His Vice

ch 23

She opened her eyes, exhausted when she glanced at the window and realized dawn hadn't even broken. But, what woke her was the noise and the subtle light coming from beneath the bathroom door. Maxwell was in the shower, probably getting ready for yet another day of whatever he did when he wasn't with her. She sighed, falling back into the covers and letting her eyes close with sleep, her mind drift into intoxicating relaxation. But, a small ping in her ears had her eyes snap open again, leaning up and looking at his bedside table. There was his phone, the screen lit up with a text message. She hesitated, glancing at the closed bathroom door. She wondered if Max would be mad at her if she had his phone. She didn't believe he'd hurt her, but surely he'd be mad, he was a private person, maybe even overly so.

She was supposed to be his wife, and yet, she had no idea what he did most of his days when he wasn't with her. She suspected it was a common theme when you were in a relationship with someone involved in criminal activity, that you just waited for them to come back and hope they weren't killed when they were gone. That part didn't really bother her, if anything, she was grateful that Max didn't come home boasting about who he had shot that day. It wasn't the fact that he wouldn't tell her anything that bothered her, it was more wondering why he didn't tell her. Did he think she wasn't grown up enough to handle it? that she was too soft? that she might hate him if she ever found out what his daily activities consisted of? She grabbed the cellphone between her fingers clicking it on and watching the screen light up.

Spike - Happy fuckitday man! 28! I thought you'd be killed by now!

her eyes widened slightly, glancing back at the bathroom door. It was Max's birthday, his twenty-eighth birthday, and he hadn't even told her, hadn't mentioned a single thing about it. She knew he didn't tell her about her activities, but the least he could do was tell her about his birthday. She was kind of annoyed by that. Then, she gasped, realizing she didn't even have a present! not giving someone a present on their birthday! ludicrous!. But, what could she do? Max had all the money. All she had access to what was left of the money she had stolen from him in the baby bag, maybe a few hundred dollars at most. Suddenly, she felt kind of depressed. It was the first time she realized just how dependant on Maxwell she had become. She was a runaway teenager, it meant that at an early age, she depended on no one but herself. She wasn't used to having such restrictions. At least she could give him a gift that didn't consist of money. She heard the shower suddenly stop, snapping her eyes up at the door. She inwardly cursed, realizing she was running out of time. She clicked the phone alight, swiped it, gasping when it had a password.

"Dammit" she typed across the screen, thinking of what it could be. Gun? no. Murder? no. Pain? nope. Then, something came to mind, but she quickly shook her head. That's not it. After a few more tries, she was becoming more panicky, not knowing in a second if he was going to open the door and catch her red-handed. But, the phone flashed that she had one more try before she was locked out. Then, that word came back to mind again. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. She felt like she had tried everything else.

Harmony

she typed the letters into the screen and gasped when the phone made a tone, unlocking and giving her access to his home page. His phone password was her name. She couldn't help but her cheeks redden a little, trying to hide her smile by biting her lower lip. He could be so sweet sometimes. She quickly clicked his messages, typing vigorously across the screen under Spike's name. She sent it and put the phone down, locked the second the door opened and he walked out, his hair still damp.

"Fuck, I woke you up, didn't I?"

"Maybe" she responded softly, leaning back in the covers and trying not to look like she had anything to hide. He raised an eyebrow in the low light, looking at her face as she smiled nervously.

"What did you do?" he asked, almost looking amused

"I don't know what you're talking about" she responded quickly

"You only have that look on your face when you've done something you're not supposed to" She pulled up the covers, covering herself just beneath her nose.

"Look? what look do you refer to?" he rolled his eyes, letting out a smirk.

"Do I have to force it out of you?" her eyes widened slightly, watching as he approached the bed.

"Nope! nothing to force out!" she said quickly, huddling into the covers for shelter.

"How many orgasms is it going to take? 2? 3?"

"Nope!" she ducked under the covers, making him laugh. After a few seconds, she pulled her eyes above the blanket, watching as he pulled on his leather jacket, grabbing his phone.

"I'd love to make you scream, but I'm out of time," he said. She let out a sigh of relief, knowing that if he actually did make her climax, she'd most likely cry the secret in exctasy. He leaned over the bed, pressing a kiss to her head.

"I'll be back tonight"

"Ok," she squeaked, hiding back under the covers. He snickered, leaving out the door. She let out a sigh, leaning back in the bed, she already missed him.

-

"You didn't have to fucking drop me off, I'm not a toddler" Spike rolled his eyes, pulling up the car to the edge of the road at the middle-class suburban home his friend was forced to live in.

"But you're the birthday boy!" Max glared at him and he rolled his eyes.

"You know I don't like birthdays" Spike huffed, putting the car into park.

"Whatever man, go back to your wife and your baby" Spike watched Max get out of the car, slamming the door, wearing his gross white dress shirt to be like the neighbors. Max got inside, shutting the door and letting out a breath of relief, pulling off the stupid shirt to reveal the black one underneath. But, a knock at the door had him pause, raising an eyebrow. He opened the door, and there Spike stood, holding a few random items in his hands.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you mean? I'm here for the party" Spike claimed, pushing past his friend who stumbled back slightly, watching him incredulously as he walked down the hall towards the kitchen.

"Party? what party?"

"Satan!" he turned to the front door, where Cam and Bunny were heading up the porch stairs "How have you been? nice to know you still know how to chill out!" They walked into the house and right past him. His eyes widened slightly, watching the black cars pull up the driveway, on the sides of the road on both sides of the street. And, he cursed, knowing exactly who was to blame.

"Harmony?!" he yelled, hearing her run down the stairs.

"Yes dear?" she asked sweetly, in a pretty white dress, holding the child dressed in black on her hip.

"I swear to god, if I didn't love you, I would have killed you by now"

"Oh, believe me, I know that" she smiled cheekily, walking out into the foyer, taking the white shirt from his clenched hand "happy birthday Maxwell" she leaned up, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Now, be nice and go play with your friends" he sighed, feeling like a child.

After dinner was had, the cake was cut and served, they sat around the fire pit in the backyard, drinking and laughing about everything and anything. Stupid things like growing up with Max and all the ridiculous things they did when they were kids. Harmony just listened, the sleeping baby in her arms, smiling, staring at Maxwell's angry glare at what they were talking about and insulting him right to his face. She just felt her heart warm, wondering if this was what it was like, to be part of a true family.