Pleasure Me, Uncle Eros (SSPG)

The engine of my car roared louder than the voice of my father that still echoed inside my head. "You're twenty-five, Luna! Stop acting like a child!" I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. Child? Maybe I was. Dahil matapos ang isa namang walang katapusang pagtatalo tungkol sa kinabukasan ko, ang tanging bagay na alam kong gawin ay ang tumakbo palayo. I didn't stop driving until the neon lights of The Velvet Underground blurred past my windshield. Pagkaparada ng sasakyan ay mabilis akong bumaba. As I entered the high-end bar, the heavy electronic beat immediately flowed into my body. The loud music gave me the one thing I wanted to cherish the most tonight, freedom, as what they call it. I walked straight toward the VIP bar area, my heels clicking sharply against the floor. Humanap ako ng puwesto sa pinakakasulok, malayo sa mga taong lunod na sa sayaw. I just wanted to blur the world out. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko mula sa bag. As expected, a barrage of text messages from my dad lit up the screen. "Tomorrow you're signing the modeling contract. Final." "No." I quickly typed back. "If you refuse... don't bother coming back home." Napatitig ako sa screen habang unt-unting sumisikip ang dibdib ko. That one sentence raised the stakes completely. Hindi na lang ito simpleng sermon. My own father was ready to throw me out if I didn't become the golden puppet they wanted me to be. "Give me the strongest drink you have," matigas kong utos sa bartender. "Ma'am, shot po ba o cocktail?" "The whole bottle. Iwan mo na lang sa akin 'yan," sagot ko sabay bagsak ng aking credit card sa counter. Inilapag sa harap ko ang isang bote ng premium tequila. I didn't waste any time. I poured the first shot and downed it. Gumuhit ang matinding init sa aking lalamunan hanggang sa aking dibdib, ngunit ang pait ng alak ay hindi pa rin mapantayan ang pait na dala ng sarili kong pamilya. Biglang nagbago ang atmospera sa loob ng bar. The lights suddenly dimmed, and the resident DJ abruptly stopped the music. A collective gasp echoed, and within seconds, almost every phone inside the club rose into the air. Women started screaming. Men whistled. I frowned, looking at the bartender. "What's happening?" Bago pa man siya makasagot, ang boses ng announcer ang bumasag sa bulong-bulungan. “And for tonight’s special performance, let’s hear it from our resident playboy! Eros Draven Montefalco!” My heart dropped. Eros. Napatitig ako sa stage. There he was, standing under the spotlight, wearing a loose black tank top that effortlessly showed off the intricate tattoos crawling up his chest and arms. The crowd went completely wild. The ladies shouted his name like they were being blessed in a Sunday mass. His presence was so loud, you could practically feel the heavy tension shift in the room the moment his eyes swept across the crowd. I’ll admit, he’s really THAT man. Iba ang karisma niya. He's a top-tier model, an actor, and a dancer. Most of his works are rated 18, and he's never been afraid to show skin or court controversies. Every other month, linked ang pangalan niya sa iba't ibang babae at iskandalo, yet he still stands strong. Pinagkakaguluhan pa rin ng lahat. They never saw his dirt, they only saw his awards. And that was exactly why I hated him. Every family gathering, tuwing gabi na lang na mag-aaway kami ni Dad, iisang linya lang ang naririnig ko: "Why can't you become successful like Eros?" They never saw my efforts. They only saw my failures because I chose to be an ordinary woman pursuing architecture. Parte si Eros ng pamilya namin, ang ampon na naging pinakabatang Montefalco, pero ang paraan ng pagkilos niya, parang wala siyang pakialam kung masira niya ang reputasyon ng pamilya. At ako naman ang pinapako sa krus para protektahan ang pangalan namin. "Hello everyone," Eros spoke into the mic, his deep, raspy voice sending another wave of screams through the crowd. "I've been totally packed for the whole month, so I haven't had the chance to visit. Now that I’m here... drinks on me!" The club erupted in cheers. Agad siyang bumaba sa stage nang may lumapit na bouncer at may ibinulong sa kaniya. Humakbang siya patungo sa exit. Eksakto namang tumunog ang phone ko. Pagtingin ko, si Dad na naman ang tumatawag. Sa sobrang inis ko, binuhat ko ang baso ko at lumabas muna sa gilid ng bar, malapit sa fire exit, kung saan mas tahimik. Sinagot ko ang tawag, handa nang makipag-giyera. "Dad, hindi pa ako uuwi okay? At kung tungkol na naman ito sa reunion o sa kontrata, shut it! I am focus on my own life!" "Luna, grow up! Kung ayaw mo sa pressure, huwag kang umasal na parang bata! Umuwi ka na rito bago ko tuluyang bawiin ang lahat sa'yo!" "Give this girl time to process things! I'm fine, okay?!" I shouted back, tears of frustration stinging my eyes. Hindi ko na siya pinatapos at agad kong pinatay ang tawag. I leaned against the cold wall, gasping for air. Subalit bago ko pa man maibaba ang kamay ko, isang pamilyar at baritonong boses mula sa kabilang bahagi ng hallway ang narinig ko. "Dad, stop it, okay? Enough being pushy. They don't want me there anyway." Napatigil ako. Pagsilip