Page 214 of Mine Again
She’s everything.
“I’m willing to be in your debt,” I say. “One favor. No questions asked.”
The room stills. He knows what that means. Hell, we all do.
A blank favor from someone like me?
That’s power. And danger.
He doesn’t respond. It’s like he’s waiting.
Aldo steps in. “He’s an asset, Maximo. The best hacker in the world. He can tilt a board you’re already winning, or you can keep the favor banked for when you really need it.”
Still, Maximo remains quiet.
I hold his gaze. He holds mine. The silence presses in, heavy as stone.
Not a hum, not a breath, not even the house dares make a sound.
Absolute stillness.
He doesn’t blink. Neither do I. Every second drags.
What is he waiting for?
My offer is enough, and we both know it.
One favor from me is worth an army, worth a war. If Maximo doesn’t take it, he’s a fool.
He can posture all he likes, but this is leverage no man in his position would turn down.
So I wait.
Calm. Certain.
He shifts his stance just enough to remind me he is in no rush, like a predator savoring the hold.
His eyes stay cool, but something flickers there. He looks like a man waiting to strike.
Then his lips twitch, the faintest ghost of a smile.
The door slams open.
Mia storms in as if she owns the room. My eyes snap to her.
What the hell is she doing here?
“Will you help my sister…” she says to Maximo, her voice hitching for a beat before steadying, “…for me?”
The words land deliberately, her stare unflinching, as if she’s the one putting him on trial.
So she eavesdropped. Some things never change.
Maximo’s attention swings to her like a magnet. He barely moves, but something shifts. A pause too long. A silence that says more than words.
She moves him.
Her jaw is set. Her chin lifts like she’s walking into fire and refusing to slow down.
