Elysian Secrets

Kabanata 41

"This is all unnecessary."

Nasa malawak na dancefloor ang mga mata ni Lia, but she's not looking at nothing or no one in particular. The table with the many-layered cake and another one beside it piled on with wrapped gifts snagged her attention. Matagal niya iyong tinitigan at dumiin ang pagkakatikom ng mga bibig niya nang mamataan ang anak na buhat-buhat ng isa sa mga nakatatandang kapatid ni Raphael. May bitbit na regalo si Niccolo at inilapit siya nang taga-buhat sa mesang puno ng mga regalo. Her son dutifuly placed the gift with the rest and he was whisked away to be paraded in front of the party attendees.

She wants to look at the man standing beside her, pero nagpigil siya. Mahirap na. Maybe she will give in to what she'd been longing to do at makalmot ang amo kapag natitigan niya ito. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin sa mga bisita kapag binalatan niya ang mukha ni Raphael. So, she took a firm hold of her temper—and nails—and refused to meet his eyes.

"No, it is not," salungat nito. "What's unnecessary is your pouting, sugar." 

Despite herself, she side-eyed him with a sharp look in her eyes. "I'm not pouting."

Chuckling softly, he reached an arm around her and hauled her up to to his side. Mangani-nganing hubarin niya ang isang stiletto at saksakin ang tagiliran nito, pero, ulit, nagpigil siya. They are surroundeed with his people, his family. They'll probably burn her on the spot if she dared hurt their precious dragon lord.

Dumukwang ang lalaki at mabilis na dinampian ng halik ang kanyang ulo. Her expression darkened some more, but did not bother calling him out on what he's doing. Mas tumalim ang tinging ipinukol niya rito. He grinned at her before leaning down again and pressed a kissed at one corner of her lips. "You are definitely pouting," bulong nito. "Since you look cute whenever you do that, I don't mind." 

Her disbelieving snort was her only response. Totally annoyed, she brushed the back of her hand on her lips to erase the ghostly touch of his lips that remained on hers. Kung bakit hindi niya pa rin kinakasuhan ang lalaking ito sa mga pinaggagawa nito sa kanya, hindi niya alam. Maybe, she has become a sucker for harrassment and needs to have her brain checked one of these days. 

"Not pouting," mariin niyang sabi. "Huwag mong ibahin ang usapan. You perfectly know you shouldn't be doing this." Hindi maikakaila ang panggigil sa boses niya. 

Bumuntong-hininga si Raphael bago itinuon ang buong atensyon sa kanya. Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa, his eyes lingering on the low-cut cleavage of the evening gown she's wearing before sliding down to the thigh-high slit. Nang muli nitong sinalubong ang tigin niya, his eyes held an emotion na kung ambisyosa lang siya she would have labelled desire. 

"You look like a dragon's hoard."

Laking pasasalamat niya at hindi ganoon kaliwanag sa banda nila kaya hindi masyadong halata ang pag-iinit ng mukha niya. Inikutan niya ito ng mata para pagtakpan ang nararamdamang kakaiba sa sinabi nito. 

"Hindi mo ako madadaan sa pambobola, Mr. Mondragon. You know I'm right and this is wrong," diin niya.

"Remind me again what sin I have done."

"You went over my head again and threw this birthday bash when I specifically told you no."

"For all intents and purposes, I'm his father." Raphael stopped for a beat staring intently at her. She just pursed her lips and stared back at him, not saying anything. Refused to say anything. For a second, a flash of something akin to exasperation flashed in his eyes. It was so quick she might have imagined it. "It's a seventh birthday. Are we not expected to celebrate?"

"Sure. But this?" She gestured towards the tables with the cake and the gifts. Humarap siya sa isang bahagi ng bulwagan at tinuro ang kumpulang nga mga taong laman ng society pages or business pages or both. "Them?"