⚠️ WARNING ⚠️

This chapter contains scene not suitable for 16 below. You have been warned.

🍁

"K-Kalish..." Holly whimpered, her nails leaving scratches down her husband's back as he plunged in her so deep their bed creaked so loud it resonated the corners of the mutely lighted room. She gasped as he increased his pace, his mouth crawling from the crook of her neck down to her breast, his tongue tracing lazy circles around her crown.

"Il tuo corpo è il paradiso." He murmured against her skin, chanting at how much her body felt like paradise as he continued his sweet assault, sucking her tits while thrusting in and out of her. A loud moan escaped her lips making her husband growl, shoving in and out with more strength, as if the sounds she made fed his desire even more.

She reached for his face, guiding him to move up so she could connect their lips. Their tongues dueled and the slurping sounds of both their kiss and their love- making were lewd enough to scandalize even the silence of the night.

Holly had never felt so wanton. They had made love countless times already yet the intensity of how his husband invade her body right that moment had unleashed the animal in her, craving more of her husband's touch, more of his warmth... more of that thick, rigid, and generous length he used to stir the fire in and out her overly flowing wetness. Kalish continued thusting deep her muscles tightened around him almost locking him inside of her. He growled, leaving her mouth to suck her neck, her collarbones. Her tight muscles were making him crazy he couldn't control his body anymore.

"Give it to me, dolcezza." Kalish panted against the warmth of her skin, feeling the arrival of his wife's release through the dead- grip of her insides around him. She gasped as he reached down to rub her clit and her thighs around him tightened and an explosion of liquid heat from deep inside her threatened to burst.

"Kalish!" She gasped, holding on to his shoulders tightly as he pushed in and out of her in a pace that was making her world spinned impossibly fast.

"Ti voglio bene, il mio coure."

"I love you"

Kalish kissed her lips and her muscles spasmed she screamed in pleasure as warm wetness explosed from inside of her yet Kalish never stopped moving. Her thighs wrapped around him had lost their strength and slid down making her so widely open for her husband he was even freer to move in and out. Her muscles were so sensitive from the mind blowing orgasm she just had that his movements were more than enough to carry her into high again.

"T- Too much..." She huffed, chasing air as Kalish released her mouth, shoving and grinding her mewls becoming louder. He was hitting the perfect spot, her clit receiving the friction it needed, her center becoming even wetter than it ever be and it was bringing her into frenzy.

"Never too much, my heart." He growled, massaging her breast and sucking her lips, pushing so deep then pulling out just to come back with a grind. Holly's eyes were wet with tears but not in pain but with too much pleasure she could not even control the lecherous moans coming out from her anymore. It was like she was possessed. Her body was burning and only Kalish could quench the fire. It was too much yet she needed more.

Kalish grabbed her thighs and opened her impossibly wider, pinning her even more against the soft bed as he shoved in and out of her and she can only receive his power, the delicious thrust of his impossibly huge length. It was good that their neighbors were somehow at a good distance otherwise they's surely be knocking on their door now, if not scandalized, would be concerned whether one of them or both of them were dying from the unrestrained moans and screams and even the groans and growls their modest space were housing at that moment.

"Mine. Fucking mine." Kalish growled, his movement becoming unsteady just as Holly screamed once more as she gave in to her second release, one that's more intense than the first one. Satisfied, Kalish let go and filled her with his own release. He kept on jerking inside of her, feeling as if the delicious sensation wasn't going to end. He kissed her deeply as the final of his orgasm was squeezed. His lips traveled down her neck and collabones, her breasts, offering her soft kisses before he rolled on his side, pulling her and encaging her in his arms.

"I was so afraid when I couldn't find you anywhere." Her husband softly said after a moment of just staring into her face. The strain in his deep voice was enough to show her his fear of losing sight of her in the plaza.

"I'm sorry." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips, "I was so afraid, too." She felt his hand travel down her back to rub it up and down. She closed her eyes and hummed in pleasure.She has never felt so relaxed no matter how tired she was from their love- making. Shre breathed deep when he kissed her forehead. She moved even closer although there was no space in between them anymore that even air won't have the chance to pass through.

