Jay-Jay (POV)
The moment he opened the hotel room, everything changed.
Before I could even breathe—
He had me pinned against the door.
And then he kissed me.
Hard.
"Profanity… earlier, you used that in my office," he muttered against my lips, like he still couldn't believe this was real.
I slid my arms over his shoulders, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away. My lips brushed his ear as I whispered—
"Why… if it's not profanity… can't you kiss your wife?"
He froze.
Just for a second.
And I saw it—his ears turning red, that stunned look in his eyes… like I'd just undone him completely.
Then he smiled.
Soft. Dangerous.
"Jay… you're really smooth," he murmured.
"Hmm…" I tilted my head, pretending to think. "Of course I am."
I tapped his chest lightly.
"I learned from my flirty husband, after all."
He let out a chuckle—
low, dangerous.
"Oh?" he said, leaning closer. "So now I'm the one getting blamed?"
I smiled innocently.
"Not blamed… credited."
His hand slid around my waist, pulling me just a little closer.
"Careful, wife," he whispered near my ear.
"You're starting something you won't be able to finish."
I raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"Who said I wanted to stop?"
That did it.
His grip tightened slightly—
And the look in his eyes shifted completely.
He pulled me back in.
This time, our lips crashed together.
Not gentle.
Not hesitant.
It wasn't a kiss anymore—
It was hunger.
My legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, like I already knew where I belonged. His hands tightened around me, lifting me effortlessly as if I weighed nothing.
As if he needed me closer.
Now.
He carried me to the bed, laying me down carefully—but there was nothing careful about the way he looked at me.
Not anymore.
When he leaned down again, ready to kiss me—
Everything inside me stilled.
Because this wasn't just a desire.
It was something deeper.
Something that had waited far too long.
He paused just inches from me.
Close enough that I could feel his breath against my lips… uneven, restrained—like he was holding himself back.
Like he was fighting something.
His gaze searched mine, no longer wild, but deeper… heavier.
"Jay…" he whispered, softer this time.
Not teasing.
Not hungry.
Something else.
His hand came up, brushing a strand of hair away from my face, slower now… like he was memorizing me instead of chasing me.
I didn't move.
Didn't look away.
Because for the first time since he pinned me to that door—
He wasn't taking.
He was asking.
Silently.
And I answered the only way I could.
I reached up, my fingers curling into his shirt, pulling him down that last inch.
This kiss—
was different.
Still warm.
Still real.
But softer.
Deeper.
Like everything unspoken between us was finally finding its way out.
His hand slid into mine, fingers intertwining, pressing it gently against the bed beside my head—as if grounding himself.
As if grounding us.
A sudden knock echoed through the room.
"Who the hell—?" Kiefer groaned, dragging a hand through his hair, clearly irritated.
"Go open the door," I said, biting back a laugh.
But the moment I saw his expression—pure disappointment—I lost it.
I laughed.
Completely.
He shot me a look, narrowing his eyes as I'd personally betrayed him.
"Not funny," he muttered.
"Oh, it's very funny," I shot back, still laughing.
With one last reluctant glance at me, he turned and walked to the door, pulling it open.
Kiran stood there—
arms full of snacks and random toys as he'd just raided a store.
Beside him, Kiegen peeked in, already grinning the second he saw Kiefer's face.
"Kuya… we disturb you?" Kiegen asked, his smile widening like he already knew the answer.
Kiefer just stared at them.
Blank.
Unamused.
Dangerously silent.
Before he could say anything—
I quickly walked over, slipping in beside him and placing a hand casually on his shoulder.
"Nothing," I said smoothly. "We just came from Kiefer's office."
I stepped aside, gesturing them in.
"Come inside."
Kiegen walked in first, still trying not to laugh, while Kiran followed, completely oblivious, setting the snacks down like he owned the place.
Kiefer leaned slightly toward me, his voice low enough that only I could hear—
"You're enjoying this way too much."
I turned my head just enough to meet his gaze, a small smirk tugging at my lips.
"Very much."
His jaw tightened.
But there was that look again—
not anger.
Something far more dangerous.
"Fine," he murmured. "Laugh now."
His fingers brushed against mine—quick, subtle, unnoticed by the others.
"I'll deal with you later."
My breath caught for half a second—
But I didn't let it show.
Instead, I smiled wider and turned back to the others as if nothing had happened.
