| Author POV |
The next morning, the private jet was swapped for a massive, luxury ship. The trip to the "Safety Marshmallow Kingdom" was no joke—it was an hour's journey across open water to reach the most remote point of the ocean.
Angelo stood on the deck, clutching the railing with white knuckles. He looked at the vast, deep blue sea and then at Jay Jay, who was currently trying to climb the ship's mast because she wanted to "see if the fish were waving at her."
The guilt Angelo felt four days ago was being rapidly replaced by a primal fear for his own survival. Jay Jay was no longer just a headache; she had evolved.
"Jay Jay! Get down! The wind is going to blow your fluff away!" Angelo shrieked, his voice jumping an octave.
"I am a sea-queen, Kuya!" she shouted back, her pink hoodie strings whipping in the wind. "I am looking for the Zappy Bois! AHHHHH! Look! A seagull! Is it a spy?! 🕵️♀️"
Angelo pulled out his satellite phone, his hands shaking. He dialed Keifer with the speed of a man calling emergency services.
"Keifer! Pick up! Pick up!" Angelo hissed. As soon as the line connected, he didn't even say hello. "Keifer, I am NOT going! I love my life! I have dreams! I want to get married someday! I cannot spend hours on a boat with this Tornado! 🌪️"
Jay Jay, who had the ears of a bat when it came to insults, froze on the ladder. She scrambled down with terrifying speed and landed right in front of Angelo, her face turning a bright, angry red.
"YOU CALLED ME TORNADO?! 🌪️😭" she wailed, the sound echoing across the waves. "You think I am a twisty-wind that breaks houses?! AHHHHHHH! 😭😭🥺"
"Jay, no, I meant you're... energetic!" Angelo stammered, backing away.
"KEIFER!" she screamed into the phone's speaker, her voice loud enough to vibrate the satellite. "Keifer, he said I am TORNADOOOOOO! 😭 He thinks I am a natural disaster! Am I a disaster, Keif-Keif?! Am I a scary wind?! 🥺😫"
"I'm a disaster for staying here!" Angelo yelled into the phone. "She just tried to feed my watch to a fish, Keifer! I'm getting off! Send a helicopter! Send a rowboat! Send anyone else!"
"AHHHHHH! 😭🥺" Jay Jay sobbed, flopping onto the deck and kicking her legs. "Being a tornado means to me that you want to hide in a basement from my love! It means you think I'm too spinny for your heart! 🌪️💔"
On the other end of the line, Keifer let out a long, slow sigh that sounded like he was mourning his own sanity. "Angelo, stay on the ship. Jay... stop being a weather pattern. I'll call you both back when my ears stop ringing."
The ship did a sharp, aggressive U-turn in the middle of the ocean, heading straight back toward the Fernandez estate. Angelo had reached his breaking point. He marched Jay Jay back into the house, his hair wind-blown and his nerves fried.
"That's it!" Angelo shouted, pointing at Keifer, who had just finished his briefing. "Cancel the meetings! Cancel the merger! Cancel everything! I am not spending hours on a boat with a human hurricane. You go with her, Keifer! She's your responsibility!"
Keifer looked up, startled, as Jay Jay ran to him, still sobbing about being a "weather pattern."
Angelo stepped forward, his face dead serious, pointing a finger at Keifer's chest.
"But listen to me, Keifer. You go with her to that island alone, but stay in your limits. Do you hear me? She's fragile. Don't try to cross the line. Keep it professional and respectful until she's fully recovered. No funny business."
[̲̅$̲̅(̲̅Keifer's POV)̲̅$̲̅]
I looked at Angelo, then down at Jay Jay, who was currently sniffing and wiping her nose on my sleeve. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
Stay in my limits? I thought, my mind flashing back to the nights we'd already spent tucked away from the world. Don't cross the line?
Angelo was standing there acting like a protective big brother, lecturing me about "boundaries," and all I could think was: Buddy, we didn't just cross the line. We jumped over it, burned the bridge behind us, and built a house on the other side.
I looked at Jay Jay's "innocent" face—the same face that had successfully convinced me to give her everything she ever wanted. Everyone thought I was the man who took whatever he wanted, but they had it backwards.
She's the one who took my innocence, I mused, feeling a smirk tugging at my lips. She walked into my life, demanded spicy ice cream, screamed until my ears bled, and somehow stole my heart without me even realizing it.
"I'll try to control myself, Angelo," I said out loud, my voice thick with a sarcasm only I understood.