"I'll never let go of your hand, again, will never let you out of my sight." He promised, as if reciting it to himself.

"I'll never go anywhere. I love you so much." She opened her eyes and kissed the growing stubbles on his chin.

"You think I'll ever let you go?" He asked with a playful smile on his sexy lips as he looked down at her.

Holly was silent for a moment. The idea alone was making her heart weak. "I won't know what to do if that happens." She whispered solemnly, dropping her gaze but he lifted her chin and made her look at him.

"You signed up for this forever, il mio coure. You had vowed forever to me. Forever isn't enough that I promise to steal whatever that is longer than forever to be with you."

An overwhelming emotion chocked her, making her eyes tear up. "Why do you love me so much?" She sobbed, "It feels like a dream... that sometimes I wonder if I am worthy of all of this... of you..."

He leaned down, kissing her tears away. "If you aren't for me, and I for you, then why am I here? Why are we here?" He asked so softly her heart almost melted. His thumb caressed her face as he smiled lovingly and kissed the tip of her nose. She closed her eyes, reveling on the amount of love that simple kiss radiated. "If you aren't for me, coure mio, then I am not for anybody else. Do you think I'd ever agree to be married with someone who isn't you?"

She suddenly felt the tightening of her chest, jealousy seeping her insides thinking of a possibility of her husband with other woman. She's suddenly ashamed of herself she buried her face on the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry... I- I'm so sorry you married a very selfish woman." She sobbed.

"H- Holly..." Kalish breathed, surprised and worried.

"I don't want you with anybody else, Kalish. I- If I could, I would carry you wherever I go. Natatakot akong dumating ang araw na hindi ko na mararamdaman ang mga yakap mo. N- Natatakot akong dumating ang araw na hindi na gaya ng dati ang mararamdaman mo tuwing hahalikan mo ako." Iniangat ni Holly ang luhaang mukha, allowing herself to once again show her husband how weak she was. She wanted to be strong like him, to be his strength. But how can she do that with all those fears she housed inside her? How can she do that without so much a strand of confidence?

Her husband was stunned, as if not expecting those things from her. Her eyes were darker now, like there was some liquid fire in there. His lips slightly opened and she could feel her warm breath against her face. Her chest tightened even more. Did she say something wrong? Did she finally make him fed up with her?

She gasped when he cradled her face in his palms and kissed her hard on the lips. She opened, allowing his tongue to enter her, licking the seams of her lips. The kiss was as passionate as ever but there was something more in there, like longing, more of desperation. Did she tell him too much?

"Do not ever be afraid to tell me anything, mi coure." He hushed her thoughts as if hearing them. His thumb was rubbing her bottom lip and such softest touch was giving her giant comfort. "I would, one day, coin words to tell you properly how much I love you. I'm not telling you to ever doubt my love, but I'm asking you to continue loving me as I find ways to show you how I need you. Nothing, no one could take me away from you, my love. Not the Consiglio, not your grandparents, not even death. So stay by my side and allow all of you to give me strength as I fight for us." His deep voice was huskier than ever, it was full of promise she was feeling it overflowing in her heart. She smiled at him.

"We will fight for us." She added making him grin. He kissed her forehead.

"Yes, my wife. We will. And we will win."

💎

"When are you planning to give that to her?"

Kalish's eyes left the expensive weddings rings encased in a velvet box to stare at his cousin. Onyx looked at him through the wine glass, sipping a small amount before placing it on the table.

"I would just simply slide this to her finger and she'll be so happy like I gave the world to her." The thoughts of Holly's smile soften his core.

"But it's not what you want. Right?" Onyx challenged, tilting his head on the side to take a good look at him.

