The massive ship cut through the deep ocean waters for hours until it finally approached a breathtaking, colossal landmass rising from the sea. This was the biggest island in the entire archipelago—a private, ultra-secure paradise that Keifer had bought, completely erased from public maps, and gifted to Jay Jay for her birthday . Nobody else knew its exact coordinates, fulfilling Angelo's strict orders perfectly.
Keifer carefully lifted Jay Jay from the cabin bed and carried her down the ship's ramp. He walked straight through the pristine, heavily fortified estate grounds and brought her inside the master suite.
Jay Jay's body was still hot with a slight fever, her back aching and her scratched skin feeling tight and dirty from the chaos of the safehouse. Keifer carried her directly into the massive, marble-lined bathroom.
He filled the deep soaking tub with warm, soothing water, carefully adjusting the temperature so it wouldn't sting her injuries.
With absolute reverence and care, he helped her wash away the sweat, dirt, and faint scent of gunpowder from her skin. He was incredibly mindful of her stitches and the heavy gauze on her hairline, ensuring not a single drop of water irritated her healing wounds.
After lifting her gently out of the tub, he wrapped her small frame in a plush, oversized white towel.
Sitting her down on the vanity stool, Keifer picked up a soft towel and a hair dryer. He kept the setting on a low, gentle warmth. His long, calloused fingers moved with immense tenderness through her tangled, wet hair, slowly drying the strands until they were soft and fluffy again. Jay Jay sat completely still, her eyelids drooping heavily, thoroughly comforted by his soothing touch.
Once her hair was completely dry, Jay Jay didn't want the restriction of clothes or the tight friction of fabric against her aching back.
Relying on her fierce, childlike trust in him, she simply loosened the large towel, letting it slip away, and crawled directly into the massive bed where Keifer was already resting in his sweatpants.
She slid her small frame right against him, curling up tightly to sleep directly on his bare chest. The solid, rhythmic beat of his heart was the only anchor she needed after the terrifying day they had faced.
Keifer wrapped his large, protective arms securely around her, pulling the thick, warm duvet over both of them to keep the chill away.
He rested his chin gently against the top of her fluffy hair, his thumb sweeping over her bare shoulder.
"Wifey," Keifer murmured softly, his low register vibrating directly against her cheek. "You need to eat something. I can have a warm soup brought up right now. Just a few bites for your medicine."
"Humm..." Jay Jay mumbled into his skin, her small nose nuzzling deeper into his chest. She didn't move an inch, her small, bandaged hand clutching tightly at his side.
"Just a little bit of food, kitten," Keifer tried again, his voice thick with an overwhelming wave of protective devotion. "Your body needs energy to heal."
"Humm-mm," she whimpered softly, letting out a tiny, kitten-like sigh. She tightened her grip on him, completely refusing to let go or acknowledge the mention of food.
Keifer let out a soft, defeated huff, a tender smile finally breaking through his stressed expression. He kissed the crown of her head. "Fine. Just rest, my life. The tree has got you."
In morning.
The next day, the bright, golden sunlight of the private island flooded through the grand bedroom windows.
Keifer had been awake for hours, refusing to leave the bed or disturb her position. But as the clock kept ticking, his internal alarm began to flare. He glanced down at his watch, his face turning slightly pale with a sudden, suffocating panic.
She had been asleep for thirteen hours straight.
"Jay?" Keifer whispered, his hand trembling slightly as he gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. He pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. Her fever had completely broken, and her skin felt cool and normal, but she wasn't stirring at all. "Wifey, talk to me. Wake up."
His heart began to race. Images of internal injuries, hidden concussions, or delayed shock flashed through his mind. He was just about to call for a medical team to rush into the room when Jay Jay finally let out a loud, dramatic snore.
Her eyelashes slowly fluttered open. She looked up at him with blurry, glossy eyes, completely oblivious to the sheer panic she had just caused him.
"Good morning, tree," she mumbled groggily. She tried to stretch her arms, but immediately lost her balance on his chest, sliding sideways and burying her face directly into the fluffy pillow with a soft, clumsy thud. She let out a weak, muffled moan against the mattress. "My nose is stuck."
