Chapter 21
Ajori
The hum of the engines filled the cabin as the private jet sliced through the clouds like it had somewhere urgent to be. Plush cream leather seats, gold accents, and enough legroom to stretch out without accidentally kicking somebody.
I sat near the window, my nails tapping against the armrest. I’d never been on a plane before, much less one that looked like it belonged on a rapper’s tour schedule.
“Jo, are you nervous?” Kyrin asked from the seat beside me, his legs bouncing with excitement.
I glanced at him, scanning his face like I was searching for a sign of pain, discomfort… anything.
“I’m okay, sport. You feeling alright? No headaches? No nausea? You’re breathing fine, right?”
He flashed me a playful grin and rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion. “I’m good, sis. Calm down before you give yourself a heart attack. It’s just a plane, not a rocket ship.”
That pulled a reluctant smile from me. “Alright. Just making sure.”
“Making sure turns into overreacting in three… two…” Kyrin teased.
Across the aisle, Lainey was in her own paradise, sipping champagne with a carefree elegance, as if she’d been doing so her entire life. She snapped a flurry of pictures of the breathtaking window view, her gold hoops catching the light every time she moved.
“This is lit!” she exclaimed. “Private jet, ocean in a few hours, and I didn’t pay a dime for this? Yeah… you’re my favorite person forever, Jo!”
I smirked, but my eyes drifted forward to Marcos.
He was stretched out in a relaxed, confident manner that suggested he was all too familiar with luxury. Every time I looked his way, his focus wasn’t on the skyline; it was on Lainey, and not the quick glances men make when they think no one’s watching, either. He was sizing her up like he already knew exactly what he’d do if the opportunity came.
Lainey was too busy pouring another drink to notice, but I clocked it immediately.
Kyrin leaned over, still grinning. “Hey, sis?”
“Yeah?”
“When we land, can I swim in the ocean first? Like before, we even unpack?”
I squinted my eyes at him. “We’ll see.”
But even as I said it, my mind was already racing, thinking about Kyrin, about Mexico… and about why Marcos couldn’t seem to take his eyes off my best friend.
Two hours later, the jet touched down smooth as silk, and before I could blink, we were riding through winding stone-paved roads that felt like something out of a movie. Tall iron gates creaked open as our SUV approached, revealing a sprawling expanse of land beyond, each inch more breathtaking than the last.
When the SUV finally stopped, my jaw slackened.
The house—if you could even call it that—was enormous. White stone buildings stretched across the property like their own private compound. Balconies wrapped around the upper floors, fountains bubbled quietly near the entrance, and palm trees swayed lazily in the warm ocean breeze. Security guards stood posted near different corners of the estate like statues.
“Bruh,” Kyrin breathed, pressing his face against the window before the driver even opened the doors. “We staying here?”
I blinked, still absorbing the overwhelming sight before me. “I guess so,” I replied slowly, disbelief lacing my voice.
Lainey leaned forward, squinting toward the dazzling view. “Hold on… wait a damn minute. Is this a house or a resort?”
The driver opened the door, and warm ocean air rushed in.
Lainey stepped out first and turned in a slow circle, hands on her hips. “Oh yeah,” she said with a satisfied nod. “I’m about to actrealirresponsible for the next five days.”
Kyrin was already halfway out the car, his eyes darting everywhere at once. “Jo, hurry up!”
“Okay. Okay.”