As if everything between us wasn't still burning under the surface.
They both came inside, and just like that, the room shifted.
From tension—
to noise.
To laughter.
They started talking immediately, arguing over what had happened earlier, as nothing in the world mattered more than proving who was right.
Somehow, in the middle of all that chaos, I ended up learning how to play video games.
And then—
Teams were decided.
Kiran and Kiefer.
Kiegen and me.
The game connected to the TV, controllers in hand, voices overlapping—
We played like there was no tomorrow.
Shouting.
Laughing.
Complaining.
Celebrating.
Time slipped away so easily that none of us noticed how late it had gotten.
Until—
"I can't do this anymore," I groaned, collapsing dramatically onto the bed. "I'm starving."
They both burst out laughing.
"We already finished everything we brought," Kiran said, still holding the controller.
"They were just snacks," I shot back, turning my head to glare at them.
At the same time, Kiegen and I looked at Kiefer.
"Kuya… we're hungry too."
Kiefer sighed, dropping his controller like he had accepted his fate.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"Anything edible," I said immediately.
"Ice cream," Kiran added.
"Pasta," Kiegen followed.
Kiefer looked at all of us—
then shook his head with a chuckle.
"Unbelievable."
But he still picked up his phone and ordered everything.
Of course he did.
A little later, we were all sitting on the bed together, the room dim except for the soft glow of a few candles.
The noise had settled.
The chaos faded into something quieter.
Warmer.
It felt different now.
Not loud.
Not wild.
Just… comfortable.
Like we had somehow built our own little world inside that room.
For a moment, I looked around—
at them,
at us—
and smiled.
Because this…
This felt like something I never wanted to end.
After we finished eating, they both headed back to their rooms, still laughing about the game.
The door clicked shut behind them—
And just like that, it was quiet again.
Kiefer went to freshen up.
I did the same.
When I stepped back into the room, I leaned against the wall for a moment… just watching him.
He stood there, slightly distracted, scrolling through his phone.
And I couldn't help it—
How can he look like that… and still be mine?
A small smile slipped onto my lips.
I walked over to him without a word.
Before he could react, I slid onto his lap, wrapping my arms around him and resting my head against his shoulder.
"Wife…" he said slowly, lowering his phone. "Do you even know what you're doing?"
"Hm…" I hummed softly, tightening my hold around him. "I'm cuddling with my husband."
I pressed a light kiss to his neck—
then another to his cheek.
"Jay…" His voice dropped, quieter now.
But instead of pulling away, his arms came around me, holding me in place.
His fingers brushed lightly against my side, teasing—just enough to make me squirm.
I let out a small laugh, trying to push his hand away.
"Stop—" I giggled, leaning into him anyway.
He didn't stop.
Of course, he didn't.
Instead, he rested his forehead against mine, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"You started this," he murmured.
"And I don't remember asking you to stop."
My breath caught for a second—
But I smiled back.
Because this—
This was our rhythm.
Playful.
Warm.
And just a little dangerous.
"Kiefer…" I breathed.
He didn't answer.
He just kissed me.
And the way he held me—firm, unrelenting—like he wasn't letting me go anywhere… It sent a shiver straight through me.
Every touch—
every small movement—
felt louder on my skin.
Warmer.
Closer.
I felt it everywhere.
The butterflies, the heat, the way my body slowly gave in—like I was melting right into his hands.
His kiss softened for a moment—
But I didn't.
I kissed him back with everything I was holding in.
Not gentle.
Not careful.
Like I needed him.
Like I wanted him.
And he understood.
Of course he did.
In one smooth movement, he shifted us—
And the next thing I knew, I was on the bed, his hands framing my face as he kissed me again.
"Kiefer…" I whispered against his lips, barely able to breathe between moments.
"Jay…" His voice wasn't soft anymore.
It was strained.
Unsteady.
"I can't control myself right now."
I blinked, pulling back just enough to look at him—
genuinely confused.
"Who asked you to control it?" I whispered.
His expression changed.
Completely.
"I'm yours, Kiefer."
For a second—
He just stared at me.
Then he buried his face into the curve of my neck, his breath warm against my skin.
"You're really driving me crazy, Jay…" he murmured.
His lips brushed along my neck, slower now—but no less intense.
And everything after that…
wasn't rushed.
Wasn't wild in the way it started.
It became something else.
