The Jilted Heiress And Her Billionaire Protector

Kaia pushed open the heavy glass doors of the New York City Hall marriage registry.

A blast of over-air-conditioned air hit her bare skin. She shivered, her fingers immediately reaching up to pull the thin silk shawl tighter around her shoulders. Her stomach felt like it was filled with lead.

Footsteps echoed against the marble floor. Jaxson strode down the corridor from the opposite side. His bespoke charcoal suit fit him with ruthless perfection. Without a word, he stepped smoothly into the path of the AC vent, his broad shoulders blocking the icy draft before it could reach her.

"Ready?" he asked.

His voice was a low rumble in his chest. Kaia looked up. His deep blue eyes held a steady, unreadable calm.

"Yes," Kaia lied.

Her throat was dry. She forced the word out, swallowing the suffocating fear of signing her life away to a man she barely knew.

The clerk slid the marriage registration form across the counter.

"Are both parties entering this union voluntarily?" the clerk asked, looking between them.

Kaia picked up the pen. Her knuckles turned white. She gripped the plastic barrel so hard her fingers ached. She stared at the dotted line. This was a merger. A transaction to stabilize the Wilson Group's stock and secure the Miranda family's trust fund. Nothing more.

She pressed the pen to the paper and signed her name.

Jaxson took the form from her. As he reached for it, his fingers moved deliberately slow. The rough pad of his index finger brushed against the back of her hand.

A sharp jolt of electricity shot up Kaia's arm. Her breath caught. She yanked her hand back, her pulse suddenly hammering in her ears.

Jaxson didn't look up. He signed his name with fluid, aggressive strokes. He pushed the paper back to the clerk. The movement was final. The contract was sealed.

The clerk handed them two red-stamped certificates. Jaxson took both. He folded them and slid them into the inner breast pocket of his suit jacket. He didn't offer her one.

They walked out of the building side by side. The midday New York sun was blinding. Kaia raised her hand to shield her eyes, squinting against the harsh glare.

A shadow instantly fell over her.

Jaxson had opened a large black umbrella. He held it entirely over her head, his own shoulder exposed to the baking sun.

A black Rolls-Royce idled at the curb. Jaxson's driver opened the rear door. Jaxson placed his hand on the roof of the car, shielding her head as he nodded for her to get in.

Kaia slid into the backseat. The heavy door clicked shut, sealing them inside.

The air in the cabin was thick. The scent of crisp cedar and expensive mint radiated from Jaxson's suit. It filled Kaia's lungs. Her chest tightened. Her heart skipped a beat, thudding against her ribs. She immediately turned her head, staring blankly out the tinted window to hide the sudden flush creeping up her