"Good," Angelo huffed, feeling proud of himself. "Because she's a lady."
Jay Jay looked up at me, a mischievous glint in her eyes that told me she knew exactly what I was thinking. She stuck her tongue out at Angelo's back and whispered to me, "Can the 'tornado' have a kiss before we get back on the boat, Keifer? 🤭"
I leaned down, masking my grin. "Only if you promise not to tell your brother that his 'limits' disappeared a long time ago."
The ship finally pulled away from the dock, the engines humming a deep, steady rhythm. On the pier, the whole family was waving them off. Tila, Gemma, and Lola stood at the front, blowing kisses and shouting for Jay Jay to stay safe, while the brothers looked on with a mix of relief and lingering worry.
"Bye-bye, spicy people!" Jay Jay shouted, waving a silk scarf until the shore was just a thin line on the horizon.
Hours into the journey, the vast blue ocean surrounded them. The chaotic energy of the morning had settled into a warm, salty breeze. Inside the master suite of the ship—their secret sanctuary—the world felt like it belonged only to them.
I was sitting on the edge of our secret ship bed, finally exhaling the stress of the last few days. The room smelled of expensive sea salt and the vanilla perfume Jay Jay always wore.
Suddenly, I felt a weight on my thighs.
Jay Jay didn't ask, she just climbed onto my lap, straddling me with her arms looped loosely around my neck. She looked down at me, her eyes dark and playful, all traces of the "tornado" gone.
"Keifer," she whispered, her voice a soft, velvety purr that made my heart skip. "I'm needy. 😌"
I looked at her, my hands instinctively finding her waist. I thought about Angelo's lecture, about the "limits" I was supposed to keep, and the four days of distance that had nearly driven me insane. I wanted to be the responsible one, the one who made sure she rested.
"No," I rumbled, my voice deep and lacking any real conviction. "You need to sleep, Jay. The toxin, the screaming... you need rest."
"Yes. 😌" She leaned closer, her nose brushing against mine, her lips just a breath away. "I don't want sleep. I want my Keif-Keif. I'm very, very needy for you."
She shifted closer, making it impossible for me to think about mergers, security, or "lines."
"Jay," I warned, though my grip on her waist tightened, pulling her flush against my chest. "Angelo said stay in my limits."
"Angelo isn't here," she giggled, nipping at my lower lip. "And I already stole your innocence, remember? You're mine."
I let out a low groan, giving in to the gravity of her. Limits were for people who weren't in love with a beautiful headache.
The cabin was silent except for the soft hum of the ship's engines and the splashing of waves against the hull. Jay Jay was still perched on my lap, her eyes searching mine, but then her expression suddenly shifted. The playful mischief vanished, replaced by a sharp, dramatic pout.
"I know! 😭" she wailed, her voice echoing off the mahogany walls. "You don't want me because I'm Tornado 🌪️! I'm a broken marshmallow! AHHHHHH! 😭😭🥺"
"Jay, no! It's not like that, please," I groaned, my hands moving up to cup her face. I tried to pull her closer to stop the impending waterworks. "I just want you to be comfortable. You've had a hard week."
"Lies!" she sniffled, poking me hard in the chest. "You're thinking about the sheets! You're thinking about the 'ruining'! You think I'm a mess! 😫💔"
"I don't care about the sheets, Jay. I've told you this," I whispered, my voice dropping into that deep, serious register that usually calmed her down. "I just want to be near you."
"Then do it! 😌" she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest while still sitting firmly on my lap. "If you're not scared of the 'Tornado,' then show me. No limits, Keifer. You said we jumped the line, so don't try to crawl back over it now! 👅"
I looked at her—this tiny, fierce, beautiful headache of a woman who had survived a poisoning and a four-day blackout only to come back and demand my absolute attention. The protective wall I usually kept around her started to crumble.
"You're impossible," I muttered, but my lips were already grazing her jawline.
"I'm a masterpiece," she corrected softly, her fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of my neck. "And masterpieces need cuddles. Especially 'bleeding' ones."
I let out a defeated, adoring huff and pulled her into a deep, slow kiss that tasted like the salt of the sea and the sweetness of the donuts she'd eaten earlier.
The cabin was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp as the ship rocked gently over the waves. I lowered myself over her, my heart thundering against my ribs. I rested my head against hers, our foreheads touching as I looked deep into her eyes, which were hazy with a mix of trust and nerves.