ko, doon ko nakita si Eros. He was pacing back and forth, holding his phone, his face tight with a kind of stress I had never seen on him before. For sure, it was Lolo on the line. "Sabihin mo na lang kay Mom na busy ako. I have too many projects, my schedule is packed," Eros ran a hand through his messy hair, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh. "Ilang beses ko ba kailangang sabihin sa inyo? Hindi naman talaga ako parte ng pamilyang Montefalco. Bye." He abruptly ended the call. I froze as he turned around. Doon nagtama ang tingin naming dalawa. Shock registered across his features for a split second before his usual calm mask returned. "You're here," Eros observed, looking at my tear-stained face. "Someone called you to ruin your night as well?" I rolled my eyes, the familiar hatred flaring up inside me to cover my vulnerability. "Don't talk to me." Inis ko siyang iniwan doon at mabilis na bumalik sa loob ng bar. Puno ng galit ang dibdib ko. I couldn't explain it, pero mas lalo akong nagulo. Even Eros, the golden boy, the superstar was being suffocated by the very same family. It created a strange, confusing crack in my prejudice against him, and it made me want to erase reality even more. I threw myself back onto the bar stool. I didn't care anymore. Nilagok ko ang pang-lima, pang-anim na shot. Ang lakas na ng sipa ng alak. My vision was spinning wildly, and the music turned into a muffled buzz. I was completely wasted, and for the first time, I welcomed the numbness. Isasalin ko na sana ang pang-pitong shot nang biglang may isang malaking kamay ang humarang sa ibabaw ng aking baso, pinipigilan ako. "That's enough, Luna." Dahan-dahan kong iminulat ang aking mabigat na mga mata. Kahit pa malabo ang lahat, kilalang-kilala ko ang hubog ng mukhang iyon. Ang matangos na ilong, ang mapupungay na mata, at ang pamilyar na amoy ng mahal na kahoy at tabako. Eros. "Bitawan mo nga ako," slurred ang aking pananalita. Sinubukan kong bawiin ang aking baso ngunit mas lalo niyang inilayo ang aking kamay sa alak. "You're making a scene. Lasing ka na. I'll call your dad or a driver to take you home," Eros said, his voice deep and authoritative. His face was dead serious, malayo sa mapaglarong playboy na nakita ko kanina sa stage. The mention of Dad was the final straw. Ang alak na dumadaloy sa aking mga ugat ay nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang tapang. Instead of pulling away, binitawan ko ang aking baso at tumayo, dahilan upang mawalan ako ng balanse at sumubsob sa kaniyang matigas na dibdib. Hindi ako lumayo. Sa halip ay itinaas ko ang aking mga kamay at mahigpit na kumapit sa kaniyang malalapad na balikat. Eros froze. I felt his muscles tighten beneath my touch. Inilapit ko ang aking mukha sa kaniya hanggang sa maging pulgada na lamang ang distansya namin. Tinitigan ko siya nang diretso sa kaniyang mga mata, isang matalim at mapang-akit na tingin. Ang aming mga hininga ay naghahalo, at kitang-kita ko ang pag-igting ng kaniyang panga. I let my fingers trace the edge of his collarbone, gently touching the peak of the tattoo on his chest. "Bakit mo ba ako pinapakialaman, Eros?" bulong ko sa isang mapang-akit na tono. I purposely leaned closer, letting my lips brush against his jawline. "Hindi mo ba ako kayang makitang nag-e-enjoy? O baka naman... gusto mo lang din akong kontrolin gaya nila?" Eros let out a low, ragged breath. He didn't pull away, but his eyes darkened significantly. Nabura ang kaniyang seryosong aura, pinalitan ng isang uri ng gutom na pilit niyang itinatago. "Luna, stop this," paos niyang sabi, his hands gripping my waist firmly. "You have a boyfriend, and you're drunk. You don't know what you're doing. This is wrong." Isang mapait at mapang-akit na tawa ang kumawala sa aking mga labi. Kung mali ang maging malaya, ayoko nang maging tama kahit ngayong gabi lang. I wanted to ruin the perfect image they created for me. And looking at the man in front of me, the ultimate sinner of our family. I found my escape. I arched my brow, a dangerous fire gleaming in my drunken eyes. Hinila ko ang kaniyang kwelyo para mas lalong mapalapit ang kaniyang mga labi sa akin. "Bakit, Uncle Eros?" hamon ko sa kaniya, binigyang-diin ang tawag na alam kong ikaiirita niya. "Nasisindak ka ba sa akin? Ang dami mong babaeng pinaiiyak gabi-gabi... pero pagdating sa akin..." I leaned in closer, my lips almost touching his as I whispered the final blow, "Natatakot ka ba?" Ang mapaglarong ngiti ko ay agad na napawi nang makita ko ang biglang pagbabago sa kaniyang mukha. His eyes locked onto my lips, and his restraint completely snapped. "You shouldn't have said that, Luna," he growled. Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, Eros slammed his lips into mine. It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was aggressive and possessive. His large hand moved to the back of my neck, tilting my head to deepen the kiss. The taste of premium tequila and pure desire exploded in my mouth. My mind went totally blank as he dominated my senses, completely erasing the noise of the bar around us. This was the biggest mistake of my life, but as he pulled me closer into his body, I didn't want to stop.