IT WAS plain torture, seeing the woman he loved dancing with another man with a smile on her face like she was enjoying it. Sinasabi na lang ni Shun sa sarili na tumango si Themarie nang tanungin niya ito kung sa kanya ito. In front of her fiancé, she nodded. He felt like she chose her that very moment. But it was still painful to see her in the arms of another man.
Ilang beses na huminga nang malalim si Shun para pakalmahin ang sarili, para hindi sugurin si Terron at bugbugin. Kung hindi lang si Themarie ang iniisip niya, kanina pa niya pinakawalan ang galit na tinitimpi. But he had to act accordingly. He was here with a mission. To protect Lady Vitale.
Bumalik siya sa bar saka um-order ng vodka bago pasimpleng kinausap ang bartender para hindi mahalatang kumukuha siya ng impormasyon.
“Lady Vitale is very beautiful.”
Agad namang ngumiti ang bartender. “She is. Lord Terron Dashwood is a very lucky man.”
Shun froze. “What did you say?”
“Lord Terron Dashwood is a very lucky man,” ulit ng bartender saka napapantastikuhang napatingin sa kanya, “You’re referring to Lady Themarie Alfonso Vitale, am I correct? Daughter of the Duke of Tuscany?”
Shun did everything he could so his jaw wouldn’t fall to the floor.
Tiningnan niya sina Themarie at Terron na nagsasayaw. Was that why they were getting married? Because they were both royalties? Was that the reason why even though Themarie wanted to be with him, she couldn’t? Was that the reason why she left him? Why she couldn’t find her information?
Like a magnet, Themarie’s eyes meet his. There was longing in their depths as she looked at him.
Did she miss me like how I missed her?
She said she loved him. Was that even true?
Hanggang sa matapas itong makipagsayaw kay Terron, nasa kanya ang mga mata nito, maliban na lang nang alalayan ito ni Terron paalis ng dance floor. Nagpunta ang dalawa sa isang pabilog na mesa kung nasaan ang ama ni Themarie na napaka-intimidating tingnan.
Nakasunod lang ang tingin niya sa mga ito kaya naman nakita niyang may ibinulong si Terron kay Themarie. Tumaas na naman ang dugo niya. His lips were damn near his Themarie.
Nakahinga siya nang maluwang nang umalis si Terron sa tabi ni Themarie. Lumapit ito sa grupo ng mga may-edad ng kalalakihang nag-uusap. And his heart beat quickened when he saw Themarie walking towards him, her eyes on him.
Nang makalapit ito sa bar, pasimple itong umupo sa stool na nasa tabi niya saka um-order ng maiinom. “Pina Colada, please.”
Agad namang sumunod ang bartender na ilang segundo ring nakatanga lang kay Themarie.
“I’m sorry,” sabi ni Themarie na alam niyang siya ang kausap. “Umalis ako dahil dito. Dahil alam ko simula pa lang na walang magandang kalalabasan ang relasyon natin.” She glanced at him. “I’m sorry I was so selfish, only thinking of my happiness. Hindi kasi kita kayang bitawaan noon kasi masaya ako kapag kasama kita.”
“At kaya mo na akong bitawan ngayon?”
Kumuyom ang kamao nito bago umiling. “Miss na kita.”
His chest tightened. he couldn’t even hold the woman that he loved. Fuck!
“I miss you, too. So much, baby. So much.”
“You don’t hate me anymore?” she asked in a low voice.
Shun sighed and shook his head. “Your ‘I love you’ melted my anger away.”
Pinigil ni Themarie ang ngiti sa mga labi. Pero agad ding nawala iyon nang marinig nila na tinatawag ang pangalan nito ng ama nito.
“I have to go,” sabi nito. Ngumiti si Themarie sa bartender saka tinanggap ang order. Umalis na ang babae sa pagkakaupo sa stool at iniwan siya.
When Themarie went back to Terron’s side, he was tortured again. And then he realized right there that he didn’t deserve Themarie. She was a royalty while he was just a commoner.
Fuck!
