Heir In The Shadows

EPISODE 7

The Question in His Arms

Damon lay against Jax, warm and familiar, his body sinking into the comfort of Jax’s arms. For a fleeting moment, Jax allowed himself to savor it—the closeness, the softness, the feel of Damon pressed against him.

But the weight of weeks of distance pressed down on Damon, and he could no longer hold back.

“Jax…” Damon murmured, his voice low, trembling just slightly. “Why are you avoiding me?”

Jax’s chest tightened. He held him a little closer, the protective instinct in him warring with the truth he couldn’t yet face.

“I… I’ve just been busy,” Jax said softly, keeping his voice calm, measured. He didn’t want to give away how much his heart clenched at the sound of Damon’s voice, at the warmth of his body in his arms.

Damon pulled back just enough to look up at him, eyes searching, intense. “Busy?” His lips curved with a hint of frustration, voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. “Don’t lie to me, Jax. I know there’s something. You’re avoiding me… is it because of someone else?”

The words struck deep, slicing through Jax’s chest. He froze, heart pounding, mind flickering to the betrayal he had already witnessed. The same mouth that had kissed Eli was pressed against him now, and every instinct screamed at him to pull away—but he couldn’t. Not entirely.

Jax’s arms tightened reflexively around Damon, a mix of anger, lust, and heartbreak mingling in his chest. “I’m… not avoiding you,” he said, voice low, steady, but edged with steel. “I just… can’t stay like this right now.”

Damon shook his head, leaning into him, his forehead pressing against Jax’s. “No. We have to talk, Jax. You’re not going anywhere until we do. I won’t let you push me away.”

The room was thick with tension—the warmth of their bodies, the pull of desire, and the sting of betrayal. Jax’s mind raced, knowing that to stay was dangerous, to leave was painful. Yet here he was, holding the man he loved and hated in equal measure, every fiber of his being caught between restraint and surrender.

If I don’t protect myself… we’ll destroy each other. But… leaving him like this? I can’t.

And so, he stayed, the storm of their emotions swirling around them, unspoken and unresolved, as the night stretched on.

Damon’s hands gripped Jax’s arms, eyes wide, pleading, yet fiery. “Jax… I need to know! Are you avoiding me because of someone else? Tell me!”

Jax’s chest tightened, every instinct screaming at him to pull away. But Damon’s nearness, the warmth of his body pressed against his, the desperation in his voice—it was impossible to resist.

“I…” Jax began, jaw tight, mind a storm. He should stop this. He should push Damon away. I can’t let this destroy me.

But Damon wasn’t letting go. His lips brushed Jax’s neck, teasing, demanding, and Jax felt the familiar fire ignite despite himself. Anger, betrayal, and lust collided, every nerve screaming with tension.

“You’re mine to fight for, Jax,” Damon whispered, his breath hot against Jax’s ear. “I won’t let you slip away from me.”

Jax groaned softly, a conflicted sound—half frustration, half need. He pressed a hand to Damon’s cheek, staring into the eyes he loved and loathed simultaneously. “Do you have any idea… what you’ve done? What you’re doing to me?”

“I don’t care,” Damon said fiercely, shoving a hand into Jax’s chest. “I need you. I need us! We fix this tonight, Jax. No more running.”

The confession, the raw vulnerability, sent Jax’s control spiraling. His hands tangled in Damon’s hair, pulling him down into a kiss that was furious, desperate, and hungry. The world narrowed to the taste, the heat, the undeniable pull that had always existed between them.

They moved together with a chaotic, unrestrained rhythm—words lost to moans, frustration lost to lust. Each touch was a mixture of anger and desire, each gasp a reminder of betrayal and longing.

Jax’s mind screamed at him to stop, to step back, to protect himself—but his body betrayed him, craving Damon in spite of the pain he knew would follow. Every kiss, every grip, was a war between love and self-preservation.

Hours passed like minutes. By the end, both were spent, trembling, soaked in sweat, emotions raw and frayed. Damon rested against Jax, breathing shallow but steady, eyes half-closed in exhaustion and surrender.

Jax held him close, a storm of emotion raging beneath the surface—love, lust, betrayal, and the heavy, bitter knowledge that this night could not erase what had been done.

If I don’t let go… we’ll ruin each other. But right now… I can’t.

---

Morning Shadows

The soft hum of computers filled the hidden room, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. Jax leaned over a sleek desk, eyes scanning encrypted ledgers, global communications, and coded messages from advisors. The air was thick with the faint scent of cigar smoke and leather.

He was in his element—calculating, commanding, orchestrating moves that could topple rival networks. Despite the turmoil in his personal life, the weight of his legacy pressed on him. Every decision, every silent order, reminded him why he could never truly let himself be distracted—even by the man he loved and despised in equal measure.

---

Meanwhile, Damon moved through the apartment, showered and dressed quickly. A soft buzz from his phone made him pause. A message from Eli:

"We need to meet. Urgent. Tonight."

Damon’s pulse quickened. He tapped a reply, then left immediately, heart racing—not with worry for work, but with the thrill of secrecy, the dangerous allure of betrayal he was weaving.

---

Thousands of miles away, Luciano stepped off the private jet, his tailored coat sweeping behind him as he strode into his office. Business overseas had kept him occupied, but now he was back—and Jax was on his mind, as always.

Luciano:

“Bring me up to speed. Everything about Jax. Now.”

His men shuffled nervously, papers and tablets in hand.

Man 1:

“Sir… we haven’t been able to track him. Jax… he’s been well-hidden. We don’t know his exact movements, his contacts… nothing. He’s practically untouchable.”

Luciano’s jaw tightened. A flicker of frustration, quickly replaced by the cold, dangerous calm he always wore.

Luciano:

“Anything… anything at all from his lover’s side?”

The men exchanged looks before nodding.

Man 2:

“Yes, sir. Damon. And… Eli. They’ve been meeting. Secretly. Multiple times. We don’t know the full details yet, but it looks suspicious.”

Luciano’s eyes darkened, storm clouds gathering in their depths. The thought of Damon in the orbit of someone else—someone tied to Jax—ignited a mix of possessiveness, jealousy, and strategic curiosity.

Luciano:

“Good. Keep a close watch. Every move they make. I want to know everything—who they meet, what they say, where they go. No detail is too small.”

His men nodded, already moving into action, sensing the intensity radiating off their leader.

Luciano leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, eyes narrowing. His mind replayed every image, every moment he had observed of Jax—Ghost, the street fighter. And now, this twist with Damon and Eli only sharpened the obsession simmering in him.