--: Author's POV: --
The grand dining room of the Fernandez mansion was bathed in a warm, golden glow. The long mahogany table was covered in an array of Filipino delicacies—lechon, pancit, and sinigang—the steam rising and mingling with the scent of fresh sampaguita flowers. It was a scene of domestic bliss, but beneath the surface, the air was charged.
Aunt Gemma watched as the F4 and the girls laughed over their meal, her heart full. As the clock on the mantle struck 11:30 PM, she noticed the deep circles under the Keiran's eyes and the way Keifer was slowly sipping his water, his posture rigid.
"Oh, look at the time," Aunt Gemma said, setting her napkin down. "Keifer, the drive back to the Watson estate is far too long at this hour. The traffic in the city is unpredictable, and you all have to be up so early to take the F4 and the girls around Manila before your trip. Why don't you and your brothers just stay here tonight? We have the guest wing prepared, and it will be much easier for everyone to travel together in the morning."
Angelo, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, set his glass down with a deliberate clink. He looked at Keifer, his eyes narrowing into slits. "Ma is right. It's more practical. Just stay in the guest wing tonight. I've already had the staff prepare the rooms."
Keifer gave a small, polite nod, his face a mask of cool composure. "If you insist. That would be much more convenient."
--: Keifer's POV: --
I stood in the hallway, watching Keigan and Keiran finally disappear into their room. The moment their door clicked shut, I felt the shift in the atmosphere. This house was too quiet, too full of eyes. I turned toward the wing where Jay-Jay's room was, my pace steady and deliberate.
I knew he was there before I even saw him. The air felt heavy, vibrating with a familiar, overprotective energy. As I approached Jay-Jay's door, a shadow stepped out from the corner.
Angelo.
I didn't stop. If I hesitated, I'd be giving him the satisfaction of knowing I had a motive. I walked right past Jay-Jay's door as if it were just another piece of furniture and headed for the room Tita Gemma had assigned to me—conveniently situated right next to hers. I reached for the handle, but his voice sliced through the silence.
"I'm watching you, Keifer."
I stopped. I slowly turned my head, smoothing my expression into one of total, blank confusion. I even let my jaw drop a fraction, tilting my head like I was genuinely puzzled.
"Huh?" I let out a small, airy sound of bewilderment, blinking at him. "Watching me? Why? Is there something wrong Angelo?"
I tried to look as innocent as possible, like a guest who had just been accused of a crime he didn't even understand. My voice was perfectly level, colored only by a hint of "concern" for his well-being. But Angelo wasn't a stranger; he knew my "innocent" face was usually the prelude to a disaster. He walked toward me, his arms crossed, his gaze like a physical weight pressing against my chest.
"Don't 'huh' me," Angelo said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "I know exactly what goes on in that head of yours. If I see you even breathing near Jay-Jay's door in the middle of the night, you just see what happens. Don't test me in this house."
I stayed in character, keeping my voice light and slightly bewildered. "I'm just going to my room, Angelo. It's been a long day. I think you might be hallucinating from the jet lag. Maybe you should get some rest too."
"Make sure sleeping is all you do," he warned, leaning in until we were inches apart, his eyes flashing with a silent promise of violence. "If I catch you in her room, I will literally kill you. No jokes. Now, get inside and stay there."
I gave him a short, mock-respectful nod. "Sure, If it helps you sleep better."
I stepped into my room and locked the door with a loud, ringing click. I leaned my back against the wood, listening. I heard his footsteps walking away—the heavy, rhythmic thud of his shoes on the carpet. I waited, counting the seconds in my head. Ten... twenty... thirty.
When I thought the coast was clear, I slowly unlocked the door and pushed it open just a crack.
I froze.
Angelo was leaning against the opposite wall, right where I'd left him. He'd just stomped his feet in place to trick me into thinking he'd left. He stared at me with a smug, "caught-you-red-handed" smirk.
I didn't even flinch. I stepped out fully, my expression shifting from innocent to visibly annoyed. "I was going to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Why are you still standing here? Don't you have a company to run?"
"I know you too well, Keifer," he said, pushing off the wall and taking a step toward me. "I told you, if you go to her room, you're dead. Get back inside. Drink from the tap if you're that thirsty."
I realized I wasn't getting past him through the front door. He was going to stand guard like a gargoyle all night if he had to. I let out a sharp, frustrated exhale, stepped back into the room, and slammed the door and locked it.
