His Vice

ch 22

And with the door opening, they were thrown to the wolves.

"Everyone! I'd like to welcome newcomers to our neighborhood! Harmony, Maxwell, and their son little Maxxy!" everyone held a glass to them at Charlotte's introduction. Then, all eyes were on them, and for a moment, her hold on Maxxy tightened and her heart stopped. But, Maxwell's hand squeezing her side assuringly made her smile, walking in to greet the people. Many people asked where she was from, how old Maxxy was, the older ladies insisted she looked beautiful in her dress.

"So, how did you two meet?" the old lady asked, pointing between them with her half-full wineglass. That was when Harmony realized, she hadn't really figured out answers to these questions. It's not like she could tell them the truth. She paused, glancing at Maxwell, and swallowed, making the woman raise an eyebrow.

"Through a mutual friend" Maxwell claimed, with a smile on his face he was trying so hard to keep plastered and not let slip. The look, knowing that Maxwell rarely smiled, made Harmony almost laugh at the sight of it. I suppose that would be a way to say it, Spike had kidnapped me.

"Oh! how romantic!" the old woman claimed happily

"I just saw her across the room, and that was it" his words had Harmony glancing up, almost disbelief on her features. Was that actually true? that the moment he saw me chained to his cellar wall, that he had felt something for me then? she looked up almost questioning, and he winked, sending a flutter through her chest.

"Young love-" the old woman sighed happily "I remember what that was like"

"It really wasn't as glamorous as Max says" Harmony joked

"Goodness, life never is" she responded. The old woman's husband came to her side, smiling at them, holding her wife's hand tightly.

"So, Maxwell, what do you do for work?" and her, heart stopped again. This dinner party was stressing her out so badly, she could barely control herself from starting to shake. The pair glanced at one another, and Maxwell cleared his throat.

"CEO!" Harmony blurted out, seeming to startle the couple across from them with its abruptness. She smiled, trying to was the tension, grabbing onto Max's arm "He's a CEO for a company" her words had reminded her of the time, so long ago, when she had asked Maxwell what work he was in, and he had proceeded to tell her the same thing. She felt so foolish for how she had acted back then, so naive, hanging on every word he had said, insistent it was true, believing that people always told the truth instead of all the lies

"Wow young man! you've done quite well for yourself!" the man claimed, giving Max a pat on the shoulder "How old are you son?"

"Twenty-Seven Sir" Max responded. The old man snorted, shaking his head.

"Goodness, don't call me sir, it makes me feel old" Harmony laughed at the nice joke "Please, call me Garry" the old man held out his hand, and Max shook it politely, grabbing her hand with his free one, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Your son is quite something as well" they turned, seeing Bean on the couch, holding the cooing Maxxy in her arms.

"Yes, he's so adorable" the woman claimed. "Looks just like you, Maxwell"

"So I've been told" Maxwell responded.

"And your nanny, so polite" Harmony realized she had never introduced who Bean actually was, why she was with them. But, them assuming Bean was Maxxy's nanny was the best she could ever ask for, a lot better than the reality of the young teen actually being their security detail. Or the fact that her son, the young baby, was actually the next head of a criminal organization and was literally going to grow into a killer. Whether or not he'd be as ruthless and good at it as his father was still to be discovered. Harmony excused herself, walking across the living room carpet to sit down next to Bean on the couch, taking Maxxy into her arms as he laughed, grabbing at her hair.