THEMARIE was bored as hell, but she still managed to smile at her father’s colleagues and also Terron’s. Alam niyang alam ni Terron na nabo-bored na siya. Panay kasi ang tingin nito sa kanya habang nakikipag-usap ito.
“You okay?” Terron finally went to her side to ask.
“I want to go home.”
He sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.” Pagkasabi niyon, agad nitong kinausap ang ama niya at ang ama nito. Nang bumalik ito sa kanya, may magandang balita. “I’ll drive you home.”
“Thank God.” Nakahinga siya nang maluwang.
Terron smiled and guided her towards the exit. Hinawakan siya nito sa likod habang pababa sila ng hagdan palabas ng mansiyon. Hahawakan sana ng lalaki ang siko niya para alalayan siyang makasakay nang may tumulak sa kamay nito palayo sa kanya.
“I told you not to touch her,” sabi ng matalim na boses. “She’s mine. And don’t use the people from the party. This part of lot is empty.”
“I’m just going to drive her home—”
“She’s coming with me,” sabi ni Shun saka pinagsalikop ang mga kamay nilang dalawa. Inalalayan siya nito papunta sa isang nakaparadang sasakyan. “Get in.”
Medyo nahirapan siyang sumakay dahil sa corset na suot kaya naman inalalayan siya ni Shun. Nang maayos na siyang nakaupo sa passenger seat, umikot ito papuntang driver’s seat saka agad na minaneho ang sasakyan paalis.
Parehas sila walang imik hanggang sa basagin nito ang katahimikan. “Where should I take you?”
Humilig siya sa pinto ng passenger seat. “Anywhere.”
“Wanna tour?”
Umiling si Themarie. “The paparazzi will take pictures of us if they see me with you and they will feast.”
“And it’ll be a scandal that’ll tarnish your family’s reputation.” Shun sighed. “I’m taking you home, then.”
Tumingin siya dito na kunot ang noo habang nagmamaneho. “I’m sorry.”
Itinigil ni Shun ang sasakyan sa gilid ng kalsada. Bigla na lang itong dumukwang palapit sa kanya at hinalikan sa mga labi na awtomatiko niyang tinugon. Napahawak pa siya sa batok nito nang ipasok ng lalaki ang dila sa loob ng kanyang bibig.
Mahina siyang napadaing lalo na nang sipsipin nito ang dila niya at kinagat-kagat ang ibabang labi.
And when Shun pulled away from their kiss, he cupped her face and kissed her cheeks and forehead. Then, he showered her face with feathery kisses.
“What’s with the kisses?” nangingiting tanong niya.
“Terron keeps on kissing you in the forehead and in the cheeks. I’m so jealous.” Tumingin ito sa mga mata niya. “You’re mine, Themarie, but you’re in the arms of another. I want to kill him.”
Nagbaba siya ng tingin. “Kaya ako umalis,” pabulong niyang sabi. “Kasi alam kong mangyayari `to. Alam kong mahihirapan ka. Alam kong masasaktan ka. I’m sorry, Shun, I’m really sorry.”
Hinaplos nito ang pisngi niya. “Hahanap ako ng paraan para maging akin ka ulit. Hindi ako makakapayag na kunin ka niya sa akin. I don’t care if he’s a lord. I’m Shun Kim and I will fight for you. I will get you back.”
“Shun, my father will kill you—”
“Then, I’ll die fighting for you.”
“Shun—”
“I hated you… when you left me,” sabi nito saka hinaplos ang pisngi niya. “But I never stopped looking for you. I hacked into every database I could think of… just so I could see you again. At ngayong nasa harap na ulit kita, nakikita at nahahawakan, hindi kita pakakawalan. I will have you back because you’re mine. Para sa akin ka lang, Themarie. Sa akin lang. At ipaglalaban kita nang patayan.”
Yumakap siya kay Shun, isinubsob ang mukha sa leeg nito at inamoy-amoy. “I miss your smell. I miss you.”
“Good. Because I miss you, too.” Hinaplos nito ang buhok niya saka hinalikan ang noo. “Baby?”
“Hmm?”
