Heir In The Shadows

EPISODE 40

Night rolled in, the moonlight spilling through the curtains. Luciano stirred softly in Jax’s arms, their bodies tangled together on the bed where they had unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

“Jax… wake up, it’s nightfall,” Luciano whispered, brushing his lips against Jax’s cheek.

Jax blinked awake, groaning as he stretched before pulling Luciano closer. “Gosh… I wish we could just take some time off work. Just you and me… on a beautiful island somewhere. No business, no family… just us in each other’s arms like this.”

Luciano’s lips curved into a small smile. “Don’t worry… we have plenty of time to plan that trip. I promise.”

Jax chuckled, kissing the top of his head before nudging him gently. “Go freshen up, amore… then we’ll head downstairs and see what circus your family has been up to.”

Luciano obeyed, heading to the bathroom while Jax reached for his phone. His tone hardened as he called Draco.

“Check what business deals we have with the Rossi family,” Jax ordered, “and cancel it immediately.”

“Boss,” Draco’s voice came through, cautious, “Mr. Jude Rossi has been very loyal. The profits are huge—”

“Do I lack money, Drac?” Jax cut him off sharply.

“Of course not, boss,” Draco replied quickly.

“Good. Then just do it.”

“But boss…” Draco tried again, hesitant.

Jax’s voice lowered, deadly calm. “Relay this message to Jude Rossi: tell him I said he’d better take care of his son. Or else our deal ends. He’ll understand exactly what I mean.”

“Roger that, boss,” Draco said reluctantly. The call ended.

Unbeknownst to Jax, Luciano had finished his bath and paused at the doorway, hearing everything. He stood there, heart pounding. He always knew Jax loved him — but to hear him willing to cut off such a profitable deal for his sake… it shook him.

If he said he wasn’t moved, he’d be lying.

Luciano walked forward silently, until Jax looked up — and before Jax could speak, Luciano crushed his lips against his, pouring everything into that breathtaking kiss.

Jax froze, stunned, until Luciano finally pulled back, eyes blazing with sincerity.

“That,” Luciano said hoarsely, “was for you. It’s either you, Jax… or no one else. I’m never letting you leave my side. I love you… so much.”

Jax’s chest tightened at the raw confession. He pulled Luciano into his arms, hugging him tightly. “And it’s the same for me, amore. Either you or no one. I’m not going anywhere.”

They held each other, a silent vow exchanged in the stillness.

Jax finally patted his back. “Go on down, I’ll join you later.”

Reluctantly, Luciano nodded and left the room.

Downstairs, he asked the maids where Isabella was, and they told him she was in the tea area with Marco and Antonio. Luciano headed in that direction — but halfway there, he heard a voice call out.

“Luc!”

He stopped and turned. A cousin he wasn’t particularly close with approached — Alessio De Luca, older by a few years, always lingering on the sidelines of family affairs.

“Alessio,” Luciano greeted flatly, “what’s up?”

Alessio gave a small smile as he stepped closer. “I just wanted to say… I’m not in support of what they’re saying about Jax. Don’t listen to them. You do what’s best for you. Don’t let their bitterness poison you.”

Luciano studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he gave a small nod. “Thanks for the thought, cousin. I appreciate it. We’ll see around.”

With that, he moved past Alessio, continuing on his way to find Isabella, Marco, and Antonio.

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Alessio’s eyes followed Luciano until his figure finally disappeared down the corridor. His polite smile slowly shifted into something else—something darker, more dangerous.

From the very first day Luciano and Jax had walked into the estate together, Alessio hadn’t been able to take his eyes off him.

Jax.

That quiet strength, that dangerous aura, that effortless composure. Alessio had checked him out from head to toe, memorizing every detail like a forbidden fantasy. Each time their eyes accidentally crossed, Alessio felt his cheeks heat, forcing himself to look away before anyone noticed.

But in the privacy of his own room, Alessio allowed himself to imagine. Imagine Jax’s rough hands on his skin. Imagine those lips pressed against his own. Imagine what it would feel like to be the one Jax held at night. More than once, he had to blow off steam by picturing Jax’s body, Jax’s voice, Jax’s dangerous smirk.

And the more he imagined, the deeper the obsession rooted itself inside him.

