Little Mafia Boy (BoyxBoy) #1

Chapter Thirty-One: The Calm Before The Storm

"You're asking about why I whore myself out?" Max asked bluntly. "Don't beat around the bush like that. It only makes it super annoying to hear you speak."

"Sorry. You don't have to tell me if you'd prefer not to-"

"If this stupid boat is going to be the place I die then I might as well get some things off my chest. Even if I have to talk to you."

"Max, we're not going to-"

"I know, okay? I'm just... Talking about myself is hard. I never even tell Nico my problems." He looked down at his lap and continued, "Listen, If we both make it out of here then we pretend this talk never happened. I'd rather actually die then it be found out that I actually bonded with you, got it?"

I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Got it." I confirmed and went back to the sweater. I was about half way done. I didn't have the strength to just rip it apart and I seriously doubted Max would be able to in his condition.

Max let out a long sigh like he was already regretting it. "Despite popular belief, I don't sleep with people for money because it's something I like... Okay, well sometimes it's tolerable, like, it depends on the partner because sometimes they're super respectful and don't use me like a rag doll but most times it makes me feel pretty shitty. The worst ones are the girls, surprise surprise, not just because I'm not really sexually attracted to them but because they always seem to want to give me a lecture afterwards. As if that alone could atone for having sex with an underage kid. At least the guys only do what they're paying me for and then leave..."

"So, why do it?" I asked with curiosity.

"Look, I just have to. Or, I mean to say, I had to. I had a pretty big debt left over from my parents with the wrong person. Nico paid it off, much like he paid off your debt-"

"I'm sorry. He did what now? He paid my dad's debt to Nico's father?" I interrupted Max and glared at him in disbelief.

Max looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. "Well, shit. You didn't know?" He groaned and rubbed his temple. "Can you not let him know I just told you? I thought he would have told you by now. I don't want to hear him nag at me. Truth be told, I wasn't even supposed to know. I don't think he knows that I know. I found out because he got a letter from the bank and I peeked inside thinking that it had to do with my debt he paid off. I wanted to know amount he paid to free me."

I stayed silent in thought. Nico's intentions were good but I didn't like the idea of him paying things off for me. It made me feel like I got together with him solely for that purpose. I hated people buying or paying things for me. Then again, I knew Nico didn't mean any ill intent when he paid off my father's debt. Still, how was father suppose to learn to be smart with his money if Nico just got him out of trouble like that? Though, maybe it could work in our favor in case dad has anything negative to say about our relationship. I didn't like the idea of holding that over his head but it wasn't something I was about to completely dismiss either. "Wait." I spoke up in realization, "opening other people's mail is illegal."

"That's what you're hung up about?" Max asked in disbelief, "So is the majority of the things I've been doing throughout my time on this earth." Max pointed out. "You going to turn me in? No? Didn't think so." He said without letting me answer. "Anyways, are you going to let me continue or are you going to interrupt every three seconds to ask stupid questions?"

"Continue." I said a small smile playing on my lips.

"Where was I?" Max asked with a frown on his face.

"Nico paid off your debt."

"Right. He saved me from... a really bad man. This man would call me over to his place and beat me to near death and threatened me everyday. He said he wouldn't stop until he got his money. I had no other choice but to sell sex in order to gather enough money. I didn't want to drag Nico into my business. Though, regretfully he still got involved in the end. What that man would do-" Max stopped talking and looked like he was going to pass out. "That's why what Elisha is doing to me feels just like child's play." He said letting his last sentence hang off without going into much detail about what the man would do to him. I was a little thankful he did that because I wasn't sure I wanted to go that deep into Max's past. "Look, Nico has done so much for me already, you know?" Max said and I was tempted to answer him but if I did I ran the risk of angering Max and then he wouldn't open up to me. So, I stayed quiet and he continued, "I don't think I'll ever to be able to repay him in this lifetime. Nico isn't like the others. When he found out that I was selling my body, he didn't have a disgusted look. Nico didn't lecture me about how immoral it was. He tried to understand why I did it but he never made me talk if I was uncomfortable. He respected my boundaries."