JAY JAY POV
"I swear to God, Kuya Keigan, I feel like every time we leave these two alone they do something nasty!" Keiran complained, his face screwed up in a mix of disgust and fascination.
The mortification was briefly replaced by a surge of pure, sisterly adrenaline. I scrambled off Keifer's lap, smoothing down my clothes with a frantic hand, and marched straight toward the door. Keifer stayed on the bed, looking frustratingly amused as he leaned back on his elbows, watching me go.
I didn't say a word. I just reached out and hooked my fingers around Keiran's ear, giving it a firm tug.
"Act like a seven-year-old!" I snapped, though the heat in my face was still radiating like a furnace.
"OWWW! Let me go! Ate Jay, let go!" Keiran squirmed, his hands flying up to uselessly swat at mine.
"Will you behave?" I demanded, giving his ear another little twist for good measure. "And stop barging into rooms without knocking? Some of us value our privacy!"
"Yes! Yes! Please, Ate Jay! I'll behave! I promise!" Keiran squeaked, his eyes watering slightly.
I nodded, satisfied, and finally released his ear. He immediately scampered back a few feet, hiding behind Keigan's much more composed form. Keigan just shook his head, looking at me with a silent, pitying expression that said 'I have to live with him, please help me.'
"Still," Keiran muttered, rubbing his red ear and looking between me and the very shirtless, very smug Keifer on the bed. "You two are weird in many ways. Like, five minutes ago you were screaming about flour and kidnappers, and now you're... whatever that was."
"It's called a healthy relationship, Keiran. You wouldn't understand," Keifer called out from the bed, his voice deep and mocking.
"It's called a headache!" Keiran retorted, sticking his tongue out before bolting down the hallway before I could catch him again.
I turned back to the room, the silence settling as Keigan followed his brother down the stairs. I leaned my forehead against the doorframe, letting out a long, shaky breath.
"I told you that you didn't lock the door," I muttered, not even looking at Keifer.
"In my defense," Keifer's voice came from right behind me, much closer than before. I felt his heat radiating against my back as he leaned down to whisper in my ear. "I was a little distracted by my wife trying to rewrite the laws of the universe."
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't quite suppress the small smile playing on my lips. "Go clean the kitchen, Watson. Before I change my mind about this peace treaty."
To my surprise, the powerful Serpent King actually listened. While Keifer was busy scrubbing flour off the floorboards, I headed downstairs to join Keigan and Keiran for a movie.
"Why is Kuya cleaning?" Keigan asked, looking confused as he watched his older brother move around with a mop through the kitchen doorway. "We have plenty of maids for that."
"That's your Kuya's punishment for yelling at me," I said simply, grabbing a handful of popcorn.
Keigan nodded, looking completely satisfied with that answer. If anyone knew about Keifer's temper, it was his brothers, and they seemed to enjoy seeing him finally meet his match.
A little while later, Keifer mentioned he had some urgent business to take care of. He told us to stay inside the house and made sure the security detail was doubled before he left. The boys eventually had dinner and headed to their rooms since it was getting late, leaving me alone in the quiet house.
I stayed up waiting, and finally, at 1:00 AM, I heard his car pull into the driveway. I opened the door for him before he could even reach for his keys.
"Done with your work?" I asked as he stepped inside.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he pulled me into his arms, dropping his head into the crook of my neck and nuzzling there, taking a deep breath of my scent.
"I'm finally home," he murmured, his voice thick with exhaustion.
I smiled, leaning into him. "Where did you go, anyway?"
He stayed silent, instead guiding me toward the large mirror in the foyer. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. Inside was a necklace—it wasn't overly royal or too plain; it was just perfect. The metal was delicate, and the stones caught the dim light beautifully. It was exactly the kind of thing I loved.
He stepped behind me, clasping it around my neck before resting his face on my shoulder and wrapping his arms securely around my waist.
"Like it?" he asked, watching our reflection.
"I love it," I admitted, touching the pendant.
