Heir In The Shadows

EPISODE 4

First face to face Encounter at the Club

The bass thumped through the floor, vibrating up through Jax’s boots as he leaned against the shadowed corner of the club. His hoodie was still up, concealing his face from most of the crowd, but his eyes scanned the room with quiet precision. This was his territory—his mask, his anonymity.

Then he noticed him.

Luciano.

Tall, confident, walking through the crowd like he owned every pulse of light and shadow. Sharp suit, shirt unbuttoned just enough to suggest danger without arrogance. Jax’s instincts sharpened immediately—this was a man used to power, used to being recognized, and used to getting what he wanted.

Luciano’s eyes locked on Jax. A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. He made his way over, weaving through bodies, ignoring the crowd as if it didn’t exist.

Luciano (leaning in, voice low, smooth, over the music):

“So, they call you Ghost.”

Jax (calm, eyes flicking up, lips barely moving):

“And you must be the man who thinks he can see through me.”

Luciano chuckled, the sound like silk sliding over steel. “Maybe I just like to know what kind of wolf I’m dealing with before the fight begins.”

Jax’s lips curled into the faintest smile, the corner of his mouth only. “Wolves recognize each other quickly. But sometimes… the first glance isn’t enough to decide who hunts whom.”

Luciano leaned closer, their faces inches apart, the heat from his body cutting through the smoke around them. “I enjoy a good game of masks,” he said, tone teasing, dangerous. “But the truth always slips through eventually. Don’t you agree?”

Jax let the music thrum through his chest, steady and controlled, his gaze unwavering. “Perhaps. Or perhaps the one who thinks he’s uncovering truth is the one being played.”

A long pause, both of them measuring, circling, predator to predator. The crowd’s noise seemed to fall away.

Luciano finally straightened, taking a step back, smirk still in place. “I look forward to seeing how far your mask can hold.”

He melted into the crowd, disappearing as effortlessly as he appeared.

Jax remained in the corner, calm, calculating, letting the thrill of the encounter simmer. He knew the game had begun—and neither of them would walk away unscathed.

---

After the Club Encounter

Jax leaned back against the cold wall of the alley behind the club, the bass of the music still vibrating in his chest. Sweat and cigarette smoke clung to him, but he barely noticed. His mind wasn’t on the fight he’d just watched, or the crowd, or even the drinks being passed around inside.

It was on him.

Luciano.

The man had moved like a shadow with teeth—effortless, confident, dangerous. And when their eyes had met… something had shifted. Not fear. Not admiration. But a thrill—a recognition.

Jax clenched his fists, tasting the adrenaline and the subtle heat of curiosity. That smile. That way Luciano had spoken, like he knew a secret… like he was daring Jax to reveal himself.

He’s dangerous, Jax thought. He’s not just testing me. He’s probing, circling. He’s trying to see if I break under his gaze.

And yet, there was something else, unbidden—a pulse he didn’t like to name. A draw, subtle but undeniable, like a spark in a dark room.

I don’t get drawn in, Jax reminded himself. I don’t get distracted. I don’t fall.

But the way Luciano had lingered in his periphery, letting the words hang in the air, the way he’d disappeared without a trace… it gnawed at him.

Jax’s lips curved into the faintest smile, cold, controlled. He was already planning. Already calculating.

This is a game. And I always win games.

Yet for the first time in a long while, he felt the tiniest itch of something dangerous—something personal. Not weakness. Not yet. But enough to make him… aware.

Aware that this man was no ordinary predator. That perhaps he had met his match.

And for once, Jax didn’t entirely hate the thought.

He pushed the feeling down, back into the shadows where it belonged.

I control everything. I control him. He doesn’t know me. Not yet.

And with that, he disappeared into the night, hoodie up, hands in pockets, the storm of adrenaline and calculation still burning inside him.

---

The Testing Game

The apartment was quiet, almost oppressively so, as Jax leaned against the counter, watching Damon scroll through his phone. Every movement Damon made—the flick of a thumb, the slight stiffening when a message appeared—was etched into Jax’s mind.

He didn’t confront him. Not yet. That wasn’t how this worked.

Let him squirm. Let him think he’s safe. Let him believe his little betrayals are secrets, Jax thought.

Damon hummed, casual on the surface, but Jax noticed the tiny slip: the way he glanced over his shoulder, the subtle tightening of his jaw, the way his fingers lingered on a contact labeled “Eli.”

Jax smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly. He poured himself a drink, fingers brushing the glass with slow, deliberate patience.

“Busy morning?” Jax asked casually, voice low, deceptively soft.

Damon froze for a heartbeat before turning, forcing a smile. “Uh… yeah, just… work stuff.”

Jax tilted his head slightly, eyes sharp, voice dropping another layer of weight:

“You’ve been… distracted lately. Phones, texts. Someone keeps getting your attention.”

Damon’s throat bobbed nervously. He laughed too quickly. “What? No, I mean… I—uh, it’s nothing. Just… friends.”

Jax stepped closer, slow, unhurried, letting the heat of his presence brush against Damon without touching him. His words were soft, almost intimate.

“Friends, huh? You don’t usually hide your friends from me. I wonder… what they’re whispering that makes you look so guilty.”

Damon’s eyes flicked down, and his hands tightened around the phone. A lie hovered on his lips, but Jax didn’t give him the chance.

The guilt is delicious, Jax thought. Let him taste it.

I hope it isn't what I'm thinking Damon I just hope it isn't. Jax says before walking back to where he was seated.

Damon walked to him giving him a lingering kiss on the lips. Trust me babe, I'm yours and yours alone he said. Okay I'm off for work, see you later . Damon gives him another kiss before making his way out of the house. Jax just sighs because he knows it's all lies .

....

After Damon left for work, Jax tried to focus on other things, but it was useless. His mind kept circling, imagining what Damon could be doing right now—what stolen laughs, touches, and kisses he was sharing with Eli. The thought gnawed at him, a bitter taste he couldn’t shake.

He grabbed his phone, dialing Eli’s number, forcing his voice to stay casual despite the tight coil of jealousy in his chest.

Jax:

“Hey… it’s been a while. Thought maybe we could hit up our usual spot tonight. You know, the club? Catch up a little?”

Eli (light, almost too quick):

“Ah… tonight’s not gonna work, man. Busy. Rain check?”

Jax forced a small, polite smile, but his stomach twisted.

Jax:

“Yeah… sure. Next time then.”

He hung up, but the silence of the apartment pressed against him like a weight. His mind refused to let go of the thought: Not free… right. Because he’s with Damon tonight.

Every excuse, every word Eli had just spoken felt like proof—proof that his suspicions weren’t just paranoia. Damon. Eli. Together. And here he was, pretending to be calm, pretending to care about polite refusals.

Jax’s hand tightened around his phone. Fine, he whispered to himself. Let them be. But I see you. I see everything.

The thought alone sent a ripple of heat through him—not lust, not yet—but a dark, simmering need for control. For knowledge. For… power.

Tonight, I’ll be where I need to be.

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