"I won't waste my breath asking you if you're already cool of staying here. You're smart enough to survive months in Mt. Pulag to survive another in these mountains."

Kalish glanced at his cousin Onyx who was casually leaning against the door frame of the small house's door. Onyx flew his chopper somewhere in a mountainous region of the North and a small thanks wasn't enough to pay back his cousin's effort of finding a place for him and his wife. Onyx had pulled some strings to keep their identity in that small village located at the top of the mountain since he himself couldn't use his connection to avoid leaving even the smallest trace to where his family could trail them.

He slightly bent down, resting his folded hands on his lap. "I'm totally cool with the place as long as it wouldn't be traced by the Consglio. What I'm worried about is my wife." He murmured as he threw a stare at the small room where Holly was peacefully sleeping.

Onyx walked inside the tiny living room with limited furnitures mostly made of bamboo and rattan. From the chairs to the center table and even the divider that seperates the living room from the small kitchen. He was used with spending time in the mountains and sleeping in his tent wasn't an issue but he was thinking if his wife could keep up with the kind of life they'll be dealing with for he don't know how long. Holly was no doubt humble and simple but she was still born with silver platter. He didn't mind living a simple life before he met Holly but now, he wanted to give everything in life for her.

"For a woman who practically grew up in a convent and didn't mind walking a mile to reach out for the Aetas in Makiling, I couldn't see any reason for her to find this kind of life difficult, Russet." Onyx replied as he sat on the rattan chair beside him.

"I surely won't let her live this kind of life for long." He uttered, stretching out his back to press against the backrest of the chair. "Maybe we'll stay here until I settle my problem with the Consiglio. That's why I'll ask you to continue covering us up although it's killing my damn pride."

Onyx chuckled, "No rooms for pride in love, cousin. Trust me, been there done that."

"I'm paying you." Mapilit niyang saad.

"Yeah, yeah." Onyx muttered lazily, "I'll pretend I din't hear it from you, dipshit. I may not be a freakin' count but I also have billions in the bank in case you forgot. You just run over my ego, damn you."

Kalish managed to tug the corner of his lips in a small smile. Onyx was the only cousin he was close with. His mother  and Onyx's dad are half siblings . Maybe, they fit in because they have a lot in common. They may be bickering a lot, too, but he was still his bestfriend at the end of the day.

"Sure, I'll keep that in mind."

"Good." Tumayo si Onyx sa kinauupuan. "Much as I want to hear your dramas, Russet, I still choose to hear my wife's voice moaning my name." Nakangisi pang dugtong nito na ikinangiwi niya.

"Ugh! I don't want to hear about your sex life, knockerhead. Disappear." Pagtaboy niya sa pinsan na ikinatawa lamang nito.

"I'm really glad seeing you so whipped around a woman, Russet." Onyx said before he walked towards the door and Kalish couldn't decipher whether he was mocking him or really happy for him.

"Onyx." Tawag niya sa pinsan bago pa man ito makalabas ng pintuan. Nilingon naman siya nito."Maybe it's high time you start calling me by my name. There are two Russets here now."

Onyx chuckled, remembering the same line he said to him a week ago. His cousin gave him an idle salute before finally exiting the door.

...............

Holly eyes squinted as she stirred from her sleep. Naaninag niya ang lumang plywood na kisame ng silid na kinaroroonan pati na rin ang lumang electric fan na nasa paanan ng kama. Napabalikwas siyang ng bangon ng mapagtantong hindi iyon ang salid niya.

"Coure mio..." The familiar baritone voice calmed her tensed nerves. Nang lingunin niya ang gilid niya'y sinalubong siya ng mga kayumangging mata ni Kalish at nakatingin ito sa kanya sa lalim na hindi niya maarok.

"K- Kalish?" Her lips quivered. Nang bahagya siyang ngitian ng asawa'y umisod siya palapit upang yakapin ito na mabilis naman nitong ginantihan. Bigla na lamang ang pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha. Unti- unting nagbabalik sa kanya ang dahilan kung bakit nasa isang estrangherong silid sila ngayon. Hanggang ngayon ay naririnig niya pa rin ang nasusuklam na tinig ng tita Diane at ng pinsan niyang si Angela. Nararamdaman niya pa rin ang masidhing galit sa kanya ng lolo Alvaro niya na hindi naman pala niya tunay na kadugo. At hanggang ngayon ay nakikita pa rin niya ang matinding pagkadismaya ng kanyang lola at sumusugat sa buong pagkatao niya ang lahat ng iyon.

"Please stop crying, coure mio," Kalish hushed her in soothing voice as he caressed her back.

"H- Huwag mo akong iiwan, Kalish..." She muttered shakily in between sobs, fisting the fabric of his husband's shirt as if fearing that he might disappear.

"I will never do that, my love. No one will take you away from me now." He kissed the top of her head and trapped her cheeks on his palms as he gently pulled away, locking their eyes in a limitless depth.

