All Chapters of Under His Command : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Jaxon's POV When it was over, as we lay tangled together in the aftermath, Riley turned his head away from me, unable to meet my gaze. It didn't take much from me to know that he had no desire of letting me see how much this had affected him, how much I had gotten under his skin.“Riley,” I said, my voice soft, almost gentle. He didn’t respond. He couldn’t. Instead, he closed my eyes, willing himself to forget, to pretend that this meant nothing. Because if he let it mean something, if he let himself feel, he knew he would never recover.But I didn't care about his internal battles because I was already facing one myself.The room was quiet now, except for the soft rustling of clothes and the distant hum of the city beyond the hotel window. Riley was at the foot of the bed, his back to me, slipping on his shirt with deliberate care. I found my eyes drifting to him, studying the gentle curve of his spine, the way his slim frame moved with unconscious grace. His hair, still slight

Jaxon's POVThe vibrant lights of the amusement park blurred into a mixture of chaos around me. Children’s laughter mixed with the distant hum of rides, while the sweet aroma of cotton candy and popcorn clung to the air. Yet, none of it reached me. I actually wished I was extremely far away from here instead pf having to go through the agony of watching people have fun.“Jaxon,” Alexis said, nudging me with her elbow. “You look like someone dragged you here against your will. Try smiling for once.” I raised an eyebrow as I stared at her."You did actually" I replied. "You dragged me out here even when I told you I had no desire, whatsoever, to be in this hellhole." "Don't sound like that. You make it seem like you're depressed or going through something" She said, a concerned look on her face.I cast her a sidelong glance, the corners of my lips twitching slightly. “I’m fine, Alexis.” “You call that fine?” she retorted, narrowing her emerald-green eyes at me. “You’ve got your

Jaxon's POV Alexis’s laughter echoed in my ears as the roller coaster roared to life in the distance. I clenched my fists, willing myself not to explode. She always managed to test my patience with her antics, but today she was especially insufferable. Pairing me with Riley? That was no accident. She’d done it purely to amuse herself. Act your age for once, Alexis.“Something funny?” Riley asked, his voice tight with irritation as we remained seated and the ride went on.“Nothing,” I replied sharply, glancing toward Alexis and Eric. I could see them. They were chatting animatedly, as though their decision to stick me with Riley had been the most natural thing in the world. I didn't like this ride and I prayed for it to stop so I can get off and go home to spend the rest of the day alone, or more preferably, making love with some stranger on the app.Riley shifted beside me, clearly uncomfortable. I hated the way he always seemed on edge around me. It was as if he expected me

Riley's POV The silence in the car was deafening. Eric kept his eyes on the road, his hands gripping the wheel a little tighter than usual. The tension between us felt like a physical barrier, and I hated it. But what else could I do? I had been honest with him—brutally, perhaps, but truthful all the same. Still, guilt gnawed at me. Eric didn’t deserve to feel like this, and I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. “Eric…” He didn’t look at me, but his grip on the wheel loosened slightly. “Yeah?” “I’m sorry if what I said earlier upset you,” I began, choosing my words carefully. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, but I felt like I had to be honest. I value our friendship too much to lie to you.” Eric finally glanced at me, a small, sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I know, Riley. I get it. And I’m not mad. Disappointed? Maybe. But not mad.” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Good. I don’t want us to be

Riley's POV The sun was shining brighter, or at least it seemed that way when I stared at it.As I walked into the office building, a bounce in my step and a smile plastered across my face, I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this light. It would have probably been in a while because that was the only reason to explain why I felt this happy.I have been to a lot of hookups and one nightstands but being with Steven last night was as if I was in a whole new dimension.I just couldn't stop asking myself how I got to have this beaming smile plastered on my face when just yesterday I felt frustrated.Was it the thrill of last night with Steven? The taste of freedom after breaking my agreement with Jaxon? Maybe it was both. Either way, it felt like the universe had decided to throw me a bone for once, and I was all too happy to accept it. “Morning, Riley!” “Good morning!” I greeted every co-worker who passed me, something I didn’t usually do unless it was absolutely necessary.