Chapter 7

Maya’s Pov

The black car glides to a smooth stop, and I look out the window. My mouth drops open. I knew Jax was rich, but this is on a whole different level. Before us stands a massive estate that looks more like a royal castle from a storybook than a normal home. Huge stone walls climb high into the air, surrounded by gardens with flowers of every color and glowing fountains. Tall trees line a long driveway that looks like it goes on forever.

I stare at the giant wooden double doors, completely speechless.

A low chuckle sounds from beside me in the back seat. I turn my head and see Jax watching me with that annoying, amused smile playing on his lips. His dark eyes sparkle with quiet laughter.

"Try not to catch flies with your mouth open, Maya," Jax teases, leaning back against the leather seat and crossing his arms over his chest. "It is not a very pretty look."

Heat rushes straight to my cheeks, and I snap my mouth shut. I instantly cross my arms too, lifting my chin to hide how embarrassed I am. I refuse to let him think he can make fun of me without a fight.

"I am not staring because I am impressed," I snap back, my voice dripping with attitude. "I am just trying to wrap my head around how any human being can spend this much money on one single house while other people are barely surviving. It is sickening, not amazing."

Jax's smile fades just a little bit, replaced by a look of sharp curiosity. He tilts his head, studying me like I am a puzzle he cannot quite figure out. "You really do not care about money or power, do you? Most people would be bowing down right now. But you just want to pick a fight."

"I am not picking a fight, I am stating facts," I say, looking away from him and staring out the window again as the car rolls to a stop near the front steps.

When the driver opens my door, I step out onto the smooth stone pathway. The air feels heavy with tension. A few seconds later, Jax is standing right beside me, his tall frame blocking the sunlight. We walk up the grand steps together, and the heavy front doors swing open to let us inside.

If the outside looked like a castle, the inside looks like a fancy museum. High ceilings stretch up toward sparkling chandeliers, and expensive paintings hang on every wall. But before I can take another step, a bright, cheerful voice cuts through the quiet room.

"Oh! Are you Maya?"

I blink and look over. A young girl with bright, curly hair and a wide, friendly smile skips down the grand staircase. She stops right in front of me, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I am Penelope," she announces happily, grabbing my hand and shaking it before I can even say hello. "Jax's sister! It is so, so nice to meet you. Honestly, everyone around here is always so stiff and boring, but Jax has been talking—well, not talking, but keeping his secrets, and I just had to see the girl who actually got him to bring her home!"

I stare at her, totally caught off guard. Nobody in this fancy house has ever looked at me with a warm smile before. Most people of this wealth look down their noses at me.

"Um, hi Penelope," I say, my shoulders relaxing just a tiny bit. "I am Maya. It is nice to meet you too."

Penelope gasps dramatically, clapping her hands together. "You talk to me like a normal person! You did not call me Lady Penelope or bow like a robot. I already love you." She turns her bright gaze toward her brother, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "So, Jax, are you two dating? Is this your secret girlfriend? Are you keeping her locked away in your tower?"

My face burns hot red. "What? No! We are not—"

"Penelope, go find something else to do," Jax interrupts, his voice dropping into a warning tone, though a hint of red appears on his own neck. He clearly hates being embarrassed by his sister.

"Oh, look, he is blushing!" Penelope giggles, stepping back toward the stairs. "See you later, Maya! We are definitely hanging out later!"

As she skips away, I let out a long breath I did not know I was holding. I shoot a sideways glare at Jax. "Your sister is a menace."

"She is a lot of things," Jax mutters, rubbing the back of his neck.

More family members walk past in the distance—aunties and uncles in expensive clothes who spare me cold, curious glances. But the friendly mood in the room completely shatters the second another figure appears at the top of the stairs.

It is Dakota.

He walks down slowly, wearing a smirk that makes my stomach turn. His dark hair is messy in that fake-casual way, and his eyes lock onto me with pure poison. Jax’s body instantly goes rigid beside me. The relaxed, teasing man from a minute ago vanishes, replaced by someone dangerous and cold.

"Well, well, well," Dakota says, his voice dripping with fake sweetness as he reaches the bottom floor. He stops right in front of us, looking me up and down like I am a bug on the bottom of his shoe. "So this is the little charity project you dragged home, Jax? I thought you had better taste. Or are you just getting soft in your old age?"

My hands curl into tight fists at my sides. Anger flares up in my chest so fast it takes my breath away. Before Jax can even open his mouth or step forward, I take a sharp step right into Dakota's space.

"Watch your mouth," I say, my voice steady and cold. I look right into his arrogant eyes. "I am nobody's project. And if you ever talk to me like that again, you are going to regret it."

Dakota lets out a loud, mocking laugh. "Oh, look at her bite! A regular little stray dog—"

"Dakota," Jax growls, his voice sounding like a warning thunderclap. He steps forward, ready to shield me, ready to tear Dakota apart.

"No, Jax. Back off," I snap, holding my hand out to stop him. I do not need anyone to fight my battles, not even the man who trapped me here. I glare straight at Dakota. "I can handle this clown myself. Now get out of my sight before I do something we both regret."

Dakota's smile slips for a second, replaced by a flash of genuine shock. He realizes I am not scared of him at all. He rolls his eyes, scoffs, and turns around, walking away down the hallway.

The silence that follows is thick and heavy. I turn back around, breathing hard, my chest rising and falling. Jax is staring down at me, his dark eyes wide with a mix of surprise and dark heat.

"You should not have done that," Jax says quietly, his voice low. "Dakota is dangerous. He plays dirty when he is embarrassed."

"I do not care," I say, crossing my arms tightly. "I do not need you to defend me, Jax. I can take care of myself."

Jax takes a slow step closer to me, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch in my throat. The anger in the air suddenly shifts into something else—something heavy, electric, and entirely confusing.

"Why do you sound like you actually care whether I get hurt or not?" I ask, my voice dropping to a whisper as I look up at him. "Why does it matter to you if Dakota tries to play games with me?"

Jax does not look away. He holds my gaze, his eyes burning with a strange, fierce fire.

"Because," Jax whispers back, his voice thick and intense, "you are mine to deal with."

The words hit me like a splash of cold water. Mine. My whole body freezes. I hate the way those words sound. I hate the heavy, possessive meaning behind them, making me feel like a piece of property trapped in a cage. But even worse than my anger... is the way my heart skips a beat in my chest.

I hate that his attention affects me this much. I hate that every time he looks at me like this, the walls around my heart shake just a little bit.

“I am not yours,” I say quietly, though my voice does not sound as certain as I want it to.

Jax studies me for a long moment, his eyes tracing my face like he is trying to memorize something. “We will see,” he says softly, and then he opens the car door for me without saying anything else.