"I knew you would," Keifer said softly. Then his tone shifted slightly. "Jay, this necklace is also a tracker."
I stiffened, my reflection scowling at him. "Really, Keifer? We're doing this again?" I felt the weight of my frustration returning.
"Let me finish," he said, his voice pleading for a chance to explain. "It's not like the others. If you press this tiny button twice, it sends me an alert of your location."
He reached up, demonstrating by clicking a nearly invisible button on the back of the pendant. Instantly, his phone in his pocket started ringing with a specific, loud warning tone. He showed me the screen—it showed a map with my exact coordinates.
"It only works if you click it," Keifer explained, kissing my neck again. "It doesn't track you unless you want it to. It's for emergencies. It gives you the choice to call for help."
I looked at him in the mirror, my heart softening. He had compromised. He wasn't trying to watch my every step; he was giving me a lifeline that I controlled.
"So, it only works if I'm the one who clicks it, right?" I asked.
"Yup," Keifer whispered against my skin. "Only if you click it. I promise."
I smiled at him, feeling the heavy tension of the day finally dissolve. "Let's go and eat. I'm starving."
We went to the dining table, and even though it was the middle of the night, the food the staff had left for us tasted amazing. We ate in a comfortable silence for a while until Keifer slowed down, his gaze fixed on me. He reached out, his hand gently cupping my jaw.
"Jay, I've been thinking," he said, his thumb tracing the line of my chin.
"Thinking what?" I asked, tilting my head into his palm.
"Maybe some more self-defense classes wouldn't hurt. You know... just in case."
I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth and gave him a look. "Self-defense? Keifer, I was literally raised by Jare and Kuya Angelo. I can already defend myself."
"I know you can," he said quickly, his eyes earnest. "But those guys today were just the beginning. I'm thinking more like... advanced combat. Weapon disarms. More practice, you know?"
I looked at him for a long moment. Normally, I would have snapped at the suggestion that I wasn't capable enough, but after seeing the genuine fear in his eyes earlier, I realized this wasn't an insult to my skills—it was just him wanting me to be untouchable.
I nodded slowly. "Fine. More practice won't hurt."
Keifer smiled, looking relieved, and leaned over to press a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead.
"Keifer?" I asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"When are we going back to the Philippines?"
"Tomorrow," Keifer answered, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
I nodded, feeling a sudden wave of homesickness.
"Why?" Keifer asked, studying my expression. "Something on your mind?"
"Nothing. I just miss them," I said.
My mind drifted to Section E. It had been a long road, and while I told myself I hadn't forgiven them for everything that happened in the past, the truth was that the burning anger wasn't there anymore. I was just... tired of carrying it.
"So, are you thinking about finally forgiving Section E?" Keifer asked, his voice low and insightful. It was like he could read my thoughts before I even spoke them.
I paused, then gave a small, hesitant nod. "I think so. It's been long enough. I'm ready to move on, Keifer. I want to go home."
He squeezed my hand. "Then we'll go home tomorrow. And whatever happens with them, I'll be right there next to you."
He squeezed my hand, his thumb rubbing over my knuckles in a reassuring rhythm. "Then we'll go home tomorrow. And whatever happens with them, I'll be right there next to you."
"Let's go to sleep; we have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow," Keifer added, his voice dropping into that tired, gentle register he only used when it was just the two of us.
I nodded, feeling the weight of the long day finally catching up to my bones. We headed upstairs together, the house quiet now that the boys were tucked away in their own rooms.
Once we reached the bedroom, I headed straight for his dresser. I didn't even bother looking at my own suitcase; instead, I pulled out one of his oversized black t-shirts. I slipped out of my clothes and pulled the shirt on. It was soft, smelled exactly like him, and reached mid-thigh—easily the most comfortable thing I owned.
"You're going to end up stealing my entire wardrobe at this rate," Keifer teased from across the room.
I turned around, seeing him watching me with a small, tired smirk. "Your clothes are better, anyway," I shot back playfully.
