Jay's POV
The cold rooftop air was a stark contrast to the heat of the confession that had just poured out of me. For years, I had kept my past locked in a lead-lined box, buried under layers of expensive silk suits and a calculated, icy stare.
But leaning against Keifer, the "CEO armor" didn't just crack—it shattered. I felt light, almost dangerously so, as the weight of August and Luna's cruelty was finally out in the open.
Keifer's hand was a warm weight on my shoulder. His "protective fury," as he called it, was a silent hum between us. I knew he wanted to burn the world down for what I'd endured, but for now, he was just my anchor.
"You're not a victim, Jay," he whispered, his voice rough. "You're the strongest person I've ever known."
I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion wash over me. We sat there in a rare, fragile peace, the city lights twinkling like fallen stars below us. I was actually beginning to drift off when a soft, rhythmic thump-thump and a hushed whisper broke the silence.
"Do you think they're awake?"
"Shh! You'll wake Keifer up, and he's cranky.
I opened one eye. Standing by the rooftop door, illuminated by the moonlight, were Keir and Aion. They looked smaller than usual, clutching oversized pillows to their chests like shields.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked, my voice slightly raspy.
Aion took a step forward, his grip tightening on his pillow. "We... we want to sleep here. With you."
Keifer groaned, sitting up and rubbing his face. "Absolutely not. Go back to your rooms. It's freezing out here, and I am not sharing this small space with two energetic gremlins."
"We won't be loud," Keir pleaded, his eyes wide and shimmering. "Please, Jay?"
Keifer opened his mouth to deliver a stern 'no,' but I cut him off with a single, sharp look. He froze, the protest dying in his throat. I gave him a slow, meaningful glare—the kind that reminded him I was still the boss, even without the suit.
"Fine," I said, turning back to the boys. "Sleep here."
"Jay—" Keifer started, but I raised an eyebrow. He sighed, defeated, and moved over to make room. "Fine. Whatever. But if I get kicked in the face, I'm throwing someone off the roof."
Within minutes, the peace I had cultivated was replaced by the chaotic warmth of family.
Keiren and Aion didn't just lie down; they colonised the space. They wedged themselves right between Keifer and me, effectively creating a Great Wall of Pillows and Limbs.
I felt a small hand slip into mine—Keir—while Aion wrapped an arm around my waist, his head resting on my shoulder. On the other side of them, I could hear Keifer huffing. He was pinned to the very edge of the seating area, his legs dangling awkwardly.
Serves him right for trying to be the fun-killer, I thought, though a small smile tugged at my lips.
I looked down at the two boys. They had fallen asleep almost instantly, their breathing deep and rhythmic.
Seeing them like this, so trusting and safe, made the horrors I'd described earlier feel like a distant, bad dream. I had been the shield for so long, protecting them from the darkness our family excelled at creating.
Tonight, for the first time, I felt like I could finally put the shield down because I wasn't the only one holding it anymore.
I glanced over at Keifer. He was sulking, staring at the back of Aion's head with a look of pure betrayal. He caught me looking and mouthed, 'I'm being squeezed out.'
I just winked at him and closed my eyes. For the first time in my life, the silence wasn't lonely. It was full.
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Jane's POV
The house was quiet, but it wasn't the peaceful kind of quiet. It was the heavy, somber silence that follows a tragedy. After hearing Jay's story from behind the rooftop door, none of us could sleep.
The image of that little girl being broken down by August and Luna was burned into my mind.
I moved through the hallway, heading toward the kitchen for some water, when I saw the rooftop door slightly ajar. I crept closer, peeking out.
My heart melted.
There they were: Jay and Keifer, with Keiren and Aion sandwiched between them. They looked like a chaotic, beautiful pile of discarded limbs and pillows. Keifer looked miserable and cramped, while Jay looked... peaceful. Truly peaceful.
"They look like a real family," a voice whispered behind me.
I jumped, turning to see Kyle standing there. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were soft.
"They are a family, Kyle," I whispered back.
I looked at him, really looked at him, and felt a surge of gratitude so strong it made my throat ache.
"Thank you," I said softly.
Kyle blinked, surprised. "For what?
"For being the only one who saw it back then. For protecting her when the rest of us were too blind or too scared to see what was happening. If it weren't for you, I don't think Jay would be standing here today."
