I T WAS an affectionate kiss, so tender and sweet. Tumuloy sa spinal cord ni Alexandra ang kuryente na hatid ng mga labi ni Connor. She wanted this. Ayaw na niyang hanapan ng paliwanag kung bakit o kung paano nangyari ang eksenang iyon. Mahalaga pa bang malaman kung bakit naghahalikan ang mga tao? Was it not exactly because they were human and lips were made for kissing? Maybe humans’ lips were made for kissing foremost, in fact.
Ano ang mali sa isang halik? Isa pa, kasal sila. Honeymoon nila. Honeymooners kissed and do so much more than that. It was not wrong, was it? When was a honeymoon wrong between two people who just got married? She threw caution to the wind and kissed him passionately.
Lumayo nang bahagya si Connor at hinaplos ang pisngi ni Alexandra. “I know that there will be a time when I’d regret asking you this, Alexandra, but are you sure?”
“It’s our honeymoon, right?” sabi niya, naiilang, pero may kasiguruhan sa puso. He was her husband, why the hell not?! And even if he were not, why would they not give their passion a chance? Ano ang mali sa dalawang taong gustong magsama sa ganoong paraan? It was all the rules that the world set. Damn those rules. Sa palagay ni Alexandra, matagal-tagal na rin niyang binabali ang rules. Ang rules na iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nagiging masaya ang mga tao. She had enough. Gusto niya ang lalaking ito at wala nang dapat pang ibang justification kundi iyon lang.
“Indeed, it is,” sabi nito, ngumiti, hinaplos ang kanyang pisngi, bago siya muling hinagkan. Mas uminit pa ang naging paghalik nito. Soon, she felt as if she was going to go insane from the lust that took over her body, her being. How was it possible to feel such intense feelings for someone whom she actually hated only a few weeks ago? Hindi ba at ikinukumpara niya si Connor kay Preston? Ah, but then again, Preston turned out to be a jerk. Nitong huli, ilang ulit na ang mga bagay na inakala niyang totoo sa kanyang buhay at sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya ay mali pala. Ano pa nga ba ang tamang paniwalaan? Hindi na rin niya alam. She was pretty much doing whatever her guts were telling her. Hindi pa naman siya namamatay, awa ng Diyos. Best of all, she found out she was living in a fantasy world. Gising na siya. Hayun at malinaw ang lahat—she was this woman, a woman of passion, of extraordinary skills that were both taught to her and some she believed were a natural gift.
She was slowly discovering who she was and what material she was made of. She was fire and ice. Nang mga sandaling iyon, isa siyang lagablab, nakakatupok. And he was gasoline. From a tiny spark, he turned her into a scorching inferno… with just a kiss.
His lips went down her neck while his hand pulled the belt of her robe. It came undone. Napasinghap si Alexandra nang lumantad ang kanyang katawan. Very gently, he opened the robe up. Hinatak din niya ang tali ng robe ni Connor at itinaas iyon hanggang sa mga balikat nito. It revealed his body. He was gorgeous. He was buff, his shoulders were wide, his pecs and abs to die for. Pero higit doon, mas umagaw sa kanyang atensiyon ang bahagi sa ibaba pa. He was very aroused and well endowed. Hinayaan niya ang lalaki na alisin ang kanyang robe. Bumagsak iyon sa sahig.
“You’re so beautiful,” bulong nito, binuhat siya at iniupo sa counter ng bar. He cupped her breast and thumbed the aroused peak.
She moaned. Muling naglapat ang kanilang mga labi, saka bumaba ang mga labi nito sa kanyang leeg, nagtungo sa kanyang tainga. Nagtayuan ang lahat ng balahibo sa kanyang katawan. His lips went further down and drew the taut peak of her breast into his mouth to suck on it gently. He lashed his tongue around it. He continued on the motion, sucking very gently, nibbling. Naitukod ni Alexandra ang mga kamay sa counter, sa bandang likuran niya.
Connor’s lips continued on down her body. He lifted her feet up the counter. Maingat na hinawakan ang kanyang mga binti na ipinatong nito sa mga balikat. For a while, she did not know how to react. She was never comfortable with this kind of intimacy. Pero madali siyang nakapag-adjust. The fire in his eyes told her that it was something he was eager to do. Bumaba ang mga labi nito sa pagitan ng kanyang mga hita. First, he planted soft kisses on her inner thigh. Halos mabaliw siya sa mga sensasyon. Until his tongue brushed up the mound between her legs. It was a full stroke.
He continued on until his tongue dipped into the gap and grazed that bud, that sensitive bud. She heard herself moan out loud. Nagpatuloy ang lalaki. He drew his tongue out to lash over and around it. She felt her legs getting weak, shaking. Soon, she did not know how to control the shivers that shook her body as she reached her climax.
