Chapter 156: Three Is A Crowd

Chapter 156: Three Is A Crowd "What’s going on over there, Jax? How is my girl doing?" Alex, Mari’s dad, asked Jax the moment the call connected. "You didn’t tell me your girl was crazy and that this was going to be so so challenging," Jax complained with a groan, and Alex and his wife, who were listening in on the call laughed. "What did she do?" Andy, Mari’s mom, asked with amusement. "She’s stressing me out. She’s always talking crazy. She keeps calling me baby and flirting with me. I’m stressed out. She doesn’t even take me seriously. She says I’m a gentleman kidnapper," Jax said, and both parents laughed. "Well, it’s a good thing she’s not scared of you. And she’s probably flirting with you because she’s bored and needs a distraction or maybe she just wants to get on your nerves," Andy said as she giggled. "Well, it’s not exactly funny. She slept on my bed last night. I woke up to find her on my bed sleeping next to me," Jax revealed. "Your bed? Did anything happen between you two?" Alex asked, his tone serious now as he exchanged a look with his wife. "You shouldn’t ask that, Alex. Do you really want to know if something happened?" Andy asked before Jax could respond. "Well, nothing happened. But it could have if she wasn’t your daughter. Just saying," Jax said. "Why was she on your bed? Did she say why?" Alex asked curiously. "Something along the lines of she dozed off while watching me sleep or something. Listen, she’s just really weird and she is a handful and she makes me very uncomfortable. Remind me again, why did you decide I was the best person to keep her safe?" Jax asked tiredly. "Because I trust you," Alex said simply and Jax groaned. "I wish you didn’t. That trust is the only reason I haven’t twisted her neck," he said, and both Alex and Andy laughed. "Are you sure that’s what you want to do to her though? Twist her neck? Or did you mean choke her?" Andy teased, and Jax shook his head. This was obviously where Mari got her craziness from. Biological mother or not, it was clear that Mari inherited Andy’s craziness. "Baby, no. Please don’t say that," Alex pleaded with a groan. "Why not? Didn’t you hear him admit that something could have happened between them on his bed if she wasn’t our daughter?" Andy pointed out with a laugh. "Andy!" Alex exclaimed, making her laugh. "It’s not like she is going to be our little baby girl forever, is she? You shouldn’t concern yourself with everything. She’s an adult now." "You’re the one she takes after, Andy. She sounds crazy just like you," Jax said with a shake of his head. "Yep. I’m super proud of my doll," Andy said proudly. "Don’t worry, Alex. I won’t lay a finger on her. I promise," Jax cut in before Andy could finish. Andy giggled, "Don’t be in a haste to make such promises, darling. If my doll has learned anything from me, which I know she has, you’re toast if she decides that she wants you." "Alex how do you cope with two crazy women in your life?" Jax asked, and both Alex and Andy laughed. "He loves us and he does whatever we say," Andy said sweetly. "I miss my doll. Don’t you think we should talk to her now? I’d like to hear her voice. Besides, she might become suspicious soon," Andy said to Alex. "I think so too. You should talk to her soon. Maybe she would behave better if she knows you’re involved, and she won’t try to pull any stunts," Jax said. "I’m not so sure yet. We will call you back when we make up our mind," Alex said, then changed the subject. "How are Venita and Chad? Are they still very upset?" Jax sighed. "They will come around. Don’t worry about them. They just need someone to blame for the grief." "What about you? Don’t you need someone to blame?" Alex asked, and Jax sighed. "I know who to blame. That’s why you need to do what you can and make sure you take them out completely this time," Jax said, and they talked some more about the cartel for a while before hanging up. Setting aside his phone, Jax decided to go in search of Mari and see what she was up to, and maybe suggest they see a movie now or play games if she knew how to. Not that he wanted her company. He was just doing it because of how much she had complained about being bored the previous day. Jax knocked on Mari’s door, just as Diva was about to hand her phone to Mari, startling both of them. Mari scowled at the door. Why did he have to knock on her door now of all times? Diva on the other hand looked slightly worried. "You better don’t stab me in the back." "If I ever stab you, it will be in your chest not your back," Mari promised with a sweet smile as she went to answer the door while Diva followed her. "What do you want, daddy?" Mari asked sweetly. Jax opened his mouth to respond, and then he stopped when he saw Diva standing behind her. What are you doing here?" He asked Diva with a frown. "I..." "I told her I was bored so she was keeping me company," Mari said, and Jax narrowed his eyes as he looked from her back to Diva. It didn’t make sense to him that Diva would be in Mari’s room to keep her