Hindi niya alam kung paano niya nakayanang lampasan ang lahat ng nangyari sa gabing iyon. Noon pa man ay nais na niya ng pagtanggap ng lolo sa kanya ngunit kaya pala hindi niya nakukuha iyon anumang gawin niya ay dahil nakasara na dati pa ang puso nito sa kanya. She wasn't mad at her lola for keeping such secret from her instead, she was feeling so much pity-for herself and her late mom. Namaalam ito sa mundong hindi kailanman natanggap ng acceptance ng lolo niya at hindi rin siya naging daan para sa acceptance na iyon. But she couldn't bring herself to regret her decisions.

All her life, she was always afraid, always seeking for approval like a robot waiting for her master's order. Ngunit ng makilala niya si Kalish, sa pinakaunang pagkakataon ay nagdesisyon siya para sa sarili niya at doon lamang niya naramdamang maging malaya. Kaya naiisip niya palang na muntikan na siyang tuluyang mawalay sa asawa hindi na niya maipaliwanag ang sakit na yumuyungyong sa kaibuturan niya. She had learned to love Kalish so much and maybe, her happiness all depends to Kalish now.

Holly crossed the distance between their faces, closing her eyes as she pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss, like it was her way to seek Kalish reassurance that he will indeed stay with her forever. But Kalish suddenly let go so much to her surprise. She looked at her with her eyes choking tears.

"God, coure mio, please don't cry." Mabilis na pinunasan nito ang luhang namalisbis sa kanyang mga pisngi.

She swallowed the painful lump in her throat, "D- Don't you want me anymore?" Her voice broke.

"You have no idea how much I want you, coure mio." He murmured in rasped voice which lured her more. His jaw was tensed as if controlling a trashing monster inside him. Napasinghap siya ng ibaba ng asawa ang mga labi sa leeg at dinampian iyon ng magagaan na mga halik ngunit sapat na iyon upang lalo pang bumangon ang kakatwang init sa kanyang katawan. She tilted her head on the side to give more access to his husband's lips.

"I want to ravage your mouth and explore all the secrets of your body." He whispered against her skin and a guttural moan escaped her lips. She wanted to feel embarassed making such earthly sound but couldn't force herself to feel it. It felt good to be free from inhibitions once in a while. Umakyat ang mga labi ni Kalish sa panga niya hanggang sa lumipat iyon sa kanyang baba. And when he reached her lips, he kissed it softly but she could hear his ragged breathing. Pinigilan niya ang sariling sundan ang mga labi ng asawa ng lagyan nito ng distansya ang mga labi nila.

"But your body's still so tired my wife. I love you so dearly that my monsters stir everytime I see the traces of them hurting you." He breathed in a hard raspy voice, obviously taking all he had to control his temper as he lightly touched the tiny cut on the side of her lips. Kapagkuwa'y bumaba ang kamay ng asawa sa balikat niya pababasa sa mga brasong kakikitaan ng malalaking pasa. And she saw how Kalish gritted his teeth when his hand finally touched her bruised wrist.

Comfortable warmth run through her system. She was never loved that way before. Aside from the Lord whom she knows has genuinely loved her, she felt like Kalish Russet was the only mortal who had made her experience the true essence of love.

"Y- Your ring..." Tanong niya ng mapansing hind into suot ang wedding ring nila. At agad na sumikip ang dibdib niya ng maaalalang na kay Angela ang singsing niya.

Kalish smiled at her reassuringly, "We'll have another set of rings, coure mio." He intertwined their fingers and lifted them up to kiss her ring finger. Even the simple pressing of his lips against her skin sent an uncontrollable tingling on his spine. Then he looked at her and leaned forward to give her a chaste kiss on the lips, avoiding the part with a cut. She smiled. Kalish has all the right to claim her body since they're already married but he was still the same respectable gentleman she knew. And she was loving him more for that.

"I'm sorry for losing my ring." She whispered as she dropped her gaze.

"Don't think about it, coure mio." He genty lifted her chin up. "You can lose all the rings in the world but never my love, Holly."

Holly's eyes watered yet a smile was tugging the corner of her lips. "Y- You're making me cry."

"God, I'm so sorry." He worriedly wiped away the tears on the corner of her eyes. "I just can't imagine myself loving someone as much as this."

"And I never imagined myself receiving such kind of love." She murmured shakily, tears kept raining down her eyes. Kinabig siya ng asawa at ikinulong sa mga bisig nito.

"I'm sorry if we need to stay for some time here. I want to show you to the world but I have to settle some things with the Consiglio first. I couldn't risk our chances to be tracked by them so we couldn't stay on any of my properties. The only way I thought for us to stay hidden from them for a while is to keep our profiles low." Paliwanag ng asawa sa kanya sa mababang tinig.

"I don't really care if we stay in a mansion or even a tent, Kalish. Ang mahalaga sa akin ay magkasama tayo. Remember you told me that we'll grow these feelings together?" Mahinang aniya sa asawa. Inilayo niya ng bahagya ang katawan rito upang tingalain ang gwapong mukha nito.

"Then what will happen to this love after we grew them?" Masuyong tanong sa kanya ng asawa habang nilalaro ang pagkakasalikop ng mga daliri nila.

"That maybe is forever." She murmured. Kalish looked at her lovingly and kissed her foreherad.

"Forever then."

🔹🔹🔹🔸

🖇Consiglio means council

❄⛄❄

Thanks for staying. Please keep me inspired by hitting the 🌟 below and by leaving a comment.

❤❤❤