ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?

Chapter Fifty-One

"IS THERE A PROBLEM, SIR? MA'AM?" tanong ng isa sa mga nag-iikot ng staff ng The Org.

Nadatnan ng nakaitim na unipormeng babae ang pagtatalo nila ni Jared. Walang pag-aatubiling lumapit ito, nakapagitan sa kanilang dalawa.

Mag-iisang minuto na rin ang presensya ng staff pero hindi naputol ang mainit na titigan ng kanilang mga mata. Lily could still feel her heart pounding hard against her chest. Pagkakataon na niya ito para humingi ng saklolo sa staff, para makatakas mula kay Jared.

But in this short encounter she realized things. Maybe, this is the time for her to just face the consequences of her actions instead of just running away. Maybe, this is the time for her to stop going with the flow just like how she usually does and start proving them all wrong about her.

Maybe, she is not this person who is as bad as she thought she was. Maybe, she's actually good. And it is her choice to either show what she really is or appear exactly like how other people painted her to be.

She should have stand her ground in the past, and refused to have unprotected sex with Oliver just because of his promises. She should have improved her life instead of spending all her life trying to prove her parents wrong. She shouldn't have taken Basil's help for granted. She shouldn't have made a fool out of Jared and ghosted him.

Because her every action has consequences that she should be responsible of.

Lily cannot run away forever.

No matter what, no matter who, people will always find one way or another to hurt her... to break her heart. So who else is supposed to take care of her heart but her alone?

"None," sulyap saglit ni Lily sa babae. "We're just roleplaying."

Nasa mga mata ni Jared ang gulat, pero hindi nawala ang intensidad sa pagkakatitig nito sa kanya.

"I'm the bratty subordinate," Lily explained, her eyes locked on Jared. "My daddy dom is disciplining me."

Nagsalitan sa kanya at kay Jared ang naninigurong tingin ng staff bago umatras ng kaunti ang tumango. Pumihit na ito para ipagpatuloy ang pag-iikot.

.

.

THE DOOR CLICKED CLOSE. Lilingunin sana ni Lily si Jared pero tinulak siya nito sa likuran ng balikat. That forced her to keep facing straight in front. Siyang sulpot agad ng lalaki sa kanyang harapan.

"On your knees," mahigpit nitong wika.

Puzzlement danced in her eyes, bright and sparkling in the yellow, dimly-lit room.

Hinablot ng binata ang kanyang baba. "Sabi ko, luhod."

"Why would I do that?" matapang niyang saad.

"Ikaw na ang nagsabi kanina, 'di ba? You're the bratty sub."

"Exactly. Bratty," she challenged, her eyes shifting back and forth from Jared's strong glare to his tempting lips. "If you want me to kneel, daddy, make me."

"I see," at lumagitik ang tampal nito sa pisngi bago tinulak ang kanyang balikat pababa.

Lily gasped, taken by surprise with that slap, and was forced to drop on her knees. Susubasob siya kung hindi maagap na tinukod sa malamig na tiled na sahig ang mga kamay.

Naramdaman niya ang paa ni Jared sa ibabaw ng isang balikat. Tumukod lang iyon doon saglit bago dumulas pailalim sa kanyang baba.

Fuck it. Even his feet smelled so good, a hint of mint and ice, she could kiss it with no qualms at all.