--: Author's POV: --
Inside the room, Keifer was like a caged predator. He hated being handled, and he hated being kept away from Jay-Jay. He stripped off his shirt, the cold water of a quick shower doing little to dampen his frustration. He emerged in just his pajama pants, the water droplets clinging to his shoulders and chest as he paced the room.
He walked toward the balcony. A slow, dangerous smile finally spread across his face as he looked at the architectural layout. "Fine, Angelo," he whispered. "We'll do it my way."
He pushed the sliding doors open and stepped out into the humid Manila night. He looked over the stone railing. The gap between his balcony and Jay-Jay's was small—a leap of faith for anyone else, but a simple step for him. He vaulted over the railing, landing silently on the other side.
To his luck, her door was unlocked. He stepped into the cool, vanilla-scented room and immediately walked to her main door, turning the deadbolt. He wasn't going to let Angelo barge in and ruin this.
Finally, he turned to the bed.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
I was tossing and turning, my dreams a mess of airports and loud voices, when the bed shifted. I felt a pair of strong, cool arms wrap around my waist from behind. I didn't even open my eyes; my body knew that scent—the faint hint of his soap.
I let out a soft, sleepy groan as I was pulled back against a solid, bare chest. I turned in his arms, seeking the coldness of his skin to soothe my own. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him back with everything I had.
I felt him lean down. He pressed a long, soft kiss to my forehead. Then my temples. Then my cheeks. He was peppering my whole face with tiny, light kisses, his breath warm against my skin. I sighed contentedly, a small smile forming on my lips as I snuggled my face into the crook of his neck.
--: Author's POV:--
In the silence of the night, with the moonlight flickering through the curtains, it didn't matter that Angelo was probably standing guard in the hallway. They were finally together.
--: Jay-Jay's POV: --
The morning sun didn't just rise; it invaded. Thin, aggressive needles of light pierced through the gaps in my heavy velvet curtains, dancing across the mahogany floorboards. But it wasn't the light that pulled me from my dreams—it was the weight.
I was pinned by the solid, heavy warmth of a body that shouldn't have been there. My back was pressed against a broad, bare chest, and the rhythmic, deep vibration of Keifer's breathing was the only sound in the room. Slowly, carefully, I rotated in his grip. His dark eyes snapped open, and for a heartbeat, they were soft. Then, as he realized I was watching him, they darkened with a slow, predatory heat.
"Admiring the view?" he rasped. His voice was a low, gravelly vibration that seemed to settle deep in my bones.
I didn't have time to answer. Keifer's hand moved with lightning speed, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me down. His mouth crashed onto mine, and the kiss was an instant explosion. It wasn't the tentative, sleepy touch of the night before; this was a claim. It was hungry and demanding, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips until I parted them with a soft moan. The moment our tongues met, the world outside that bed ceased to exist. It was a dizzying swirl of heat and the faint, intoxicating scent of his skin.
Before I could even process the friction, his hands slid down to my hips. His fingers dug into my skin with a possessive grip as he hauled me upward. I let out a sharp gasp as he shifted me, lifting me until I was straddling his lap. My knees dug into the mattress on either side of his waist, and because he was shirtless, the contact was overwhelming. Every inch of my front was pressed against the hard, cool planes of his chest, and the sensation made my head spin.
He pulled back just an inch, his breath hitching against my lips. His eyes were dark, dilated with a raw intensity that made my pulse skyrocket. Without breaking eye contact, his hands traveled to the hem of my silk sleep top. He paused for a fraction of a second, a silent, burning question in his gaze. When I didn't pull away—when I leaned closer instead—he whisked the fabric over my head and tossed it into the shadows of the room.
The air hit my bare skin, but the cold didn't last long. A slow, devastating smirk spread across Keifer's lips as his eyes dropped. He realized instantly that I hadn't bothered with a bra the night before. The sight made his pupils dilate until his eyes were almost entirely black.
"Perfect," he whispered, the word vibrating against my skin as he took in the sight of me, completely undone for him.
He pulled me down again, his mouth finding the sensitive cord of my neck. He didn't just kiss me; he branded me. His lips trailed fire along my jawline before burying into the hollow of my throat, his teeth grazing my skin just enough to make me arch my back. My fingers tangled desperately in the dark silk of his hair, pulling him closer.
The heat in the room was suffocating. He moved lower, his kisses becoming deep and possessive. Every touch of his lips and the warmth of his tongue against my chest sent a jolt of lightning straight to my core. I could feel the friction of his bare skin against my nipples, and the sensation was so intense I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. I was drowning in the feeling of him—the way his hands held me steady, the way his skin felt against mine, and the sheer, terrifying thrill of being his.