He lifted his glass and took a sip, letting the burn pass through his throat. Onyx chose a small place where they could meet to avoid the crowd. He couldn't be too careful most especially with the knowledge of how the Consiglio and even his parents are looking for him. It's in a town a good two hours away from the small municipality where he and his wife was staying. He even had to ask favor to Aling Flor and Mang Tasyo to look after his wife. After what happened the other night at the plaza, he couldn't allow himself to entrust her with anyone. Not even Marissa. The woman might invite his wife to places again, just to abandon her midway like the other night. He settled his glass on the table, not even making a sound despite the clenching of his fists. He couldn't even stomach letting other men look at his wife.

"You're clenching your jaws too hard it might break." His cousin remarked, acting nonchalant.

"I want to give her everything." He whispered. "I want her to live life without worries." Upon seeing her cry last night in fear that he might stop loving her, something in him snapped. She cried. And he was the reason of that. Did he not love her better? The idea wrenched his insides, the idea alone is unacceptable. His love was supposed to settle her, to pacify her fears, not add to them. He should do something to prove her better. He should work more hardly to lay his unconditional love on her feet. There is nothing he couldn't do for her. Even if it means facing the Consiglio right that moment.

"That's what I thought, too." Onyx responded, making swirls on his wine by tipping his glass circularly. "When I met my Kali while I was still married with Fiona, I also thought that I want to give her everything. That I want her to live without worries." The fondness in his voice emerged upon mentioning his wife, there was longing, then regret. "But I also thought, how the hell would I give her that life, without fucking worries, if I am the reason why she's worried everytime?"

And Kalish was stunned for the statement hit home. Like large boulders swinging side by side to hit him over and over. Yeah, he's the one who's giving his wife worries. He was the reason why she cried last night. Why she's in fear. Why she's insecure. It's him. There was a burning in his throat, not from the wine he consumed, but of the fear rising in him.

Can he really make her happy?

"And I did stupid things I thought would solve the problem. And I'm fucking sure you're well- damned aware of that." Onyx chuckled bitterly at the memory. "It made Kali even suffered more." He hushed regretfully and it was like a cold splash on Kalish.

"And I'm not about to do the same." He pointed out making his cousin smirked. He'll never do anything to make Holly suffer.

"Fucking never." Onyx approved.

"But I'm afraid I have to face the Consiglio sooner that expected."

"That's inevitable. We can do nothing about that. You cannot just run and hide from them even if you're not planning to do it forever." His cousin reminded.

"For that, I have to mentally prepare Holly. You know how the Consiglio is." Just thinking of how his nonna and other council members would treat his wife made his blood run cold. And even his dad and mom can do nothing about it once the Consiglio decides. They are all slaves of one rotten tradition. His father was able to marry his mom because she was a daughter of a manor's lord. Despite being half Filipino, she was practically raised and schooled in Rome where she met his father. Onyx's father and his mom have different fathers and don't really have close relationship like him and Onyx.

"So you have to tell her now."

"I should."

"I want to ask of your plans, but I don't trust even the chair I'm sitting right now." Onyx said and he understood. They could not trust anyone. Some things here might be bugged, or worse they might be tailed. They should be extra careful.

His face softened as he stared at his cousin, the only person he trusted. "I know how hard for you is to leave your pregnant wife to come meet me. I'm forever indebted to you."

Onyx snorted, "Hell, yeah. I might ask you to give me Rome so prepare yourself."

He smirked "I can give you my title."

"Just give me a fucking good news. It's not fitting for the kinds of us to be sneaking around like fucking teenagers so we could drink wine like this."

Kalish chuckled at his cousin's sentiment, "That's damned sure will be taken care of."

💎

Gulat na napalingon si Holly sa taong humawak sa braso niya. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag nang makitang si Marissa iyon. Bagaman nakangiti ito'y 'di maikakaila ang lungkot sa mukha ng dalaga.

"Marissa..."

