Jace had always been used to being watched. He'd grown up under the careful eyes of his mother, his father's constant judgment a weight that never left his shoulders. But this was different. This wasn't scrutiny. This was something far darker, far more dangerous.
And it came in the form of Nico.
The man had an easy, almost unnerving way about him. Nico was smooth, effortlessly charming — too charming. The first time Jace had seen him, he'd simply assumed he was some businessman or acquaintance, a person Soraya kept around for whatever reason suited her. But there was something about Nico's gaze, the way he looked at Jace when Soraya wasn't in the room, that felt invasive, like Nico was seeing right through him.
The tension had been building ever since that first encounter, and it wasn't long before Nico made his next move.
It was late one evening when it happened. Soraya had left the apartment for what was supposed to be a short meeting — a rare moment when she'd let Jace out of her iron grip. The door slammed behind her, and silence fell over the place like a heavy blanket.
Jace hadn't even taken a moment to relax before he felt it — the slow, deliberate pressure of someone's presence behind him. He knew who it was without needing to turn around. Nico.
"You're looking at the skyline like it's going to give you answers," Nico's voice came from just behind him, smooth and almost velvety. He hadn't even asked permission to approach, but somehow, he had. "But I don't think you're really seeing it."
Jace stood still for a moment, debating whether to respond, whether to show that Nico's words had any effect on him. He didn't want to give Nico that satisfaction. Still, the words lingered, sinking deep into his mind. What did Nico mean?
"I'm not looking for answers," Jace said, his voice a little too cold, too clipped. It didn't match the unease creeping through his veins, but he'd learned to fake it. Fake everything.
"You should be," Nico replied softly, stepping closer. Jace didn't flinch, didn't move, but he could feel Nico's gaze burning into his back. The air grew thick, oppressive, as Nico continued, "Everyone needs answers, sooner or later."
Jace finally turned to face him, eyes narrowing as he studied Nico's face. Nico was leaning against the wall now, casual and at ease, like he was completely comfortable in this space — as if it was his. His lips curled upward, forming that infuriating, calculating smile.
"Did you need something?" Jace asked, trying to keep his voice neutral, trying to push the discomfort out of his chest. He didn't want Nico to see how unsettled he made him.
Nico's smile only deepened, the expression shifting from casual amusement to something more dangerous, more intentional. "I needed to see how much of you is still you," Nico said, taking a step forward, his gaze never leaving Jace. "You know, Soraya talks about you sometimes."
Jace's pulse quickened despite himself. "And?"
Nico's eyes flicked to the side, and he leaned in a fraction closer, as though sharing a secret. "She doesn't care about you the way you think she does. Not the way you want her to."
The words hit Jace like a punch to the stomach. He tried to ignore it, to brush it off, but there was something about the way Nico spoke — so casually, so knowing — that made his heart twist. It was like Nico could see right through him, could see the cracks Soraya had already made.
"What's your point?" Jace asked, his voice a little sharper than before. He needed to get control back. Needed to remind himself that he wasn't weak. Not like this.
"My point," Nico said, stepping even closer until there was barely any space between them, "is that I see you. I see what Soraya is doing to you."
Jace wanted to pull away. Wanted to distance himself from the other man's words, but the subtle heat radiating off Nico made it impossible. Nico was too close now, and Jace's chest tightened as his mind whirred, trying to process the situation.
Nico's lips curved again, and he leaned in so close that Jace could smell his cologne, a sharp, intoxicating scent. "You know, Jace, I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help."
Jace's breath caught in his throat. "Help?"
Nico nodded slowly. "I think you've been placed in a cage," he said softly, his voice dark and almost hypnotic. "And Soraya… she's the one with the key. But she doesn't see you, Jace. Not really."
Jace tried to step back, but his feet felt like they were stuck to the floor. Nico's gaze held him captive, and despite every instinct telling him to escape, to push Nico away, Jace couldn't move.
"Listen to me," Nico continued, his voice like velvet, "You can't keep waiting for her to decide you're enough. Because she won't. She's too busy enjoying the control she has over you." He took another step forward, just a breath away. "But I see you. And maybe you'd like to be seen, for once."
The tension in the room was suffocating. Nico's gaze was fixed, unwavering, on Jace. There was a hunger there, a dangerous kind of hunger. Jace swallowed, trying to breathe, but it was like the air had been stolen from the room.
Before Jace could respond, the door slammed open, and Soraya walked in.
The air shifted instantly. She was a force of nature, her presence demanding attention. She looked between Nico and Jace, her eyes narrowing.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked coolly.
Nico stepped back, offering her a lazy smile. "Not at all, Soraya. We were just having a little chat."
Jace felt the weight of her gaze on him, sharp and calculating. She knew, of course. She always knew.
"You're not as subtle as you think you are," Soraya said to Nico, her voice a low warning.
"Maybe not," Nico replied easily. "But Jace here? He's starting to understand. He's beginning to realize what you won't tell him."
Soraya's eyes flicked to Jace, cold and unreadable. She stepped toward him, her gaze never leaving his. "What's he saying to you?" she asked softly, dangerously calm.
Jace could feel his heart thudding in his chest. He didn't know what to say. Nico's words had left him shaken, but he didn't want to give Soraya the satisfaction of knowing she had that power over him.
"Nothing," Jace said quickly, too quickly. "He's just… talking."
"Good," Soraya replied, her voice colder than ice. "Keep it that way."
Nico watched them with an almost amused expression, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "You two are something," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Soraya didn't respond. Instead, she turned to Jace, her eyes narrowing. "Go to your room. Now."
Jace hesitated, his mind reeling. Soraya's tone left no room for argument, and as much as he wanted to resist, he knew better than to challenge her in this moment. He turned and walked toward the bedroom, but he could feel her eyes on his back the entire way.
Once he was in the room, he closed the door, locking it behind him. His hands were shaking as he pressed them against the cool wood. He wanted to scream, to tear everything apart. But all he could hear were Nico's words echoing in his mind.
"I see you, Jace. And maybe you'd like to be seen, for once."