Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 465: Smart Mouth

Silence filled the room following Jax’s statement.

Alex stared at Jax for a moment, then one brow slowly rose. “That’s what you’re nervous about?”

Jax blinked. “Yes?”

Alex laughed out loud.

The sound surprised Jax because Alex wasn’t the type of man who laughed easily. He smiled and showed his amusement in different ways, but he never laughed outrightly this way.

Alex shook his head. “Son, there is nobody else I’d trust more with my daughter.”

Jax went still.

His voice softened. “Not only because I’ve known you for years. I watched you grow up.”

Jax listened quietly.

Alex continued. “I mentored you.” Alex smiled. “And more importantly, you know exactly the kind of person I am.”

Jax winced.

That part was definitely true.

Alex pointed at him. “You know what I’m capable of if you hurt her.”

“I could never hurt her,” Jax rushed to assure him.

Alex smiled. “I know.” Then he chuckled, “Honestly, I’m more worried for you than I am for Mari. She can handle herself. And you.”

Jax burst out laughing. “That’s fair.”

“It is.”

Jax leaned forward slightly. “So does that mean I have your approval?”

Alex looked at him. Then nodded once. “You do.”

Relief flooded through Jax immediately and a smile spread across his face.

Alex noticed. “Did you really think I was going to object?”

Jax nodded.

Alex’s brow shot up, “Why?”

Jax shrugged. “The incident with my family.”

Alex waved it off. “Chad let his fear get the best of him and he did something stupid and cowardly, but he’s still my boy. Venita didn’t know better. She was away in boarding school and never really knew me, so I can pardon her for being silly. I can’t judge you by the actions of those two. You’ve proven yourself to me over the years, Jax. If I can trust you enough to keep my daughter safe, then I can trust you to protect her heart and her life.”

Jax bowed his head in gratitude. “Thank you, sir.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask why you’ve been going on with the sir thing. Is it because you’re dating Mari now? You had no problem calling me Alex all these years.”

Jax chuckled. “I figured I should show you some more respect…”

“Were you showing me less respect?” Alex cut in.

“No. I meant…”

“Stick to Alex, else I’m going to take back my approval…”

“Sure, Alex,” Jax said before he could finish, and they both chuckled.

“So, when are you planning to propose?” Alex asked, picking up his glass again.

Jax answered without hesitation. “A week.”

Alex stared. “A week?”

Jax nodded.

Alex looked genuinely surprised now. “Why so soon?”

Before Jax could respond, Alex narrowed his eyes. “Is she pregnant?”

Jax nearly choked. “What?”

Alex looked completely serious. “Is she pregnant?”

Jax stared at him. “Why would you ask me that?”

Alex looked at him like that was a stupid question. “Because you’re sleeping with her?”

Jax groaned. “You’re just as bad as Andy and Mari.”

Alex continued watching him calmly. “Is she?”

Jax shook his head. “No, she’s not pregnant.”

“You’re sure?”

“Very.”

Alex relaxed slightly. “Good.”

“Christ, Alex!” Jax rubbed his face. “I can’t believe that’s where your mind went.”

Alex shrugged. “You said one week.”

“I didn’t realise a proposal in one week was synonymous with a shotgun wedding,” Jax muttered.

Alex took a sip from his glass. “Then why the rush?”

Jax looked down briefly, then smiled. “I spent three years loving her from afar.”

Alex nodded slowly and listened quietly.

“Now that I finally have her, I don’t want to waste any more time. She’s not some random girl.” Jax’s voice grew more serious as he met Alex’s gaze again. “She’s your daughter. And I want to treat her with the respect she deserves.”

Something emotional flashed briefly across Alex’s face.

Then he asked quietly, “Are you sure Mari is ready for that step?”

Jax smiled. “We talked about it.”

“You did?” Alex asked as he leaned back, not entirely surprised that Mari was ready for such a level of commitment.

He nodded. “She’s willing. But proposing now doesn’t mean we’re rushing into a wedding. We’ll take our time.”

“How much time?”

“About six months. I haven’t told her yet. I plan to as soon as I propose.”

Alex nodded slowly. “That seems reasonable. But why six months?”

Jax smiled. “It gives us time to plan properly. And it gives her best friend enough time to get back from her training and help Mari plan,” Jax explained. “She said she’d kill me otherwise.”

“Who said? Emily or Mari?”

“Emily.”

Alex laughed softly. “You told her about your plans?”

Jax nodded, “Yeah. I fixed the proposal for next week because she’d be around for Stefan’s wedding this weekend. I know Mari would love to have all her friends witness her proposal.”