company after their heated conversation. "What were you two up to?" Jax asked Diva, not wasting his time on Mari. "We..." "I wasn’t asking you," Jax cut Mari off, fixing Diva with a look. "She wanted me to keep her company," Diva said, and Jax shook his head. "I want the truth," Jax insisted. "Why not? I overheard your conversation. So we figured if we get along you’d see that she means what she said about not questioning you anymore and you’d let her stay," Mari explained. "And why would that be your concern? Why should whatever happens between us be your concern?" Jax asked, glaring at Mari. "Because she is a girl like me and I care about her," Mari said, glaring right back at him. Jax shook his head and looked at Diva. "Go get your stuff and leave right now." "Jax..." "You know very well that I wouldn’t ask you to leave if I didn’t mean it. I don’t care whether you both get along or not. I want you out of here. We are done," Jax said, and just as he turned to leave, Mari stopped him. "Why are you being so cruel to someone that loves you? How can you just use her and dump her that way? Are you that heartless?" Mari asked angrily. "Stay out of it," Jax warned her. "No, I won’t!" Mari snapped. "She deserves better." "You know nothing about what she deserves. So do yourself a favor and shut up!" "Or what?" Mari asked angrily. Ignoring her, he faced Diva. "You have ten minutes to get your stuff and leave else I’m going to have you thrown out and cut all ties with you," Jax threatened Diva before walking away. As he left, Diva hurried out of the room while Mari frowned as she followed Diva. Diva went upstairs to her room to get her things. As she packed her stuff into a small luggage bag, she cried silently. Mari shook her head. "Maybe this is for the best. You deserve better," Mari said but Diva said nothing. "Can I still use your phone even if the deal is off?" Mari asked cautiously and when Diva glared at her, she rolled her eyes. "I wish you would glare at Jax that way instead of me," Mari muttered as she walked out of the room. Why couldn’t he have waited until she had made the call to Jamal or Emily before coming to chase her away? Mari wondered irritably. Mari stepped into the living room and she scowled when she saw Jax seated on the couch scrolling through the channels for something to watch. While she stood there watching Jax and wondering what sort of cold hearted jerk he was, Diva came down carrying the bag. Jax didn’t glance at her or say a word to her as she headed for the door, and Mari watched her go silently. "Wait!" Mari called before Diva could open the door, and Jax raised a brow as she watched her warily, wondering what’s he was up to again. Mari walked closer to Diva and embraced her, shocking both Diva and Jax. "Now that you’re leaving this way, our deal is off. I didn’t use your phone, so I can do whatever I want with him. Just thought I should tell you. I’m not a backstabber," Mari whispered for her ears alone, then stepped back, feigning a sniffle for Jax’s benefit. "Take care of yourself, Diva." Diva clenched her fists as she glared at her, and then without another word she walked away and shut the door with a bang. "What did you say to her?" Jax asked with narrowed eyes. "Nothing that should concern you," Mari said, folding both arms in front of her as she looked at him. "Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to sit down and choose a movie you want to see?" He asked, and Mari scowled at him. "Why did you throw her out that way? Even if she was just a fuck buddy to you, don’t you think she deserved to be treated better than that?" She asked, holding his gaze. "Would you rather I send her away that way or I let her stay and keep having casual sex with her when I don’t care about her or want anything more from her? Didn’t you imply earlier that I don’t respect her?" He asked, and she frowned. "Was that the reason you asked her to leave?" Mari asked, eyeing him skeptically. "Sit down and decide on a movie or I’d go upstairs and get busy with my stuff. Don’t come knocking when I do," he warned. Mari pouted as she went to sit on the couch beside him. "I asked you to sit down, not on the same couch with me," he said as he moved away from her to the end of the couch. "Well, I’m glad she is gone. Now I have you all to myself again. You know two is company, but three is a crowd," Mari said with a sweet smile as she scooted closer to him. "Weren’t you just defending her?" Jax asked with a confused frown. "Well, I approve your sending her away that way if that’s the only way she would have agreed to leave. She deserves better. And you deserve me," she said with a wink. "I deserve you? What does that mean? I deserve worse?" Jax asked incredulously. Mari laughed, "Did you just crack a joke? That’s so funny." Mari narrowed her eyes, "Tell me the truth, you sent her away so that you can spend more time alone with me, didn’t you?" Jax scoffed. "Why would I want to be alone with someone like you?" "The same reason you were dreaming of me," she said with a wink.