Hinigit niya ang lalaki at niyakap. She then gently pushed him away. She was about to touch him when he stopped her. Napatingin siya sa mukha nito.
He was smiling. “Are you in a hurry?”
“I don’t understand.” Bahagyang nalito si Alexandra. Was she not supposed to give pleasure back? “It’s your t-turn,” she pointed out, as if it was not obvious enough. May hindi ba siya alam sa ganoong bagay? Hindi ba at hindi naman kailangang magkaroon ng PhD para lang malaman?
“I dont like taking turns.”
“I don’t understand.”
Imbes na sumagot, binuhat siya ni Connor at dinala sa kuwarto. Maingat siya nitong ibinaba sa kama at hinagkan ang kanyang mga labi. Once again, he started pleasing her. This time, taking more time kissing her. Then he gently made her roll over. He started kissing her nape… His tongue slid down her body, until he reached her buttocks. He gently bit a cheek.
“Connor…” sambit niya, napakagat sa labi. How could something one would consider funny be so erotic with the proper pair of lips and the right man, of course.
He reached for her between the legs, while licking the back of her leg. She felt so very exposed to him but somehow that made her feel so desirable, so damned sexy. It was as if he was not satisfied with just merely touching her there so he placed his face between her legs. As his tongue circled the bud, his finger thrust into her.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, moving her body to meet his finger. This was insane! She was going insane! “Oh, my God!” she said, near her climax.
That was when Connor moved up the bed, tilted her over, before brushing his length between her legs. Hinagkan ni Alexandra sa mga labi ang lalaki. She had never felt so overcome with lust in all of her life.
“Oh, Connor,” she whispered against his lips.
Their bodies joined, skin to skin, and it almost made her reach her peak. She received him fully. His thrusts were long and deep, until they became quick. The vibrations were making her go insane. Until she felt herself come again and again. Hinagkan nito ang kanyang mga labi. He held her in his arms after that deep, final, thrust.
“Alexandra,” he whispered.
Ang kanyang mga anas ay nauwi sa mga labi nito sa isang mainit na halik.
ALEXANDRA woke up with a smile. She was feeling so luscious. Gising man, nakapikit pa siya, dinadama ang init ng yakap ni Connor. She was in his arms. His masculine scent filled her senses. He was her husband. It was their honeymoon. And in her mind that beautiful morning, nothing else mattered.
Sumiksik siya sa dibdib nito. His warmth made her feel all tingly inside. They made love like there was no tomorrow. Hanggang ngayon, nararamdaman pa rin niya ang after glow. There was a lingering feeling in her veins, like electricity. She felt tingly. May init din sa kanyang puso na hindi niya kayang ipaliwanag.
“Good morning,” sambit nito, maaligasgas pa ang boses, pero bakas ang ngiti.
Nilingon niya ang lalaki. He looked even more gorgeous having just woken up. “Good afternoon.”
“Is it?” tanong nito, lumapad ang pagkakangiti, saka tumingin sa relo sa bedside table. “What do you know, it’s two in the afternoon.”
Ayaw umalis ni Alexandra sa pagkakahiga at ganoon din si Connor. Hinaplos ng lalaki ang kanyang braso. Napuno siya ng isang pakiramdam na mahirap ipaliwanag. Parang wala na siyang kailangan pang iba sa mundo. Ang lahat ng kailangan niya, nandito na, sa piling ni Connor.
“I love what I’m seeing,” sabi nito.
Nang lumingon, nakita ni Alexandra na nakatitig si Connor sa kanyang dibdib. Bumaba nang bahagya ang blanket. Her breasts were in full display. Agad niyang naitaas ang blanket, reflex action. “Connor!”
“What? I love them. May I?”
Ilang salita lang, agad nang nag-init ang kanyang katawan. Gumaan ang pagkakahawak niya sa blanket. Soon, he was feeling her breasts, before feeling her entire body. This time, she straddled him, her skin only too eager to feel pleasure. Her body soon started spasming, reaching her climax.
Nanatili silang magkayakap at nakatulog uli si Alexandra. Nang magmulat, napatingin siya sa relo. Alas-tres ng hapon. She wanted to breathe him in. The feel of his skin against hers, the calm rising and falling of his chest as he breathed, his warmth, his scent. This was simply the most intimate she had ever been with another person. She felt that for the first time in her life, she had shared herself completely with another person and it made her feel warm inside. She felt needed… like she belonged.
Noon biglang kumalam ang kanyang tiyan. Gumalaw ang tiyan at dibdib ng lalaki. Halatang narinig nito iyon at ngayon ay tahimik na tumatawa.
“Would you like to get something to eat, cara ?”
“No. I don’t want to.” Para siyang batang nagta-tantrums habang nakayakap pa rin dito, kahit natatawa rin. Kahit gutom, mas gusto niyang manatili roon.
