Lips Of A Warrior (De Silva Series #5)

Prologue

“May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.” – Psalm 25:21

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Prologue

Deanne

Tutulungan ko si Dylan.

I kept my silence as I watched my twin brother pouring the bottle of whiskey into his short glass. Seryoso ang mukha. Hindi kumikibo. May malalim na iniisip. 

I sighed and checked my phone’s screen to see if Grey has replied to me. There’s none. Binalingan ko ulit ang kaawa awa kong kambal . . . ngumisi ako. 

Trouble is written all over his face. Not the thing that was easy to solve but it isn’t shallow also. Namomoroblema siya kay Ruth. Galit na galit ito sa kanya dahil sa ginawa nitong pamamahiya sa harap ng maraming tao. He told everybody that Ruth was adopted by our Uncle Matteo at Auntie Jahcia. That was cruel, ofcourse. But we never really chose to tell her the right way. He didn’t mean to. Dahil kapag nagtanong si Ruth, masisira ang pangako sa kanyang Mama Denise. Mauungkat ang history sa tunay niyang pamilya.

Dylan’s plan was to ask her to marry him. Easy for him to create that but not on her side. Paano niya mapapaniwala ang kanyang dahilan sa pagpapakasal? Tapos ay mukha pa siyang sanggano kung umasta. He won’t be able to protect her if he’s thinking and planning too much. Para bang wala nang mas mahalaga kundi ang makasal lang. 

“There’s so much to anticipate even after you make her agreed to you. Gentle si Ruth. Dominant ka. Paano ka niya pagkakatiwalaan, huh?” I chuckled a little. 

I want to impose to him that his plans are kind of selfish. He has to consider Ruth’s feelings. Hindi madaling alisin sa isipan niya na ‘pinahiya’ siya. Kahit pa sabihing papakasalan niya ito. In the first place, my twin is too aggressive and arrogant. Ewan ko kung bakit hindi niya makita ang mali niya. Baka nga talagang ‘love is blind’? Tse.

“That’s why she really needs me as her husband! Madali siyang mapupunta sa gang na ‘yon kung wala siyang karamay sa pagpapasya. I am her help.” 

Humalukipkip ako. “Ayan ka na naman sa pagiging taas noo mo. Look, hindi mo ba kilala si Ruth? She loves her parents so dearly. At kung sabihin ni Uncle na ‘wag siyang pumunta roon, I know she wouldn’t do it. Ikaw ‘tong kabadong kabado para sa kanya. Relax. Hindi maaano si Ruth.” 

“Then, what? She will not ask for any protection from us. Ngayong malaya siya, kung sinu sino ang pwedeng lumapit sa kanya nang hindi natin nalalaman. Hindi ko papayagan ‘yan, D. Ako dapat ang pakasalan niya at hindi ang ibang lalaki.”

“You’re too possessive. O baka obsession na? Hindi magandang mindset ‘yang umiikot sa ‘yo. Maghinay hinay ka nga at idaan mo sa mahinahong pag uusap. Si Ruth ‘yan, o. Si Ruth natin at hindi lang sa ‘yo.” 

Nilingon niya ako at umigting ang panga niya. Para bang isang malaking dagok sa pandinig niya ang sinabi ko. 

“You don’t know my feelings,”

“Oh, don’t dare me like that, brother. I. Know. You. Ayaw mo lang tanggapin ang sinasabi ko. You’re being too proud of yourself. Subukan mo kayang bumaba at tingnan ang damages na ginawa mo sa kanya. Maybe you will realize more if you ever do it.”

“Aayusin ko ang ginawa ko. I have plans for everything.”

I tsked at his very idea. “Plans, huh? Pero kapag pumalag si Ruth, tameme ka. You can’t accept the fact that you can’t handle her. Hindi mo inaasahan ang magiging reaksyon niya.”

“Naninibago lang siya. Gusto niya lang maging independent ngayon. Later on, she will realize that she needed me,”

“Hindi mo sure.”