A The Mark Of A Stallion Novel: SEDUCTIVELY YOURS (Published)

Chapter 6.1

“Robby, I really have to go,” padabog na sabi ni Lei sabay dampot sa kanyang blue pouche.

                “What?” gulat na tanong nito na naudlot ang pagsimsim sa paboritong red wine.

                She didn’t wait for the follow-up reaction of her over-acting friend.  She couldn’t stay here for the next few seconds.  She had to escape for she did something ridiculous and perhaps, unforgivable.    Tuloy-tuloy na siyang lumabas ng hotel diretso sa  kanyang  cottage. She didn’t turn her back even once, afraid that Zach might be following  to avenge his humiliation.

 It took  few minutes only for her to reach cottage number 5.  Bilang isa sa mga boss ng Punta Gallarte,  inilaan sa kanya ang cottage na ito para personal  niyang magamit kapag bumibisita siya sa resort at isinasama niya rito si Robby kapag ganitong may okasyon.    Katabi nito ang iba pang cottages na para rin sa iba pang kawani ng resort na may mataas na katungkulan.  This was the first time that she would sleep in this cottage.

                Pagkapasok niya sa cottage ay diretso siya sa bedroom.  Ni hindi na niya nakuhang magpalit ng kasuotan.  She threw herself to the soft bed.  Her mind was occupied by the scandalous scene that happened a while ago.  And fear was gradually engulfing her.  She closed her eyes only to  visualize the possible effects of her impulsion.

                She slapped the new big boss of Punta Gallarte.  She knew it’s  a big deal. What if Zach fired her?   She bit her lips.  She couldn’t afford to lose her job. No, not at this time. Hindi ngayong kung kailan unti-unti nang nagkakaroon ng liwanag ang dati ay madilim na buhay ng kaniyang pamilya. 

Her huge salary plus commission in every successful transaction enabled her to give her family a decent living. They no longer live in a shanty and she was able to send Renz in college. If she would lose her job, she knew that her savings would not be enough to support their expenses until she found a new one.  Oo nga at sa qualifications niya ay madali siyang matatanggap sa trabaho pero paano naman  ang kaniyang plano na gamitin ang kaniyang posisyon sa Punta Gallarte upang pabagsakin si Fernan Custodio?

                Biglang napabalikwas ang dalaga.  There was a remorse but a part of her brain was saying that she only did the right thing.  He disrespected her so it was but right to defend her dignity as a woman.  Hindi komo tauhan lang siya ay pupuwede na ang mga sexual advances nito sa kanya.  Paano kung may mga sumunod pa?

Unti-unting nagbangon ang pangamba sa dibdib niya. She knew that  she would not live a normal life again.  With Zach Santana around, she would not have peace of mind. Lalo na kung paulit-ulit nitong uungkatin ang tungkol kay Pandora.

 The nerd, bulong niya sa sarili.  Tatlong taon na ang nakalipas, bakit hindi pa rin nito nakakalimutan ang pangyayaring iyon? For sure, with his present status, a lot of women were running after him,but why he could not forget Pandora? And worst, he could recognize her as Pandora.

What extraordinary memory this man could have? Sinadya na nga niya na hindi mag-attend sa graduation niya noon sa college upang makaiwas dito.  She knew that all members of Alpha Sigma Rho were graduates of UP.  At bilang isang summa cum laude, alam niyang hindi maiiwasan na makakuha siya ng atensyon sa araw ng kanyang pagtatapos na posibleng maging daan upang ma-trace siya nito.   Pinakulayan at bahagyang ipinakulot pa niya ang dating straight na buhok, nagsusuot din siya ng contact lens para hindi na siya makilala ng sinuman sa frat men na nakausap niya noon kung sakaling magtagpo uli ang kani-kanilang landas.  And most of all, she wore a mask during her sexual stint with Zach.  What on earth that he could still recognize her?  Not unless,  oh well, he really didn’t try to forget  those lustful  moments when he tried to discover pleasurable understanding of a woman’s body, her own body.   