Luciano? Alessio barely cared for him. No—Luciano was only the key. The bridge. The obstacle he needed to get close enough to Jax.

Clenching his fists in determination, Alessio murmured under his breath, “I’ll take him. One way or another, Jax will be mine.”

The thought made his lips curve into a sly smile. Today was only the beginning. By siding with Luciano, by pretending to support him, he had taken the first step in his plan.

His journey had just begun.

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Jax finally closed his laptop, the faint blue glow of the screen fading as he shut it with a soft click. Straightening up, he rolled his shoulders and glanced toward the mirror. The suit he had chosen for tonight hugged his frame perfectly—dark, tailored, and sharp enough to cut. The crisp shirt beneath accentuated his broad chest, and the faint glint of his watch caught the light like a final signature of power. He adjusted his cuffs, ran a hand through his hair, and smirked at his reflection. Tonight, he was every inch the predator dressed as a king.

As he stepped into the corridor, heads turned. Conversations faltered. Even those who detested him—who whispered about him being “an outsider” or “beneath the family”—couldn’t deny what they were seeing. Jax didn’t just walk; he owned every step. The glow of the chandeliers caught the lines of his face, and in that moment, he looked carved from marble—a Greek God who had wandered into the De Luca estate.

By the time he reached the staircase, the living room below had fallen into a hush. The entire family had gathered, waiting for Don Vittorio’s final speech before the reunion ended. But their eyes weren’t on Nonno’s empty chair. They were glued to Jax.

Luciano had been sipping a glass of wine, his head turned in idle conversation with Isabella, when the shift in the room’s energy made him look up. The moment he saw Jax descending, his breath caught. His lips parted ever so slightly, wine glass lowering as his eyes devoured his lover’s every move.

Isabella leaned closer, her voice low but amused, “Your man needs to be locked away, Luc. He’s causing a lot of confusion in this house.”

Luciano didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His eyes refused to leave Jax. The way the suit clung to him, the way each step radiated confidence—it was impossible not to stare. And though Luciano was usually the one admired, tonight, even he had to admit Jax was something else entirely.

Across the room, Alessio sat frozen, fingers curling around the armrest of his chair. His throat went dry as his eyes traced every inch of Jax’s form. That face. That body. That aura that no money, no title, no bloodline could manufacture. His heart thudded in his chest, and though he forced his expression into something neutral, his mind was a storm of hunger.

God, he’s perfect.

He had known from the first moment, but seeing Jax like this only burned the obsession deeper into his veins. Every other man in the room faded into nothing. Jax was all he could see. All he wanted.

But Jax wasn’t fooled. His sharp eyes swept the crowd like a blade, and when they landed on Alessio, he caught it—the difference in the stare. Not admiration. Not respect. Desire. A kind of coveting that burned with the wrong intent.

Jax didn’t let it linger. He didn’t need to. Alessio’s feelings weren’t his cup of tea, not when his heart, his attention, his loyalty belonged to one man alone. His gaze slid past Alessio, honing in on Luciano like a compass finding true north.

The corner of Jax’s lips curved, subtle, dangerous, and when he reached the bottom step, he didn’t hesitate. He crossed the living room, ignoring the whispers that followed him, ignoring the daggers in certain family members’ eyes. When he reached Luciano, he didn’t simply sit beside him—he pulled him in. An arm draped around Luciano’s shoulders, tugging him against his chest with an ease that left no room for doubt.

“Hi,” Jax said calmly, his deep voice carrying across the circle as he acknowledged Isabella, Antonio, and Marco with a nod.

“Hi,” Isabella replied, smirking knowingly, though her eyes twinkled with mischief.

Antonio gave a polite nod, Marco followed, though both noticed the storm of reactions from the rest of the room.

And Luciano? Luciano couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips, his body relaxing into Jax’s embrace as though it was the most natural thing in the world. He didn’t care who was watching. Let them see. Let them choke on it.

That night was the final night of the reunion. Tomorrow, everyone would scatter back to their corners of the empire. But tonight, they all gathered here, in this tense, charged living room, waiting for Don Vittorio to arrive and give his farewell speech.

And yet… none of them could shake the truth. Don Vittorio’s words would come and go. But the image of Jax descending those stairs—Luciano in his arms—was what would haunt this family long after the reunion ended.

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