Something deeper.
Quieter.
Filled with whispers, broken breaths, and the way we kept saying each other's names like they meant everything.
Like we meant everything.
The world outside faded.
Time didn't matter.
Nothing did—
except for the way we held onto each other.
Close.
Certain.
Like we had finally stopped running.
And somewhere in between the warmth and the silence that followed—
It didn't feel like just a moment anymore.
It felt like something that had always belonged to us.
I woke up.
"Kiefer…" I murmured, my eyes still closed.
"Hm…" he responded softly.
I slowly opened my eyes—
and frowned.
This wasn't our room.
"…Where are we?" I asked, my voice still heavy with sleep.
"In five minutes, we'll be in Manila," Kiefer said casually.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then I shot up.
"What—?!" I looked around quickly. "Are we in London?!"
My head turned, and that's when I noticed—
Kiegen and Kiran calmly packed their things as if this were completely normal.
"What is going on? I asked, completely lost. "Why don't I remember anything?"
"Because you were sleeping," Kiegen said simply, not even looking up.
Kiran nodded in agreement, zipping up his bag.
"You didn't realize anything," he added. "You were out the whole time."
I stared at them.
Then at Kiefer.
Then back at them again.
"…You're joking," I said slowly.
No one laughed.
My eyes narrowed.
"Wait—" I looked at Kiefer again. "You moved me across countries while I was asleep?"
He didn't even look guilty.
"I thought you'd wake up at home," he said.
"That is not the point!" I snapped.
Kiegen snorted.
Kiran tried—and failed—not to smile.
I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to process everything.
"So let me get this straight…" I said, pointing at all of them. "I went to sleep… and woke up in another country?"
"Yes," all three of them answered at the same time.
I stared at them.
"Then you should have woken me up," I complained. "Why carry me?"
Kiefer leaned closer, his lips brushing near my ear.
"You were so tired last night…" he whispered. "I didn't want to disturb your sleep."
For a second—
I froze.
Then it hit me.
Last night.
My face burned instantly.
I looked away, suddenly very interested in anything but him.
"Why shy?" Kiefer's voice followed, amused. "You were pretty wild last night… You were kissing—"
I slapped my hand over his mouth.
"Stop," I said quickly, glaring at him. "I understand."
Behind us, I heard someone choke back a laugh.
I refused to turn around.
Absolutely not.
I stared ahead, trying to regain whatever dignity I had left.
"…I hate you," I muttered.
Kiefer chuckled under my hand, gently pulling it away as he slipped an arm around me.
"No, you don't."
I didn't respond.
Because annoyingly—
He was right.
After that, we all headed to our house.
Home.
Finally… a place where I could stay with him—wake up beside him every morning without hiding, without running.
A small smile formed on my lips as I stepped inside.
But the second my foot crossed the threshold—
Everything shattered.
A punch landed hard against Kiefer's face.
"Kiefer!" I gasped.
He stumbled slightly but didn't fall.
I turned—
And my heart dropped.
"Jare—?!"
He stood there, breathing hard, his fist still clenched.
Then I looked past him.
The entire room was filled.
My brothers.
Their wives.
Section E.
All of them.
Watching.
"How dare you marry her?!" Jare's voice roared through the house.
"Kuya—!" I rushed forward, grabbing his arm, trying to pull him back—but he wouldn't budge.
He was too strong.
Too angry.
I looked at my other brothers.
They didn't move.
Not a single step.
My chest tightened.
Then I turned desperately to the boys.
"…Help me! Pull my brother!"
They didn't hesitate.
Rory, Kit, Edrix, C-IN, David, and Yuri rushed forward at once, grabbing Jare before he could throw another punch.
"Let go of me!" Jare snapped, struggling against them, his anger still boiling over.
They held him back firmly, barely managing to keep him in place.
The room was no longer just tense—
It was on the edge of breaking.
I turned to Kiefer instead, my hands reaching for him instinctively.
"Hey… are you okay?" I asked, my voice softer now.
He nodded.
Calm.
Too calm.
Like he expected this.
That scared me more.
Slowly, I turned back to Jare.
"Kuya…" My voice shook slightly. "What happened to you? Why are you hurting him?"
His eyes snapped to mine.
Furious.
Hurt.
"You married him without telling us!" he shouted.
The words hit harder than the punch.
