Love, Lies and Alibis (Henares Series #1)

Nine

Fiancé

His kisses were fiery and mind blowing. Ang galit na nadarama ko ay unti-unting natupok sa mainit niyang halik.

My senses were lost. My body starts to tingle.

I opened my mouth to gasp for air and he took advantage. His agile tongue invaded my mouth without warning. Exploring every corner, literally owning it.

My knees buckled and he quickly snaked his arms around my waist. Saving me from losing my own balance. Diniin niya ako palapit sa kanya at hindi ko napigilan ang ungol nang marahan niyang kagatin ang pang-ibaba kong labi.

"Goddamn it!" He hissed then kissed me again.

This time he kissed me more passionately. A familiar warm sensation started to envelop my whole body.

I wanna get angry to myself. Kung paanong pinagkanulo ako ng sariling katawan. No matter how I tried to deny, I am getting drowned by the sensation he's making me feel.

Napahawak ako sa braso niya, dahil hinang-hina na ako. My helmet created a loud thud as it landed on the wooden floor. His hand guided mine to his neck. While the other went to my nape to deepened the kiss.

That's when I lost it. I let my inhibitions set free.

He groaned as I responded to his kisses with such ferocity. His stubbles tickled my palm as I rubbed his jaw. He hasn't shaved for days, I suppose. At ang kiliti ay mas lalo lang nagpa-alab ng nadarama ko.

Sa isang mabilis na kilos ay binuhat niya ako sabay ikot at sandal sa dingding. And my legs, as if it has a mind of its own, swiftly wrapped around him. I run my hands on his messy hair. It felt so soft, just as how I imagined it would be.

I mimicked what he did to me a while ago. I equaled his fierceness, I matched his heat. He groaned again, when I nibbled his lower lip.

Tanging ang malalim lamang naming paghinga ang maririnig. Only the stallions witnessed our intimacy. And I don't know why it turned me on even more.

"Fuck, babe. Please tell me to stop..." he murmured against the sensitive part on my neck. His warm hands slipped under my top and cupped my breasts.

Napapikit ako. Bahagyang napaliyad. Habang ang nag-aalab niyang labi ay sinasamba ang aking leeg hanggang balagat. With one hand supporting my weight and the other roaming around my body.

"I don't want you to..." My voice warm and throaty.

All of him is intoxicating me. His lips, his touch, and the way he pressed me against the hard, cold wall. And suddenly I realized, that the uneasiness I felt for him is not discomfort at all.

It's overwhelming attraction. I just couldn't point out what it was then.

"This is wrong—"

I gasped as his warm mouth sucked my nipple. Mas lalo lang akong nabaliw nang ang dila niya naman ngayon ang gumagalaw. The heat between my thighs is intolerable. I wanted something. I wanted him...

"Voyd! Voyd, are you in there?"

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig nang napagtanto kung sino ang nagmamay-ari ng boses sa labas. Nanumbalik sa akin ang dahilan ng nag-uumapaw na galit ko kanina. Mabilis kong tinulak si Voyd palayo.

Nabigla siya sa ginawa ko. His lips were parted, moist and red. Mabigat pa rin ang paghinga, tulad ko. His buttons were undone. Mas lalong gumulo ang buhok dahil sa ginawa ko.

"Voyd?" Umalingawngaw ang boses ni Jela papasok sa kuwadra.

I untangled his hands off me. Pilit na pinatatag ang nangangatog ko pa ring tuhod. Mabilis kong inayos ang sarili. Tinulungan niya pa ako pero tinabig ko ang kanyang kamay.

Lumikha ng tunog ang pagbukas ng pintuan sa kwadra. Ang yapak ng papalapit na si Jela ay palakas ng palakas sa aking pandinig.

"Stay outside, Jela." Malamig na sabi ni Voyd.

Nasa akin pa rin ang kanyang tingin habang binubutones ang polo. His eyes still fiery from our heated moment.

Dressed in white spaghetti straps paired with asymmetrical skirt and brown fedora hat, she entered. Her black stilettos looked out of place in the stables.

"Please get out, Jela. I'm talking to my fiancée."

Umismid si Jela. Hindi man lang apektado sa lamig ng boses ni Voyd. She scanned the stables with head held high. Nang nagtagpo ang aming tingin ay puno ng sarkasmo ang sa kanya.

With my hair disheveled and flushed face, I know she already realizes what exactly was going on here.

"There's time for that, Voyd. Mas importante pa ba iyan?" pairap niyang sabi at binaling uli ang tingin sa kwadra na parang mas magandang tanawin iyon.

