Jay pov
The morning after the "Tactical Ninja" birthday bash, the Black Box felt like it was recovering from a literal war. Blue frosting was still being scrubbed off the marble by the cleaning staff, and Section E was mostly nursing sugar hangovers in the lounge.
I was in the kitchen, trying to convince Astraea that a wooden dagger was not an appropriate breakfast utensil, when the air in the room suddenly shifted.
Keifer walked in. He wasn't in his "Pappa" bathrobe or his relaxed birthday attire. He was in a sharp, charcoal-grey three-piece suit, his phone pressed to his ear, and his "Monster" expression—cold, distant, and lethal—was back in full force.
The Call from London
"I don't care about the market fluctuations, Sterling," Keifer growled into the phone, his voice like grinding stones. "If the warehouse was breached, I want heads. No, I'm not sending a proxy. I'll be there by midnight."
He hung up and looked at me. The coldness in his eyes softened for a fraction of a second, but the tension in his jaw remained.
"Wifey," he said, walking over to press a firm kiss to my forehead. "There's a situation with the London branch. A direct challenge to the Watson supply line. I have to go. Now."
"London?" I frowned, putting down Astraea's bowl. "That's a thirteen-hour flight, Keifer. You just got your daughter to stop calling the vacuum cleaner 'Pappa'. If you leave now, she'll forget what you look like."
"Pa-pa!" Astraea shouted, as if on cue, hitting the table with her wooden dagger. "No! Stay!"
Keifer froze. He looked down at the tiny girl who was currently scowling at him with the exact same intensity he used on his enemies. For the first time in his life, the Great Keifer Watson looked torn.
The Tactical Departure
"I'll be back in three days," Keifer promised, though he looked like he wanted to burn London to the ground just so he could stay home. "I'm taking Erdix and Denzel with me. Percy and Rory stay here with you. If anyone so much as breathes in the direction of this fortress without an invite, tell Percy to handle it. Permanently."
"We'll be fine, hubby," I said, walking over to straighten his collar. "Go handle your business. Just remember—if you stay away too long, I'm letting Astraea decorate your office with her finger paints."
Keifer smirked, pulling me into a deep, possessive kiss that tasted like a promise. "I'll be back before the first coat dries."
He picked up Astraea, lifting her high into the air. "Listen to your Mamma, Princess. Guard the house. If Uncle Percy gets annoying, throw a crystal at him."
"Nee-ja!" Astraea saluted him with her dagger.
POV: Jay (The Queen's Command)
As the black SUV motorcade pulled out of the driveway, the house felt strangely quiet. I looked at the remaining members of Section E standing in the foyer. Percy was already looking for his sunglasses, and Aries was trying to "re-center" the energy of the room.
"Alright, listen up," I said, my voice dropping into my 'Savage Surgeon' tone. "The boss is out. That means I'm in charge. Percy, I want a full sweep of the perimeter every four hours. Aries, stop humming and check the nursery's air filtration.
Alexander, you're on 'Astraea Duty' while I'm in the lab with Ci n."
"Yes, Ate Jay!" they shouted in unison.
11:00 PM: The Long-Distance Romance
I was sitting in bed later that night, the space beside me feeling cold and empty. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was a video call.
I swiped it open to see Keifer sitting in the back of a darkened car, the rainy streets of London blurred in the background. He looked exhausted, his tie loosened, but his eyes lit up when he saw me.
"Are you in London yet?" I asked, pulling the duvet up to my chin.
"Just landed. The city is a mess, Jay," he sighed, leaning his head back. "But all I can think about is that the bed in this hotel is too big for one person."
"Is the Great Monster getting lonely?" I teased.
"I miss my wifey," he confessed, his voice dropping into that low, intimate rumble. "I miss the way you smell. I miss the way you argue with me over things that don't matter."
"And Astraea?"
"I miss her too," he chuckled. "I saw a toy store at the airport and almost bought the entire window display. Erdix had to physically drag me to the car."
"Come home soon, Keifer," I said softly, my heart aching for him. "The 'Black Box' isn't the same without its Monster."
"Three days, Jay," he promised, his gaze intense even through the screen. "Count the hours. I love you."
"I love you more, hubby. Now go kill whoever broke your warehouse so you can come home to us."
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Hello this is your author
Guys be ready to cry coz the plane crash scene is nearing
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Love u allll