Page 49 of Roots of the Wicked

“So, you’d worked for the company for eight months and you two had never met before?” Intrigued filled my father’s tone.

“Correct. We hadn’t officially met until a month ago. I believe Chase had been away on business during the time we’d set up the network,” Jax confirmed.

“So, what are your intentions toward my son? Have you signed an NDA?”

With each new question, Jax’s hand rose, sliding up my thigh. I fought to keep myself from jumping when her hand rested on my dick at his last question.

“Sir, I haven’t signed an NDA to date your son, and I don’t intend to sign one. An NDA is for girls who seek the temporary afterglow of someone else’s fame and fortune. I’m a woman who chooses to shine in my own light. And, honestly, I can’t say at this table what my intentions for your son are. I can assure you; they’re not decent.”

At those words, I choked on the water I had just sipped. Tonya stared at Jax, stunned. She was likely wondering if she imagined what she had heard. Blake glanced between Jax and my father, his mouth agape.

Me? I sat with my elbow on the table, my hands cupping my mouth, struggling to keep my composure as my dick throbbed in Jax’s firm grasp.

“Are you going to let this woman talk to you this way?” Blake asked, glaring at my father, but not getting an answer. “Oh, I see. It’s your favorite son. He could get away with this ridiculous relationship. If it were me, I’d have not gotten to within a foot of a woman like that.”

“What the hell do you mean, a woman like that?” Jax shot her words across the table at Blake, as I fought to keep her calm and in the chair.

How my father maintained a straight face was beyond me. When he took too long to reply, Blake cleared his throat and prepared to continue, but he had no idea who he was preparing to tangle with. Jax’s mean glare was still set on Blake, who appeared anxious to start an argument with her.

“My brother is one of the wealthiest men in this country, and you’re a glorified tech support clerk. Since your status is nonexistent, you’re no doubt with him for one of two things, money or your fifteen minutes of fame. I hope you don’t think this is going anywhere, you’re nothing more than another one of his impulsive decisions.”

Jax sipped her drink and took her time before she prepared to offer Blake a response. A low groan escaped when her fingers tightened around my dick. Her hard stare was leveled at Blake. She was going to rip him to shreds, and I wasn’t going to stop her because he deserved it. I kept my mouth shut because Blake would taunt until I became angry enough to hit him. Besides, Jax was doing a good job of keeping me distracted.

“I prefer to work and pay my own way. Unlike you, I don’t live off the backs of my family. I don’t make millions, but I work hard to make enough to be proud of. Every time I swipe my credit card to make a purchase or to pay my bills, the funds come from money I worked for. I don’t need Chase’s money. I have never asked him for money or gifts, nor do I ever intend to. With that being said, if he offered me gifts of his own free will, I’d be a damned fool to say no to him. But, make no mistake, dear brother Blake, I won’t ask, nor will I drop my drawers in exchange for anything. And has it ever occurred to you, that I might be the one making the impulsive dating decision?”

Blake sat frozen. Jax may as well have slapped him because he wasn’t used to anyone confronting him, especially not a woman. Tonya couldn’t hide the smirk shining on her lips as she sat in awe of Jax.

Blake scratched his head and grumbled before he took a sip of water. My father sat unusually still, one of his bushy eyebrows stuck in the air as his glare volleyed between Blake, Jax, and me.

After the verbal whiplash Jax had given Blake, the table remained at a loss for words. I hadn’t realized it until she mentioned it, but she was right. Money had never come up in any of our conversations. She had never asked for anything, and I believed she never would. Besides, she was doing just fine on her own.

“So, Dad, did you know Jax started her business in the same manner as you, right out of college, no favors?”

The smile on Jax’s face when her eyes met mine was priceless.

“Is that right?” My father asked. “Independent and willing to work hard to create your own path. Very respectable.”

Thankfully, my father was interested in anything business related. It defused the tension at the table. The expression on Jax’s face showed she wasn’t aware of me knowing about her accomplishments. Blake decided to cling to his frustration, refusing to release his tight expression, perched lips, and hiked shoulders.

Jax could care less about Blake and wouldn’t dwell on it. She focused her attention on my father who had already fired off three back-to-back questions.

Surprisingly, the rest of our dinner went well. Except for Blake, we enjoyed pleasant conversation about wine, followed by a healthy debate about politics and the state of our nation.

My father appeared comfortable with Jax, which was another in a line of surprises, because James Taylorson never accepted anyone if it didn’t benefit him. He was tough and firm and often unbending in his ways. He questioned Jax about the direction she planned to take her business.

When she engaged him in a discussion of her business plan, my father was in heaven. As well, I was impressed with her level of knowledge on the savage business world she was blazing a trail through. She had managed to pull my father’s attention from her tattoos and piercings, and he was now in tuned with her intellect.

Personally, I enjoyed both. While Jax and my father talked, Blake sulked.

“Why don’t you two spend the night,” my father proposed. “It will keep you guys from battling the evening traffic.”

My father’s suggestion nearly gave me whiplash.

What the hell is going on here?

No one I dated had received an invitation to stay overnight. Besides, there was no way in hell I was letting Jax stay anywhere near my father. Although I knew Jax wouldn’t stand for it, I didn’t know if I fully trusted that my father wouldn’t try and teach me one of his lessons by coming on to her.

“This is ridiculous,” Blake muttered under his breath, but loud enough for us to hear. He stood abruptly, causing his chair to grunt, before he stalked away without excusing himself. His angry words made their way back to us.

“Next thing you know, they’ll be getting married with no pre-nup.”

Tonya stayed in place, unwilling to follow her grumpy husband. Blake had a chip on his shoulder the size of the Whiteface Mountains. Drugs, alcohol, and gambling had cost our family millions, and he still hadn’t taken responsibility for any of his actions.

After losing the deed to our family’s Palm Beach home in a card game, he had caused a near devastating car crash that caused Tonya to lose their baby. He later started treating her like damaged goods when she was unable to conceive again.

“I would love to spend the night, if for nothing more than to irk Blake’s nerves. Unfortunately, I’m working on a project I need to finish,” Jax finally answered my father and sneaked a wink in my direction.

“I can respect hard work.” My father grinned. A laughing sound actually came from his mouth. Jax was clueless as to the miracle Tonya and I gawked at. Maybe she was a unicorn like my father described because it appeared he had fallen under her spell.

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