"And I had to find out from the news—" His voice broke slightly, but the anger didn't fade. "—that you married that bastard?"
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Every eye in the room shifted—
between me & Kiefer.
And for the first time since we walked in—
I realized this wasn't just anger.
This was betrayal.
I didn't understand.
Not until C-IN shoved his phone in front of me.
My eyes dropped to the screen—
And my breath caught.
It was a photo.
Kiefer and I… in his office.
Close.
Too close.
My stomach dropped.
"…Shit," I muttered under my breath. "Kill me now."
"Jay…" Aries stepped forward, his expression suddenly serious. "Don't tell me you're pregnant?"
My head snapped up.
"Kuya—" I stared at him in disbelief. "How can I be pregnant overnight?"
"Then why did you rush into marriage?" Angelo demanded. "Without telling any of us?"
His voice wasn't as loud as Jare's—
But it cut deeper.
I looked around.
Cole.
Percy.
The others.
Silent.
Watching.
Judging.
My chest tightened—but this time, I didn't look away.
I stepped forward.
"I asked him to marry me, Kuya."
The room stilled.
Completely.
Every eye locked onto me.
"Because I love him," I said, my voice steady now. "And I don't regret it."
I took another step, placing myself slightly in front of Kiefer.
A choice.
Clear.
Unshaken.
"And I never will."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
But I didn't break.
I couldn't.
Not now.
Not in front of them.
Not when this was the one thing I was sure about.
The room fell silent.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
"I didn't expect this from you, Jay."
Cole's voice was calm—
But it cut deeper than any shout.
Like a blade sliding straight through my chest.
I swallowed, my fingers curling slightly at my sides, but I didn't look away.
Then his gaze shifted to Kiefer.
"She may have asked you," Cole continued, his tone sharpening, "but why did you let it happen?"
A pause.
"You should have come to us."
For a second—
No one moved.
Then Kiefer stepped forward.
Not rushed.
Not angry.
Certain.
"I waited long enough," Kiefer snapped, his voice rough. "For that, Fucking yes, from her."
He laughed once—short, bitter.
"And you think I'd just stand there and let that slip away? when I finally get the chance to hold her again… to make her mine…"
His eyes burned as he looked at them.
"After everything?"
His jaw tightened.
"No."
The words hung in the air.
His eyes didn't leave theirs.
"How could I not marry her?"
Silence.
Again.
But this time—
It felt different.
Not just anger.
Something else.
Something conflicted.
"Jay—" Jare tried to speak.
I didn't let him.
"I won't break, Kuya."
My voice didn't shake.
Not this time.
"If you're scared that I'll…" I paused, forcing the words out, "…that I'll kill myself—"
The room went completely still.
"I won't do that again."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unbearable.
"You think I don't know?" I continued, my eyes moving across each of them. "Every time I held a knife… the way you all watched me…"
My chest tightened.
"You thought I'd do it again."
No one denied it.
No one could.
"Jay…" Cole stepped forward, his voice cautious now. "What are you talking about? Do you… remember something?"
I shook my head.
"Nothing."
A small, bitter smile touched my lips.
"I just asked someone… when they saw my scar. They said it wasn't from an accident."
That did it.
The air in the room shifted.
No anger.
No shouting.
Just… guilt.
Confusion.
Fear.
"I don't know about the past," I said quietly. "But I've changed."
I lifted my chin slightly.
"I'm strong enough now to handle things."
I looked at Jare.
At all of them.
"Trust me, Kuya."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"…Okay," Jare said.
Just one word.
But it meant everything.
Relief didn't come.
Not fully.
Because even though they stepped back—
Their eyes shifted.
Toward Kiefer.
Sharp.
Warning.
Deadly.
I turned to look at him—
ready to check on him—
and froze.
This idiot…
was smiling.
Not just smiling—
provoking them with that shameless smirk.
There was something challenging in his eyes, like he was daring them to try again.
Before I could stop myself—
I elbowed him straight in the stomach.
Then I stepped on his foot.
Hard.
"Wife—" he winced, grabbing his leg.
I leaned closer, my voice low and dangerous.
"Behave."
He looked at me—
and then, unbelievably—
He smiled again.
But softer this time.
Like he didn't mind being punished.
At all.
I straightened, trying to stay serious—
But a small smile betrayed me.
Because somehow…
even in the middle of all this chaos—
He still found a way to make it feel like us.