Chapter Fourteen
“B UT HE’S right, Luke.”
“That bastard!” Si Luke na pinukpok ng kamao ang mesa, bahagyang natapon ang kapeng nasa harap nito.
Tinawagan niya itong muli nang makarating siya sa bahay ni Lance. Nagkita sila sa isang burger station. Ipinaalam ang plano ni Lance na pagtungo niya sa Sto. Cristo.
“He has no right, Billie,” patuloy ni Luke. “He abandoned you after your marriage and that is enough ground for annulment,” pagkatapos ay pinakatitigan siya. “Did you... consummate your marriage with him?”
“Please...” i niwas niya ang mga mata. Sa kabila ng sa isang permisibong bansa siya ipinanganak at nagkaisip ay hindi siya komportable sa ganoong usapan.
“Hindi mo kailangang sumagot,” wika nito at nasisiyahang sumandal sa upuan.
Hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon ay hindi ito naniniwalang inosente si Billie. Not in America, not her age. But now he could understand Billie’s aloofness and naivety. A young Amerisian with high morals. He smiled silently. Nasa kamay nito ang isang rare stone.
Ginagap nito ang kamay niya at dinala sa bibig. “We have two major grounds for filing the annulment, honey. Abandonment and non-consummation.”
Idinikit niya sa pisngi ang kamay ni Luke. Nakadama siya ng sekyuridad. Kay Luke, she was passive. Walang komplikasyon. He was older and knowledgeable.
“What shall I do now?” she asked wearily.
“For the moment, pagbigyan mo ang gusto ng ex-husband mo,” payo nito. “It was probably his ego working overtime at this moment. Hindi niya akalaing mauunahan mo siya roon. Ayon sa resources ko’y gusto niyang pakasalan ang current girl niya, ang socialite na si Charry de Luna. And let’s wait and see kung ano ang gagawin ni Charry ngayong narito ka.”
PASADO alas-singko at nakatanaw sa bintana ng silid niya si Lance nang bumaba ng sasakyan si Billie. Nakilala niya ang driver at agad ang pagbangon ng galit sa dibdib.
He cancelled his date with Charry nang malamang wala sa bahay ang asawa. Mula opisina ay sa bahay na siya nagtuloy.
Si Billie ay bahagyang nahinto sa pagpasok nang makita ang sports car ni Lance sa garahe. Nilingon si Luke na ngumiti, bahagya iyong nakapagbigay ng assurance sa kanya. Nang paandarin ni Luke ang sasakyan palayo ay tuloy na siyang pumasok sa gate.
Tahimik ang buong kabahayan at tuloy-tuloy siya sa guest room. Umusal ng pasasalamat. Nasa silid marahil nito si Lance kung wala man sa study. Kasalukuyan niyang inaalis ang mga butones ng blouse nang bumukas ang pinto ng silid at pumasok si Lance.
“You didn’t heed my warning, Billie,” he said in calm anger. “You went out with your lover...”
Bahagya siyang kinabahan sa galit na nasa mga mata nito. “P-please try to understand, Lance—”
“Ano ang dapat kong maintindihan, Billie Rose?” His voice chilled her. Napasandal siya sa closet.
She took a deep breath. Ano ang dahilan at matatakot siya sa lalaking ito tulad noon? He could n’t possibly harm her now. Itinaas niya ang mukha.
“Dammit, Lance Navarro, tao ako, hindi laruan o basahan that you can keep and discard anytime you please!” She raised her voice. “Hindi ako sasama sa iyo sa Sto. Cristo and I am marrying Luke Wendell whether you approve or not!”
He was angry and yet he was fascinated by the fire from her eyes like a blue flame. “You want to take a bet, Billie Rose?” he challenged. “How are you gonna do that? Alalahanin mong pinakasalan kita rito sa Pilipinas at walang divorce dito.”
“Divorce, wala,” she agreed hissing. “But I can file annulment!”
“On what ground, wife?” His voice calm and soft pero sa kabila niyon ay kabisado ni Billie kung ano ang nasa likod ng tinig na iyon.
“Abandonment and non-consummation of marriage. They are enough and valid grounds for breaking our useless vows!” she cried passionately.
