Keifer's POV
The silence in the room was heavy, thick with the weight of my past mistakes. Jay Jay sat in the center of the massive circular bed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her lower lip pouting in a way that used to make me smile, but now just made my chest ache with regret.
"I didn't bring you here to take advantage of you, Jay," I said softly, taking a cautious step closer to the bed. "Your brothers... Angelo, Aries, and Percy. They were the ones who told me to take you."
She blinked, her defensive posture faltering for a split second before her eyes narrowed with skepticism. "My brothers? You're lying. Aries would have ripped your head off before letting you near me."
"He wanted to," I admitted, a bittersweet chuckle escaping my throat. "But the situation in the city is spinning out of control. There are too many people targeting you right now, Jay. Your life is in constant danger. Percy has been handling hit squads in the shadows before you could even notice, but they were getting outnumbered. Angelo said the city isn't safe for you anymore. They needed you completely out of the crossfire, and this island is the only place on earth that doesn't exist on any map. They trusted me to protect you because I'm the only one who knows the coordinates."
Jay Jay turned her face away, looking out at the sparkling blue ocean through the glass doors. She was trying her absolute best to ignore me, her jaw clenched as she stubbornly refused to acknowledge my presence.
GURRRRLE~
A loud, incredibly long growl echoed through the quiet room, shattering the serious atmosphere.
I froze.
Jay Jay froze.
Her cheeks instantly flared into a bright, violent shade of crimson. She buried her face in her hands, wishing the plush mattress would swallow her whole. The twenty-one days of grueling exams combined with hours of travel sleep had left her completely running on empty.
A genuine smile tugged at my lips. I walked to the edge of the bed and slowly sat down on the mattress. I didn't want to startle her, keeping my movements deliberate and gentle.
"Jay," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly as the raw emotion I had been suppressing finally broke through. "Look at me, please."
She slowly lowered her hands, her eyes glassy with a layer of fresh tears, looking at me with a mix of exhaustion and deep-seated hurt.
"The fog is entirely gone," I said, the tears finally spilling over my own eyelashes. "My memories snapped back into place right after the neurological shock. I remember everything, my marshmallow. Every single detail of what we shared, the warmth of your skin, the absolute devotion... and I remember the horrific, monstrous way I treated you over the past two months. I was a blind, shameless monster to the woman who bled for my family. I am so, so sorry."
Jay Jay bit her trembling lip, a tear escaping and rolling down her cheek. "You... you remember?" she whispered softly.
"Yes," I choked out, nodding tightly.
Seeing her look at me without total hatred gave me a spark of desperate hope. My arms ached to hold her. I looked at her small frame, my voice dropping to a pleading, vulnerable whisper. "Can I... take permission from you? Just to hug you? Please, Jay."
"No," she muttered, turning her gaze down to the sheets, her voice small but firm.
"Please," I begged, my heart shattering into a million pieces at her rejection. "Just one hug, marshmallow. Please. I just need to know you're real, that you're safe."
She let out a long, defeated sigh, her shoulders dropping. "...Fine."
Before she could change her mind, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms securely around her waist, pulling her small body tightly against my chest. The moment her warmth collided with mine, a sob tore through my throat. I buried my face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her vanilla scent. I missed her so much it felt like an actual physical illness.
Losing control to the overwhelming relief of having her back, my lips pressed against the warm skin of her neck. I began kissing her neck softly, my touch desperate, tracing the delicate line of her jawline up to her collarbone.
For a few breathtaking seconds, Jay Jay froze.
Jay Jay's POV
The moment Keifer's arms wrapped around me, my brain completely short-circuited.
His grip was tight, unyielding, yet incredibly desperate. When his lips met the skin of my neck, sending a sharp, electric jolt straight down my spine, the walls I had built up over the last two months began to crumble.
I missed him.
The realization hit me like a physical blow. For two agonizing months, I had been forced to endure his cold glances, his cruel rejections, and his complete indifference while I drained myself dry just to survive.
I had missed his warmth, his voice, and the safe haven of his arms so intensely that it had felt like a constant ache in my chest. My body instinctively relaxed against his firm chest, my breathing hitching as his soft kisses sent a familiar warmth rushing through my veins.
But then, reality violently slammed back into my mind.
Wait... what am I doing?! my eyes snapping wide open in panic. He ignored me for months! He broke my heart! I am supposed to be upset!
Before I could push him away, I felt his large, warm hands begin to shift. They slowly left my waist, his palms travelling smoothly over the curves of my body, sliding up the fabric of my shirt with an undeniable, possessive familiarity. The heat of his touch was overwhelming, making my skin burn through the clothes.
"K-Keifer, stop!" I gasped out, my voice sounding way weaker than I intended as I planted my hands firmly against his broad shoulders, trying to push his heavy frame away from me.
And he did,he stop.
Than sleep take me.