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 act real irresponsible for the next five days.”
Kyrin was already halfway out the car, his eyes darting everywhere at once. “Jo, hurry up!”
“Okay. Okay.”
I stepped out behind him, still staring at the massive estate, and then I turned toward Marcos.
“Okay, don’t get me wrong, this place is nice… but this doesn’t look like a villa to me.”
I gestured toward the endless stretch of buildings and balconies.
“This looks like a whole village… an expensive one.”
Marcos chuckled under his breath. “You’re not wrong. But don’t worry; we’ll get around to the beach, the pool, all the vacation fun soon enough.”
He slid his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose and looked at me intently.
“But first,” he added casually, “there’s someone you need to meet. Y’all follow me.”
My eyes roamed everywhere at once—the arched double doors, the marble walkway, the flicker of candlelight inside. But I couldn’t fully enjoy it. Kyrin was practically bouncing, and every step he took made my heart squeeze with worry. I found myself scanning him the same way I had on the plane.
“Slow down, Kyrin!” I murmured as we walked toward the entrance.
“I’m good, sis. Promise.” His smile was wide, carefree. “This place is crazy though!”
Two women approached first, their smiles warm and welcoming as they gently took the bags from my hands.
“Bienvenida, Miss Ajori,” one of them greeted me kindly, a melodic accent dancing through her words.
Another maid stepped forward, placing a hand over her heart, exuding a comforting sincerity.
“Mi casa es su casa,” she added.
Then, her smile turned even brighter as she explained in English, “My home is your home. Please feel comfortable here.”
I smiled politely. “Gracias. Es un placer estar aquí.”
(Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here.)
Their reactions were immediate. One of the maids exchanged glances with the other, clearly impressed.
Marcos chuckled behind me. “Yeah… she knows a little Spanish.”
I turned slowly and gave him a look. “A little?”
Then I switched right back to Spanish, my tone playful but sharp.
“Si eso es ‘un poquito’, entonces tú necesitas estudiar más.”
(If this is ‘a little,’ then you need to study more.)
One of the maids covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
“You call that knowing a little Spanish?” I smirked at him, boasting.
He waved me off like I was doing too much. “Okay, Ms. Fluent. Clearly she knows more than a little. We’ll settle that debate later, though.” Then he clapped his hands lightly. “Come on. I’m sure everybody wants to see their rooms.”
Marcos started down a wide staircase hallway, leading us deeper into the estate. The place somehow got bigger the farther we walked. The first room he opened was Kyrin’s. The second the door swung open, Kyrin froze.
There were basketball posters on the wall, a massive flat-screen TV, a gaming console already hooked up, shelves filled with games, a mini hoop mounted on the door, and even a basketball resting beside the bed.
Kyrin stepped inside slowly, like he was afraid it might disappear. “Bruh…” he whispered.
I was about two seconds away from telling him if he said “Bruh” one more time I was going to personally escort him back to Charlotte myself… but I let him have his moment.
I observed the room.
It looked… intentional, as if someone had known exactly what he liked.
There was no way somebody decorated all that, that fast, unless it had already been set up that way… or someone expected him to come months in advance, surely not a week’s notice.
I pushed the thought away before it could grow into something bigger.
Marcos leaned against the doorway. “Think you can survive in here for five days?” he asked.
Kyrin hopped on the bed and looked up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. “I might never leave.”
Next was Lainey’s room.
It wasn’t as themed as Kyrin’s, but it was still gorgeous, nonetheless.
Soft neutral colors, a huge canopy bed, tall windows overlooking the ocean, and a bathroom that looked like a luxury spa.
Lainey walked inside slowly. “Oh hell no,” she muttered.
I raised an eyebrow. “What?”
She turned to us dramatically. “You mean to tell me I gotta sleep in this big fancy room… all by myself?”
Marcos chuckled low. “Not necessarily,” he said, licking his lips.
Lainey’s eyebrow lifted.
And just like that, my earlier suspicion of him admiring her clicked louder in my head.
Lainey smirked. “Well… that depends.”
Marcos didn’t reply to that he just smiled.
Then came my room.
Marcos opened the final door at the end of the hall, and I stopped in my tracks in awe.
The space was massive. Tall windows stretched from floor to ceiling, revealing an uninterrupted view of the ocean.
Sheer curtains drifted softly in the breeze coming through the open balcony doors.
In the center of the room sat a bed so wide it could probably host a small family reunion.
Gold accents glimmered against the soft neutral tones of the walls.
Velvet chairs framed a cozy sitting area near the windows.
Fresh flowers rested on a marble table, and a walk-in closet the size of my apartment waited just beyond a set of double doors.
The entire place looked less like a bedroom and more like something ripped straight from the pages of a luxury magazine.
Queen energy everywhere.
I slowly turned in a circle. “Okay… this is ridiculous.”
Marcos leaned against the doorframe with a satisfied smirk. “If that’s your way of saying it’s beautiful, then yeah.”
“It is beautiful,” I admitted.
“Well… I’ll let you get settled in. Dinner’s at five. That’s when you’ll get to meet the bosses.”
Then he pointed toward a small, sleek device resting on the nightstand.
“If you need anything, just press that.”
I frowned. “A bell?”
Marcos shook his head. “Nah… too old school.”
He picked up the device and pressed the top lightly.
“It connects directly to the house staff through the estate’s internal system. Think of it like instant service. You press it, someone shows up.”
“Why so fancy?” I asked.
He set the device back down. “Because the people who stay here value privacy,” he explained. “No shouting down hallways, no phones ringing all over the place. Quiet requests… quiet service.”
That made a lot more sense.
“In the meantime,” he added, “you’re free to take a tour around the estate. The staff won’t mind helping you if you need anything.”