I could feel her entrance, warm and close against me. My hands were shaking slightly—not from fear, but from the overwhelming need to protect her even while I wanted her this badly.
"Relax, my tasty marshmallow," I whispered, my voice thick and gravelly. "Just breathe with me."
I tried to enter, moving with agonizing slowness, but I felt her go rigid. Her muscles were tight, clenching instinctively against the intrusion. The four days of stress and the trauma of the toxin had left her body on high alert, even if her heart was ready. It was hard—like trying to press through a wall that didn't want to give way.
"O-ouch... AHHHH! Kei... Keifer..."
She let out a sharp, pained cry that cut through the silence like a knife. Her fingers dug into my forearms, her knuckles turning white as she arched her back, her face contorting in a grimace.
I froze instantly, my muscles locking as I stayed perfectly still. I didn't pull back, but I didn't push forward either. I just stayed there, buried only a fraction, my eyes searching hers with frantic concern.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I murmured, kissing the tears that were starting to bead at the corners of her eyes. "I'll stop. We don't have to do this, Jay. I don't want to hurt you."
"No..." she sniffled, her breath coming in jagged hitches. "Don't... don't go. Just... give me a second. My body is being a 'tantrums' again."
I stayed rooted in place, my forehead resting against hers, waiting for the tension in her hips to melt away. I was the "Favorite Headache," and right now, all I wanted was to make the hurting stop.
The cabin fell into a heavy, absolute silence, broken only by the rhythmic creaking of the ship's hull. I stayed perfectly still, anchored in place, refusing to move even a millimetre until she was ready. I watched her face intently, my heart aching as I saw her brow furrowed in concentration while she tried to adjust to the pressure.
Her breathing was shallow, and I could feel the slight tremors in her thighs as she worked through the discomfort. To help her find her rhythm, I slid my hands up, my palms cupping her breasts with careful tenderness. I remembered her mentioning they were sore because of her hormones, so I kept my touch light, my thumbs making slow, soothing circles over the aching tissue.
"Just breathe, Jay," I whispered, my voice barely a thread of sound in the dark room. "I'm not going anywhere."
As I massaged her gently, I felt the sharp tension in her shoulders begin to dissolve. The massage seemed to distract her from the tightness below, drawing her focus to the warmth of my hands. She let out a long, shuddering exhale, her head falling back against the pillow as her muscles finally began to unfurl and soften around me.
She stayed like that for a long minute, eyes closed, simply feeling the connection. Then, slowly, her hips gave a tiny, tentative tilt—a silent invitation, a signal that the "tornado" had finally calmed enough to let me in.
She peeked one eye open, a small, shy smile touching her lips despite the lingering sting. "Okay... I think the marshmallow is ready now, Keifer."
I leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose, my heart swelling with a protectiveness that was almost overwhelming. "Are you sure? No more 'AHHHH'?"
"Only the good kind of 'AHHHH'," she teased softly, her fingers tangling in my hair to pull me closer.
Jay Jay looked up at me, her eyes soft and knowing. She knew me better than anyone; she knew that I would kill my own desire in a heartbeat, that I would stay frozen forever just to ensure she didn't feel a single second of pain.
She saw the tension in my jaw and the way I was holding my breath, and she reached up, her small hand guiding my head down.
"Kiss me here," she whispered cutely, pointing to a sensitive spot on her neck. "The medicine isn't working yet, Keifer. I need more magic kisses."
I knew what she was doing. She was trying to distract me, trying to make me move so I wouldn't overthink her discomfort. She was being brave for me, turning her own struggle into a game to keep me close.
I leaned down, burying my face in the crook of her neck, my lips pressing soft, lingering kisses against her warm skin. I could feel her pulse racing against my mouth, a frantic little rhythm that matched my own.
"You're a very manipulative marshmallow," I rumbled against her skin, my voice vibrating through her.
"I'm a genius masterpiece," she giggled breathlessly, her body finally relaxing, the tightness in her muscles melting away as she focused on the sensation of my lips on her neck. "And the genius says... it's okay now. You can move, Keifer. No more 'ouch,' I promise."
I pulled back just enough to look her in the eyes, searching for any hint of a lie. Seeing only love and a bit of her usual mischief, I began to move—slowly, gently, and with a heart so full of her it felt like it might burst.
