His Vice

16

"Harmony! I'm going to take the dogs and Maxxy for a walk!" she looked up from her book on the bed at Bean's call from downstairs.

"Make sure to take his sunscreen!" she called back, leaning back against the headboard. She continued to read her book, hearing the wrestling in the foyer, the barking of the dogs, and Bean's struggling grunts to get them leashed. Then, the front door opened and slammed shut, she sighed, flipping to the next page of her book.

"You seem a little on edge today" she glanced up, seeing Max leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom, his arms crossed against his chest. "Anything you wanna talk about?" she shook her head, putting down her book, marking its page, and letting it close against the covers.

"I'm just thinking is all" she responded simply, trying to get him to drop it. But, he didn't seem to get the message, walking across the carpet, sitting down on the edge of the bed farthest from her bunched frame against the headboard of her side of the pillow barrier.

"You know, all the books say for a marriage to work, there must be communication" she couldn't help but let out a small laugh at his words, smiling softly at his amused eyes.

"Since when do you read?" she asked

"Ok, I didn't read it. I heard it from someone who read a book on it" he claimed. She raised an eyebrow, cocking her head.

"Who was this person you're so close with that told you this?" he looked away slightly.

"Spike" he muttered, almost as if he didn't want her to hear his answer

"Spike? that seems like a very intellectual thing for Spike to say"

"Yes, it was" he responded quickly, still refusing to look her in the face.

"Why did Spike tell you that?" she teased, pulling her arms around her knees, pulling down her dress

"He was listing off all the reasons why I'd be a horrible husband" he responded. She laughed, running a hand through her hair.

"Well, that checks out" she joked "But, I still don't believe he read the book"

"Fair enough" he responded, slipping off his boots, pulling his legs up, and pressing his back against the headboard on his side of the pillow barrier, looking at her. "But, it still stands. Now, Harmony, tell me what's bothering you" she sighed, running a hand over her face. She wondered what he would say? how he'd react to what she was stressing about. Would he be supportive? or would he just go crazy bat-shit Max and threaten her life like he usually did. It made her uncomfortable, her hands falling to fist the sheets next to her bare feet.

"Well, Max, I was thinking-" she muttered "That, the line of Hell's Heaven is passed down through family, correct?" he nodded "So, that means that Maxxy is next in line for the position, right?" he looked confused for a moment, then the realization dawned on his features.

"I hadn't thought about it, but I guess that's right, Maxxy would be next in line to lead" he responded.

"So, does that mean...that Maxxy is going to-?" her breathe shook, sweat slightly forming across her brow "Kill people?"

"It's definitely a possibility" Max responded "I mean, if Maxxy ended up having siblings and didn't want the position, a sibling could take it instead" her eyes widened sightly

"That's a possibility?"

"Yes, it is. The only reason why I was forced into accepting the position was because I was an only child. If Maxxy ended up having siblings, they would choose for themselves who would take over. But, if Maxxy does end up being the only Lucas child, he will be forced to take it"