Montereal Bastards 4: To Seduce A Bastard (COMPLETED)

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Her heart stopped. Literally and painfully stopped for a fraction of a second before it resumed its mad racing like a thorougbred horse running for the win. Kulang na lang ay magbula din ang kanyang bibig na parang isang kabayo sa bilis ng tinitibok ng kanyang puso.

Tama ba ang narinig niya? Did he just propose marriage? Right in the middle of the hallway, without any class and ease, as if ordering her to do something that she always do everyday like eat her food? Hindi naman siya vain na tao, God knows her desire for money did not root from her vainess. Mahal niya ang pera dahil ayaw niyang magdusa gaya ng pagdurusa na naranasan niya noong bata pa siya, and not because she wanted to look classy or what. Pero this? This is the worst case of proposal!

Like ever!

Kahit papano ay pinangarap din ng isang parte ng utak niya na ang wedding proposal niya ay kagaya nung kina Alex at Grace. Very romantic and very magical. Alalang-alala niya pa kung panong lumuhod si Alex sa harap ng kaibigan niya at hiningi ang kamay nito sa harap ng maraming tao. Naalala niya pa kung panong nanginig ang kamay ni Alex nung hinawakan niya ang singsing na pinili niya kay Grace para sa engagement at eventually, sa wedding nila. She remembered every moment of it kase kasama siya ni Alex nung mga panahong iyon. They made everything perfect for the woman who was queen of her lover's world. Pero bakit ganito ang kay Ichiro? Bakit parang wala lang? Bakit ang lamig?

Sinubukan niyang hatakin ang kanyang kamay mula sa mahigpit na pagkakakapit dito ni Ichiro dahilan upang mapatigil din ang lalaki sa paglalakad. Ghad, mas may romance pa yata ang mga pulubi na walang maibili ng singsing at wedding gown para sa kasal nila. She can't believe this!

Lumingon sa kanya si Ichiro na puno ng pagtataka ang titig. He even tugged her hand back in silent order to resume walking but she adamantly stood rooted to the ground.

"What's wrong?" nagtatakang tanong ng manhid na hinayupak habang panay pa rin ang hila sa kanya upang maglakad. Every tug from him earns a stronger and fiercer tug from her. Alam niyang namumula na ang paligid ng kanyang mata sa kakapigil na magsidaluyong ang luha na kanina pang nagbabadyang kumawala.

She didn't say anything but looked straight at him. Her mind travelled to the foreseeable future and saw only bleakness and uncertainty. Buhay pa si Pyre at hindi pa ligtas si Ichiro. What if he ended up dead after all? Andaming what ifs sa utak niya nung mga panahong iyon kaya alam niyang magkakalabuan na naman sila ng lalaki oras na sabihin niya ang nasa isip niya. Ichiro is a man who doesn't like being countered. And what she's about to say will surely set his horns straightening out in anger.

"What's wrong Moi? May masakit ba sayo? Is there something wrong with what I said?" nagtataka pa ring tanong ng kausap niya.

Umiling siya.

"Then what is it? Anong problema bat ka tumigil? Your father is waiting for you." his voice now has a tinge of impatience and somehow, that set Moira off. Inis na binalingan niya ang nakakunot na noo ng kausap saka walang pakundangang nagsabi.

"I am not gonna marry you Ichiro." She said through clenched teeth.

She saw the way his face slowly loose all traces of emotion and that is her signal to flee. Oras na wala ka nang mababasang kahit ano sa mukha ni Ichiro Montereal, then know that your life is in danger.

Hinila niya ang kanyang kamay mula sa mahigpit nitong pagkakahawak saka nagsimulang magmartsa papunta sa kwarto kung saan naroroon sina Everly. Alam niya naman kase kung aling kwarto iyon lalo at naririnig niya mula sa kinatatayuan niya ang ingay na nagmumula rito. She might have taken two steps when he caught her hand and painfully tugged them so that she was once again caught inside his bulging muscles.