Lumingon sa paligid ang dalaga bago muling humarap sa kanya at malungkot na ngumiti. Nang umalis si Kalish ay nakiusap ito kina Mang Tasyo at Aling Flor na maya't- maya siyang silipin sa bahay. Kaaalis lamang ni Aling Flor mula sa pagdadala sa kanya ng pananghalian. Fiesta pa rin sa lugar kaya naman marami pa ring mga dayo ang naroroon. She was aware that Kalish was uncomfortable leaving her but she knew that he needed to do something important that's why she convinced her that she's okay alone for several hours. Kalish was not also fond of the idea of her staying at Mang Tasyo and Aling Flor's house so he just asked for favor for the couples to check on her from time- to- time. What happened the other night had made her husband even more cautious and protective and she understood that. And admittingly, their conversation the other night had made them need each other more, love each other more.

"Umalis daw si Kalish?" Malungkot na tanong nito sa kanya. Alam niyang sinisisi nito ang sarili sa nangyari kagabi. Hindi maikakaila ang galit ni Kalish dahil hindi nito inimik ang dalaga kahit pa panay ang paghingi ng tawad nito. That's one thing he learned about her husband. He wouldn't say a word when he's upset or angry. He would treat someone coldly and would treat them as if their inexistent. She should be scared at how cold he can get, and perhaps, she did. But after last night, she knew that she would never be with an indifferent Kalish. The Kalish she married was only patient and loving of her. That''s why she felt bad for Marissa. She promised herself to talk to Kalish tonight and explain again that Marissa has nothing to do with what happened last night.

Nginitian niya ang dalaga. "Oo, pero babalik din siya agad. Kung wala kang ibang gagawin pwede mo siyang hintayin dito. Tsaka may cake na pinadeliver si Kalish kanina ditto galling sa bayan. Gusto mo bang tikman? Tara sa loob?" Aya pa niya rito.

Marissa smiled awkwardly at her, "H-Hindi ka galit sa akin?"

Nakangiting inabot niya ang kamay nito. "Walang dahilan para magalit ako sa'yo."

"P- Pero... 'yong nangyari kagabi-"

"Ay 'di mo kasalanan." She cut her off with a smile.

"H- Holly..." Tila maiiyak na anas ng dalaga.

"Ipapaliwanag ko ulit kay Kalish ang nangyari. Kaya 'wag ka ng malungkot, hmm?" Malambing pang wika niya sa kaibigan. Napatulala ito sa kanya saka marahang ngumiti.

"Ngayon siguradong- sigurado na ako kung bakit mahal na mahal ka ng asawa mo." She smiled fondly at her and she felt her whole face heat. "Para ka kasing anghel. Napakaswerte ni Kalish sa'yo, Holly."

"H- Hindi mo naman kailangang sabihin 'yan, Marissa. W- Wala ka naman talagang kasalanan." Nahihiyang aniya.

Ngumiti ng malawak ang dalaga. "Nasaan na 'yong cake? Akala ko ba ipapatikim mo sa akin?" She teased and it somehow eased her discomfort.

"Tara sa loob." Masayang aya niya sa kaibigan.

"Galing 'to sa mamahaling bakeshop sa bayan." Puna ni Marissa habang sumusubo ng cake.

"Nakalimutan kong ipagbalot kanina sina Mang Tasyo at Aling Flor, ipapadala ko na lang sa'yo."

"Saan pumunta si Kalish?" Maya- maya'y tanong pa nito. Nang 'di siya sumagot at sinundan iyon ng dalaga, "'Di kasi ako sanay na hindi kayo magkasama." Tila nanunuksong anito na ikinapula niya.

"Sabi niya ay may aasikasuhin lang daw siya." Matipid na sagot niya.

"Bakit hindi ka sumama?"

" Napagod ako kagabi kaya tinanghali ako ng gising-" Huli na ng maisip ni Holly ang implikasyon ng nasabi niya. Nahihiyang napatakip siya ng mukha lalo na ng maalala kung paano siya angkinin ng asawa nang gabing iyon. Nang silipin niya si Marissa ay pinamumulahan din ito kagaya niya.

"P- Pasensya ka na." Nakababa ang tinging aniya.

"Okay lang, ano ka ba." Natatawang anito bagaman kababakasan ng pagkailang iyon. "Pero sorry talaga sa inakto ng pinsan ko at ng mapapangasawa niya. Gano'n talaga si Jenny, ayaw magpatalo. Nang makita niya kayo ni Kalish ay marahil natakot siya dahil higit kayo sa kanila."