“Are you sure?”
Napabuntong-hininga si Alexandra. Siguro nga, mas magandang kumain na sila. She rolled off him and smiled. “I guess I can use some food.”
Ang lakas ng tawa nito. “What would the lady want?” Hinaplos nito ang kanyang pisngi, matapos dampian ng halik.
“You?”
“I know. But food. We need food, too.”
“Ikaw na ang bahala. I need to take a shower.” Hinagkan niya ito sa pisngi, saka tumuloy sa shower. Nagsepilyo siya habang pinupuno ng tubig ang bathtub. Hindi pa man nagtatagal doon si Alexandra, sinamahan na siya ni Connor. He was smiling as he was brushing his teeth, totally naked like her. She saw him getting aroused. She was getting aroused herself. Just by the mere sight of him. Together, they took a dip. It was starting to get hot when they heard a buzz from the door.
“Damn this first class service! It’s too fast!” reklamo nito, agad na nagtapi ng tuwalya.
Natawa siya kahit mabilis ang tibok ng puso. Ano ang mayroon sa lalaki at ang daling mapabilis ang tibok ng kanyang puso? There she was, so hot and wanting yet again! Parang hindi siya magsasawa rito. Mayamaya, sinamahan na uli siya nito sa tub. They made love.
“I can never get enough of you,” sabi nito.
“Me, too.”
Isang katotohanan iyon na pareho nilang alam. She relished the fact. Isinuot nila ang robe at sabay na kumain sa terrace. Naalala bigla ni Alexandra si Luca. “Do you think he will attend the auction?”
“He sure will.”
“And what happens to us? What time does it start anyway?”
“They usually start late, around ten in the evening. Depending on how many items are to be auctioned off, it lasts from an hour to four. I’m guessing it will be a short auction but with really good items.”
“Are there a lot of people like us?”
“It’s different now. Kahit si Luca, iyon ang sinasabi. Young criminals these days mostly do it online. Why would they go to extremes to do it the old school way when they can do it at home? Credit card frauds, hacking, placing worms in programs... These things are easier for them. Any kid can do it these days.”
They talked about the “business.” Maraming natutuhan si Alexandra. Natural, hindi alam ni Connor kung sino ang kanyang ina, kahit alam nito na tulad nila ang babae. Binanggit nito ang tungkol kay “Fantasma.” Kahit si Connor, iniisip na lalaki si Fantasma. She suddenly felt so proud of her mother. Oo at hindi tama na makaramdam ng pagmamalaki para sa ina sa ganoong paraan, pero ang marinig mula sa isang tulad ni Connor kung gaano kahusay ang kanyang ina ay bumuhay sa sense of pride niya.
“Then of course there’s Le Magicien. They competed all the time. Fantasma won, nine out of ten. But Le Magicien won the last one and maybe he can finally rest, knowing he beat him. Fantasma lost his touch, eh?” Ngumiti ito, parang may kasiyahang nakuha roon.
Napukaw ang kanyang interes. “What job was it?”
“Scepter of Dragobert.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I don’t remember what it is.”
“It’s part of the French Regalia, first stolen in seventeen ninety-five. From then on, no one has seen it. It was stolen but of course, no one really knows, except for the people in the industry. But only because it was sold in an underground auction and someone—no one knows who—couldn’t stop talking about it.”
Biglang nakadama ng kung anong kaba si Alexandra. Iyon ba ang huling malaking trabaho ng kanyang ina? Hindi niya napag-aralan ang bahaging tungkol sa kompetisyon nito at ng isa pang magnanakaw kahit nabasa niya panaka-naka sa mga forum. She dismissed it as one of the many conspiracy theories about burglaries, especially her mother. Sa sobrang dami ng mga teorya, napaka-absurd na ng iba. Some said her mother was not one person but a group of Asian men. Iyon lang daw ang paliwanag kung bakit napasok nito ang ilang maliliit na lugar. Some said her mother was probably a bored English royalty, which explained why she had access to some of the stolen jewels. Some said Fantasma was CIA or KGB. Too much information, most were absurd. Inisip niyang isa roon ang tungkol sa kompetisyon daw. Kaya ang mga binasa niyang article tungkol sa mga pagnanakaw, iyon lang mismong tungkol sa heist ng ina. She looked at facts, not theories. Siguro, wala rin siyang mababasang article tungkol sa kung sino talaga ang kakompitensiya ng kanyang ina na si Le Magicien, kahit nabasa na niya ang pangalan nito bilang sangkot sa ibang malalaking heist at isa sa top five most wanted burglars ng Interpol sa loob ng ilang dekada, katulad ng kanyang ina. He was responsible for several masterpiece heists as well. He became notorious with the French police because he was always one step ahead of them. Hindi pinagtuunan ni Alexandra ng pansin ang magnanakaw na iyon dahil nasa ina lang ang kanyang atensiyon.