I forgot we were in the Fernandez mansion. I forgot my brother was just down the hall. For those few minutes, there was only the sound of our breathing and the frantic beat of my heart against his.
And then..
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The sound was like a thunderclap. The door to my bedroom actually shuddered in its frame.
"JAY-JAY! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW! I KNOW YOU'RE AWAKE!"
Angelo.
The name hit me like a bucket of ice water. The haze of passion vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, sharp spike of adrenaline.
"Keifer!" I hissed, my voice cracking with pure terror.
Keifer didn't panic—he was too used to living on the edge. In one fluid, blurred motion, he rolled off the bed. He didn't even look at the door; he sprinted for the balcony with the grace of a predator. He slid the glass door open, vaulted over the railing, and disappeared into the morning mist to scale the side of the house back to his own room.
I scrambled. I dove for my top, shoved it on backward, and frantically rubbed my face with my palms to try and get rid of the "kissed-senseless" look. I waited until I heard the faint click of the balcony door on his side, then I stumbled to the main door and turned the deadbolt with trembling fingers. And opened the door.
"What took you so long to open the door?" he demanded, his eyes scanning the room behind me like a hawk.
"Kuya..." I mumbled, my voice thick and husky—partly from sleep, partly from the kiss. "I was sleeping until just now. You're banging like there's a fire. What's going on?"
Angelo pushed past me, his presence filling the room. He walked straight to the bathroom, swung the door open, found it empty, and then turned to the closet. He was checking everywhere.
"Can I help you with something?" I asked, leaning against the bedpost to hide the fact that my knees were shaking. "Or are you just doing a morning inspection?"
"I went to Keifer's room first," Angelo said, turning back to face me, his jaw tight. "I knocked. I pounded. He didn't respond. I thought for sure that idiot had sneaked into your room in the middle of the night despite my warning."
I forced a yawn, praying he couldn't see the flush on my neck. "Maybe he's just a heavy sleeper? Or maybe he's in the washroom? You know how long he takes with his hair."
Angelo narrowed his eyes, looking at the balcony door, then back at me. He looked unconvinced, but since he didn't see a half-naked Watson hiding under the bed, he sighed.
"Get ready now," he commanded. "Don't go back to sleep. Everyone is waiting downstairs for the Manila tour. If I find out he was in here, Jay, I'm not kidding about what I'll do to him."
"Yes, Kuya. I'm moving," I promised.
The moment he walked out and closed the door, I collapsed onto the bed. I waited until I heard his footsteps reach the stairs, then I grabbed my phone and called Keifer.
--: Author's POV: --
A few seconds later, Keifer stepped back onto his own balcony, holding his phone to his ear, a foolish, triumphant smile plastered on his face. Jay-Jay stepped out onto her balcony, looking at him with a mix of relief and exasperation.
"How did you even do that?" she whispered fiercely. "Did you come over here in the middle of the night the same way you just left?"
"Of course," Keifer said, leaning casually against the railing. "The front door was occupied by your brother. I had to improvise."
"You are literally an... an..." Jay-Jay struggled for the word, her face turning red.
"An what?" Keifer teased, his eyes dancing. "An amazing boyfriend? An elite climber? Or just the man who's currently in your head? Or you were going to curse at me?"
"Nothing!" Jay-Jay snapped, though she couldn't hide her smile. "Listen, Kuya came to your room first. He's suspicious because you didn't answer. I told him you were probably in the bathroom, so please, go pretend you're just finishing up! He literally searched my room for you!"
Keifer chuckled, completely unbothered by the death threat he had just narrowly avoided. "I'll go deal with your brother. But not until you kiss me."
"Keifer! We literally were... just... a minute ago!"
"What were we doing?" he asked, his voice dropping to that velvety, teasing register. "I seem to have forgotten the details. Maybe I should come back over there and refresh my memory?"
"No! Stay there!" Jay-Jay hissed. She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then leaned over the railing as far as she could. Keifer leaned over his side, and they shared a quick, breathless kiss over the gap between the balconies.
"Go! Get ready!" she urged.
Keifer winked at her, looking like the cat that had caught the canary. "See you at breakfast, Jay."
He disappeared back into his room, leaving Jay-Jay standing in the morning sun, her heart finally slowing down, but her mind already counting the minutes until they were finally on the island and away from Angelo's watchful eyes.