"Margo and I aren't done talking yet. I haven't seen her for days. So please... Give us the privacy we deserve." Mariin na paliwanag ni Voyd habang ang tingin ay nasa akin na para bang kinikilatis niya ako ng husto.

"Naghihintay na si Papa at Don Gabriel sa study. Things like this can wait." Sinulyapan ako ni Jela.

Suddenly, I have come to realize what exactly is happening here. Parang jigsaw puzzle na unti unting nabubuo ang mga piyesa at buong imahe. Nanlamig ako habang pinagtagpi tagpi ang lahat.

Him being gone for days. Ang pagbabalik niya rito kasama si Jela. At ang 'importanteng' pag-uusapan nila.

Lumunok ako at tumuwid ng tayo. Nasasaktan ako. Dahil kahit kaunting respeto ay wala sila noon para sa akin. They shamelessly flaunted their affair right in my face.

At pakiramdam ko pa, ako ang third party rito!

"I need to go..." taas noo kong sabi.

I felt so defeated. But there's no way I'm going to let them see it. Mauuna akong aalis. I will never let myself watch their backs on me as they leave together.

"Sia..." may pag-aalinlangan sa tono ni Voyd.

And it hurt me even more. Nag-aalinlangan siya? It's okay, Voyd. I am saving you the trouble.

I squared my shoulders at tinawag si Ricardo para kunan ako ng kabayong sasakyan patungong mansion. My chest sting so bad. Pero kakatwang wala ni isang butil ng luha sa aking mata.

I am a Zobel. At kung tama ang mga articles na nababasa ko sa internet. We are one of the reigning clans. We are on top of the social pyramid. We never lose.

So no. Hindi ako talunan. Hindi ako iiyak na parang ganuon.

Jela can have Voyd for all I care. Sa oras na babalik ang mga alaala ko ay aalis din naman ako dito. I will find out who the real culprit is. At pag-uusapan namin ni Voyd kung ipagpapatuloy pa ang engagement.

Mariin kong hinila ang renda para mas bumilis pa ang takbo ng kabayo. Kumpara kay Zohar ay mas maamo ang isang ito. Kaya wala akong makapang takot kahit rumaragasa na ang takbo. Or maybe I was just too angry or hurt to even get scared.

Iilang magsasaka ang naglalakad pauwi ang nadaanan ko. Kulay kahel na ang kalangitan, hudyat ng papalubog na araw. Heavy drops of rain started to wet my hair and shoulders.

Sa malakas at walang babalang pagbuhos ng ulan ay nagsitakbuhan ang mga magsasaka para makahanap ng masisilungan. Ako naman ay walang pakialam. Patuloy ang takbo ng kabayo at sa tuwing bumabagal ay hinihila ko ang renda para bumalik ang bilis nito.

I halted the stallion just in front of the mansion. The mud splattered when my boots touched the ground. Isang binatilyo ang lumapit para kunin ang kabayo sa akin.

Yabag ng kabayong tumatakbo palapit ang nadinig ko. I don't need to look over, alam kong si Voyd ang nakasunod.

"Sia!" he called. His voice is full and blatant despite the heavy rain.

Hindi ko siya pinuna. Sa veranda ay nakukumahog si Cristina at Analie dala ang payong at tuwalya. But when they spotted Voyd, they stopped midway.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled when he tried to capture my wrist.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pag-akyat pero muli niyang hinuli ang palapulsuhan ko. Hinila niya ako pabalik at nag-landing ako sa kanyang dibdib. Pumalibot agad ang kanyang braso sa akin.

"I said, get your hands off me!" nagpumiglas ako.

"No!" Mariin niyang sagot.

He cupped my face. Agad kong iniwas ang tingin. We were now both drenched with the rainwater. He pulled me closer and I felt his warmth in an instant. Naglaho ang lahat ng panlalamig na nadama ko kanina lang.

He always, always affects me this much. He always makes me feel warm and secure.

That thought was like a fuel added to a blazing fire, it made my anger grew more intense. Galit ako sa sarili. How and why I let myself depend on him every time I feel weak. Kung bakit sa bawat yakap niya'y hinahayaan ko ang sariling maging safe at kontento. Hindi dapat ganuon!

I should stand on my own. Hindi pwedeng nakadepende ako palagi sa kanya. Because when the time comes that he'll grew tired of me—a helpless, frustrated, amnesiac woman—and realizes that he love or still loves someone else, what will happen to me then?

