51. No string attached
Max stood there for a few seconds before turning around to go back into his room.
*Pitter-Patter*
Just as Max entered in the room. He heard the sound of the shower. It's not hard to guess who was in it. Max didn't pay any attention nor did he enter in the bathroom to join her. It has to wait. He now just wanted to lay down and relax his mind.
His body has the blessing of infinite vitality and a legendary Incubus body, Which help him to ease the physical fatigue quickly but that doesn't do anything to his mental fatigue. It's quite easy to forget about mental fatigue if the body was full of energy but mental health is as important or might be more important than a physical one. At least in Max's case, he needs his brain in peak condition to make sharp decisions on the spots to prevent catastrophe from happening.
"Hey, Max can you tell me, Why know one got suspicious of there deep sleep?"
Max wanted to rest but he didn't have the luxury to do so, Someone will come to interrupt his peace. At this time Eve was the one come to do it. Her curiosity didn't let her have peace of mind, So she come to ruin Max's peace of mind too.
"Simple, Because they felt good."
But Max can't ignore her. He already knows her value is much bigger than he expected. So it's better to maintain good relations with her.
"Huh, What do you mean? They don't get suspicious because they felt good?"
Eve didn't understand what Max means. What is the relation between getting suspicious and feeling good? Aren't they investigating the reason for their deep sleep? A questions like this appeared in her mind, making her even more confuse. She might as knowledge of the whole omniverse but the combination of emotions and logic is a new thing for her.
"Yeah, They don't get suspicious because they don't have to, We as humans only complain about something if that thing is an inconvenience to us, If not we pretend we never even saw it, Not to mention if that thing gives us momentary pleasure."
Max patiently answered her in words that she could understand. He didn't want to make it complicated or she will ask even more questions.
"Hey I don't understand can you explain more?"
Eve asked Max in a whining tone acting like a baby. Well technically she is just 3 days old, So it's not that strange.
"Hum....Yeah, I give you an example of it. The best and easy-to-understand example will be smoking. People know its negative effects but chose to not follow it. Some people make excuses for smoking, some were trying to justify their habits and some outright deny the existence of its negative effects of it, For them to keep getting that momentary pleasure of nicotine but they will take 180° turn the moment it's started to show it's side effects. They will suddenly become health-conscious and will do everything to get better."
Max thought for moments and answered her. He didn't want to make it more complicated so he didn't add further facts to this example that is even if negative effects started to appear most people will ignore them because they already got comfortable with their lifestyle, So changing it will become so hard and can be close to impossible. For comfort, humans can tread their life.
"So now do you get it? The Parr family didn't get suspicious because they don't feel any discomfort. The medicine I gave them had no side effects and it was meant to treat insomnia, They had the best sleep of their life. Their running late also play part in it but their comfort was a major factor.
" Woah...I still don't understand but I get the reasoning behind it. I will go and thought about it. Call me when you need help, Bye."
Eve's voice again rang in Max's mind. Max also said his goodbye and again try to get some rest.
*Pitter-Patter*
Surprisingly no one disturbs Max's rest. After an hour or so the sound of the shower stopped waking Max from his meditation. He turned to look at the bathroom door just at the moment Helen walk out of the bathroom.
"Hyeahh...Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?"
Helen walked out of the bathroom only wearing a bathrobe, Her undergarments were dirty and were coated with various fluids. She didn't have any clothes in this room and she doesn't want to be put on those dirty clothes after she took a bath, So she put on a bathrobe and planned to go to get her room to change. She also thought that there is no one in the house, So there was no problem going outside in this condition but the moment she saw someone lying on the bed, she was caught off guard and that's why she had this intense reaction, If not for the fact that she saw it was Max on the bed, She might use her powers in lethal ways.
"My morning periods were off and there is someone needed to stay here to look after Jack-Jack."
Max answered her in a very calm manner. He just glances at her half-naked body before turning around and closing his eyes again.
"Ohh...Thats why? Then you should have told me that you were here, You know that scared me."
Helen saw Max's action, Which made her disappointed. Even though she agreed to end their relationship and treated it as a one-night thing, Her heartfelt pain when Max didn't even give her a second glance. This action by Max not only hurt her ego as a woman but also her unknown feelings. Unknown fire born in her heart, Which give birth to her urge to prove herself in front of Max that she is worthy of his second glance.
"Why are you sleeping here then? Are you not feeling okay?"
Before she realizes how stupid she thoughts were to show her worth to a 17-years old boy, She already come to Max and was seating next to him on the bed. Because of her position her unrestrained mounds peaking through her robe, Almost ready to jump out of it. Her legs are also exposed up to her thighs. If someone adjusts their viewing angle a little they should be able to take look at her scared cave.
"There is a little headache, nothing much, don't worry about it."
Max gives her answer in a little annoyed and angry tone. His voice was distant. Which, Helen didn't fail to see. His attitude clearly says he was angry and wanted to be left alone.
"Why? Do you want medicine? I am very good at massage. Let me try, your headache will be gone in no time."
