"R-Really?"
Natalie asked, the tremble in her voice betraying the hope she felt hearing him.
"Yes, now sit up." Max nodded and slowly helped her sit up. However, because she didn't have any strength left in her body, she wasn't able to sit on her own, so without any other thought in his mind, he sat behind her, circled one hand around her abdomen, and let her rest her back against his chest.
Then, with the other hand, he took out the plastic cup from the inventory, filled it halfway with water and put it on her lips.
Natalie was a shy girl. So, if not for the fact that she was barely conscious and couldn't spare anything any other thought, she would have blushed red and would have tried to move away from his embrace.
But now, she didn't feel anything even as he hugged her, but when she saw the cup of water, her eyes brightened and she immediately opened her small mouth.
Max slowly tilted the cup upwards, controlling the amount she could drink in each gulp lest she choked on it.
A short while later, she emptied the cup and closed her eyes with a satisfied look on her face.
Max smiled. He could tell just like him, she wanted to drink more. However, she was afraid that there wasn't much, so she didn't ask for more.
'Such a sweet and sensible girl! I swear I'll never let you suffer again.' Max swore in his heart.
While it was true he was a perverted guy and wanted to fuck them, make them his women, it was also true that he cared about them. This was especially true for Natalie and Sophie.
As for his step-mother, Emily, he didn't exactly dislike her because he knew the reason she always complained about him to his father was to make him leave his room and see the outside world a little too. After all, for a young man like him, it was unhealthy to not be connected to the outside world.
But due to this, he didn't like her either. Of course, before Sophie and Natalie, this sexy milf was the object of his musterbation fantasies, so he very much wanted to make her his too.
Shaking his head, he took out the piece of bread he ate from, tore off another one-tenth from it before storing the rest back into the inventory.
He then whispered in her ear, "Here, babygirl. Eat this bread too."
Natalie opened her eyes and looked at the piece of bread in his hand in surprise, "Max…"
"Call me Big Brother like you used to. I like that better." Max interrupted her.
He was just 10-years-old when his father married Emily. In the first few years, Natalie used to affectionately call him Big Brother, but after she grew up, she began calling him by his name.
As twisted and perverted as he was, he always imagined her calling him big brother, like those Chinese ladies call their boyfriends and even husbands in the novels, as he made love to her. This twisted and taboo feeling always made his shiver in excitement.
However… before even if he had told her to call him big brother, Natalie wouldn't have done it, finding it weird, but now, he was her saviour. So, while she hesitated a little, she still obeyed him.
"B-Big Brother… where did you find the water and this bread? Did you… go outside?" She asked fearfully. She had also watched people vandalise shops and malls and beat each other ruthlessly from the window. So, she knew how dangerous it was to go out.
But the thought that he braved the danger for her made her feel warm inside and the slight discomfort she was feeling due to being embraced so intimately vanished without a trace. In fact, she began to feel safe and comfortable in his arms and relaxed completely.
Feeling the change in her body language, Max lips' curled up into a smile.
"Yeah. I could not watch you guys starve to death because… I love you."
He struck while iron was hot and circled his other hand around her chest and hugged her tightly while burying his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating, nubile scent.
He felt her tremble slightly in his arms but she didn't put forth any resistance, putting his slightly worried heart at ease.
'Oh damn!' Suddenly, he felt a tug in his pants and realized his cock had become hard and was pressing against Natalie's lower back.
'I should slow down a little…' He thought, not wanting to ruin things.
But just as he was about to slowly shift backwards, he heard Natalie say, "Thank you, Big Brother. I'll listen to everything you say from now on."
Max's eyes widened when he heard this because the moment she said she would listen to him, he had felt her push back against him, tightly pressing his hard cock against her back.
Clearly, after his sudden intimate gestures—hugs, him smelling her neck no covertly and his hard on—she had realized he was sexually interested in her and knowing she could only rely on himself for her survival coupled with the fact that they weren't blood related which might have put her insecurities at ease, she indicated that she was ready to… obediently listen to him.
Max was right about his speculation because Natalie had indeed thought all this. However, he was wrong about something—she didn't realize he was sexually attracted to her just now but knew about it for over a year now.
Unlike one might have expected, she didn't feel disgusted when she found out about it but felt secretly thrilled.
While people told her she was beautiful, she was insecure about her petite frame and short height.
Ever since she became aware of things between men and women, she had been worried that no one would be interested in her and the clear lack of boys' interest in her only worsened her insecurities.
So, when she found out he was interested in her, she felt happy. Of course, she never did anything about it because for better or worse, they were family.
Anyways, when she was on the verge of death after going hungry and thirsty for over two days Max appeared and gave her water and bread, she knew she could rely upon Max.
With chaos raging outside, there was no need to worry about morals, so she didn't hesitate to show her willingness to him so he would try his best to take care of her.
…
"Good girl. As long as you listen to me, I'll make sure to take care of you properly." Max said, tightening his hold around her, his voice husky.
Then, he gulped his saliva and in his excitement, he lifted her up and put her on his lap.
"Here, eat this. You'll feel better." He offered the piece of bread to her.
"Mm. Thank you, Big Brother." Natalie obediently nodded, took the bread and began nibbling on it.