Chapter 25
Jace woke up with a pounding headache and a bitter taste in his mouth. The room was still dark, save for the sliver of light creeping through the old blinds. His clothes were in a heap. The bottle of cheap alcohol was still uncapped on the table. Half full.
Or half empty.
He groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. His thoughts were murky, swimming in last night’s wine and humiliation. He’d gone out drinking after the ball, trying to forget the way Victor Crane had poured wine on him twice and how Elias, the man who had whispered he was "falling" for him, had just stood there like a mountain.
unmovable.
What the hell was he expecting?
From the son of the man who’d destroyed his family?
He sat up slowly, glancing at his phone. There was a message from the hospital.
'Noah’s vitals are improving. Still stable.'
It wasn’t a miracle. But it was something.
Noah was fighting. That alone was enough reason for Jace to keep moving even if his heart felt like a ruined battlefield and his head a beating drum.
He dressed quickly, putting on one of the few decent shirts he had left. He needed to act fast. The plan was still alive. He hadn’t gotten the documents yet. The file was still hidden somewhere, and his time at Crane Corp was limited. Especially now that the entire building had probably seen him treated like a servant.
\---
(At Crane Corp)
The sleek glass doors of Crane Corp loomed ahead. Jace let out a long sigh before stepping inside. The hum of the lobby hit him like a wave. He didn’t need to guess if they were staring. He knew they were.
After all, he had been the star of the show last night. The main attraction. The joke everyone would be whispering about all week.
His shoes echoed down the wide marble halls as he made his way to his post. His hands clenched around the strap of his bag. He muttered a quiet prayer to himself.
'Just get through today. No drama. No cranes. No bullshit.'
But the big man in the sky had a cruel sense of humour.
Because the moment he turned the corner, he saw him.
Elias.
Their eyes locked for one tight second. Time stood still for what felt like a few minutes.Jace immediately looked away, heart thudding harder than it should. He focused on the floor. On the ridiculous reflection of the ceiling lights in the polished tiles.
Elias said nothing.
He simply walked past, not a word, not a glance.
Jace didn’t know why it hurt.
He shouldn’t care.... Elias was just a pawn. A necessary evil in a bigger game. A tool he was using to destroy Victor Crane’s empire from the inside.
So why did it still feel like betrayal? Why did it hurt so bad?
\---
Jace somehow made it through the day without another public scene, though the stares hadn’t stopped. At least no one had poured wine on him again.
He was just packing his things, ready to get the hell out of that place, when Elias’s secretary approached.
“Mr. Crane would like to see you in his office.”
Jace blinked. His stomach tightened.
“What does he want now?” he muttered but nodded. “Okay.”
He walked to the executive floor and pushed open the door.
Elias was inside, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, glasses on as he typed something at his desk.
He looked disgustingly good.
Jace’s breath caught before he could stop it. 'Get it together,' he told himself. 'He's just a body. Just a means to an end.'
Elias didn’t look up at first.
“You here to stare or say something?” he asked coolly. “Because if you’re going to eye-fuck me, at least be bold about it.”
Jace snapped back to life, irritation flaring in his chest. “Your secretary said you wanted to see me, sir.”
Elias raised a brow, finally meeting his gaze. “Sir? We’re being formal now?”
Jace rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Elias?”
Elias stood slowly. Calm. Controlled. His expression unreadable.
“You.”
The room went still.
Jace blinked, mouth parting. “You?” he repeated, bitter laughter rising in his throat. “Right. So I’m just a toy to you, huh? Use me when you want, toss me when your daddy walks in the room...just like last night.”
Elias did not reply.
Jace took a step closer, fire building in his chest. “What, no smooth talk now? What happened to I think I’m falling for you bullshit?”
Silence.
Jace scoffed, turned to leave.
But Elias moved fast.
He crossed the space between them in three quick strides, grabbed Jace by the arm, spun him back, and kissed him.
Hard.
It was not soft or sweet. It was not gentle.
It was hunger.
Anger.
Desperation.
A silent apology.
Jace stumbled back against the wall as Elias pinned him there, one hand gripping his jaw, the other sliding around his waist.
Their mouths crashed, teeth grazing, breath hot and uneven.
#####
Author’s Note
Things are unraveling fast and Jace is not ready to face how deeply he’s already in. What will he do next? Will Jace shut Elias out completely… or will he finally break?
Drop your thoughts in the comments whose POV you want next?
The next chapter’s going to hurt… in the best way. Stay tuned.