He didn't argue. He just chuckled and turned to finish getting ready. I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside, and swapped his trousers for a pair of comfortable grey sweatpants.
Even with the faint bruises from the fight today and the stress of the secret he was clearly still carrying, he looked steady. Grounded. He was the anchor I needed for the trip back home.
"Ready?" he asked, gesturing to the bed.
"More than ready," I sighed, crawling under the covers.
He climbed in beside me, and as soon as he pulled me into his arms, the rest of the world—finally faded into the background. For tonight, at least, everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
I slept in his arms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
KEIFER POV
After the argument and that "punishment" in the bedroom, I waited until Jay was occupied with the boys before heading out to meet Jare. I needed a clear head and a solid plan.
"What's up, Keifer?" Jare asked, taking a slow sip of his drink as I sat down across from him.
"Jare, someone tried to kidnap Jay today," I said bluntly.
He nearly choked on his drink, his eyes snapping to mine. "What?"
"She thinks they were just some random street thugs, but they weren't. They were Vex's people," I told him, the name feeling like poison in my mouth.
"Who the fuck is Vex?" Jare demanded, his protective brother instincts immediately flaring up.
I filled him in on everything Uncle Keir had told me—the hidden history, the missing piece of the puzzle. Jare's face went pale, then turned into a mask of pure coldness.
"Fucking hell," Jare hissed, his grip tightening on his glass. "If what Uncle Keir said is true, then there really were six men involved that night. We missed one."
I nodded grimly. The thought that one of them had escaped justice for this long was enough to make me want to burn the city down. I glanced at Jare, noticing something off. "Why are you still in London, anyway? I thought you'd already left for the Philippines."
"I had some work to finish up here first," he muttered. As he reached for his drink again, his sleeve shifted, and I caught sight of a nasty bruise darkening his forearm.
"What kind of 'work' leads to that?" I asked, gesturing to the bruise. "What are you not telling me, Jare?"
"It's underground work that Percy and I are handling," Jare said, his voice dropping into a professional, icy tone.
"Underground?" I repeated, my mind racing. I knew the Marianos had their hands in many things, but the way Jare said it made it sound like something much darker and more specific.
Jare looked at me, his gaze calculating, as if weighing whether I could handle the weight of what they were doing. "Join us if you want," he said simply. "We could use your resources."
"Tell me exactly what this 'underground' is," I demanded, leaning in. "If it involves Jay's safety, I'm not staying on the sidelines."
"Human trafficking, Keifer," Jare said, his voice as sharp as a blade. "We're saving women and children from being trafficked."
I felt the air leave my lungs. Of all the things I expected to hear, this was the one that hit the hardest. I leaned back, trying to process the scale of what he was telling me.
"Is this what you've been doing all this time?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "Ever since... her incident?"
Jare nodded, his expression grim. "The men who tried to take Jay Jay years ago—the five brothers and their 'shadow'—they weren't just random criminals. They were part of a larger supply chain. When we took them down, we realized they were just a small part of a much bigger, much uglier machine. Jay was the catalyst. Seeing what almost happened to her... Percy and I couldn't just sit back and let it happen to anyone else."
He looked down at his bruised arm. "We've been dismantling their hubs secretly for years. Jay thinks we're just handling 'family business' or logistics. She has no idea that her brothers are spending their nights raiding warehouses and burning down transit points."
"And Vex?" I asked, the pieces finally starting to click together in the worst way possible. "How does he fit into this?"
Jare's jaw tightened, and he looked at his drink like he wanted to shatter the glass. "I don't know everything about him yet, but I know he belongs to a group called The Society. It's a fucking hell, Keifer. Most of the women and children we've managed to save? They were being moved by The Society."
The name sounded prestigious, but the way Jare spat it out made it sound like a death sentence.