He raised one dark brow. “Abandonment, indeed. You will have a hard time proving it, Billie. With the monthly allowances you received from me, I doubt it. It would be easy to prove na iyon ang arrangement natin kaya naroon ka at narito ako. That I visited my wife in Colorado every now and then. And there’s the ranch na tinubos ng Papa mula sa pagkakasanla, sa pagkakaalam ko’y tseke ng Papa ang tinanggap ng mga tagabangko.” u nti-unti itong humahakbang patungo sa kanya habang nagsasalita.
Si Billie ay hindi malaman ang gagawin. She was alarmed and her chest started to pound sa kadahilanang hindi niya maintindihan.
“W-why are you doing this?” Halos bulong na lang iyong lumabas sa bibig niya.
“At tungkol doon sa ikalawang ground mo, what was it?” He twisted one corner of his lips in mock amusement. “Non-consummation of marriage. Well, my darling, you won’t use that ground after today...”
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. “W-what do you mean?”
He smiled mysteriously as he surveyed her. “We didn’t make it to our honeymoon, did we?”
“Y-you d-don’t mean that—” she said in horror.
“But I do mean it, Billie.” h umakbang itong unti-unti palapit sa kanya. Wala siyang maatrasan and it would be very foolish to run when there’s no where to go.
“L-Lance,” she croaked when he raised a hand and cupped his nape. “T-tell me you’re joking...”
“Hindi ako nagbibiro, wife,” bulong nito at itinaas ang baba niya patingala rito. “Gusto kong bigyan ng satisfaction ang kuryosidad na nararamdaman ko para sa iyo mula nang unang araw na makita kita sa opisina.”
“Y-you cannot do this.” She was torn between confusion and the sudden excitement na biglang naramdaman. Dammit, why should she felt excited?
“Why not? You are my wife.” a nd planted a soft kiss on her hair that she could help the shivers run her spine.
“O-ours w-wasn’t the normal marriage, Lance, and you don’t want me for a wife...” n atataranta siya, she could hear his breathing in her ears, warm and intimate.
“But I want you now, Billie Rose,” patuloy nito, deliberately misinterpreting what she said.
“Y-you can’t possibly do this para lang mawalan ng ground ang—”
“Then perhaps you can think of another ground later, sweetheart,” putol ni Lance as his lips moved to her ear and gently bit her earlobe that she gasped. “Because at this moment I want full consummation of that marriage.” His lips moved down to her cheek.
“Oh, Lance, please, what are you doing?” She struggled at pilit na itinutulak ang lalaki. Pero tila siya nagtutulak ng adobeng pader.
“Don’t play hard to get, Billie,” wika nito nang nagpipiglas siya. “I know how your eyes roamed my body tuwing tinitingnan mo ako sa pool. You’re curious what it would be between us and so do I. So let’s satisfy both our curiosity, okay?”
She felt insulted. “You conceited beast! Hindi ako nagpunta rito dahil sa iniisip mo. Set me free, Lance, and I’ll marry Luke!”
He stiffened pero hindi siya binitiwan. Sa halip ay humigpit ang pagkakayakap ng isang braso nito sa baywang niya. And to her horror, he ripped her blouse at nagsalimbayan sa sahig ang mga butones. Gustuhin man niyang takpan ang dibdib ay hindi niya magawa sa sindak. Bukod pa roon ay ibinababa na ni Lance sa mga balikat niya at sa braso ang blusa at ibinagsak sa sahig.
Buong lakas niya itong itinulak. She struggled for freedom at bahagya lang niyang natinag si Lance. She tried her nails on his face, subalit nahawakan ni Lance ang mga braso niya.
“You’re getting physical again, sweetheart, when you know you can’t win,” he growled and raised her arms over her shoulders at ipinako sa closet.
“Raping someone is a criminal offense, Lawrence Navarro!” she hissed. “Even if that someone happened to be your legal wife...”
Matiim na tinitigan ni Lance si Billie. “Yeah. Since you came into my life, ang dami nang nabalewalang patakaran. Navarros don’t rape women, don’t pay women to get them to bed, and don’t marry someone who’s been—” h e stopped in mid-sentence at umiling. “I don’t mind breaking another rule.”
“Meaning, you’ll rape me?” sarkastikong wika niya.
“I branded you mine, Billie,” he whispered harshly at tinitigan ang tattoo niya sa dibdib that she shivered at the intensity she saw in his eyes. “At kahit pa marahil ipinaalis mo iyan, you are mine legally. Now, let me claim ownership.” h e bent his head at hinagkan ang bahaging may tattoo. Encircling wet kisses on it.