"I'm calling the engagement off." I meet his gaze and I suddenly wished I shouldn't have.

Sari saring emosyon ang mabilis na dumaan sa mata niya. Hindi ko mapangalanan sa bilis. Few drops of water dripped from the tip of his hair as he frantically shook his head. Some of them trickled down to the tip of his nose, wetting his tight lips.

Salubong ang kanyang kilay. Mukha siyang hirap na hirap sa mga nangyayari. At hindi ko maintidihan ang sarili kung bakit nasasaktan ako. Habang sinasalubong ang kanyang mata.

He's just being modest. Alam ko, deep inside he felt relieved when I announced that I'm calling it off.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed so hard. It hurt as hell for no apparent reason. Or maybe I knew why, I was just too scared to admit what it was.

"No, babe. Please don't say things you don't mean." Parang may sumipa sa dibdib ko sa tono ng pagkakasabi niya. "Galit ka lang, Sia. Galit ka lang..."

Mabilis akong umiling, dahilan kung bakit namalisbis ang mainit na likido mula sa aking mata. I'm thankful for the rain, it camouflaged my tears.

His wet polo clung to his body like second skin. Defining his huge biceps, hard chest and ripped abdomen. His sunburned complexion beneath the white fabric is prevailing.

Gusto kong murahin at sapakin ang sarili. Even in this state I'm still praising him! What happened to pride, Sia!

"Are you jealous about Jela? Is that what this is?" puno ng pagsuyo ang tono niya. Pilit niyang hinuhuli ang aking mata at iniiwas ko naman.

Darn it!

Umatras ako at tumingin sa malayo. Mabilis na yumapos ang braso niya sa aking beywang. Tinuko ko agad ang dalawang kamay sa kanyang dibdib.

I need to put distance between us. Or else mawawala na naman ako sa katinuan. Tutupukin na naman ng init niya ang katinuan ko!

"We both know it's not just about that!" paunawa ko. "I want to go home. I can't go on like this anymore. I want my old life!"

Mabilis siyang umiling na para bang isang malaking pagkakamali ang gagawin ko.

"No. No. No..." his tone was desperate. Mahigpit ang hawak niya sa akin na para bang kapag luluwangan niya ay makakaalpas ako.

"You're not going anywhere. If this is about the kiss, or Jela or me being away for days. I promise you, it won't happen again."

"I am doing you a favor here, Rafferty Voyd! People will get tired eventually! Kahit ano pang taas ng pasensya mo, mauubos din iyan! You will get tired of me! I will never have my memories back!" Nanginginig ang boses ko habang sinisigaw iyon.

His eyes were dark and bloodshot. His angled jaw compressed. Tuluyan nang kumalat ang dilim sa paligid, palatandaan na gabi na. Patuloy ang malakas na pagbagsak ng ulan.

"Leaving me is not favor, Simone. It's a punishment!"

Ako naman ngayon ang umiling iling. Half of his face was illuminated by the mansion's lightings. Ang kabila ay nilamon ng dilim. He looked dangerous and menacing.

"You are going to get sick if we'll stay here a bit longer."

Hindi ko alam kung maiinis o matatawa. Here I am talking about my life and all he was concern about is me getting colds.

"Listen Voyd!" Lumingon siya sa kay Cristina sa veranda at sumenyas.

I pushed his chest hard to get his attention. He's not listening. He won't let me go. Umatras ako uli. Kumawala sa hawak niya. Kung hindi siya papayag ay gagawa ako ng paraan.

"Sia!"

Mabilis ang hakbang ko habang tinatahak ang hagdan patungong veranda. Sinalubong ako ni Cristina ng roba at tuwalya. Hindi siya makatingin sa akin. I wonder if they were here watching the whole time.

Tinakbo ko ang hagdanan patungong second floor. I locked the doors when I reached my room. Deritso ang tungo ko sa banyo. Kumalabog ang pintuan at sunod kong narinig ay ang boses ni Voyd ngunit hindi ko iyon pinansin.

Tulala ako habang nakababad ang katawan sa tub. Daydreaming about my old life. Replaying the scenes I remember and the nightmares I'm having every night. Trying to put two and two together. Forcing some pieces of the puzzle that doesn't fit.

The scent and the warm water were soothing. Panandalian ay kumalma ang aking isip. Giving me more chance to think about my hasty decision. Pinaglaruan ko ang bula habang nag-iisip.

I recalled all the articles I have read about me and my social status, about my steps and the empire I'm running. And they were very informative that I learned so much about myself.