“Please don’t let Terron touch you again,” hiling nito. “I’d hate to use my sniper rifle. You know I’m a sharpshooter.”
Pinakawalan niya sa pagkakayap ang lalaki at namimilog ang mga matang tumingin dito. “You won’t actually kill him—”
“I will.” His jaw tightened. “If he keeps on touching you.”
Hindi alam ni Themarie kung bakit napangiti siya sa selos sa boses nito. “Susubukan ko.”
“Don’t try, do it. I will really kill him.”
“Hindi naman `yon kasalanan ni Terron,” paliwanag niya. “We have to do that because that’s what our family and the people expect us to do.”
“Paano ako?” Dumilim ang mukha nito. “You expect me to just sit there? I will not let any man steal you away from me, even if that man is your fiancé.”
“Okay.” Iyon na lang ang sinabi niya. Masaya siya kasi kasama niya si Shun, kahit pansamantala lang. “Paano mo pala ako nahanap?”
“I didn’t.” He sighed. “I have a mission here. It just so happens that you’re here.” Napailing ito na natatawa. “Good thing I accepted the mission.”
Napangiti si Themarie saka hinawakan ang pisngi nito. Siya na ang humalik sa mga labi nito. Though she wanted more of his kisses and touch, but she was wearing a corset, stopping both of them from going further.
Kaya naman napilitan na lang si Shun na iuwi siya sa bahay nila sa Monte Carlo. Sa labas lang pumarada ang sasakyan ni Shun dahil hindi ito pinapasok sa loob ng mga guwardiya.
“Goodnight,” sabi niya.
He just smiled and kissed her lips. “Sige, pumasok ka na. Aalis ako kapag nasa loob ka na.”
Napangiti siya. “Shun, I can take care of myself.”
“I know. I just want to make sure that my baby gets home safely.”
Nangingiting tumango si Themarie. “Okay. Ingat ka.” Pagkasabi niyon, lumabas na siya ng sasakyan nito. Talagang hinintay siya ni Shun na makapasok, hindi lang sa gate kundi sa mismong kabahayan.
Kahit alam niyang walang magandang patutunguhan ang pagkikita nila ngayon ng lalaki, masaya pa rin siya. Masayang-masaya. Shun lit up her messed up life the moment she heard his familiar baritone voice in the balcony. Gusto niya pa itong makasama nang matagal. Pero nasisiguro niyang hahanapin siya ng ama kapag umuwi ito at wala pa siya.
Nang makapasok sa bahay, agad siyang dumeretso sa kuwarto para magbihis sa tulong ng nanny niya na agad na inihanda ang bathtub para sa kanya. Pagkatapos, iniwan na siya nito sa kuwarto.
After soaking in the bathtub, she dried herself and put on a robe.
Pagkalabas niya ng banyo, muntik na siyang mapasigaw sa gulat nang makita si Shun na nakaupo sa gilid ng kama niya, nakaharap sa kanya.
“A-anong… P-paanong…” Itinuro niya ito. “P-pero p-paano?”
Shun winked at her. “I have my ways. I’m not an agent for nothing.” Tumayo ito saka naglakad pasalubong sa kanya at walang sabi-sabing ipinasok ang kamay sa loob ng roba niya, hinawakan nito ang pagkababae niya at hinaplos ang hiwa niya. “You’re mine, right?”
Themarie was starting to pant just by the simple brush of his finger on her fold. “Y-yes.”
“Prove it.”
“How?”
Inilapit ni Shun ang bibig sa tainga niya saka pinaglandas ang dila sa gilid niyon bago bumulong. “Make love to me.”
“That’s easy,” sabi niya. Siya na ang naghubad sa robang suot. “Very easy.”
Shun smiled as he raked a lustful stare at her naked body from head to toe before his other hand started palming her breast. Napapikit naman siya lalo na nang masuyo siyang halikan ng lalaki na nauwi sa mainit na mapusok na kagatan ng mga labi at sipsipan ng dila.
Themarie couldn’t help but moan at every brush of their lips at each other, not caring if someone could hear her. She was with the man she loved. Who cares?