Oh.
Nakulong ang hininga niya sa lalamunan. Only to gasped aloud when Lance suckled the soft flesh gently. Something hot flowed her body down to her belly that she ached from it.
At bago siya naka-recover sa ginawa nito ay nagtaas ng ulo si Lance and claimed her surprised mouth. His lips warm and delicious. Firm and yet soft, at pinaglalaruan nito ang mga labi niya, teasing her lips, biting and nipping them as if he was thirsty. Then his tongue thrust again inside her mouth and devoured her. Withdrew again and stared at her confused and flushed face. Hinahaplos ng mga mata nito ang bawat linya ng mukha niya.
“I like your freckles, my American Rose,” bulong nito at hinagkan ang dulo ng ilong niya. Bumaba ang mga kamay nito sa snap ng bra niya sa harap.
“L-Lance, please. Ano ang magiging silbi ng ginagawa mong ito? I–I am not your type,” she stuttered at pilit na kumakawala sa sitwasyong hindi niya matiyak kung gusto niya o hindi. “And I... I... don’t like you either...”
He smiled sensually at her. “I like your self-control, Billie. Nalulunod ka na’y pilit ka pa ring umaahon. Hindi siguro natin type ang isa’t isa but our bodies say differently, sweetheart,” muling bulong nito. Then kissed her lips hungrily and withdraw again as his mouth moved to her cheek, her eyes, to her jawline, and to the sensitive spot in her ear and kissed her wetly. His hands erotically travelled down her body, deliberately missing the snap of her bra.
Sunod-sunod ang paghingang ginawa ni Billie. Sa kabila ng makapal na maong, she could feel in her stomach the steely throbbing muscle. And he was driving her mad with conflicting emotions.
Lance was using all known seduction in the world and she couldn’t just stand there like a sex-starved woman. Shame on her that she even thought it was going to be rape!
Nag-angat ng mukha si Lance, his eyes caressed her ivory shoulders pababa sa dibdib niya. Admiration and intense desire in his eyes.
“I love your freckles, darling. They’re like stardust. How can you say you aren’t my type?” His voice in hoarse whisper and his eyes moved down to the tattoo on her upper breast.
Something like regret and guilt flickered in his eyes. “In my sane moods, hindi ko iisiping lagyan ka niyan, Billie...” h is voice soft and tender that her heart melted for a while.
“I–ipatatanggal ko iyan before Luke marries me.” k ung paano niya nasabi iyon sa gitna ng nararamdaman ay hindi niya alam. But she just couldn’t turn softhearted just because his voice was tender.
Suddenly, nawala ang tenderness sa mga mata ni Lance. “Let us see about that,” he claimed her mouth in a brutal kiss. His hand lifted and roughly unsnapped her bra and cupped her breast one after the other.
Sinikap ni Billie na paglabanan ang magkahalong damdamin. Half-scared and half-excited. But she couldn’t alow him to do this to her, iyon ang isinisigaw ng matinong bahagi ng kaisipan. Kailangan niyang makakawala sa sexual trance na kinakukulungan niya sa sandaling iyon. Itinulak niya ang lalaki and struggled to free herself. But Lance was equally angry and held her tighter while she fought him hard using her fists.
“L-let me go...!” Subalit hinawakan ni Lance ang dalawang kamay niya. And when he pinned her arms on the closet door, itinaas niya ang kanang binti patungo sa gitna ng mga binti ni Lance. At kung hindi nito agad nahulaan ang gagawin niya, she could have hit her mark well. Ganoon pa man, umabot pa rin ang tuhod ni Billie.
Bahagyang napaatras ito pero nanatiling nakahawak sa kanya. Nakakuha ng buwelo si Billie and gave him a kick on his left leg. Doon nawalan ng panimbang si Lance at bumagsak sa carpet at dahil hindi siya binibitiwan ay kasama siyang bumagsak.
She struggled wildly to break free from his arms but she saw him winced in pain and was breathing heavily.
“Oh, no, your leg!” she cried in horror. Tinamaan niya si Lance sa binti nitong may diperensiya. Despite three years, his leg might not have been as strong as it used to be. Huminto siya sa panlalaban.
“Oh, Lance, I’m sorry,” aniya sa pagitan ng paghingal at nag-aalalang tinig. “I didn’t mean to—” n agtangka siyang bumangon upang tingnan ang binti nito pero hinapit siya nito and found herself on top of him in astride.
