His Vice

20

My suspicions have been confirmed, Jamie is starting Maxwell's training. Jamie said he felt his father was a fool for starting him so late, that this way, Maxwell would not only be equal with his father but even surpass him. It still makes me feel uneasy, especially when he came home with another gift for Maxwell's birthday, a 22 caliber pistol. He gave his six-year-old son a gun. I suppose it's normal for gang culture, they might have even done it at Midnight Sky, but I guess I'll never know. My childhood consisted of a father that thought women were nothing more than toys, from the moment I was born, I was trained in another kind of job, the job of being a wife.

My Father constantly told me I had to be beautiful, or no one would want me, and I wouldn't fulfill the job given to me by God, to care for a husband and raise his children, be a good housewife that cooked and cleaned, never fought back, just kept my mouth shut and did what I was told. And maybe, that's why I was offered to Jamie, like some sort of product in a business deal. Midnight Sky knew they were nothing compared to Hell's Heaven, they needed reassurance that they wouldn't be attacked, and I was the offer in exchange for safety. I wondered if my father would have chosen differently if he had known what was going to happen, that despite handing me over, Jamie would still put a bullet in his head.

And now, Jamie and Maxwell are all I have. I'm afraid what will happen if Maxwell finds out his father never really loved him, like I suspected, and was just being kind to him for the sake of handing off the title. For so long, Max had been trying so hard to gain his father's respect, his love, and now he believes he's succeeded. What kind of damage would I do if I told him the truth? that his father was only playing a part to succeed the title? he'd be crushed.

When she woke up that day, she had woken up alone, knowing Maxwell had left a few hours before, giving her a soft kiss on the forehead before he left, doing whatever he was acting in at the Las Angeles Chapter, with Ace and whoever else. Harmony suspected that Maxwell was trying to use his recourses to track down Bloody Love, but she wouldn't be sure, she was kind of afraid to ask. When she finished reading the passage, she heard the door open, shutting the lid of the laptop and hurrying to her feet, out into the foyer. She smiled when she saw him kicking off his boots. He must have heard her, because he looked up as she ran to him, catching her when she jumped into his arms, holding her around the waist as she hugged around his neck, holding him tightly, so happy her mind was buzzing.

"I could get used to this," he said, making her smile. She pulled from his shoulder, giving him a few loving kisses on his lips. She reached into her pocket and pulling out the lighter, holding it up for him to see it. His eyes widened at the sight of it, a sudden recollection in his features. Then, he gazed at her, in disbelief.

"Where did you find that?" he asked, letting her down softly, taking it from her hand, looking at it between his fingers

"It was given to me" he looked down at her, a sudden smile on his features.

"That kid...That kid was you?" she nodded "Fuck me" he picked her up with his hands on her backside "I can't believe it"

"Who would have known, we had met before this whole thing happened"

"I always wondered what happened to you-" she smiled "It was fucking crazy, I never forgot that night"

"Neither did I" she responded.

"But, that means-" his features suddenly fell "That means I could have saved you from that fucking rapist, and I didn't"

"Max! no!" she grabbed his cheeks, making him look at her "You couldn't have known that was my life, you can't beat yourself up for that!" she claimed

"I should have known something was wrong, I should have seen it! some random kid on the street after dark! I should have known something wasn't right!" he snapped.

"Don't do this to yourself!" she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He held her close, smelling the scent of her hair, this small thing in his arms, something he would never let anyone harm again.

"Well, you were right that night," he said

"About what?" she asked, a smile in her voice

"I did find a love that would give me all the relief I ever needed" she giggled in his ear, her hold tightened, letting her eyes fall closed and wishing the moment would never end. But, it did. Another knock at the door. He groaned, letting her down. She moved past him, looking through the peephole, realizing it was that neighbor, the one she had met when she was gardening.

"Shoot"

"What?" he asked. She turned to face him

"You can't be here" she pushed him suddenly from the foyer. She knew if she was still going to play the part of a middle-class housewife, she couldn't have someone that looked so scary standing behind her. She pushed him into the nursery, shutting the door. She hurried back to the front door, opening it to the old lady's smiling face.

"Charlotte! how nice to see you" she claimed

"It's nice to see you too-" the old woman claimed "I'm just here to remind you of the get-together tonight" she held out a small piece of partially folded paper. Harmony took it between her fingers, skimming the words across the page. "It's semi-formal, I'll be looking forward to seeing you there"

"Of course" Harmony smiled, trying not to look so freaked out as she was feeling at that moment. Tonight?! how am I supposed to make Max not look so scary in such short notice?! "We'll see you tonight"

"Of course" she closed the door, leaning against it, letting out a breath of relief. Max came out from the nursery, looking at her incredulously. At the sight of him, she launched off the door, hurrying towards him. She grabbed his pants, digging through his pockets as he cursed at the abrupt movements. she pulled out his phone, finding Bean's number and putting it to her ear.

"Bean the Scream Queen?"

"Bean, it's Harmony. I need you to get a few things for me"

"I'm all ears" she hurried out, pushing Max into the living room, where Maxxy lifted his head from his alphabet blocks, smiling happily and clapping his hands together.

"I need the biggest white dress shirt you can find! and a formal outfit for Maxxy, I need it here in two hours"

"Got it" she hung up the phone, handing Max back his phone and picking up Maxxy from the floor.

"What's going on?" she turned, looking up at Max.

"We're going to...a dinner party"