Moving Forward

Family (21)

A strange lull followed. Max wanted to speak, to tell his father what Kyle meant to him. But Blake was a little irritating when it came to who Max was with, especially seeing as he'd never bothered to hide his disapproval of Luke.

Max could feel Kyle's eyes following him, watching him. Those bottomless brown eyes that were as inviting as clear shallow pools. Flecks of gold swam in and out of existence in those eyes. His golden-eyed wolf.

Blake sighed with a slight smile curling on his lips. "I know you two are together."

That made Max pause.

"I got here when you two were sleeping." Blake shrugged. "I'd planned on jumping you, but that probably wouldn't have gone down well with Kyle. With us being strangers and all."

Max grunted. "Well thank fuck." That earned a thwop up the backside of his head.

Kyle sniggered.

Blake switched to Portuguese. "What is he?"

"He's a wolf, no need for secrecy." Max assured.

"Ah, Thiago, lindinho," Blake whined, throwing his around Max, who refused to blush at the pet name. Sure, Kyle didn't know what it meant, but Max sure did.

"Thiago?" Kyle asked.

Blake snorted, ruffling Max's hair. "This one didn't tell you?"

Kyle shook his head.

"It's his first name." Blake answered. "Thiago Maximiliano Waters. His mother named him, but Max is what he's gone by ever since we moved to England when he was just little."

Max groaned.

"So how did Max end up in New York?"

"Just end my suffering." Max hissed.

Blake continued on as if he'd not said anything. "Well, we moved when Max was fifteen - to California, mind you. Max ended up with Luke," heavy amounts of distaste dripped from Blake's tone, "and then they moved to New York together when they were nineteen."

Yeah. Max had always known that his dad didn't much care for Luke. Didn't matter now though. All that mattered now was Blake's opinion of Kyle. Not that it would change anything, apart from how often Blake would be coming to visit.

Kyle nodded. "I can't say I'm fond of Luke, but without him Max wouldn't be here. So I'm a little grateful." He grunted. "Don't get me wrong, if he comes around here, blood will be spilt."

Max couldn't help the delighted shiver than Kyle's dark tone provoked. But Max wasn't going to mention that. To anyone.

Blake was silent for a moment. And pounced right back on top of Max. "Lindinho, I like this one! I hope you stay together for a long time."

"How bout forever." Max muttered.

That made Blake pause. "Forever? But you're a jaguar filho."

"Yeah," Max shrugged. "But I'm also half lion. So I think the lion part of me wanted something permanent. Anyway," he continued, taking Kyle's hand in his, "he's a wolf shifter. They mate for life apparently. I couldn't leave him if I wanted to."

Kyle growled quietly. "Don't make it sound bad. You could leave. But you'd hurt us both."

Blake snorted. "As long as you occasionally remember to give him his space, Max will be fine."

Those bottomless eyes met Max's own, both remembering the week that Kyle had assumed Max needed space. And if Kyle were anyone else, he would've been right. But he wasn't. And Max was already rejecting the idea of that ever happening again.