Keifer let out a long, ragged breath, his shoulders finally relaxing as a wave of pure relief washed over him. She wasn't comatose, she was just being her usual, clumsy, and impossibly cute self.
He chuckled softly, reaching over to scoop her back into his arms, pulling her face out of the pillow. "You terrified me, kitten. You slept for thirteen hours."
"Because the tree is a very comfortable mattress," she huffed, pouting her lower lip as she restfully leaned her head back against his shoulder. "And the mattress shouldn't complain."
Keifer let out a long, ragged breath, his shoulders finally relaxing as he realized her deep sleep was just pure exhaustion. She didn't actually wake up. She just let out that tiny, clumsy mumble, buried her face back into his chest, and immediately drifted right back into her deep, heavy slumber.
Knowing she needed to stay clean and comfortable, Keifer carefully scooped her small body into his arms. He carried her back into the grand bathroom, handling her with the absolute highest level of care. Supporting her weight with one large arm, he used a soft, wet cloth to gently clean her mouth and wipe away the sleep from her eyes.
He carefully brushed her teeth for her, guiding the brush with immense tenderness while she remained completely dead to the world, her head lolling against his shoulder like a broken little doll.
Once she was clean, he carried her back to the bed. He had already ordered a light, warm soup and some soft bread to be brought up.
Sitting on the edge of the mattress, he propped her fragile body up against his chest, using his broad frame as a solid wall to support her.
"Jay," he whispered right against her ear, his low register thick with devotion. "Open up. Just a few bites."
Jay Jay let out a weak, sleepy moan, her eyes barely cracked open as she instinctively trusted the spoon he brought to her lips. She slowly ate the warm food, swallowing each bite obediently while her small hands blindly reached out. The moment she finished the last spoonful, she immediately turned around and clung to Keifer like a koala.
Because she had refused to wear any tight clothing against her freshly scratched back and healing stitches, she was completely naked against him. Wrapped up in her pure, childlike trust, she looked impossibly small, delicate, and entirely cute as she buried her face directly into the crook of his neck, her soft exhales warm against his skin. She was just a fragile, sweet kitten seeking absolute comfort from her tree.
But for Keifer, the physical proximity was becoming absolute torture.
He had been tightly controlling himself since the previous night, locking his desires behind an unbreakable wall of discipline out of pure respect for her injuries and her vulnerability.
He had already taken a freezing cold shower the night before just to keep his mind sharp and focused purely on her safety. But right now, with her soft, bare skin pressed completely against his chest, clinging to him with zero boundaries, Keifer got needy like hell.
A heavy, suffocating heat flared deep in his chest. His heart hammered wildly against his ribs, his body burning with a fierce, possessive need that made his knuckles turn white as he clenched his fists.
He wanted nothing more than to pull her impossibly closer, but the sight of her thick bandages and delicate butterfly stitches instantly snapped his control back into place. She was his heart protecting her meant protecting her from everything, even his own roaring instincts.
Gently, agonizingly easing her grip, Keifer slid her soft body off his chest and tucked her safely under the heavy, warm duvet.
The moment she was secure, Keifer practically bolted from the bed and stormed straight into the bathroom. He turned the handle completely to the right, letting a torrent of icy, freezing water blast down on his head.
He leaned his forehead against the cold marble wall, taking deep, ragged breaths as the freezing water drenched his skin, desperately trying to numb the burning, needy ache inside his veins for the second time today.
An hour later, after successfully locking his emotions back down, Keifer walked downstairs to check on her.
He found Jay Jay in the estate's private theatre room. He had specially designed this room for her, replacing standard cinema seats with massive, plush bed-type swings that suspended gently from the ceiling, covered in soft velvet cushions and endless fluffy pillows.
Jay Jay was curled up inside one of the massive swinging beds, completely swallowed by a mountain of blankets, happily watching a movie while the swing rocked in a slow, soothing motion. She looked perfectly safe, comfortable, and entirely oblivious to the absolute storm her tree had just fought through upstairs.