                She closed her eyes again.  She too, didn’t outgrow the same experience.  No matter how hard she tried to forget and live a normal life, still there were sleepless nights filled with   memories of this man. There was magic on his strong personality plus his disturbing physical assets that she couldn’t whisk from her mind. He could be the man of her dreams, a husband material.  Had they not met in a bizarre way.

He was the reason why until now, she hadn’t a boyfriend.  She was scared on the possible reaction of her future boyfriend or husband once he  discovered that she was no longer a virgin. Paano niya ipaliliwanag?  Na isinuko niya ito ng ganun-ganon lang? Na ibinenta niya ito sa halagang isang milyon?

The usual melancholy  struck her again.  Those fear and hesitations were caused by him.  The man who effortlessly took her virginity courtesy of his rich friends. The man, whom, the more she tried to forget, the more he lingered in her mind.

Zach was in the terrace of his elegant suite.  A glass of wine was in his right hand while his left hand was resting  in the pocket of his expensive trousers.    Hindi siya sanay uminom na mag-isa, ngunit sa mga oras na iyon ay kinailangan niyang lunurin ang sariling katinuan upang maiwaksi sa isip ang babaeng laman ngayon ng kanyang isip, si Azalea Alvez. 

From the terrace, he could see the cottage exclusive for  Azalea, the cottage number 5.  Mas masakit ang kirot na nararamdaman niya sa dibdib kaysa sa pisngi niyang sinampal nito kanina. Hindi dahil sa pagtanggi nito na siya si Pandora kundi dahil sa katotohanang umuukilkil sa utak niya ngayon.  Malakas talaga ang kutob niya na si Pandora atsi  Azalea ay iisa, ngunit ang itinatanong niya sa sarili ay paanong ang isang tulad ni Azalea na edukada at matalino ay nagawang ibenta ang kaniyang katawan gamit ang isang pagpapanggap?  Ano ang matinding dahilan at  nagawa niya  iyon?  He was pretty sure that she was a virgin that night, but he wasn’t sure if there was  no other man in her life after him.

God knew how he prayed very hard  to come across again with  Pandora, and he promised to himself that if that would happen, he would do everything to own the woman. But now that she’s here, why there was a sudden confusion?   Was it her denial that gave him the second thought? Or the fear that the woman that he longed for was living in  lies?

Tinungga niya ang huling laman ng hawak na kopita. Gumuhit ang mainit na likido sa kanyang lalamunan. He glanced again on cottage number 5.  God granted his impossible request.  The woman he was dreaming of for years was now here, inside his kingdom, near and under his power, yet, remained far and elusive.  Bakit tila kay ilap ng babaeng pinapangarap niyang makasama?

Hindi niya alam kung epekto ng alak ang nararamdaman niya sa mga sandaling ito. But he was sure on what he wanted now, it was  Azalea. There was something in her highly irresistible and seductive personality that caused him to need her, and worse, crave for her. Kailangan niya ito ngayon, dito sa loob mismo ng kanyang suite, sa kanyang kama. Naaamoy pa niya ang pabango nito na dumikit sa suot niyang damit.  Nararamdaman pa rin niya ang init ng katawan nito na  kanina lang ay halos ilang sentimetro lang  ang layo sa kanya.  And how  on earth he could get out of his mind her hot and curvaceous body that turned him insane lately?  Yes, he was head over heels crazy for her.

Bigla niyang pinagsisihan ang pambabastos niya sa dalaga.  If  only they had a nice encounter in the party, maybe she was now lying naked  on his bed, with  her legs wrapped around him,   tempting him, inviting him.  At ngayon ngang hindi naging maganda ang kanilang pagtatagpong muli, alam niyang medyo matatagalang mangyari iyon.

“But she will be mine, sooner or later,”  bulong niya sa sarili. “Wala pang babaeng tumatanggi kay Zach Santana.” Humigpit ang hawak niya sa wine glass kasabay ng pagtatagis ng kanyang mga bagang.  Tiny sparks of grimy plans were evident  on his deep eyes.

                                                                        -TO BE CONTINUED-