"A- Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Nalilitong tanong niya rito. She patiently smiled at her.

"May dalawang klase kasi ng inggit. 'Yong inggit na nakabubuti at inggit na nakakasama. Sa totoo lang naiinggit talaga ako sa'yo noong una." Pag-amin nito na ikinagulat niya. "Kasi bihira na lang ngayon na makahanap ka ng lalaking gwapo, matalino, responsable at maginoo gaya ng asawa mo." She stared longingly in space.

"G- Gusto mo si Kalish?" She almost choked.

Nahihiyang ngumiti at tumango ang dalaga. Nakuyom niya ang mga kamay na nakapatong sa kandungan.

"Sino bang hindi? Noong una mo bang makita ang asawa mo ay wala kang naramdaman?" She tipped her head on the side to take a good look at her.

Her fists shook, feeling cold sweat wetting them. Indeed, she had noticed Kalish even amidst the rain and darkness before. Kalish is a gem, a kind of stone that outstands all. Even if you throw him in the ocean, his light would illuminate the whole sea thus declaring his presence. That's Kalish. That's how beautiful and shiny he is.

And she? A regular pebble found in a secluded pond. Was she worthy of staying beside this precious stone?

"S- Si Kalish..." She swallowed, looking down her lap. "Akala ko ay anghel siya nang una ko siyang makita." She confessed feeling sobs trapped in her throat. "Nang gabing gusto kong kusang iligaw ang sarili ko para matakasan ang lahat, si Kalish ang nagdala ng liwanag sa akin. Alam ko na... Alam ko na hindi ako sapat sa kahit na kanino. Kaya nang sinabi niyang gusto niya akong pakasalan, paulit- ulit kong tinatanong ang sarili ko kung bakit. Kung bakit ako? Hindi ako sapat para sa kanya. Maging ako ay nakukulangan sa sarili ko. Sapat ba ako, sapat ba ang dahilan na mahal na mahal ko siya para manatili ako sa tabi niya? Napapagod na din akong paulit- ulit na tanungin ang sarili ko... pero... pero hindi siya kailanman napagod sa akin." A tear finally escaped her eye.

"Kaya hindi man ako sapat, sisikapin kong maging karapat- dapat sa kanya. Iiyak ako, pero sisiguruhin kong patuloy akong lalaban para sa kanya. Marahil ay mapapagod ako pero hindi ako titigil. 'Di ako titigil dahil mahal na mahal ko siya. Sobrang mahal na mahal ko siya." Bagaman lumuluha'y nakangiting iniangat ni Holly ang tingin kay Marissa. And she froze seeing Kalish behind the woman, standing on the kitchen's entrance, looking at her as if she was the most precious gem he had ever seen. His eyes were dark, in liquid fire like the night before. It held so much emotion she could not name them. But one thing was for sure, everything that's in there screamed love.

She stood inspite her shaky legs never breaking graze with her husband.

"Holly..." In his lips the sweetest, gentlest smile.

"Kalish..."

"Sobrang mahal na mahal din kita." He breathed, the sides of his eyes brimming tears.

Holly forgot of Marissa's presence and crossed the distance to throw herself at her husband. Kalish caught her, burying his nose to the crook of her neck.

She wondered if their love had ever existed before. Had it ever felt by anyone who lived before them? Was it ever possible? Because it was pure, so deep, overflowing. She just wanted to drown in him and never go back the surface again. She wanted to be lost in him so only he knows that she's there.

Kalish straightened and reached for her left hand. And she sobbed again as he slid in her ring finger a 2.88 carat oval cut diamond set in a classy micropaved side stones setting with a hidden halo in 14k white gold. She felt like she was going to drown with love when Kalish caressed her face and the white gold band in his finger shimmered against the sunlight.

She still have doubts about her strength, but with those bands on their fingers, with the endless and unconditional love of Kalish, she's felt as if she's already ready to face her grandparents and the Consiglio.