S7VEN (La Familia Kingpin Series #1)

23. Bursting Bubbles

WARNING: MATURED CONTENT AHEAD. MAY CONTAIN SALACIOUS SCENES AND EXPLICIT WORDS THAT MAY BE HARMFUL AND DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. IT IS INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY. DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

SANTY

Quit. ASAP.

My hold on the phone tightened. Closing my eyes, I recite some of my fave new characters in my head. Five of them just to keep my cool. When I think that I'm already calm, I opened my eyes and stared at the short message from Seven.

He's referring to my part-time job as a library circulation assistant. The job he doesn't approve of. The day after ng visit namin sa OB GYNE, sinabi nitong mag resign na daw ako. Hindi daw safe. Pero nagmatigas ako, I tried to reason out with him. But him being Seven, hindi ito nakinig.

Ngayon nga kahit na nasa Cebu eto para sa two day convention, nag text pa sa 'kin para lang ipaalala ang utos niya. Nanghihinang napasandal ako sa dingding. Nasa hallway ako ng central building ng school at hinihintay si Bee na lumabas mula sa klase nito nang ma-receive ko ang message ng asawa.

I don't share Seven's sentiments. Hindi ko maisip kung bakit 'di safe ang library ng school. Noong tanungin ko naman siya, he just gave me a death glare and told me to follow him.

I filled my lungs with air and stare one more time at the screen. No. I love being surrounded by books. Seeing them, breathing the words, and wander around the countless realms its pages offer are the reasons why I chose to stay on my job.

Gusto kong ipaliwanag iyon sa kanya pero hindi naman n'ya ako binigyan ng chance. Now, I decided to ignore it. Ayoko munang problemahin ang pagiging bossy ni Seven. Sa ngayon, aabalahin ko muna ang sarili sa klase and later after school, dadaan ako ng grocery kasama si Chinnie.

Na-realize kong may wife duties kong dapat gampanan.

"Zup? Ayos ka lang?"

Ngumiti ako kay Bee at ibinulsa ang cellphone.

"Yes. Done?"

Tumango ito't kinawit ang braso ko. "Daan muna tayo sa café sa may tapat. I'm famished. We have more than one hour  to kill. Tara."

Nagpatianod ako dito. Malapit na kami sa gate ng school nang makita kong sumulpot sa gilid ko si Ritchie.

"Why are you here?" I blurted out.

The younger bodyguard scratches his head while offering me a sheepish smile.

"Boss's orders, Señora."

"Oh my! Ang sweet naman ni Siete, Santy," parang uod na nilagyan ng asin ang katawan ng pinsan ko sa sobrang kilig.

I grunt. Yes, given that the thought is sweet kaso naaawa din ako sa dalawang bantay ko. Halos wala na itong magawa sa buong araw kung di ang bumuntot sa 'kin. Nang sabihin ko kagabi kay Seven he just gave me his million-dollar answer, that's their job.

Somehow being kidnapped and tortured for several days is our common ground, Seven and I, but there are times when I think that his overprotective nature is too much. Borderline overbearing, just like now.

"Ritchie, sabi ko sayo kanina na ayos lang ako. Umuwi ka na lang. Sa tawid lang kami ni Bee," turo ko sa café na pupuntahan namin.

Umiling ito at sumabay sa paglakad namin ni Bee.

"Hindi ko pwede, Señora. Wala pa si Sir Romano. Ako na lang ho ang bibili ng food n'yo ni Miss Castro."

"Ay sige. Here—"