M&A by Katherine (phonics reader txt) 📕

often with a tiny smile barely pressing her lips.
MAX
Max couldn’t help himself from leaning on Alice. She was so warm next to him, her thigh was pressed close to his. Max slid his arms over the back of the floral couch, right behind Alice’s head. Max thought he felt Alice lean ever closer to him, but then again she was talking to him and he couldn’t hear her, it was loud in the basement. Max tilted his head towards her. He smiled when she cupped her hand over his ear, “What time is it?” When Max told her, she popped off the couch, announcing she had to go. Two girls wined and complained. She waved bye, then hugged Connor and thanked him, he grinned and slapped her behind. When she went upstairs, Connor lunged at Max.
“Stop staring and go walk her home.” Connor dragged Max by his shirt throwing Him up the stairs. “Go get her you pathetic loser.” Connor smirked at Max. At the top of the stairs called out, “Alice!” She paused as she was stamping her foot in to her high-topped converse, “Yeah?” She stood up with a questioning look on her face. She makes a cute face when she’s confused. Max stood awkwardly in the kitchen ran a hand threw his red and black hair, “Um,” He scuffed he feet, scratched the back of his head. “Do you mind if I walk you home?” He put a tiny bit of influence in his word. Just a small amount so the choice to say yes was a little stronger but she could still say no. She smiled, looking a little relived as she pushed her hands threw the arms of her jacket. “That’d be great, thank you.” She opened the door then waved her arm for Max to go first.
They walked and talked. Max like the view she had on the world and what she thought of things. He was strongly starting to like the way she laughed at everything, and smiled fully. “I Can’t understand how you like that stuff. They were never meant to go together at all and it’s weird.” Max shrugged.
“I don’t know but that’s just how I like it. It not weird a lot of people put ketchup on their eggs.” Alice shook her head, she glanced down the street before crossing it. “That’s so-” she froze in the middle of the street. Her eyes lock down the road they were crossing, the rumble of an engine and Alice paled. Headlights flashed the next block down. She grabbed Max’s wrist, hauled him across the street and up the block. Alice darted over to a boat covered with a tarp and a big pickup truck parked in an random driveway across the street; Max follow. He was extremely confused about how Alice was acting and worried at the truly terrified look on her face. She crouched down between the two vehicles. The car turned the corner.
“Alice what’s-” she jumped, and shushed him. “Why are we-” she put her hand over his mouth. The car rolled slowly by. Max could see the window down was down, he sniffed the air, the foul smell of dirty wet animal, he ground his teeth hard. What are they doing? Why is she so afraid of them if she doesn’t know what they are? What if she does? Max looked at Alice. Her eyes was closed, her face smooth, she breathed slowly even though her heart raced. Max frowned behind her hand. The car rolled away. Alice took a gasping breath and buried her face in Max’s shoulder wrapping her arms around his neck. She was breathing way to fast, her heart beating too fast. Max stood up and tugged Alice with him. He pulled her head away and regarded her face. Her eyes were big and glassy but she wasn’t crying but she was petrified. Max pulled her back and hugged her. She hugged firmly back, her hand slipped into the hair at the back of his head; she sighed in to his neck. Max leaned his cheek on the side of her head. They stood close embracing each other until Alice’s heart slowed and Max’s sped. He liked have her so close to him, he liked how she felt, smelled, he like the sound of her breathing. So willing to be close, he was hungry. She pulled back but kept her hands on the sides of his neck, her thumb stroking the edge of his jaw. Max pulled his hands back to his sides.
“I’m sorry,” She looked down. “I…just…” She didn’t finish. “Who was that?” She shook her head, “It’s a long embarrassing story, and I don’t want you to know it.” She smiled a small strained smile. Max nodded, and then picked her up. “What are you doing?” She pushed at his shoulder. “You can’t carry me! I’m too heavy! Put me down!” Max met her eyes. Looking deep into them telling her mind to relax, to trust him, to want to be close to him, her body relaxed leaning against him. Her mouth parted and she leaned to him, Max read her thoughts, his wants were becoming her wants too. Max pulled out of her mind, and turned his face away, he want to kiss her on her terms not because she was being controlled by him. He rose up, flying upward. It took not two minutes to land on the walkway up to his front door. He put her down. She blinked briskly, and looked up at him. “My house.” He led her by the hand in and strait to the den. Kieran didn’t need to know she was here.
