Page 65 of Lust and Honor

The galaxy fades, and it’s Maxim’s flawless body that fills my vision. My head rests against his chest, his skin warm beneath my cheek. As I replay my entire life, I realize I was truly happy only twice before Aurora was born: once, when Maxim rescued me from that village and gave me a second chance at life. And the second time… was when he mistook me for a prostitute. After that, the only thing that gave my life purpose was Aurora. And she’s his, too.

I wrap my arms around him, my crying getting harder to control. I feel him move and carry me out of the pool. He grabs a large towel from the white wall cabinet, wraps it around me, and lies down on a poolside lounger, still holding me close.

There’s no screaming or breakdown, just tears streaming from my grieving heart, spilling over my cheeks. My head rests on his chest as I cry silently. I let all the pain flow out with my tears until I’m empty. And once the tears stop, all that’s left is peace. I’m done with that miserable past.

“You okay?”

His hand gently glides up and down my spine. I nod against his chest, unwilling to pull away. Damn whoever decided what’s right and wrong.

“Who is she?” I ask as I run my fingers over the tattoo of black hair.

His touch stills. “My mother.”

I lift my head and look at his damp face. I pull a corner of the towel wrapped around me and gently pat his face dry. “Where is she now?”

His fingers trail up my back, resting on my shoulder. “She passed away a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

He just nods. I look at the tattoo again.

“Why isn’t her face shown?”

He takes a deep breath. “I don’t have any pictures of her, Ava. Even if I did, I wouldn’t put her face on my chest. I’m a fighter. I don’t want someone spitting on my mother’s face when I’m beating them to a pulp in the ring, or have some scumbag’s blood stain her image when I kill him.”

I admire his protectiveness but don’t let it show. “What was her name?”

“Katrina.”

“That’s a beautiful name.”

“She was beautiful too. Though I barely remember her.”

“What about your father? Is he alive?”

“Besides Aurora, I’ve got no blood family left.”

My gaze shifts to the other side of his chest, six dates that must hold special meaning. Before I can ask, he explains, “Those are the days I never want to forget.”

Something in his tone tells me not to ask.

“Why did you break Viola’s leg?” I ask after a brief moment.

He smirks. “When I take a woman’s hand and bring her to a family event, it means she’s under my protection. Then Viola comes along and spews bullshit at her. That’s basically her saying, ‘Maxim, come break my leg.’ You want me to say no?”

“How do you know she talked shit to me?”

He raises an eyebrow, all righteous and smug. “She didn’t?”

I lift myself off his chest and lie on my side next to him on the lounger. “I handled her myself.”

He tucks both hands behind his head, his tone turning serious. “It wasn’t about you. It was about me. No one gets to fuck with the people I care about. I’m a charming man. I know how to satisfy a woman in every way that makes her lose her mind. If they get to see that side of me, they better be ready to see the savage side too. Because when someone crosses me, I rip them apart. Man or woman.”

Enrico’s words echo in my mind, and I think carefully about my response before taking the plunge to test how much truth he spoke. “What if someone approaches me with good intentions?”

He turns his head to look at me. “Get to the point.”

“What if I meet someone…”