Kyle looked away, his jaw tightening. "I didn't do enough, Jane."
"You did everything she had," I countered, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "You were her only light. Thank you for keeping her flame from going out."
He didn't say anything, but he squeezed my hand back, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. In that moment, the guilt that had been suffocating the inner circle seemed to lift just a fraction. We couldn't change the past, but we could damn well make sure the future was different.
"Come on," I murmured. "Let's leave them be. They've earned this."
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Jay's POV
The morning sun was aggressive. It poked at my eyelids until I had no choice but to wake up.
Keir and Aion were already stirring. Keiren was poking Aion's cheek, trying to get him to wake up without waking Keifer, who was still dead to the world, snoring lightly with his mouth half-open.
He looked far less intimidating than the man who had vowed to destroy my enemies last night.
"Morning," I whispered.
The boys' faces lit up. "Jay! Can we make breakfast?" Aion asked, his voice a frantic whisper.
"The big breakfast?" Keir added. "With the pancakes and the bacon?"
I looked at Keifer's sleeping form, then at the boys' eager faces. A mischievous spark lit up in my chest. "Let's do it. But we have to be quiet. Let the 'grumpy man' sleep."
We crept off the rooftop like a group of ninjas, leaving Keifer to dream about whatever it is protectors dream about.
In the kitchen, the atmosphere was light.
The heavy revelations of the previous night were still there, but they were being pushed aside by the immediate need for caffeine and carbs.
"Okay, Keir, you're on flour duty. Aion, get the eggs," I commanded, rolling up my sleeves.
We were doing well for about ten minutes. Then Keig also joined them. The batter was coming together, the bacon was sizzling, and I was actually humming. Then, disaster—or rather, Keir—struck.
He tried to pour the flour into the bowl, but he sneezed. A giant white cloud erupted, coating Aion's and Keig hair.
Aion gasped, looking like a tiny ghost. He looked at me, then at the open bag of flour.
"You started it!" he squealed, grabbing a handful and tossing it at Keiren.
"Hey! Watch the batter!" I laughed, ducking, but a stray clump caught me right on the shoulder.
Within seconds, the professional, high-stakes kitchen turned into a war zone. We were laughing so hard I could barely breathe, dodging handfuls of white powder. I grabbed a fistful and chased Keiren around the island, feeling more like a kid than I ever had when I actually was one.
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Keifer's POV
I woke up cold.
The spot where three bodies had been keeping me warm was empty. I groaned, stretching my cramped limbs, and followed the sound of muffled shrieks and laughter coming from downstairs.
I reached the kitchen doorway and stopped.
The sight was... unexpected. Jay, the woman who ran a multi-billion dollar empire with an iron fist, was currently covered in flour. There was a white smudge on her nose, and her hair was a disaster.
She was laughing—really laughing—as she tried to corner Keiren with a wooden spoon and Aion and Keigan laughing endlessly but they were covered in flour too.
I leaned against the doorframe, my arms crossed. My heart did a weird, painful flutter in my chest. This was the girl I loved.
Not the CEO, not the survivor, but this version of her. The one who could throw flour and forget the weight of the world for five minutes. She looked radiant. She looked free.
I decided to just watch for a moment, admiring the way she moved, the way her eyes crinkled. She looked younger. She looked safe.
Then, she spotted me.
A predatory smirk crossed her face. "Oh, look who decided to join us."
"You guys look like you've been through a blizzard," I said, trying to maintain my cool.
"Oh, really?" Jay asked, her voice dropping into that dangerous executive tone. She slowly reached into the flour bag, her eyes locked on mine.
"Jay, don't. I just showered ," I warned, backing away.
"Too bad," she chirped.
Before I could move, she lunged. A cloud of white exploded across my chest, coating my favorite black shirt.
"That's for trying to kick the kids off the roof!" she yelled, her laughter echoing through the kitchen.
I wiped a layer of flour from my eyes, looking at her triumphant face and the boys' cheering forms. I sighed, a slow grin spreading across my face.
"Oh, it is on."
I grabbed the nearest bag of sugar. If we were going down, we were going down in a sweet, powdery mess. For the first time in a long time, the future didn't look like a battleground. It looked like home.
A/n
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