"The Society isn't just a gang," Jare continued, his eyes dark with a deep-seated hatred. "They're the elite. They don't just traffic people; they treat it like a high-stakes auction. They trade in lives like they're stocks. And Vex... from what we've gathered, he's one of their 'cleaners' or high-ranking enforcers. He's the one who makes sure the cargo reaches its destination and the witnesses disappear."
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as the gravity of the situation settled in. This wasn't just a rivalry anymore; it was a crusade.
"So, do you still want in?" Jare asked, his eyes searching mine for any sign of hesitation.
"You're doing a good thing," I said, meeting his gaze steadily. "Fighting for a cause like this... who am I to say no? I'm in."
Jare actually smiled—a rare, genuine expression of approval. "I knew choosing you for my sister was a good idea."
I smirked, trying to break the heavy tension. "That's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me, Jare. I might actually be touched." I paused, getting back to business. "Where is Percy now?"
"He's already in the Philippines, acting as our eyes and ears," Jare explained. "He's mining the local networks for any chatter on society. You guys are heading back tomorrow, right?"
I nodded. "The flight is already scheduled."
"Good. We'll meet up once you land in Manila. I'll give you a full briefing on the Underground and how we operate," Jare said.
I leaned back, a dark sense of anticipation bubbling up. "You know, I always wanted to be an underground leader. Back in the day, Angelo restricted me from joining the gang at King's Ground—the one Tiger controls. He wanted me to keep my hands clean"
Jare let out a loud, bark-like laugh at the mention of our older brother. "Angelo? If he ever found out we were doing this—and that we dragged you into it—he'd probably kill all of us before Vex even got the chance."
"Then we'd better make sure we finish this before he catches wind of it," I said, standing up.
I left the bar with the weight of the world on my shoulders, but for the first time, I had a target. I wasn't just defending anymore; I was preparing to go on the hunt.
The walk back to the house was cold, but my blood was boiling. Every piece of information Jare had given me was like fuel for a fire I had been trying to keep under control ever since I met Jay.
I had already stopped by the jeweler on the way to meet Jare. I bought her that necklace—the one that allows me to track her easily. I made sure to explain it to her, ensuring I had her consent, because the last thing I wanted was for her to feel like she was in a cage again. But let's be honest: I did it to be on the safe side.
Jay is magnetic to trouble. It doesn't matter if we're in London, Manila, or the middle of the desert; trouble finds her, or more accurately, she stares trouble in the eye and doesn't blink.
I looked at her beside me, already deep in sleep. In the quiet of the room the dangers waiting for us seemed to fade, replaced by the simple reality of her presence.
I couldn't help myself. I leaned in, pressing soft kisses to her forehead, then her cheeks, and her temples. Finally, I brushed a feather-light kiss against her lips. She didn't wake up, but she shifted slightly, nesting deeper into the pillows.
Then, the silence of the room was shattered.
She let out a snort—a bizarre, loud sound that was a cross between a pig's squeal and a dying foghorn.
I froze for a split second before I completely lost it. I burst out laughing, clutching my stomach as I tried to keep my voice down so I wouldn't actually wake her.
"How could someone this cute and hot have a snore like that?" I whispered to the empty room, shaking my head in disbelief.
She was a Mariano—a lethal, beautiful, magnetic woman who could command a room with a single look—and yet, here she was, sounding like a farm animal in her sleep. It was just another thing to add to the list of reasons why I was completely obsessed with her.
She started to stir, her brow furrowing as if my laughter was bleeding into her dreams. I immediately stayed quiet, holding my breath and smoothing her hair back until she settled again. I kissed her hair one last time, the sound of her rhythmic (and slightly noisy) breathing now the most peaceful sound in the world to me.
"Sleep well, Jay Jay," I murmured, pulling her closer
I closed my eyes, finally letting sleep take me, knowing that when we woke up, we'd be flying toward a storm—but at least I'd be facing it with my snoring, beautiful, trouble-magnet Queen by my side.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
📌 NEXT CHAPTER TARGET 🌟
40+ Comments 💬🔥
Let's hit the goal so I can drop the next chapter for you all 🤍📖✨
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++