“Want to watch a movie?” Max asked. Alice sat on the L shaped couch a dazed look on her face. “Yeah, The Breakfast Club?” He popped the movie in and sat in the curve of the couch, kicking off his boots. Alice slid over next to Max, toed her sneakers off then pulled her legs up. Max yawned and slipped his arm around the couch behind Alice. “Smooth,” She grinned and leaned on his chest. By the end of the movie, Alice had fallen asleep on Max. He was stroking her hair. “Alice.” He moved his shoulder trying to wake her up. “Alice.” He crooned in her ear. She lifted her head, her eyes were stilled closed “Humm?” She’s beautiful half awake. Max shifted, laid down on the couch drawing Alice with him. She curled into him, Max wrapped his arms around her. She mumbled his name, Max beamed in the darkness.
ALICE
Alice woke entangled with another warm body. She squinted in the dark room. She remember coming to Max’s house, watching a movie and then…that was it. She couldn’t remember from there. She lifted her head. Max was asleep, the breath left her. His dark hair was over the couch cushion some strands fell over his face, his light red lips parted as he breathed. He looks like a little boy when he’s asleep. Alice moved her hand. It was under his shirt, resting on his bare stomach she reached up and brushed his hair aside, running her fingers threw his hair. He shifted in his sleep, moving closer to her. Alice, just now, realized her leg was wrapped around his hip, his hand slip up her thigh. She pulled away, he pulled her closer. Alice squirmed. He grunted and rolled over letting Alice go. She picked up her shoes, crept out of the room. Sneaking down the stairs and paused at the front door to pull on her shoes.
“Who are you?” a deep voice rumbled from across the room. A tall young man with short dark hair stood across the room. His arms crossed over his chest, he walked slowly over to Alice. His boots thudded on the floor with his steps. Alice watched him, Who is this? “I’m Alice.” He raised an eyebrow. “Did my brother happen to catch you from falling?” Alice nodded, how did he know? “Are you Max’s brother?” He nodded slowly, the same way she had seen Max do. “You’re not one of us are you?” He looked very regal in his sliming pants, high boots and white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. She tilted her head to the side, “One of what?” He reached over her and opened the door all but shoving her out the door then slamming it in her face. In the early morning fog, Alice walked home. She recognized that she wasn’t far from where she had first met Max. The sun has just risen; it sat close to the horizon turning the sky a pretty orange and dark pink with purple clouds. Alice knew she most likely should be worried about her aunt and what she will tell her. I’ll just tell her I slept at Katie’s house, she won’t care. Alice turned her thoughts to something more perusable. Max stepped in. Alice’s mind completely detached from the world. She floated off so far that she didn’t hear the car rumble to a stop beside her. When the door open she jumped back, nearly fall over on to the lawn behind her. Two huge thugs grabbed her, twisted her arms behind her back, then shoving her face first in to the back seat.
Luke grinned at her from the driver’s seat; he was lean back, steering with one hand, “Hey.” Alice growled at him, “Up yours.” The werewolves chuckled around her. She thrashed, they laughed as the easily held her back. “What were you doing coming out of that thing’s house?” Alice looked away not saying anything. The car peeled away from the curb.
MAX
Max rolled over. He landed on the floor, his knee smarting from being knocked against the coffee table. He pushed up looking around. Where’s Alice? He remembered falling asleep with her. He got up, lumbered over to the window hoping on one foot, rubbing his miffed knee. The sun was half set, turning the sky a fun purple and orangey pink. Alice would like that. He though, purple’s her favorite color. Max lunged for his phone and dialed her number. Who answered wasn’t Alice.
“Hey, bloodsucker.” The gruff voice rudely bellowed into the receiver. “Where’s Alice?” “Oh, her. I’ve got ‘er. Why? She’d give it up to you already and you’re antsy for more.” He laughed, Max gripped his phone but forced himself to relax before it crumbled in his hand. “Let her go. What does she mean to you?” Max growled. “Why do you care?” Max couldn’t answer. “Well, why don’t you come and find her for yourself. I’ll be a little busy myself.” The werewolf gaffed and hung up. Max let out a vile string of curses damning the world and the creatures of it. Kieran pick the worst moment to step in and voice his opinion.
“What, Kieran? What? You gonna tell me how I shouldn’t get involved? How it’s not my business?” Kieran just crossed his arms, Max let out a deep snarl. “I want it to be my business.” Max banged out the door. He hovered and headed straight to the werewolves hide out. They hid in the old lumber yard warehouse, sometimes threw wild that mostly ended with the cops being called. At the last minute he thought to cloche himself, it was still light enough out to see him.
Max landed on the metal roof, punched through it, peeled it back and jumped down. The werewolves jumped around, most were fully changed; hunched over forms, twice as big as a man, covered with fur with long black claws and short wrinkled muzzles. Luke, only half tuned, laughed loudly. He drowned the rest of his beer bottle, half rolled out of his twisted mouth, a half formed muzzle. “Thought you’d fine us.” The five other werewolves lunged. Max battered them off. Slamming fists into muzzle,