“Yeah. Her friends mean a lot to her,” Alex said with a smile, then he sat up when something occurred to him, “You’re proposing at your exhibition? It’s a week away. Mari has been singing about it all week, talking about how she can’t wait to see the special project you’ve been working on.”

Jax grinned. “Yes, sir. That’s why I’m hoping you’d all be there.”

Alex suddenly stood.

Jax looked up.

A proud smile spread across Alex’s face. The kind Jax had seen only a handful of times over the years.

Alex walked around the desk, then held out his arms.

For one second, Jax looked almost stunned. Then he stood and went to join Alex.

Alex embraced him firmly. And quietly said, “Welcome to the family, son.”

Emotion hit Jax unexpectedly hard. His throat tightened as he hugged Alex back.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Then the door swung open suddenly, and Mari walked in. “Mom said you both have thirty seconds…”

She stopped mid-sentence, and her entire face lit up when she saw her father and Jax locked in an embrace.

“Oh my God!” Mari pointed dramatically at them. “My two favourite men in the world are hugging!”

Alex groaned, and Jax chuckled as they pulled apart, but before either of them could take a step back, she rushed across the room and threw herself into them.

“I want in.”

Her arms wrapped around both of them.

Alex laughed.

Jax shook his head, smiling.

For a few seconds, all three of them stood there awkwardly tangled together. Mari looked completely happy about it.

Eventually, they pulled apart.

Alex looked at her. “You don’t even know why we were hugging.”

Mari waved a hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter as long as nobody was fighting.”

That made both men laugh.

Mari shrugged. “Besides, I’m sure it was for a good reason.”

Then Jax glanced at Alex.

Alex smiled.

Jax looked back at Mari. “I just got your father’s permission to marry you.”

Mari stared at him, then she nodded. “Of course, you did.”

The room went quiet. Now it was Jax and Alex staring at her.

Mari frowned. “What?”

Alex laughed first, shaking his head. Then Jax joined him.

Mari looked confused. “What is funny?”

Jax shook his head. “That’s your reaction?”

She blinked. “What reaction were you expecting?”

Alex folded his arms. “What if I had said no?”

Mari snorted. “This is Jax. Your Jax. Why would you say no?”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “I’m serious.”

Mari smiled sweetly. “If you’d said no, I would have hired help and kidnapped him.”

Jax wiped a hand over his face. “Kidnap?”

Mari nodded firmly. “Yes.”

That made Alex laugh.

Mari pointed at Jax. “I know you would never agree to elope with me—”

“I wouldn’t,” Jax agreed.

She nodded. “Exactly. So I would have kidnapped you and forced you to marry me on a secret island or I would have fed you to the sharks.”

Alex looked delighted. “You’re Andy’s daughter, true and true.”

All three of them laughed.

At that exact moment, the study door opened again, and Andy walked inside.

She stopped. Looked at all three of them, then narrowed her eyes at Mari.

Andy put a hand on her hip. “I sent you here to get them. And instead, you’re laughing with them.”

Mari immediately pointed. “They distracted me.”

“We distracted her.”

“We did not.” Jax and Alex said simultaneously.

Andy folded her arms and watched all three of them.

Mari turned to them, “Mum said to let you both know that if you are not at the dining table in thirty seconds, she is taking off her clothes and going to bed.”

Both men looked like they were trying not to laugh.

Andy stared at Mari, then slowly raised a brow. “What exactly was the point of delivering the message when I came here myself?”

Mari immediately pointed at her. “What was the point of giving me that message in the first place?”

Andy looked intrigued. “I beg your pardon?”

Mari folded her arms. “The thirty seconds elapsed and not only are you still dressed—”

Jax immediately started tittering and Alex pressed his lips together.

Mari pointed dramatically at her mother. “—but you’re now standing in the study talking with us instead of going upstairs and taking off your clothes.”

For one second there was silence, save for the tittering sound Jax was making, then Andy burst out laughing. Her shoulders shook as she laughed.

Jax and Alex joined in her laughter now that they knew they weren’t about to be caught up in a mother-and-daughter fight.

Andy walked over and kissed Mari’s cheek. “I love how smart your mouth is.”

Mari beamed proudly. “I learnt from the best.”

Andy laughed again. “Indeed you did.”

Both men exchanged a look. Then slowly shook their heads.

“Come on,” Alex said as he headed for the door. “Dinner before they start another debate.”

Jax chuckled and followed him.

Andy linked her arm through Mari’s immediately, and both mother and daughter started chatting before they even reached the hallway about Jax getting permission from Alex.

Their voices drifted ahead of the men, who couldn’t cease being amazed by them.