thank you."She took a sip. The drink was sweet.The city sparkled before them. And suddenly, he asked, "You said once that you wished things were normal between us."Maxine froze."If they were..."His voice softened."Would you choose me?"She looked at him. Those eyes. That sincerity. That impossible longing.Slowly, she nodded.Thomas stared at her. His heartbeat became uneven."You still like me?"Maxine laughed quietly."I don't know why.""It's stupid.""It isn't.""It is."She sipped her drink. Avoiding his gaze."But it's not significant.""It is."His voice was firm. She looked at him."I love you, Maxine."She froze."Ever since the moment I saw you."His eyes never left hers."I wish I could be with you and Noah.""I wish I could have that family.""I wish for that normal life too."His voice broke ever so slightly. Maxine looked away. Because she wished for it too. And that

  • Onenight with the Mafia   77

    The rest of the morning passed like a dream Maxine hadn't planned for.Thomas insisted on taking them around the city, and somehow she found herself agreeing without much protest. Perhaps it was because Noah was excited beyond words, or perhaps because Paris had softened her heart enough to let her forget her fears for a while.They first visited the museum Maxine had wanted to see ever since she booked this trip.The Louvre.The glass pyramid gleamed beneath the pale morning sky, and Noah tilted his head so far back that he almost lost his balance."It's huge!" he exclaimed.Thomas caught him by the shoulders. "Careful."Maxine smiled watching them.Inside, Noah quickly grew bored of paintings and sculptures, but Maxine didn't.She wandered through the galleries in awe. Ancient Greek statues. Massive oil paintings depicting wars and kings.Portraits so lifelike they looked as if they would blink at any moment.Thomas followed beside her patiently."You like paintings?" he asked."I d

  • Onenight with the Mafia   11

    Chapter TwelveTwo years had passed since Maxine became a mother, and though time had marched forward, it hadn't made things easier. If anything, it had layered new challenges on top of the old ones. Noah was now a toddler—lively, curious, and utterly exhausting. He ran through rooms like a whirlwin

  • Onenight with the Mafia   10

    Mornings started early in Maxine’s world now. Sometimes too early. The soft cries of Noah roused her before dawn, and even though exhaustion weighed her limbs, she moved. She always moved. With muscle memory and motherly instinct, she reached for him, whispered gentle words, and soothed his small b

  • Onenight with the Mafia   8

    Chapter NineThe hospital waiting room smelled faintly of antiseptic and something citrusy. Maxine sat nervously, fingers laced over her growing belly, trying not to fidget. Her mother sat beside her, flipping through a glossy magazine, clearly trying to appear casual, but Maxine could sense the te

  • Onenight with the Mafia   7

    The next morning came too quickly. I woke up early, even before the sun peeked through the curtains. Kristen was still sleeping, her breath steady and peaceful, and for a moment I wished I could pause life right here—in this still, quiet bubble where things didn’t feel so overwhelming.But that was

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