VALERIA SERRANO: Forbidden Temptation [L.O.D.O S#2]

Chapter 25

REIJI ERICKSON VEYNAR’S POV

Two months. Two months of drowning myself in alcohol, two months of pretending that the world outside my haze still existed.

Hindi pa din ako nakakabalik sa serbisyo, ang mas malala pa ay mukhang madadagdagan ang buwan ng suspension ko. Dahil nakarating sa NBI director ang tungkol sa ginawa ko sa tatlong bouncer.

The car groaned as I parked at the parking lot beside my house, the engine echoing softly in the empty driveway. I didn’t care about the dents anymore.

Didn’t care about the scratches. Didn’t care about anything.

I dragged myself out of the driver’s seat, bottle in hand, swinging it lazily like a baton. My arm still ached, the scar under the bandage reminded me that some pain didn’t fade with alcohol. But it wasn’t the wound in my shoulder that hurt most.

I fumbled with the keys at the door. The familiar click of the lock sounded normal, mundane, grounding.

Ngunit, biglang may nahagip na pamilyar na pigura ang gilid ng paningin ko. Natigilan ako at binitawan ang nakabukas na pinto ng bahay. At lumingon sa direksyon kung saan ito nakatayo.

A tall, slim and her hair was cascading in the way that only she could wear it. She was sanding perfectly still in the shadows of my porch.

"F*ck," natatawang sambit ko, sa pag-aakalang nagha-hallucinate lamang ako.

Kinagat ko ang labi ko, kumurap-kurap ako nang ilang beses upang siguraduhin ang nakikita ko. At makalipas ang mahigit ilang minuto ay wala pa ring nagbabago.

Nandoon pa din siya. Nakaharap sa akin, at walang emosyon ang mga mata.

“Reiji…” she said, saying my name like a whisper.

Slowly, my head lifted, and my heart betrayed me with a sharp, stabbing thump.

"So.. she was real," mahinang usal ko at hilaw na tumawa.

She was standing a few feet away from me. Calm. Controlled. Exuding that same quiet danger I had learned to fear.

“Valeria…” namamaos ang boses kong sambit, ngunit hindi ko alam kung ano ang eksaktong nararamdaman ko sa mga sandaling iyon.

Kung galit... pagkamuhi o sakit?

Naghalo-halo na ang emosyon sa dibdib ko, at kahit ayaw kong aminin ay may parte sa loob ko na gumaan nang makita ko siya.

I keep telling myself that I was only imagining. That my mind was playing tricks on me, that this was just another cruel joke the universe liked to play. But the way the moonlight caught her face, the way her presence filled the space around me, there was no denying it.

I stepped back instinctively, fumbling with the bottle in my hand.

"What are you doing here?" malamig kong tanong, muling humarap sa pintuan ng bahay.

Hindi ko kayang tingnan siya ng matagal. Dahil kung gagawin ko iyon ay baka makalimutan ko ang galit na nararamdaman ko para sa kanya. Baka makalimot ako at imbes na mas lalong dagdagan ang puot sa puso ko.. ay naka bigla akong maging mahina.

Tumakbo papalapit sa kanya, yakapin siya at makiusap na kalimutan na lamang namin ang nangyari. At bumalik kami sa kung saan huminto ang lahat.

"I came here to see you," she responded.

For a moment, I thought I misheard her.

Then a laugh tore out of my chest.. dry, cracked, and full of poison.

"Putangina…” napailing ako, humahagikhik nang mapait. “That’s it? That’s your reason?”

My heart was pounding so violently it almost hurt. Too fast. Too loud. Like it was trying to claw its way out of my ribcage. I hated it. Hated how my body reacted to her presence as if it had forgotten everything she had done.

As if it had forgotten the bl*od.

My men... lying on the ground, broken and barely was breathing.

I turned to face her fully.

And I forced my face to harden.

I dragged every ounce of anger I had buried these past months and wore it like armor. I let it twist my expression, let it poison my voice... because if I didn’t, I knew I would break.

“You came here… to see me?” I scoffed, stepping closer. “After everything?”

My fingers curled into fists at my sides, nails biting into skin.

“Do you have any idea what you did?” I snapped. “My men almost died. Almost. And you...” I laughed again, sharper this time while pointing my fingers at her. “You stood there and watched. You planned it. You knew exactly where to hit. Dahil sa simula pa lang ay iyon naman talaga ang gusto mong mangyari! Hinintay mo lang talaga na mahulog ang loob ko sa'yo baka mo isinagawa ang plano mo.. nang sa gano'n ay maging doble ang sakit na mararamdam ko!"

My jaw tightened as the memories flooded back...

“I trusted you,” I said, voice dropping. “And don’t you dare pretend that didn’t matter. You knew my past. You knew what losing my team did to me. I told you everything. And you still used that against me.”

I shook my head slowly, disbelief mixing with fury.

“I was stupid,” I hissed. “Stupid enough to believe you were real. Stupid enough to think you gave a d*mn.”

My eyes burned, but I refused to let her see that.

“So don’t stand there like this is some casual visit,” I growled. “Don’t show up at my doorstep and tell me you just wanted to see me.”

I took another step closer, close enough to feel her presence again... and it made my bl*od boil.

“If you’re here to finish the job,” I said coldly, “then do it.”

The corner of my lips curved upward... giving her the look that would make her feel challenged.

“But don’t expect me to welcome you like before," dugtong ko ko at binasag boteng naglalaman ng alak sa mismong harapan ko.

"Just k*ll me, Valeria.. P*tayin mo nalang ak--"

"Don't test me, Reiji!" she cut me off. "Kung iyon talaga ang sadya ko ay kanina ka pa sana nakahandusay d'yan sa mismong kinatatayuan mo," malamig niyang sambit.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero mas lalo lang akong nanlumo sa sinabi niyang iyon. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay pinapaikot na naman niya ako at sa oras na makuha niyang muli ang tiwala ko ay gagamitin na naman niya ako.

At ang mas nakakainis pa roon ay handa ako... handang-handa ako kung sakaling gagawin niya ulit iyon.

And thinking about me.. makes me feel sick of myself.

"Then, leave... Kung hindi mo naman pala iyon gagawin ay umalis kana at wag na wag kana ulit pupunta rito..." usal ko, blangko ang ekspresyon habang nakatingin sa kanya.

Muli kong siyang tinalikuran.. binuksan ko ang pinto at humakbang papasok sa loob. At kasunod niyon ay ang dumagundong na tunog ng pintuan dahil pabato ko iyong isinara.

TO BE CONTINUED....