Helen asked Max in the most caring and gentle tone she possibly can, Although she felt his attitude to be left alone, She didn't want to let him alone, When he was in pain. She knows this might annoyed him more but it's better than to let him suffer in pain. She heard about Max's childhood from Max that he had to do all things by himself since he was 5 years old and how much he shunned love from his parents. This was a reason she wanted to be with Max to take care of him and show the love he never had, Of course, there was that strange throbbing in her heart also responsible.
"It's nothing, Lack of sleep sometimes gives me a headache, No need for medicine it will go away after some rest, Massage will be good though if you don't mind."
This time Max answered in a little soft tone, Although still had that distance in his voice but it was reduced a lot from before. Max also didn't want to push her too much or he will break her.
".....I don't mind at all, Come I give you the best massage in the world *laugh*"
Helen blushed and couldn't able to answer Max for some time out of shame after listening to his reason but as the mother of three children, She recovered quickly and even joked a little to lighten the atmosphere.
"Then thank you ....Helen"
Max answerd her and even after some hesitation, he called her by her name. He praised her in his heart for keeping her composure, Most of the people will lose there's in this situation. He also now didn't want to go too slow and wanted to conquer both mother and daughter by physically and mentally as soon as possible.
Max also felt a little jealous of the protagonists at this time, They don't have to do all this planning at all, They can just pick up the woman like they are some wild grass and their illegitimate father heavenly dao takes care of the rest, Even if there is some conflict in the harem it will resolve on its own and didn't turn into a bloody situation and here if Max didn't do all this and maintain balance in his harem, He was sure that there will be a bloodbath. Heroines are not someone who back away easily, Max even thinks that an enraged heroine is more deadly than the protagonist because at least you can predict what the protagonist going to do next but enraged heroin is close to impossible to predict because she will go rogue and will make decisions on her emotions.
Max put this thought away, He shift his position and put his head on her lap. If he turns his head around his face will be touching her bare thighs.
"Okay, Max close your eyes and relax, Let me do the work."
Helen was a little disappointed that Mad didn't try to take advantage of his position and try to touch her thighs or take a sneak peek at her peaking mounds but her disappointment didn't last long when she remembered that Max called her by name. This is the first time Max called her by name after they decided not to continue their relationship.
She earnestly started massaging him, Her soft fingers pressing his temple. She exerts enough pressure to make him comfortable. Her soft fingers moved around Max's head pressing every part of it. She just comes out of the shower because of it her fingers were slightly cold giving Max a different sensation. He stopped thinking and closed his eyes to enjoy this massage. Her skill is not as good as his but she might be better than some professional masseuse.
"Max, Why you were you in bad mood before?"
After some time when Helen saw that Max's mood has clam down, She asked him. She knows that the anger he showed before was not only because of a headache, Her decades of experience will not be recognized it wrong. There is also the female instinct that tells her that Max hide something.
"Nothing, You will get angry if I say it."
Max didn't answer right away. His voice again becomes a little distant like before.
"No, You can tell me I will not get angry, I promise."
Helen felt a little panic, She didn't know when but Max's every world has the power to put her in heaven or hell. Hearing good things from him, she felt like she was on cloud nine but as she heard complaints she will fall directly from it. He was like a puppet master controlling her every emotion as easily as pulling some strings but surprisingly she doesn't hate this feeling at all.
"Your husband is stupid and arrogant, If not for the fact that I am living in his house, I already punched him in the face. Let me tell you the moment I move out and pay you all the rent, I will beat him."
Max answered in angery tone as if he really wanted to fight and beat Bob. Transcend-level acting started to play its part again. Max is not stupid to go fight Bob now, Even if he is fat and lost his prime power and Max has some buff in strength, He knows when it's comes to raw strength he has no chance against Bob. It's not like he will get hurt or can't beat him but that will change the whole story, Which will create the biggest uncertainty and unknown variables, Which Max hates the most. Not to mention that it will also reveal his trump card. He at least has to hide the fact he has the superpower until he get that woman and make her as his own.
"Wait what happened? Tell me from the beginning."
Helen other than being angry at Max, She becomes worried for him. She felt his words contain hostility toward Bob. Max doesn't know but she knows how powerful is Bob, His power can stop, out of control a running train, Someone like Max couldn't stand a chance against Bob in her eyes. That's why she wanted to know the reason why mostly amiable Max says something like this.
"First he didn't consider if we all leave, Who gonna take care of 1-year old Jack-Jack, Thats why he is stupid, Second I am not his kid, I am just guest of in his house and yet he ordered me in a commanding tone, Which even my own parents didn't dare to do, Third I wanted to beat him because I think he also having an affair, I know the cheater when I see one."
When Max said the last line he himself saw the irony in that but he had to do this to build the foundation for his next action. This will not only give Helen a moral high ground for next actions but also able to push her limits to the edge without breaking her bottom line.
"That...I don't think Bob is having affair, He is not the kind of person to cheat."