“Ganoon ka ba ka-compassionate sa kalaban?” He was breathless too. As much from their struggle as from the sensations that were flooding his body sa pagkakadikit ng mga katawan nila. “You will be raped, wife,” he added, his arms around her.
“H-hindi ka nasaktan?” she asked softly, aware of the warmth spreading through her at the meeting of their bodies. Siya, half-naked, while Lance still fully clothed. “A-ang binti mo—”
He smiled as his eyes caressed her worried face. “Nawalan lang ako ng panimbang but my leg has long been healed. But you almost render me invalid by hitting me there, my sweet little tigress.”
Wala siyang maisagot doon pero nang maramdamang kumawala ang mga kamay ni Lance mula sa pagkakayakap sa kanya ay nakahinga siya nang maluwag. But only for a while. She gasped aloud when both hands moved to her breasts and cupped them.
“Don’t fight me, Billie,” he whispered breathlessly as his thumbfinger and forefinger played with her nipple softly.
Billie raised her head and moaned. Tinatalo ng sensasyon ang pagsisikap na makawala. Lance amazingly stared at the seductive siren above him. Brunette curls around the soft ivory shoulder, a few freckles sprinkled all over like gold dust. Firm breasts that he thought was made for him. The pinkish nipples were taunting him. And he was aware of the throbbing ache below his tummy.
He was curious, alright. He wanted to take her. But he couldn’t understand the real passion he felt for this woman who was his unwanted wife.
Sa kailalimang bahagi ng dibdib ay gusto nitong angkinin si Billie to satisfy his need... and the curiosity he felt towards her. But he found out that the urge to possess her has nothing to do with lust he usually felt for the few women he went to bed with. Namamangha siya sa damdaming pinupukaw ni Billie sa kanya. The warm and soft body above him affected him so much like no one ever did.
He reached for her and claimed her lips hungrily, tuluyan nang inalis ang bra niya. Then his hands moved down to the snap of her jeans, while his mouth on hers. Gustong kumawala ni Billie.
“L-Lance...”
“Do I have to beg?”
Bahagya siyang nagulat doon. She searched his face for a while bago nagsalita. Now her devil husband is using another tactic and found out she was totally melting.
“Would you?” she whispered, not believing him for one moment. Lance Navarro would never have to beg.
“Perhaps,” he whispered equally as he claimed one nipple and suckled it gently.
Billie cried. Unconsciously arched her body to give him access to her breasts. She decided it was useless to struggle gayong hindi sinasang-ayunan ng katawan ang isip niya. And how Lance accomplished the task of removing her remaining clothes, she had no idea, just as she had no idea how both of them were now naked. She was still astriding him.
She was on fire. She wanted more. Not just the teasing thrust while Lance was holding both her hips. She wondered why he hadn’t shifted positions. Bigla siyang nagmulat ng mga mata nang maisip ang intensiyon nito.
“Lance...!”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“D-don’t you think t-this is uncomfortable for first timers?”
He gave her that blinding smile before he raised his body half-way from the floor and claimed her lips again at muli ring pinakawalan.
“Don’t worry about that, I lost my virginity ages ago,” he said in half-amused and half-sarcasm at muli siyang itinaas. “And if you mean, this position, well yes, I intend to—”
“But Lance, it is to me and I... I find this uncomfo—” h indi niya natapos ang sinasabi, she trembled at the warm male magnificence at the portal of her womanhood slowly seeking entrance. “Oh...!”
Banayad na inilayo ni Lance ang mukha niya and stared into her face searchingly. Her eyes turned a shade bluer in a mixture of emotions. Gumalaw si Billie, desperately wanting more but didn’t know how she could endure.
“Sshh... be still, my little Rose. Let’s make this easy and gentle and pleasurable for both of us,” he said in a ragged voice.
“B–but not like this...”
“This way you can choose the tempo you want, sweetheart,” wika nito sa gumagaralgal na tinig, as he tried to bear the ache in his thighs. He would like to take her fast and hard but he wanted to prolong this intense and unbelievable pleasure.
“Be gentle with me, darling,” he teased roughly as he held her hips and help her eased through his awesome body.
“Lance…” m agkasama ang anticipation at excitement na lumitaw sa mukha ni Billie. She cried as the intense discomfort registered and instantly moved to release him pero mahigpit siyang hinawakan ni Lance.
