All Chapters of Under His Command : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Jaxon’s POVThe tension in the air was almost palpable as Alexis and Eric exchanged light banter, their voices weaving an odd contrast to the storm brewing inside me. My eyes moved between Riley and Eric, lingering on the subtle way Riley shifted closer to him, as though drawn to his presence. My jaw clenched. Something had happened between them. I didn’t need confirmation; the signs were all there. The slight redness in Riley’s cheeks, the way Eric glanced at him like he was the only person in the room, and, of course, the damned shirt. Riley’s voice broke through my thoughts. “Would you two like to have anything? I mean, since you’re already here.” It was a casual invitation, polite on the surface, but there was something deliberate about it. I opened my mouth to decline, already envisioning the torture of sitting in their space, but Alexis nudged me in the side, her elbow sharp against my ribs. “We’d love to, but not right now. I like having my coffee rest in my stomach f

Jaxon’s POVI sat alone in the conference room, leaning back in the leather chair as my eyes flicked across the screen of my phone. Alexis had texted me earlier with a picture of the newest addition to her life—a golden retriever puppy with floppy ears and a lopsided grin. She always had an habit of buying new things whenever she felt lonely or needed something to take her attention away from her depressing extravagant life."Isn’t he adorable?" she had written, followed by an absurd number of heart emojis. Despite myself, I smiled at the photo. The dog was undeniably cute, its big brown eyes staring innocently at the camera. For a brief moment, I let the softness of the image seep in. But then I remembered where I was—and more importantly, who I was—and quickly wiped the smile off my face. I needed to put my game face on if I wanted my plan to work, and sure enough, I had confidence it will.When the door to the conference room opened and Riley stepped inside, I was all busi

Jaxon’s POVThe soft hum of classical music filtered through the restaurant as I sat at the corner table, absently swirling the glass of wine in my hand. The restaurant was one of the most exclusive in the city—exactly the type of place that demanded elegance and sophistication. The kind of place Riley Matthews didn’t belong in. I smirked at the thought, setting the glass down without taking a sip. A part of me couldn’t wait to see how out of place Riley would look tonight, fumbling with the utensils or trying to make sense of the extensive wine list. A buzz from my phone interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at the screen and saw a message from the driver. "We’re on our way, sir. Mr. Matthews has changed already."I smiled, locking the screen and slipping the phone into my pocket. Perfect. That gave me just enough time to prepare. Tonight would be interesting. My goal was simple: break Riley’s resolve, toy with him a little more, and remind him exactly who held all the power

Riley's POVThe moment Sheffield spotted Jaxon and me, his face lit up like a bright traffic sign, his pearly white smile making him look even more insufferably smug. But what caught me off guard was how his expression softened—brightened, even—when his gaze landed on me. I wouldn't be surprised if he still had memories of our very brief time together when Jaxon had given me up to him.As he walked towards us, I silently prayed he would just give us a short greeting then find his way to another table. But judging from the look in his eyes, I knew it was impossible.“Well, well, if it isn’t Jaxon Steele,” Sheffield announced, his voice carrying through the restaurant with practiced ease. “And you brought company. What a surprise!” I glanced at Jaxon, silently pleading for him to deflect Sheffield’s attention, but the slight smirk tugging at the corners of Jaxon’s mouth told me he wasn’t going to. Sheffield turned to a nearby waiter and said, “Move us to a bigger table. My treat. We

Riley’s POVAs the car drove away from the restaurant, leaving Sheffield and his bizarre sugar baby Ryan behind, I leaned back against the seat, relief washing over me. The night had taken a turn I hadn’t expected, but I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself for managing to escape the madness. There was no way I would have survived a night at Sheffield’s house, especially with the kind of "fun" he had in mind. The very thought made my skin crawl. Running away had been impulsive, but as I caught a glimpse of Jaxon’s rare, unguarded smile in the dim light of the car, I knew it had been worth it. “That was quick thinking back there,” Jaxon said, breaking the silence. His voice was softer than usual, almost warm. “I don’t think anyone’s ever done something so... spontaneous with me before.” I raised an eyebrow, amused. “Never?” “Not since I was a teenager,” he admitted, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia. The compliment caught me off guard, and I couldn’t help but feel a