His Bride

22| Bodyguards

Unedited.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"They hold no evidence to put you behind bars. Your arrest was implausible, there was no dead body to claim you murdered him and, Drake, well, he was still missing. No lead on his whereabouts, but I assure you, you won't be condemned to whatever must have happened to him."

Tango lang ang sinagot ko kay Dashiel. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na isa rin pala siyang Lawyer, wala sa itsura pero napahanga niya ako sa tindig niya nang dumating sa presinto. Nakasuot ito ng formal suit at may bitbit na briefcase na hindi ko alam ang laman, hindi naman niya binuksan.

"As for that officer, I'd make sure he was well knowledgeable of who he should have messed with the next time. He was suspended for arresting an innocent and opening a case that has no existent evidence," he scoffed.

"Leave him alone, Dashiel," I said softly as I kept my eyes outside the car window, watching the blurred trees we were passing by.

"He knew who you were! He was well aware of that! He knew what's coming for him and I'll make sure he gets - "

"Dashiel," mariin kong sabi at lumingon sakanya. Nakakapanibago na makita siyang nag-aalburuto. Nagtatagis ang bagang niya at mabagsik ang mga mata. Hindi ko kinakaila ang takot na nararamdaman pero kailangan kong gumawa ng punto bago pa ako may pagsisihan. Walang duda na kayang gumawa ng karahasan ni Dashiel kung gugustuhin niya. "Leave him alone."

"But he arrested you!"

Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata at kahit ilang beses pa ako humugot ng malalim na hininga, hindi nawawala ang bigat sa dibdib ko. Bagsak ang mga balikat na minulat ko ang tingin at puno ng pagsuko na tumingin sakanya. "Just drop it, please."

He stubbornly averted his gaze, his jaw clenching, and with his lips pressed together, he sighed, looking back at me with submission in his coal eyes.

"Fine. Pero hindi ko mapipigilan kapag si Kazmus ang nag-utos."

Isa pa iyon.

Hindi ako sumagot at tumingin nalang muli sa labas ng bintana. The trees and land were familiar. We were entering a dangerous fortress that people were avoiding, like a witch coven, but I found it in my heart that I belonged here - this was home. My home.

***

Kazmus was waiting outside the threshold when we pulled into the driveway. His hands were inside his pockets, gold eyes pinned on me behind the tinted windows. His face was void of emotions, but somehow I knew beneath the mask was a war in a losing battle.

Hindi ko na hinintay si Dashiel na pagbuksan ako ng pintuan. Sinalubong ko ang tingin ni Kazmus, nagtagal ito ng ilang segundo bago ko maingat na sinara ang pintuan sa likuran at tumakbo papunta sa mga bisig niyang naghihintay sa akin.

Agarwood and vanilla. The stress around my shoulders deflated as I basked in his warmth, flattening myself against his hard chest as he squeezed me tight around his arms, his face on the side of my head, breathing in the scent of my hair.

"You must be scared," he rasped, his lips moving to my ear, nibbling my earlobe between his lips.

Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata at siniksik ang mukha sa leeg niya. Naramdaman ko ang pagtaas-baba ng Adam's apple nito at ang mahina niyang pagsinghap ng hininga.

I was scared.

Nang dalhin ako sa interrogation room ay wala akong naisagot. I sat unmoving, frozen, and terrified in the lone chair, surrounded by bleak and dismal walls. My feeble hands were cold and trembling, pressing together in my lap, obscured by the pale table infront of me. Opposite stood Drake's father, pacing with bloodshot eyes that held desperation and something... evil.