The "retreat" was a misnomer. It was a summit held at a cliffside resort in Big Sur, a glass-and-redwood monstrosity where the titans of industry gathered to sniff out weakness in one another. For Elias, it was a gauntlet. For Jax, it was a nightmare of open spaces and wandering eyes.
"Remember," Elias said as the car climbed the winding coastal road. He didn't look at Jax; he was busy adjusting the gold cufflinks that Jax had helped him fasten only an hour prior in the dim light of the estate. "At this event, you are a piece of equipment. You do not react. You do not touch me. Especially not like you did in the office."
Jax gripped the steering wheel, his jaw tight. "You're asking me to turn it off, Elias. I'm not a light switch."
"For the next forty-eight hours, you are," Elias countered. He finally looked over, his gaze softening just enough to be dangerous. "Sterling will be there. He's already suspicious. If he sees even a ripple of what's happening between us, he'll use it as leverage to oust me before the V-4 launch."
"I know the stakes," Jax grumbled. "Just don't expect me to enjoy watching you play the bachelor for the investors."
The resort's main lounge was a den of forced laughter and expensive scotch. Jax stood at the edge of the room, his back to a redwood pillar. He wore a wireless earpiece and a face of pure stone.
Elias was at the center of a circle of venture capitalists. He looked magnificent-a shark in a slim-fit navy suit. But Jax could see the tells. He saw the way Elias's hand gripped his wine glass a little too tightly. He saw the way Elias's eyes scanned the room every few minutes, always finding Jax, always grounding himself before turning back to the conversation.
Then came the "complication."
Her name was Elena Vance-no relation, but a rival in the software space. She was beautiful, sharp, and had been trying to merge her firm with Elias's for years. She walked up to Elias and slid her hand through the crook of his arm.
Jax felt a low, guttural growl start in his chest. He didn't move, but his heart rate spiked. Through his earpiece, he could hear the ambient noise of the room, including Elias's microphone.
"Elias," Elena purred. "You've been hiding in that fortress of yours. You look like you need a drink and a very long walk on the beach."
"I'm here for work, Elena," Elias said, his voice perfectly smooth.
"All work and no play..." She leaned in, her lips nearly touching his ear. Jax saw Elias stiffen, but he didn't pull away. He couldn't. Not with Sterling watching from across the room. "I heard you hired a new 'assistant.' Very imposing. Is he as effective as he looks?"
Jax's eyes locked onto Elias. Don't look at me, he thought. Keep your eyes on her.
Elias managed a thin smile. "He keeps the distractions at bay."
"Then let him keep them at bay tonight," she whispered, her hand sliding up to Elias's shoulder, her thumb grazing the line of his jaw-the same spot Jax had kissed just that morning. "Come to the balcony after the keynote. Let's talk about that merger. And maybe other things."
Jax felt a surge of pure, unadulterated alpha rage. It was a physical weight in his gut. He had to remind himself to breathe. He had to remind himself that he was a "shadow."
The night dragged on. During the keynote, Jax stood at the back of the darkened hall. He watched the back of Elias's head, feeling the tether between them stretching thin. When the speech ended and the crowd moved toward the outdoor terrace, Jax followed, keeping his two-pace distance.
Elias moved toward the balcony where Elena was waiting. He stopped at the glass doors and turned to Jax.
"Thorne," Elias said, his voice loud enough for a nearby group of directors to hear. "I need to discuss sensitive merger details with Ms. Vance. Secure the perimeter of the balcony. Ensure we are not disturbed."
It was a direct order. It was also a slap in the face.
"Understood, sir," Jax said, his voice a dead monotone.
Jax stood outside the glass doors. He could see them. He could see Elena leaning in close, her hand on Elias's chest. He could see Elias nodding, playing the part of the interested CEO.
The wind off the Pacific was cold, but Jax was burning up. He adjusted his earpiece, listening to the muffled conversation through the glass.
"...you could have so much more freedom, Elias," Elena was saying. "Let me take the administrative burden. You can just create. We'd be the most powerful couple in the valley."
Jax couldn't take it anymore. He didn't break the door down-that would be a "security lapse." Instead, he moved. He walked to the edge of the balcony, circling around so he was visible in the reflection of the glass.
He caught Elias's eye in the reflection. Jax didn't say a word. He just stood there, tall and terrifying, and slowly reached up to adjust his tie, his gaze fixed on Elias with an intensity that promised a very different kind of "merger" once they were alone.
Elias stumbled over his next word. He looked at Jax in the glass, and for a second, the CEO mask slipped. His pupils blown wide, his breathing hitched. He knew exactly what Jax was doing. It was a silent claim. A reminder of who Elias belonged to when the lights went out.
"I... I have to go, Elena," Elias said, stepping back abruptly. "The details aren't right. My assistant will see you out."
Elias bolted past Jax into the building. Jax didn't follow immediately. He turned to Elena, who was looking at him with a mix of confusion and irritation.
"The meeting is over, Ms. Vance," Jax said, his voice like grinding stones. "I'll escort you back to the main lounge."
"You're very protective of him," she noted, her eyes narrowing.
"It's what I'm paid for," Jax replied.
He waited until she was gone, then he moved. He didn't go to the lounge. He went straight to Elias's private suite. He didn't knock. He used his master key and stepped inside.
Elias was standing by the window, his jacket off, his breathing ragged. He turned as Jax entered, his eyes wild.
"You almost ruined it," Elias hissed. "The way you were looking at me-"
Jax didn't let him finish. He crossed the room in two strides, grabbed Elias by the waist, and hoisted him up against the wall.
"She touched you," Jax growled, his face inches from Elias's. "She touched the jawline that belongs to me. You want a public mask? Fine. But don't you ever let another person think they have a seat at your table."
Elias's hands flew to Jax's shoulders, his fingers digging in. "Jaxson... we're at a retreat. People are next door."
"Let them hear," Jax rasped.
He crashed his mouth against Elias's, a dominant, territorial kiss that reclaimed every inch of territory Elena had dared to touch. The public mask was in pieces on the floor, and in the quiet of the suite, the shadow was finally taking what was his.
