The Secrets We Keep (Completed)

Chapter Thirteen

Hindi nakaligtas kay Stefan ang bahagyang psnginginig ni JC dahil sa gulat, na agad sinundan ng pagbaba ng kamay nito sa katawan, at may pasimpleng kinuha sa kung saan.

A gun, he was sure of it.

"Bakit ka nandito, JC?" mahinang tanong niya. Hindi na niya binuksan ang iba pang ilaw. Patuloy siya sa marahang paglakad palapit.

Napaatras ito, at sa gulat marahil sa boses niya ay naitaas ang baril. Hawak pa rin nito sa kaliwang kamay ang envelope.

"Paul?" napabuga ito ng hangin, bago ibinalik sa holster ang baril at minasdan siya.

"The one and only. Bakit ka nandito, JC?" ipinako niya ang tingin sa mga mata ng kaharap, kahit kanina pa siya nadi-distract sa suot nito. Why the hell did she remove her coat? The low v-vut of her dress exposed too much.

"May kailangan akong gawin. Ikaw, bakit ka nandito?" she jerked her chin defiantly, but her eyes flickered with a slight panic.

Matamang minasdan lang niya ito bilang tugon, bago bumaba ang tingin niya sa hawak nito. "What's in the envelope, JC?" halos bulong na niya, kasabay ang isa pang hakbang.

Kahit sa malamlam na ilaw ay halata na ang panic na pilit nitong itinatago. "May I know why you're here, Paul?"

Pinanatili niya ang tingin sa hawak nito. Samu't saring tanong ang ay nasa isip niya, kahalo ang hindi niya lubusang maialis ang tingin kay JC.Her dress clung to every curve, her skin almost luminous in the lamplight, her voice, despite its edge, seeped into him, beckoning. He took another step.

Itinaas niyang muli ang tingin. "What's in the envelope, JC?" muling tanong niya, patuloy sa paghakbang, hanggang sa halos isang ruler na lang sng pagitan nila.

JC kept his eyes on him, as she slowly gave up on her silent battle against giving in. Napabuntung-hininga lang ito nang marahang kunin niya ang envelope.

"The originals. I left the scanned and printed copies in the drawer. Halata namang matagal na iyong hindi nagagalaw." iginala nito ang tingin sa paligid. "This place looks like it's rarely used."

Binuksan niya ang envelope at inilabas ang mga laman niyon. "Shit." He muttered under his breath. Naroon ang crime scene photos at reorts tungkol sa papa at kapatid niya. The documents he held in his hands formed what appears to be the dossier on the West Project.

Project. Mission. Assignment. Ganoon kung ituring ng mga Melloni ang pagdispatsa sa bawat taong sa tingin ng mga ito ay hadlang o threat sa gawain ng mga ito.

He scanned the papers and photos. Kinumpirma lang niyon ang mga suspetsa niya, at sinuportahan ang ilang ebidensyang mayroon na siya. Ang hindi lang niya inaasahan ay ang isang grupo ng litrato, held together by a paper clip.

His parents' wedding picture, one of their early family photos, a solo portrait of his beautiful mother probably in her late 20s, and finally, two shots of his mother with a young Franco Melloni.

Ang isa ay kuha sa Paris kung saan parehong nakangiti ang nga ito habang magkayakap sa harap ng Louvre. The other picture had them kissing, surrounded by a group of people in a party.

The photos were dated 1980 and 1981 respectively. His parents were married in 1982, and his sister was born a year after.

"I am planning to give that to you, pero gusto ko munang makasiguro. I was just about to ask Holt to help me check it's authenticity." JC touched his arm.

He flinched, "Holt? Si Holt ang nagsabi sa aking pumunta dito."

Napakurap ang babae. "What? Bakit k ---" napabuga ito ng hangin. "Silly matchmaker." bulong nito, sabay padyak.

Tumaas ang isang kilay niya, bago bumaba ang tingin sa mga hawak at maingat na ibinalik iyon sa envelope. "What was that?"

Umiling ito. "Wala." itinuro nito ang envelope. "Keep that, please... Stefan."

Minasdan niya ang babae. "This is too dangerous, JC." inilapag nito ang dossier sa mesa. "Bakit mo ginawa ito?"

Nag-iwas ng tingin ang babae. "Importante pa ba iyon? Ayan na ang matagal mo nang gustong makuha, ang sagot na matagal mo nang hinahanap. Instead of questioning my motives, why don't you just start planning how you'll slap those papers across Franco Melloni's evil face?" she stepped sideways and made a move to get away but he was quicker.

He caught her arm. "Saan ka pupunta?"

"Sa labas. Hindi ka pa rin ba aalis? Baka nahalata na nilang wala tayo sa party." kalmado ang boses ni JC pero hindi maikakaila ang pagkabalisa sa pagtaas-baba ng dibdib nito, na halos gahibla na lang marahil ang layo sa kanyang balat.

Again he was mesmerized -- by the warm breath from her nostrils and slightly parted lips, by that tinge of color on her cheeks, her eyes now at half mast, as her long lashes cast shadows on the skin below it.

"P... Stefan," she breathed.

"God, JC..." his voice was so raspy now, and when she lifted her eyes to his, she could see the lust and desire running rampant through them.

She swallowed, and unconsciously started backing away, getting closer and closer to a shelf as he advanced.

"Yes?" sinalubong nito ang tingin niya, habang halos mapasandal na sa shelves. Her eyes were burning now.

He couldn't hold back any longer  Gusto pa niys itong kausapin, marani pa siyang gustong itanong pero tila tinunaw na iyon ng magnet na parang humihila pa sa kanya palapit kay JC, hanggang sa maglahong muli ang distansya sa pagitan nila. He backed her up against the shelf, until every inch of their body touched.... so close, she could feel her breath on his neck.

"Don't push me away and try to run again, please..." pabulong na pakiusap niya.

"I... I won't.." sagot nito, bago bumaba ang tingin sa labi niya.

"Oh, God...",he groaned, as he felt a tightening within him, as he became too aware of the fire slowly licking at his veins. "I..  I want you " lumapat ang mga kamay niya sa magkabilang braso nito.

JC arched a brow. "Do something, then "

Ilang segundo muna ang lumipas bago nag-register sa kanya ang sinabi nito. He just looked at her for several beats, then he smiled and crushed his lips to hers, pressing her body back into the wall as he let all his weight finally press against her.