If awkwardness could be shown, this moment would probably be the clearest example.
Maximus noticed the man waiting on his sofa after I said it to him. His jaw tightened, and his steps slowed, but the visitor stayed calm, leaning back like he owned the space.
“Long time,” he greeted, his tone light. “You’re not going to say hello?”
Maximus didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Why are you here, Mateo?”
Oh his name is Mateo.
I looked between them, sensing the tension ripple across the room. The polite smile Matteo carried never changed, but Maximus’s eyes hardened in a way I hadn’t seen before.
“I…uh…maybe I should step out,” I said carefully, rising from my seat.
Maximus’s gaze flicked to me. “Wait outside, Atasha. I’ll call you when we’re done. Don’t go anywhere.”
I nodded quickly and
