Chapter 104: Jax

Chapter 104: Jax Mari woke with a start. Her head pounded, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure where she was. The last thing she remembered was the struggle— the rough hands grabbing her, the cloth pressed over her mouth, the darkness swallowing her whole. Now, she was in a bed. A soft bed. A very soft and comfortable bed that made her want to keep sleeping. Neither her hands nor her legs were bound. Why was she not tied to a chair or something? Wasn’t that how things like this happened? She mused as she sat up slowly, her body tense and ready for pain. But nothing hurt. The room around her was too beautiful, too perfect. The walls were a warm cream color, the curtains a soft gold. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, its crystals sparkling. The bed itself had silk sheets, and the pillows were fluffy like clouds. A heavy wooden dresser stood against one wall, and across from the bed was a large mirror that ran from floor to ceiling, covering the wall. This wasn’t some dark, cold cell. It wasn’t a place where people were held against their will. So why was she here? What was going on? Did her father perhaps rescue her before they could take her and this was a room in some fancy hospital? Mari shook her head slowly. That didn’t seem like it. That couldn’t be it. Mari swallowed hard as her gaze swept across the room for a phone or laptop or whatever she could use to try to reach her parents. Perhaps they wanted to treat her nicely first and hope she would respond like a good girl, and if she refused then they would throw her into some dungeon. She shuddered at the thought of being locked away in some dungeon. In as much as she didn’t like the thought of being locked away in some dungeon, if they thought she was going to sit here and be a good little prisoner, they had another thought coming. She looked toward the tall windows. They were covered by thick curtains, hiding whatever was outside. How far was she from the city? Had they driven hours away from Ludus? Did they fly her away in a private jet? Were her parents worried and looking for her? She froze when she heard footsteps and voices. She sucked in a breath and quickly lay back down, shutting her eyes. Maybe if they thought she was unconscious they would say something that might give her a clue of what was going on. The door opened. Two sets of footsteps entered the room. No one spoke for a moment, but Mari could feel their eyes on her, watching, waiting. "Are you sure you didn’t hit her? She should be awake by now," one of them said. "No, we didn’t," the other person said. Then the first one sighed. "Leave." The second set of footsteps retreated and the door clicked shut. Mari’s heart pounded. One person. She could fight one person. She listened as he took a few steps closer. His movements were steady, unhurried. He wasn’t afraid of her. Big mistake. Before he could get too close, she rolled, sitting up fast, fists raised. She was ready to fight, ready to claw, bite, kick, whatever it took. Then she saw his face and she froze. The man standing there was... breathtaking. His hair was white. Not old-man white, but tinted, like silver under the moonlight. His eyes were sharp, piercing blue, the type that made you feel they could see through you and tell what you were thinking. His face was all angles—strong jaw, high cheekbones, lips that curled just slightly. He was dressed in black baggy pants and a tank top that showed off his toned biceps and triceps. He smirked, the kind of arrogant smirk that told her he knew his effect on people. On ladies. "If you were awake, why pretend to be asleep?" He asked, watching her with a cocked brow. Mari blinked. "Who are you?" "My name is Jax. I’m your host," he said with a one sided shrug. Host? What did that mean? Was he the one who had sent them to kidnap her? She had expected some old man, not someone this fine looking. Was she supposed to be scared of him with that face that looked like he belonged on some musical band or the front pages of a magazine? Then, because she had nothing to lose, she asked, "Are you the boss around here?" His smirk didn’t waver. "Why do you want to know? Are you asking because you want to speak with the boss or you are hoping I’m the boss?" "Because," she said, tilting her head, "I’m hoping you’re not." He raised an eyebrow. "Why not?" She sighed, shaking her head. "Because you’re too good-looking to be a bad guy. You’re my type," she said, looking him over with a flirtatious smile. For the first time, the smirk dropped. He blinked at her. "What?" Although she was very nervous, she grinned, putting on false bravado to disarm him. "You heard me." Jax studied her like he was trying to figure out if she was insane. "Are you alright?" She leaned forward. "Actually, I’m not. My eyes feel irritated..." "I wasn’t asking about your eyes," he cut in with a glare. "You asked if I was alright. How am I supposed to know what you’re asking about?" She asked, smiling at him sweetly. Jax took a deep breath to calm himself. Before he could say a word she spoke again. "Look, you seem like a decent guy. If you help me escape, I can make it worth your while. I have money. Lots of it. I can get you out of this life," she said, gesturing to him. Jax laughed, shaking his head. "What life?" "This life of drugs and crime. I can even help you get into the entertainment industry. You look like you’d be a fine celebrity. You have the looks for it. I don’t mind managing your career. I have experience from watching my mom’s manager," she babbled and once again he looked at her like she was crazy. What normal person talked this way to someone who kidnapped them? Wasn’t she supposed to be scared? "Do you really think I need money?" He spread his arms, gesturing to the room. "Look around you. This is the GUEST room, in my house." Mari frowned. That was a good point. This wasn’t some dingy hideout. This was wealth. "I guess you are the boss here," she said, crossing her arms. Jax only shrugged. Mari groaned. "How am I supposed to hate you if my kidnapper is this good-looking? Your looks are so distracting." Jax narrowed his eyes. "Are you okay?" He tilted his head. "Why are you saying this out loud?" She pouted. "This is so unfair. If we met under different circumstances, I’d totally hit on you." Jax ran a hand through his hair and let out a long breath. "You are either incredibly brave or completely insane. I’m guessing insane." Mari grinned. "Or both." Jax sighed again, rubbing his temple. "Look, don’t try anything stupid. You’ll be here for a while. I’ll do my best to make sure you’re comfortable. Be good, and no one will lay a finger on you." Then he turned to leave. Big mistake. Mari launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around him in a lock as her arms went around his neck in a tight hold. She pressed her lips close to his ear. "Comfortable? What makes you think I want to be here or be comfortable here? If you don’t want me to kill you, tell your people to let me go." Jax sighed again, this time sounding almost... tired. Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist, twisted, and suddenly— She was flying. She hit the bed with a soft thump, bouncing slightly. Jax stood over her, completely unfazed as he studied her for a moment. "I know you’re a good fighter. I know a lot about you," he said. "I don’t want to hurt you. Don’t make me." Mari scowled. "I feel sorry for your pretty face." Jax frowned. "Why?" "Because when my father finds you he’s going to—" Jax cut her off, his expression cold as his cold blue eyes burned into hers.. "Your father? You mean Cassidy Bank?" Mari stilled. Then she forced a confused frown. "Who is that?" Jax scoffed, then shook his head. "You’re gullible, aren’t you? You think your father is going to come find you? He won’t even report you as a missing person. You know why? He won’t be able to explain to anyone the reason you’re missing in the first place. He’s a dead man to the law." With that he turned and walked away. The door shut behind him, leaving Mari alone. She swallowed hard. He knew. He didn’t ask her. He was telling her. How did he know? If he knew who her father was and where he was, what was the exact reason he kidnapped her and was holding her hostage?