Jax's Little Obsession

Chapter 15

Jax’s Pov

I watched from the shadows of the parking lot as Maya walked toward the car with that other guy—Saige. Seeing them laughing, seeing the way Saige leaned in to listen to her, made something hot and jagged tear through my chest. It wasn't just a simple annoyance. It was an instinctual need to step in and put a stop to it, to make sure everyone understood that she was under my watch, my orbit, my protection.

My security team was already in place, but that wasn't enough. I needed to see her. I needed to know she was listening to me, not some basketball player who thought he could win her over with an easy smile.

When she finally pulled away from him and walked toward my car, I didn't wait for her to come to me. I stepped out from the darkness of the alleyway, my movements sharp and controlled. I caught her arm, gently but firmly, and pulled her toward the quiet side of the building where no one else could hear us.

"Why is he spending so much time with you?" I demanded, my voice coming out tighter than I intended. The question hung in the air, revealing more than I wanted to show.

Maya didn't even flinch. She just looked up at me, her eyes defiant, that same fire that had caught my attention at the track months ago. "Saige is my friend, Jax. He's smart, he's kind, and he doesn't try to control every breath I take. In case you forgot, the contract I signed didn't say anything about me not being allowed to have friends."

"I know what the contract says," I bit back, the words feeling like glass in my throat. I couldn't stop the way my eyes flicked back toward the party, toward where Saige was standing. "My problem isn't the paper. It's the way he looks at you. He doesn't look at you like a friend, Maya. He looks at you like he wants to win a prize."

Maya let out a short, incredulous laugh, her gaze softening into something teasing and dangerous. She stepped forward, closing the small gap between us. "Is that what this is, then? Is the mighty Jax Worth actually jealous?"

I scoffed, turning my head away for a second to hide the truth that was probably written all over my face. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't get jealous. I just don't like my assets being handled by someone who doesn't know what he's getting into."

She laughed again, a bright, genuine sound that felt like a punch to my gut. She looked so happy, so unbothered by the power I held over her world, that it made me want to shake her and kiss her all at once. "You're a terrible liar, Jax. It's written all over your face."

Her amusement sparked a darker, sharper irritation in me. I moved in, my hand coming up to the wall right beside her head, pinning her in place. I leaned down, bringing my face inches from hers. I could smell the faint scent of her perfume, the cool night air clinging to her skin.

The tension between us was an electric current, so thick I could practically feel it vibrating against my own skin.

"It isn't a lie," I whispered, my voice dropping until it was nothing more than a rough growl. "I just don't have time for games, and I certainly don't have time for him."

We stood there for a heartbeat, our breaths mingling in the small space. Everything in me screamed to cross that final line, to let go of the control I'd held onto for so long and just take what I wanted. But I stopped myself. I had to. If I took that step, if I gave in to this, there would be no going back to the way things were, and I wasn't sure if we were ready for that kind of fire.

"You should be careful, Maya," I muttered, my fingers brushing against the edge of her collar, mimicking the movement from the car. "Not everyone who smiles at you has good intentions. Some people only want to use you for their own gain."

She didn't back down. She just looked at me, her eyes searching mine, searching for the c***k in my armor. "That applies to you too, doesn't it, Jax?"

A slow, genuine smile spread across my face—a smile that wasn't for the press, or my father, or the board of directors. It was just for her. I leaned in even closer, my lips grazing the skin near her ear as I spoke.

"Especially me."

She drew in a sharp, sudden breath, and for a second, I knew she felt it too, the same terrifying, beautiful pull that made everything else in our lives seem like nothing.

I pulled back just enough to see her expression. She was rattled, her eyes wide and dark, her lips parted slightly. The silence stretched between us, filled with all the things we were still too proud to say out loud.

"Get in the car," I said, my voice steady again, though my pulse was still racing.

She turned and walked toward the passenger door, and I followed, my hands buried in my pockets to keep from reaching out to grab her again.

As I started the engine, the roar of the motor filled the night, but it couldn't drown out the sound of my own thoughts. I was playing a game I didn't know how to win, and for the first time in my life, the possibility of losing didn't feel like a disaster. It felt like a gamble I was becoming obsessed with taking.

I looked over at her in the passenger seat as we pulled away, watching the way her reflection flickered in the passing streetlights. She was still thinking about what I said, still trying to piece together the man who was keeping her trapped while simultaneously losing his mind over her. I didn't blame her. I was trying to figure it out myself. But one thing was clear: the wall I’d built to keep her at a distance was crumbling, and I didn't have the strength left to hold it up anymore.

Every night was a new test, and every day was a new layer of this strange, suffocating attraction. I wanted to protect her, but I also wanted to be the only thing she ever saw, the only name she ever spoke. And as I turned the wheel, heading back toward the estate, I knew that the next move wasn't going to be mine, it was going to be hers.

She was starting to realize her own power, and I was going to be the one to pay the price for it. I didn't care. As long as she was in the passenger seat, as long as she was in my sight, I would let the whole world burn if I had to. And deep down, I knew she would be right there in the flames with me.