[̲̅$̲̅(̲̅ Jay Jay's POV)̲̅$̲̅]
I watched him through my lashes, and my heart felt all squishy but also a little frustrated. He was being too careful. Every time Keifer loses his mind, he's like a hungry lion—he literally tears into me with that dark energy I secretly love. But now? He's treating me like a piece of thin glass that's going to shatter if he breathes too hard.
It's not feeling right! I want my fierce Keifer, not this worried nurse-husband. I know he's trying to be a "good boy" because I'm bleeding, but his "limit" is making me restless!
Idea! 😈😁
I reached out and pulled him closer, wrapping my legs around his waist to close every bit of space between us. I wanted him to feel how much I needed his presence, his strength, and his fire. I leaned in, pressing a firm kiss against his neckbone, feeling the rapid pulse beneath his skin.
It worked! Yes!
I felt his resolve shift as he let out a long, shaky breath, his hands finally gripping me with the intensity I had been craving. The hesitation in his eyes vanished, replaced by that focused, burning passion that always makes my heart race. He wasn't just being careful anymore; he was being present, letting all that bottled-up energy flow into this moment.
Don't hold back, Keifer, I thought, closing my eyes and leaning into his warmth. This was the connection I needed—raw, intense, and completely ours.
The air in the cabin shifted from delicate to dangerous the moment those words left my lips. I looked up at him, my legs locked tight around his waist, challenging the "protective" wall he'd built up.
"You can give me bites, Keifer," I whispered, my voice a mix of a dare and a plea. "No one is on the island to see. No brothers, no maids, no 'limits.' Just me and you. I want to feel like I'm yours."
Keifer's eyes turned into black ink. The last of his hesitation snapped like a dry twig.
"You have no idea what you're asking for, Jay," he growled, his voice dropping into that dark, gravelly frequency that usually made me blush—but right now, it made me shiver with excitement.
He didn't wait for another word. He lunged, his mouth finding the sensitive curve of my neck. He didn't just kiss it; he bit down, his teeth grazing my skin with a possessive pressure that made me gasp and arch my back.
"Keifer... 🤭" I breathed out, my fingers digging into his hair.
His grip tightened, and for a moment, the world outside the cabin ceased to exist. Every boundary he had carefully maintained for the sake of propriety dissolved in the isolation of the island.
"I've spent every second trying to be the man you need me to be," Keifer murmured, his forehead resting against mine, his breath ragged. "But when you look at me like that, Jay... the control is gone."
He pressed closer, his presence overwhelming and protective all at once. "If I mark you, there's no going back. Everyone will know who you belong to."
"Let them," I replied, a small, defiant smile playing on my lips. "I'm tired of hiding. I want the world to see that I'm yours."
Keifer let out a low sound, half-sigh and half-growl, before burying his face back into the crook of my neck. He was careful, yet firm, ensuring that each touch was a testament to the intensity of his feelings. The fear and uncertainty of the past few days were replaced by a fierce, shared reality. In the quiet of the island, away from the prying eyes of society, there were no roles to play—only the two of us, finally letting the walls come down completely.
The cabin was alive with the sound of the ocean, but I couldn't hear the waves over the blood rushing in my ears. Keifer had completely surrendered to the darkness he'd been fighting for days.
I could feel it—every place he touched me didn't just feel like a grip, it felt like a permanent mark. His fingers on my hips, my stomach, my thighs, and my breasts felt like a tattoo of heat. I knew that even when he let go, the ghost of his hands would still be there, etched into my skin as if he were claiming every single inch of his "marshmallow" forever.
"Keifer... you're making me stay in your shape," I whimpered, my voice lost in the heat of his neck.
He didn't answer with words. Instead, he grabbed both of my hands in one of his massive palms, pulling them upward and pinning them firmly above my head against the headboard. The power in the movement made my breath hitch. I was completely trapped, completely his, and the way he looked down at me—with those ink-black eyes—made my heart do a somersault.
"I told you the control was gone, Jay," he rumbled, his voice sounding like a mountain moving.
He pressed his weight fully against me, the gentleness from before totally incinerated. There was no more "limits," no more "careful."
He was moving with a raw, primal rhythm that finally matched the "tornado" inside of me.
"I'm done being patient," he hissed against my lips. "You're mine. Every mark, every breath. Mine."
"AAHHHH!" I cried out, my back arching off the bed as the intensity hit a peak I wasn't prepared for. It was a beautiful, terrifying collision of everything we had been holding back.
I looked up at him, my eyes blurry with tears of pure, chaotic joy. My "Mafia Boss" was back, and he was currently making sure I wouldn't be able to walk straight on that expensive white sand tomorrow.