“Please,” he sounded begging na bahagyang natilihan si Billie. “ y ou will kill me if you do that, sweetheart.”
Nakikita niya ang mga butil ng pawis sa noo nito. She wondered if he was in pain, too. Strange, pero wala siyang ibang nararamdaman sa sandaling iyon kundi ibigay rito ang kasiyahan. Lance met her eyes and amazed by the tenderness na nakita nito sa mga mata ni Billie Rose that the warmth he felt overrode his passion.
Tumaas ang kamay ni Lance and touched her lips softly. “It’s gonna be alright, baby,” he whispered as he endured the ache in his groin. “I promise to return the pleasure...”
She smiled tenderly. “I knew you would.”
Slowly, she sheathed him. His hands erotically moving on her flesh, the seductive sweet-nothings Lance was whispering made the small death bearable. It was such a sweet torment that Lance groaned and closed his eyes as she enclosed him.
Makalipas ang maikling sandali ay nagmulat ito ng mga mata at tinitigan si Billie, captivated by the seductive face. Iniangat ni Lance ang sarili at ikinulong siya sa mga bisig nito and claimed her mouth again. And Billie wanted something beyond this endless waves of sensation. On instinct, she started to move slowly.
Lance groaned achingly and pleasurably at muling inangkin ang mga labi niya. Instinct didn’t help Billie, hindi niya alam ang gagawin. She was lost at tila siya nasa gitna ng naglalagablab ng gubat.
“Oh, Lance... hold me, hold me, please...” she said frantically.
He did. Reversed the position and eased into her fully and thought he would die of pleasure. Maingat ang bawat galaw nito. At the same time he wanted her to be aware of his body and how he totally possessed her.
Her moans and gasps ay musika sa pandinig nito. Ang ecstasy sa mukha ni Billie and how her eyes turned from ice-blue to a shade darker in passion fascinated him to no end.
“L-Lance…” s he was clutching his biceps tightly as if they were her lifeline.
“Let it go, baby... I’m holding you.” h e shouted her name as indescribable pleasure claimed them both.
MINUTES later, nang kalmante na pareho ang paghinga nilang dalawa ay tumayo si Lance. Yumuko at binuhat siya mula sa carpet at inihiga sa kama. Pagkatapos ay yumuko at dinampot ang briefs.
Sinundan ito ng tingin ni Billie, in all his naked splendor. Ang pawis sa katawan nito ay kumikislap mula sa liwanag ng papalubog na araw. Nilingon siya ni Lance and smiled at her.
“Ano ang iniisip mo?” he asked.
“You’re breathtakingly big and beautiful,” she said huskily.
He frowned a little. She was so candid in her admiration. Her beautiful eyes roamed his body that for the first time in his life gustong mailang ni Lance. Women admired his body with lust and passion. Pero hindi iyon ang nakikita niya sa mga mata ng asawa. She was surveying him as if his body was a work of art.
“You must have looked like Tito Franco when he was younger...” she whispered and stared at his face.
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ni Lance doon. May biglang alaalang gustong pumasok sa isip pero hindi iyon nagkapuwang dahil sa narinig. Itinuloy ang pagsuot ng briefs. Pagkatapos ay yumuko, touched her lips gently with his thumb.
“May narinig akong pumaradang sasakyan sa tapat and I can hear the door chime. Huwag kang lalabas,” bilin nito at humakbang patungo sa pinto.
“Do you have to hide me?” her voice in above-whisper, dumapa at niyakap ang unan.
Nilingon ni Lance ang asawa. Maliban sa puting kumot that partly covered her buttocks, she was still naked. A picture of seduction and innocence. He fought the sudden urge to get back to her and take her again.
“With your clothes off? y es, sweetheart.” i sang ngiti ang ibinigay nito. “Diyan ka lang. Huwag kang magbibihis, let’s shower together. Titingnan ko lang kung sino ang dumating.” Nasa pinto na ito nang muling lumingon. Ilang sandaling tinitigan siya at kasabay ng buntong-hininga ay: “Will you forgive me, Billie Rose?”
Hindi siya nagkunwang hindi naintindihan kung ano ang inihihingi nito ng tawad. “You’re forgiven.”
Banayad na isinara ni Lance ang pinto. Gusto niyang umidlip sandali pero gusto rin niyang malaman kung sino ang dumating. She sighed at pagkatapos ay tumayo at pumasok sa banyo.