If someone said something like this to her yesterday, She should have slapped that person the next moment and out right denied the possibility of him cheating but now she is not that sure or to say that there is little hope in her heart that what Max said will be the truth. That way she didn't have to feel guilty about her act, There might even chance for the continuation with Max but of course, thoughts like this are hard to accept and its better to left unopened.
"He is not that kind of person to cheat? Then you are the kind of person to cheat? Open your eyes Helen, do you really think he is going bowling alley every Wednesday? Don't blindly believe in him."
Max reluctantly leave her lap and sat straight on the bed. He liked the feeling of relaxation but he know there will be more opportunities after this. He held her shoulders with his both hands and looked straight into charming her. He didn't want to directly tell ger her yet but just wanted to put a seed of doubt in her heart. That way later simple push enough to convince her. After all, she still put her morals above her desires, If not she
"N-No I-I am not, Th-That... Why do you think he is not going bowling every weak? Do you have any reason to believe he is cheating?"
Helen first got stunned looking in Max's deep dark enchanting eye but then she realise what Max said, Which flustered her, It's not like she wanted to cheat but it's Max's charms which is hard to resist not to mention she was sad and drunk. Yes that's how she thinks because not only does this reason justify her actions but also lets her have her moral high ground. She wanted to tell this to Max but couldn't able to in fear of him getting angry because it's sound like Max taken advantage of her vulnerable state, So she changed the topic and answered question with question to shift the topic.
"There are many reasons but the most prominent one is that, Why is he not sleeping with calamity level beauty like you? Why is he ignoring you? How long was it the last time he even talked to you in a romantic tone?."
Max somehow managed to praise her even when he was criticizing her husband. Not only this will make her happy but this also increases her gullibility toward Max. It's like killing two birds with one stone.
"That..."
Helen didn't have an answer to that, She was also caught off by Max's compliment. Just as Max expected her gullibility also increased for Max. This time she didn't say anything to defend Bob, In her heart, she already accepted the fact that Bob is cheating even when there is no evidence of it.
"Thought about it, When you thought it through, Just tell me about it, we can have an FWB relationship with no string attached."
Max didn't want to drag this conversation any longer and he also received a notification on his flip phone. He gets down from the bed and exited the room. He didn't bother to pick up his school bag or anything. He didn't need it, Even if it was needed he can just borrow it from others. At this time it's more important to leave the room before the situation sinks into Helen's mind.
"Wait Max what do you mean by FWB?"
Helen comes out of her confusion and wanted to ask Max but found that Max was already gone. Now she was left alone in a room with her thoughts and again forgotten about Jack-Jack.
{Wild Cat: Food is delivered to fat guy.}
Outside of the house, Max opened the notification and found out it was a message from the wild cat. This is the nickname he gave it to Mirage.
"Why use weak code like this? Even though I said that this line is secured but take codes little seriously."
This message is obviously is code. This means that she already delivered the package to Bob. Max was also surprised that it was just an hour passed, Since Bob leaving but she already delivered that package. He did want to reply and praise her for her excellent and efficient job but he stopped himself. He also has to maintain a little distance to let make her a little anxious. Although she is not as extreme as Helen but is better to take precautions than to regret it later.
"Okay, now time to get that little shy stalker of mine."
Max gets on the bike and leaves in his school's direction. This is the bike, He borrowed yesterday from his school friend. It's one of the advantages of being the most popular person in the school. Everyone will do you a favor.
———In some isolated ally———
"Why he is not replying it to me? Did he not understand the code? I make it so simple."
Mirage stared expectantly at her phone in hand but even after waiting for so long, She didn't receive any reply from the person she expecting.
"Forget it, He might be busy."
In she tossed the phone on the dashboard but make sure it was facing up, So if Max replied, she will notice it right away.
"What happens to me? Why I am this anxious for his reply? keep it together Mirage, You are the best spy, You can't easily lose your composure."
Mirage smack on her cheeks with her hands lightly. She don't understand what happened to her. After last night's events, She was exhausted but after she remembered that Max asked her to tell him when she drop the package, She didn't know where she got energy from but other than going to the hotel to rest. She went and waited for Bob nearby his office. She became so happy when she delivered the package and the first person she contacted was not her boss but Max but to her disappointment, Max didn't rely on her yet.
"Why I am being this emotional? It was just normal sex, It's not like I didn't have it before with someone else, I don't even remember how many times I used my body to get the information I want but Why did he feel different?"
Her eyes become a little watery, She thought he didn't reply to her because he felt disgusted by her, After all, she did use her body as bait to try to kill him. Tears rolled down from her flawless cheeks. She is lost in the thought of the previous night.
(A/N: Sorry for the late guys ?, I was researching for new skills and weapons and I come across a Mahabharat character Karna become obsessed with his story.
I also need your opinion about who is a great warrior, Not only in bow and arrow(Dhanurvidya) but in all aspects like mace, spare, shield, etc. Arjun or Karna. There is too much debate about this, Which didn't let me stay at night. Of course, no one is right and wrong here and everyone has the right to have an opinion. So be respectful of others' answers. I just wanna know what the majority of people think.
Like always thanks for reading and have a nice day ?.)