Enigma (Dauntless Series #4)

Chapter 30

Lying on the bed with his arms wrapped around me while talking about our future feels so right. I know we've only been together for a year and it's best to just spend more time building our relationship before deciding to have kids but the thought of seeing him with our child warms my heart. It always make me teary-eyed.

I bit the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from giggling while he showered me kisses. I want more of it, and he delivered.

"How many kids do you want?"

"Hmm. Two is enough. We don't want our first child to be lonely," sabi ko at mas lalo pang isiniksik ang aking sarili sa kaniya. "The spacing should be four years or so. Bata pa naman tayo at matagal pa akong magmemenopause kaya posible pa rin 'yon."

He chuckled and pinched my nose. I glared at him but he just continued smiling like seeing my swollen nose is so adorable to him.

"Okay. We'll make it work."

"Siya nga pala..." I trailed off. It's not the right moment to talk about this but I'm really dying to know. "How's your relationship with your siblings? Do you guys still talk to each other?"

His jaw moved and I know what I said ruined his mood. I was about to say sorry and change the subject but then he turned to me. He gave me a faint smile. "Yes, we still communicate with each other. Huxley is doing good at his business, Alexei is currently booked and busy with some cases, and Natasha is now on her fourth year in Harvard. She's asking about you, by the way."

"Talaga?"

Tumango siya. The past months have been hard to the Hernandez family when it was revealed that their father was indeed involved with the Almazans' illegal business. He was charged but was able to bail out of it. Simula noong nalaman ko ang involvement ni Mr. Hernandez sa kaso ay gustong-gusto ko na itong ipaalam sa magkakapatid pero dahil on process pa lang ang investigation, mas minabuti kong manahimik muna at hintaying umusad ito. Nagkagulo ang pamilya nila dahil sa nangyari. I wasn't there when it happened. All I know is that they all abandoned their father and cut their ties with him.

I receive death threats and red-tagging on a daily basis, something that's not new to me anymore. With my nature of work, I'm surprised I still haven't suffered the consequences of it. Niko was worried about my safety so he hired men to guard me and not leave me 24/7, especially when he's on the base and can't come home. Ganoon ang naging sistema namin sa paglipas ng mga buwan at taon. Hindi na rin ako nagreklamo dahil hindi naman ako nagagambala ng mga ito. Mga propesyunal ang mga ito at hinding-hindi mo mararamdaman ang presensya pwera na lang kung kinakailangan.

Kaya lang, ayoko naman talaga sa kanila dahil mas gusto kong si Niko ang palagi kong nakakasama. I sometimes find myself crying in the midle of the night while I'm all alone in the bed. I sometimes sleep on the guest room because I will only miss him more if I stay in a place that reminds me of him. Sinasama ko na lang ang mga pusa ko sa kwarto para hindi ako mabagot. Isa pang dahilan ay hindi ko gusto ang amoy sa kwarto namin. Saka ko lang napagtanto kung bakit nang maamoy ko ang mga damit ni Niko. Dati naman halos isubsob ko ang mukha ko roon pero ngayon...parang gusto ko na lang itapon ang mga iyon at bilhan na lang siya ng bago.

But I want him near me, cuddle with me every night, everything! I just want to be with him. Kung pwede niya lang akong isama sa base, baka matagal ko na siyang kinulit tungkol doon. Nakakahiya! Oo, mahal ko siya pero hindi magandang tingnan na sobrang obssessed ako sa kaniya.

It's just that my smell sensitivity ruins it. Kahit bagong ligo siya, ayoko pa ring tumatabi siya sa akin.

"I'll have a longer leave this time. I'm sorry to keep you waiting," si Niko nang tinawagan ko siya sa kalagitnaan ng gabi. Hindi kasi ako makatulog. "Tell me what you want. I'll buy it for you when I return."