Chapter 213: Merch and Millions The next day arrived, and the weekend was just around the corner. Max sat with his eyes glued to the latest reports coming in. At first, he didn’t think much of it—just another day, another stack of numbers from Warma. But then he really looked. And it hit him. Hard. ’My mind is being blown away here a little bit...’ Max thought, staring at the screen. ’I had estimated things based on the sixty thousand students... but I never expected all of them to actually buy the merch.’ He scrolled through the data again, trying to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. ’But the sales and numbers aren’t just limited to Notting Hill City. That sixty thousand estimate was only for Brinhurst’s district alone... and the orders are clearly coming from outside too.’ His thoughts ran wild, calculating as he went. ’Even if I just count the sixty thousand students from Brinhurst, and they’re spending an average of fifty dollars each... that’s three million dollars!’ The number made him sit back in his chair. Of course, he knew that wasn’t all profit. It was gross revenue—he still had to subtract the cost of materials, production, shipping, labor, and so on. But even knowing that, the figure wasn’t slowing down. If anything... it was accelerating. And that wasn’t even the crazy part. What stood out most was the sudden emergence of a specific kind of customer—super fans. The type of people who bought every item from the collection. Didn’t matter if it was men’s, women’s, or even accessories. If it had the Bloodline name on it, they bought it. Seeing the trend, Max’s mind kicked into full business mode. He saw the opportunity—and immediately jumped on it. First, he began expanding the natural line. Socks. Underwear. Gloves. Scarves. Anything that could be worn, he wanted it available. No gaps. But that wasn’t all. He had a new idea—an exclusive, limited-run line. One piece of clothing that would be uniquely designed and only available that month. A new item each cycle, never to return. Pure collector gold. ’If I’ve got the initial wave of customers and a solid base of repeat buyers... I might actually be looking at ten million profit in a single month,’ Max thought, blinking at the numbers. ’These figures are starting to go a little crazy...’ Then a new worry crept in. Taxes. ’Wait... when tax season comes around, and I have to report all of this, will my vow count that as money lost? Will I get weaker every time we get close to January or April?’ He grimaced at the idea. The thought of his strength being chipped away just because of tax returns was ridiculous—but possible. ’Maybe Warma knows a loophole,’ Max reasoned. ’Or at least he should know someone who does, right?’ Back in his gang days, Max had handled dirty money—laundering, fake transactions, off-the-grid purchases. He knew the tricks. There were easier ways to hide money. But this time, he wanted it official. He wanted everything above board, with every cent clean. Why? Because he needed to keep Dennis Stern in check. And the more official Max played it, the harder it would be for Dennis to come at him sideways. Later that morning, Max finally arrived at school. Jay was already waiting for him at the front gate. The two of them fell into step, walking side by side through the entrance like they always had. But Max could feel it—there was something different in the air. "The fact that you’re here early," Max said without looking at him, "means you’ve got something to tell me." Jay didn’t respond right away, but Max already knew. If there was one person in the group Max could rely on the most—it was Jay. Although Aron was the best when it came to getting things done, Jay was the one who understood the full scope of the Bloodline Group. He knew the heartbeat of it all—the people, the structure, the movement—and more importantly, whenever Max gave him a task, he didn’t just complete it. He excelled. Just like he was doing now. "Well, first off," Jay began, walking beside him, "I want to let you know that things are good with Abby. At least for now. I don’t think there’s anyone following her... or anyone planning to do her harm." He paused, glancing at Max. "But I haven’t forgotten what you said. About how someone could come after her at anytime. So I’m keeping my eyes open. I’ll stay in the shadows. But I do have one request..." Jay looked straight ahead now. "Maybe... stop being so distant with her." That stopped Max in his tracks—figuratively, if not literally. He hadn’t expected that. "You know why I’m doing that," Max replied. "To push her away." Jay nodded slowly. "Right. But regardless... there are already rumors going around school. People saying you two are a thing, whether you’re trying to deny it or not." Max said nothing. "So that plan?" Jay continued. "It’s not working. You can’t control two people’s feelings, even if you are you, Max." That hit deeper than Max wanted to admit. Because it was true. A problem he couldn’t solve with money. Or fists. No strategy. No domination. Just raw, tangled emotion. Maybe one of the hardest kinds of problems in the world. Jay took a breath, his voice softer now. "On the days I was following her... she put on a brave face, but I saw it. The way she’d break down when she thought no one was watching." He looked over at Max. "I think it’s getting to her. And honestly? I think she really cares about you. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t react to any of it." Max placed a hand on his chest, feeling something stir. Something unfamiliar. Uncomfortable. He, the White Tiger—a man who’d bounced from fling to fling, week to week, never letting anyone get close—was suddenly... feeling things. Real things. ’I can’t see her the way she wants me to,’ he thought. ’In my eyes, she’s still just a high school kid... but damn it, she’s melting my heart.’ "Thanks for the update," Max said, shifting gears. "I guess you’ve got experience. With your little sister and all. How is she, anyway?" Jay’s expression brightened a little. "She’s doing a lot better. The doctors are running every test they can. Making sure she’s okay." He glanced up, smiling faintly. "She’s going through a lot right now, but they said if the next round of meds works, she’ll be able to come home soon. Maybe even live close to a normal life again." He looked back at Max. "Again, Max... I’d do anything for you. All of this? Just small stuff to me." Max smiled. For a second, Jay looked just like the Pink Friendly Ranger he always joked about being. The heart of the team. The muscle with a soul. But then Jay’s expression changed. "Anyway... about what I really wanted to tell you," he said, voice lowering. "It looks like someone’s keeping tabs on the school." Max’s expression darkened instantly. Jay finished the sentence. "It’s Dud."