Heir In The Shadows

EPISODE 8

After Jax finished his work in the secret base, he stepped out carefully, making sure everything was sealed and hidden. The moment he entered the penthouse, he realized Damon was gone. He didn’t need to guess—he knew exactly where Damon had gone.

He should be used to this by now, but why did it still sting? Why did his chest tighten every time Damon slipped away without a word?

With a faint sigh, Jax freshened up and decided to leave. He didn’t want to sit in silence and think. Not today. He needed a distraction, something to burn out the ache gnawing at him.

“I haven’t been in the ring for weeks…” he muttered under his breath as he put on his jacket. “Maybe I need a fight… a punching bag to wear off this anger.”

But first—coffee. His favorite spot was just around the corner.

As fate would have it, Luciano had already gotten the tip-off from his men. The moment he heard Jax was out, he didn’t waste a second. He drove straight to the same coffee shop, his pulse racing with anticipation.

When Luciano entered, his eyes immediately found him. Jax was seated by the window, coffee in hand, his expression unreadable yet magnetic as always.

Without hesitation, Luciano walked over and slid into the seat across from him. Jax blinked, caught off guard. It had been a while since he last saw him.

“You’ve been hiding,” Luciano teased lightly, though his eyes searched Jax’s face with an intensity that betrayed his calm tone.

Jax gave a faint smirk. “Or maybe you’ve just been too busy to notice.”

They exchanged small talk—light words with heavy undercurrents. And for the first time in weeks, Jax allowed himself to ease into the conversation, the familiar banter.

Luciano didn’t waste the opportunity. Before Jax could leave, he managed to convince him to hand over his number.

As Jax walked out, Luciano’s heart felt both heavy and light. He knew Jax already had someone he loved, but he couldn’t help it. He was falling for him deeper with every passing second.

If all I can have is friendship, I’ll take it, he thought. Better by his side than not at all.

---

Luciano couldn’t stop thinking about Jax. It didn’t make sense—why him? Why was he so drawn to this cold, aloof street fighter who barely let anyone in?

But the truth was undeniable. The more he thought about Jax, the more he craved his presence. That sharp gaze, that quiet strength, even the way he tried to keep people at arm’s length—Luciano loved it all. He didn’t just admire him. He had fallen for him.

Late that evening, as he sat in his office staring at his phone, Luciano gave in to his heart. His fingers typed out the words before his mind could second-guess:

Luciano: Dinner tonight? My treat.

The reply came a few minutes later—short, blunt, typical Jax.

Jax: Not interested.

Luciano smirked. He should’ve expected that. But he wasn’t about to give up.

Luciano: Come on. One meal won’t kill you. Just dinner. No strings attached.

Jax: Still not interested.

Luciano leaned back in his chair, chuckling softly to himself. Stubborn bastard. He could practically picture Jax’s frown as he typed.

But Luciano wasn’t the type to take no for an answer when his heart was involved.

Luciano: I won’t stop asking until you say yes. Save us both the trouble and just agree.

This time, there was a long pause before the phone finally buzzed.

Jax: Fine. Just dinner.

Luciano’s chest tightened, and an involuntary smile spread across his face. He actually had to force himself to stay calm, but inside he was ecstatic.

Dinner with Jax. An entire evening where he could sit across from him, hear his voice, watch his expressions—without anyone else around.

And the best part? Damon wasn’t there to occupy Jax’s time.

Luciano’s pulse raced as he texted back one final message.

Luciano: You won’t regret it.

As he set his phone down, he realized he was already counting the hours until he could see Jax again.

---

The restaurant was quiet, dimly lit with warm golden lamps that made every table feel like its own private world. Luciano had chosen it on purpose—intimate, exclusive, the kind of place where walls seemed to melt away.

He spotted Jax the moment he walked in. Dressed simply, as always, yet somehow he carried an air that turned heads. Luciano rose to greet him, his smile wide, his heart pounding.

“Glad you came,” Luciano said, pulling out the chair for him. “I wasn’t sure if you’d show.”

Jax gave him a look—cool, unreadable—as he sat down. “You didn’t give me much of a choice, did you?”

Luciano laughed, delighted by the sharpness in his tone. “Persistence pays off.”

They ordered, and while they waited for their food, Luciano leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, eyes never leaving Jax. “You know, you’re even harder to read in person than over text. I like that about you. Makes me want to dig deeper.”

Jax didn’t flinch, didn’t smile, didn’t give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Instead, he reached for his glass of water. “Maybe you shouldn’t. Some walls are there for a reason.”

Luciano tilted his head, lips curving into a grin. “And yet… here you are, having dinner with me. Doesn’t that mean a part of you wants me to climb over those walls?”

Jax’s jaw tightened. He hated how those words tugged at something inside him. Damon’s betrayal still burned in the back of his mind, an ache he carried in silence. And now this—this man sitting across from him, watching him like he was something rare and precious.

Jax forced himself to keep his composure. “Don’t get the wrong idea. My showing up doesn’t mean anything. I don’t cheat.” His voice was firm, a quiet declaration of his principles.

Luciano’s smirk softened. For the first time that evening, he leaned back, studying Jax with something almost tender in his eyes. “You really mean that, don’t you? Even when the one you’re with isn’t giving you the same respect.”

Jax’s gaze flickered, just for a second, betraying the storm beneath his calm exterior. “That’s none of your business.”

“Maybe not,” Luciano admitted, lowering his voice. “But it is my business that I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Silence settled between them for a heartbeat, heavy and charged. Luciano’s flirtation was playful, yes, but his sincerity was impossible to miss. Jax stayed guarded, reminding himself over and over—I won’t cheat. I won’t be like him.

Still, as he stared down at his untouched food, he couldn’t deny it: a part of him was curious. A dangerous part.

Luciano’s smile was gentle, his gaze lingering on Jax longer than necessary. “It’s strange,” he said softly, “I’ve been surrounded by people my whole life… yet somehow, sitting here with you feels different. Calmer. Like I can breathe.”

Jax glanced at him, unimpressed. “You’re laying it on too thick.”

Luciano chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m not trying to charm you, Jax. Well—maybe a little.” His eyes glimmered with unspoken affection. “But I mean it. You have this way of… pulling people in without even trying.”

Jax shifted in his seat, his expression hard. “Whatever you’re trying, it won’t work. I don’t cross lines. No matter how much my lover decides to cross them.”

There was a flicker of pain in his eyes, quickly hidden behind his stoic mask.

Luciano caught it, but he didn’t push. Instead, he leaned back and smiled softly. “Then I’ll stay on the right side of the line. Even if it’s just as your friend. Being here, with you—it’s enough.”

Jax didn’t reply. He only sipped his drink, gaze distant, as if silently reminding himself of his own boundaries.