Heir In The Shadows

EPISODE 6

A Spark of Jealousy

Luciano watched Jax slip the phone back into his pocket, the brief tightening of his jaw and the small, almost imperceptible flare of irritation not escaping his attention.

A flicker passed through Luciano—a heat he hadn’t expected. Was it jealousy? Something deeper? The realization that this meticulous, controlled man—the one who seemed untouchable, untamable—had someone in his life stirred something sharp and strange inside him.

Luciano’s lips curved into a faint, almost predatory smile.

He reached for his phone, voice low and precise as he dialed one of his most trusted men.

Luciano:

“Find out everything about him. Everything. Who he’s close to… who he’s sleeping with. Who this Ghost really cares about.”

There was a pause as he listened, the faint click of confirmation on the other end.

Luciano (smirking to himself):

“Good. I want names. I want habits. I want to know what makes him… untouchable. And then… we’ll see if that still holds.”

He hung up, eyes following Jax as he left the lounge, disappearing into the chaos of the club.

So meticulous. So controlled. And yet… vulnerable, Luciano thought, a dark thrill coursing through him. Let’s see how deep this obsession really goes.

The spark of jealousy—or whatever it was—lingered like fire, a dangerous fuel for the games he intended to play.

...

Luciano’s phone buzzed again. He quickly scanned the message from his man: the details of Jax’s lover, Damon—where he worked, the routine, even small habits.

But instead of the thrill he had expected, a cold irritation settled over him.

He has someone? Luciano muttered under his breath, teeth grinding. He loves someone else?

The information should have excited him. It should have made the game more interesting. But it didn’t. Instead, it stirred a fire he hadn’t anticipated—anger, jealousy, possessiveness. His chest tightened, and his hands clenched into fists.

Luciano:

“Wait… what do you mean he’s dating Damon?”

The man’s reply came quickly, factual and calm, but it did nothing to soothe the storm inside Luciano.

Man:

“Yes, sir. Damon. Works at—”

Luciano slammed his hand on the table, startling everyone in the room. No. Not acceptable.

Luciano (voice low, trembling with rage):

“He has someone in his life… and he’s mine to observe? To challenge? To understand? No.” He can't accept but he has no choice because he doesn't even know what all these strange feelings and emotions are.

Homecoming and Temptation

The apartment was dark, save for the faint glow of the TV casting flickering shadows across the room. Jax stepped inside, muscles tense, mind still racing from the club.

Damon was there, lounging on the sofa, the dim light painting him in a soft, seductive glow. He looked up, eyes locking with Jax’s, and a slow, knowing smile curved his lips.

Jax froze for a moment. His gaze drank in Damon—every movement, every curve, every subtle invitation in the way he leaned back and let the light fall across him.

And in that moment, Jax’s mind slipped, back years—back to the first day he saw Damon. Younger, innocent, unaware of the dangers of the world… and yet, from that first glance, Jax had known. He had known he would protect him at all costs. He had loved him, wholly and unreservedly.

Now, here he was—older, hardened, broken in ways Damon didn’t know—and yet the same pull remained. The same desire, the same burning need.

Damon rose, slow, deliberate, the seductive sway of his body impossible to resist. He closed the distance between them, letting his hands brush against Jax’s chest before capturing him in a lingering, searing kiss.

Jax’s mind screamed—The same mouth… the same lips you just used with Eli… you’re using them on me now.

But reason had no power tonight. Lust, love, and the years of buried longing overcame it. His hands wrapped around Damon, pulling him closer, surrendering to the intoxicating mix of desire and fury.

The night exploded around them. Moans and gasps filled the apartment as passion, anger, and jealousy collided in a chaotic symphony. Each touch carried memory, betrayal, and longing. Every movement was a battle between control and surrender.

And through it all, Jax couldn’t stop himself from thinking, I hate you. I love you. I want you. And I can’t stop.

The hours passed in a blur of heat and need, leaving them both spent, tangled, and trembling in the aftermath of desire, guilt, and a complicated, impossible love.