“Paano mo nalaman na magkakompitensiya silang dalawa, Le Magicien and Fantasma?” tanong niya, walang ibang gustong gawin nang sandaling iyon kundi ang magpatulong sa Google, halukayin ang mga impormasyon tungkol kay Le Magicien.
“The underground scene is not as secretive as you think. People talk. Back in the day, it seemed like a competition between those two because they were the best. The truth was, there were probably a few others who wanted to get what they got. But those two, together with a few others, were on the top ten most wanted burglars. The only thing that sets them, and the third one apart from the rest on the list, was the fact that nobody had a clue who they were. The third one could’ve been an excellent competitor as well if only he did more jobs. So Fantasma was first, Le Magicien second, and Le Serpante third. All great thieves. The last one is boring though. Only did a few jobs then stopped. Probably retired or dead.”
“Do you know who this Magicien is?”
“No. But I’m a follower of his works.”
Bigla, may kaba sa dibdib si Alexandra. Hindi kaya at ang Le Magicien na iyon ang nakakuha ng mga libro ng kanyang ina? Can they know each other? Itinanong niya iyon kay Connor. “Do you think they knew each other?”
“I doubt anyone even knows who they really are.”
Totoo. Walang nakakaalam kung sino ang kanyang ina, maliban kay Luca. Si Francine, nahulaan iyon, pero hindi pa rin ito sigurado. Siya at si Luca lang ang nakakaalam niyon. And maybe that Le Magicien.
“Is Magicien French?”
“I was wondering if Fantasma is Italian. Maybe not. Maybe Magicien is not French also. Nagkataon lang na sa mga bansang `yon sila nabansagan.”
“They were the top burglars.”
“The best from that era. Fantasma stopped for years. Everyone thought he was dead. Until the Scepter of Dragobert. Le Magicien also stopped doing a lot of jobs but has been active for the past eight years or so, doing a few jobs here and there.”
Hindi iyon alam ni Alexandra dahil hindi niya sinubaybayan si Le Magicien. She would get to the bottom of this. Nagpatuloy ang kanyang mga katanungan na pinilit niyang magtunog kaswal at nadadala lang ng kuryosidad.
“Madami akong nabasa tungkol kay Fantasma. He did small jobs, too, for the past years. So technically, the Scepter was not his last, yes?”
“To be honest, the rumored small jobs by Fantasma were much too small. I’m guessing they were copycat crimes. I think the last was indeed the Scepter.”
Mukhang maraming natutuhan si Connor mula sa estilo ng ina ni Alexandra. Saulado ng lalaki ang mga iyon. Lahat ng sinabi nito, tinatandaan niya. Hanggang sa sinabi nito mayamaya, “I think that all that is very interesting, but I do believe we have something more interesting here.”
Sukat biglang nag-init ang kanyang mukha. “Connor!”
“What? Isn’t it the truth, my lovely wife?”
Wife. May kung anong hatid na init ang salitang iyon, lalo na kung mula sa lalaki. Napangiti siya. He kissed her and she kissed him back. Soon, they were discovering each other. There was so much more to learn, so much more to discover, she found out. Gusto niyang matuklasan ang lahat ng iyon kasama ito.
They made love again. Muli rin, nauwi siya sa mga braso nito nang mapuksa ang init. Hanggang sa may kumatok sa pinto at nang buksan ni Connor, nakita ang isa sa mga tauhan ni Sergio sa labas, may iniabot na isang envelope at tumalikod na rin. Binuksan ni Connor ang envelope sa kama. Isang papel lang ang laman niyon at ang tanging nakasulat ay “Il Serpente: [email protected].”
Instantly, Alexandra knew it was impossible to find who did the job. “Il Serpante, the third in rank among career burglars? You said he might be dead or retired.”
“Yes. I never heard of him in action. Not for decades. He must be in his seventies now. I don’t understand. This is insane. What was in those books? Why did Il Serpante come back from retirement for it then sold it anyway? How much was it worth?”
“I’m sorry but I prefer not to divulge that information.” How much were the books worth? A detailed information and maps to get to the lost city of gold? Billions. “This is impossible. Only an email and we can’t trace that for sure,” sabi ni Alexandra.
“Not if he takes a job we offer. We will have to think about this. Meanwhile, let’s call Luca. The old man must be worried sick by now.”
Tumango si Alexandra. Bago sila lumabas ng kuwarto, hinagkan ni Connor ang kanyang mga labi. “Whatever happens, I’m glad to have shared this time with you, Alexandra.”
Ngumiti siya. Ganoon din mismo ang kanyang nararamdaman.