The cabin was silent for a heartbeat, the only sound the heavy, synchronization of our breathing. I felt it then—the sudden, overwhelming surge of heat as he finally let go, his release flooding deep inside me, warm and grounding. It was a sensation that felt like a final seal on the night, a quiet explosion that signaled the end of the storm.
Keifer's entire frame went rigid for a moment, his muscles corded and tight as he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I could feel the tension draining out of him, replaced by a heavy, boneless weight as he slumped against me. The "hungry lion" had been fed; the darkness that had been simmering in him for days was finally replaced by a profound, quiet peace.
"Jay..." he breathed out, his voice a low, exhausted rasp.
I kept my hands pinned above my head for a second longer, even as his grip on my wrists loosened. I could feel his satisfaction in the way his heart hammered a slow, heavy rhythm against my chest. He was done. He was satisfied. For the first time since the "dead elephant" scent filled the house, Keifer looked completely at rest.
I untangled one of my hands and slowly traced the line of his shoulder, feeling the marks where my own nails had dug in. He shifted slightly, his weight still a comfort, and kissed the sensitive skin just below my ear.
"You're a masterpiece, Jay," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep and contentment. "My messy, beautiful masterpiece."
I giggled weakly, my body feeling like a puddle of melted marshmallow. "And you're a very scary lion. But I think I like the lion better than the doctor."
He let out a soft, rumbling chuckle, finally pulling the duvet over us and tucking me tight against his side. The island was waiting, the white powder sand was ready, but right now, the only thing that mattered was the warmth of his skin and the fact that we were finally, truly safe.
| Author POV |
The steam from the bath hung heavy in the air as Keifer moved with a quiet, exhausted tenderness. The "lion" from earlier was gone; he gently sponged the sea salt and the sweat from her skin, his large hands careful around the marks he'd left on her hips and breasts. He dried her off with a plush towel as if she were made of porcelain before carrying her back to the bed. The moment they hit the mattress, Keifer pulled her into his chest and fell into a deep, heavy sleep, his breathing finally steady.
Jay Jay waited until his grip loosened slightly. She sat up quietly, her body feeling the lingering ache of their intensity. She reached for her bag and pulled out her birth control pills.
She looked at Keifer's peaceful face,kiss his eyes. In the heat of the moment, he never used protection—his instincts were about possession and claiming her entirely, a primal drive to leave his mark without anything coming between them. But Jay Jay knew the biological reality.
She knew that since she her period, her body was currently in the shedding phase of the uterine lining, but the hormonal shift afterward would trigger a new cycle. Because sperm can survive inside the body for up to five days, and her ovulation could occur shortly after her flow ended, the risk was real. Her body was a "fertile masterpiece," and Keifer's raw, unprotected release deep inside her meant that the "magic medicine" of the pill was the only thing standing between them and a "mini-marshmallows". Caretaker and Watcher
She swallowed the pill with a sip of water, feeling a bit of a sting where he had bitten her neck. She wasn't ready to be a mother while they were still running from "tornadoes" and stepfathers.
She crawled back into his arms, tucking her head under his chin. Keifer grunted in his sleep, instinctively pulling her leg over his waist to keep her anchored to him.
"Not yet, Keif-Keif," she whispered into his chest. "We have too many tantrums to finish first."
[̲̅$̲̅(̲̅Jay Jay's)̲̅$̲̅]
I looked down at his sleeping face, his long lashes casting shadows on his cheeks. He looked so peaceful, like all the darkness of the last few days had finally been washed away by the sea.
I felt a sharp, lingering sting around my navel area—the ghost of his intense grip and those "marks" he left when he lost his mind. It was a dull ache, a reminder of how he'd held me so firmly, claiming every inch of me. My skin felt sensitive, a bit tender from the friction and the raw energy of the night, but I didn't care.
It's just a little ouch, I thought, a tiny smile tugging at my lips. A high-quality marshmallow pain.
I ignored the discomfort, shifting my weight carefully so I wouldn't wake the sleeping lion. I leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his forehead, then his nose, and finally a tiny, butterfly kiss on his lips.
"My Keif-feif," I whispered, my heart feeling even fuller than my stomach after a donut binge.
I tucked myself back into the crook of his arm, letting his heat soak into my skin. The pain near my navel was just a tattoo of his love, and as the ship rocked me toward my island, I decided that being "marked" by him was my favorite thing in the world.