After the Heat

The room smelled faintly of soap and heat, steam curling in the corners as Jax carried Damon into the bathroom. Their bodies were still flushed from their passion, hearts hammering, breaths ragged.

Without a word, they slid into the hot water, the warmth enveloping them, blurring the line between comfort and desire. Their hands found each other again, and despite the ache of betrayal, the raw, magnetic pull between them ignited once more.

Time melted away. Moans, whispers, and shivers of pleasure filled the small space. And yet, even as they surrendered again to their bodies, Jax’s mind remained a storm.

When at last they emerged from the bath, bodies slick and exhausted, Jax carried Damon back to bed. He laid him down gently, tucking the sheets around him. Damon, lulled by the warmth and the closeness, fell asleep immediately, his chest rising and falling in calm rhythm against Jax’s arm.

Jax stayed awake. His eyes traced the familiar contours of Damon’s face, memorizing the curve of his jaw, the gentle slope of his nose, the lips that had betrayed him and yet ignited a fire he couldn’t deny.

He couldn’t believe it. He’s cheating on me… with Eli. My Damon, my world… cheating.

And yet, the evidence was undeniable. Every stolen glance, every whispered lie, every hidden rendezvous—it was all there.

Jax’s hand brushed a strand of hair from Damon’s forehead, and he pressed a soft, aching kiss to the temple. The love was still there. Always there. But so was the betrayal.

If I don’t let go… he thought, jaw tight, eyes glinting in the dim light. We’ll destroy each other. Day by day, piece by piece, the hurt will only get deeper. And I… I can’t let it go that far.

He tightened his hold around Damon, just a little, savoring the warmth, the closeness. Desire and love tangled with rage and pain in his chest, leaving him sleepless. The night stretched on, heavy with unspoken truths and impossible choices.

Jax whispered softly, almost to himself, as if the darkness could hear him:

I have to find a way to let you go… before we both end up broken.

Rushing Back

Jax had made a choice—a bitter, necessary one. He would protect himself emotionally. He would heal.

It wasn’t easy. He still did the little things for Damon: left notes, made coffee, kept up the routines, the gestures that reminded Damon of normalcy. But he had made himself scarce. Nights at home were shorter, touches lighter, words fewer. He wanted distance, space to breathe, to untangle the mess of hurt and desire that kept clawing at his chest.

For weeks, Damon noticed his absence but assumed Jax was busy. He let it go.

Then came the call.

Damon (soft, shaky):

“Jax… I’m not feeling well. Can you… come home? Please.”

Jax froze. The voice—the faint tremor, the quiet plea—struck a nerve he had tried to dull. I’ve been scarce to protect myself… he reminded himself, thumb hovering over the screen. But instinct, that relentless pull he couldn’t deny, won.

He didn’t answer with words. He didn’t hesitate. Within minutes, he was gone, racing through the streets, ignoring the world outside.

When he arrived, Damon was seated on the couch, dim light from the TV casting soft shadows across his face. Weak, vulnerable, and entirely unguarded. Jax’s chest tightened. All the careful walls he had built threatened to crumble at the sight of him.

Jax crossed the room and lowered himself beside Damon, letting their shoulders touch. Softly, he murmured, “I’m here.”

Damon leaned into him, sighing softly, eyes closing. For a moment, the weight of the past weeks—the hurt, the betrayal—fell away. Jax held him, letting the quiet intimacy soothe the raw ache in both their hearts, even if only temporarily.

I have to protect myself, Jax thought, pressing a hand gently over Damon’s. But some things… some bonds… are impossible to ignore.

The night stretched on in silence, tension wrapped in comfort, desire tangled with guilt. Jax stayed awake long after Damon drifted off, staring at the man in his arms. He knew the truth. He knew the betrayal. He knew the danger of holding on too tightly.

If I don’t let go… this will destroy us both.

And yet, he couldn’t move. Not yet.