MONTE COSTA SERIES 1: SHORE OF HEARTS

Kabanata 22

NAHILOT ni Armani ang kanyang panga pagkaupo niya sa stool. Some of his brothers by oath; Linel, Jael, and Duncan were sitting on the other stools while Stephan is by the pool area, laying on a sun lounger and acting qas if he doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone.

Si Zaire na propesyunal na barista naman ay inilapag ang baso sa kanyang harapan bago iyon binuhusan ng Balmore whisky na alam nitong paborito niya. They have their own space in Zaire's shelf anyway, but no one is allowed to get inside Zaire's lair without his permission.

In that case, none of them really ever managed to set foot inside his bar area, no matter how thirsty they already are for liquor whenever he's not around. Iyon ang teritoryo ni Zaire, isa sa doseng founding members ng samahan.

Kung wala ito ay kailangan pa nilang magtungo sa bar ng Raja Amor para lang makapag-inom dahil siguradong masasakal sila nito kung makikialam sila sa teritoryo nito.

"Ano? Nasapak ka?" natatawang usyoso ni Jael, ang may-ari ng Raja Amor Suites na ka-tie up ng pamosong Hotel Khallisa.

Armani sighed. "Sa liit at hinhin na 'yon ng asawa ko, I swear I didn't see that punch coming."

His brothers groaned, as if all of them were so allergic with the term "asawa ko". Ang mga lintik na ito? Hintayin lamang talaga niyang may sumungkit sa puso ng mga ito at talagang siya ang pinakamalakas na tatawa.

"I can't believe ikaw ang unang masisipa paalis ng 'bachelor leg' ng brotherhood. You were everyone's dream guy when we founded this place when we were in our early twenty's," ani Zaire.

Honestly, Armani didn't really give a damn about the girls who showed interest to him. Nawalan na siya ng pakialam magmula noong napagtanto niyang nagkakaroon na siya ng espesyal na pagtingin kay Teissa. He started realizing it when he attended Teissa's eighteenth birthday. She looked like a goddess in her modest dress. A goddess that captivated his attention no matter how hard he tried to reminded himself that she's off-limits.

Not even in his wildest dreams that he ever thought he'd ever fall for someone way younger. Hindi iyon ang tipo niya. Hindi rin niya hilig iyong mahihinhin at walang alam sa kama. But Teissa made him break his own standards and turned him into a mad man who always makes excuses just to talk to her. Bakit naman kasi ang hirap kalimutan ng babaeng nag-aamok na iyon dahil sa kalabaw?

Don Lino must've noticed his admiration towards Teissa back then that's why the old man chose him instead of Argus who's way closer to Teissa's age. Ayaw niya naman sanang tanggapin ang alok nito dahil nais niyang paghirapang makuha ang puso ni Teissa ngunit hindi na siya binigyan pa ng pagpipilian ng namayapang Don.

Either he'd accept the offer or Don Lino will choose someone else to marry his grand daughter so he shook hands with Don Lino and signed the agreement.

"All this time, I thought she's Maria Clara, but that punch . . . man, that's definitely from Gabriela Silang." Bumuntonghininga si Armani. "For the record, that was a solid punch. Tsk tsk. She just gave me another reason to love her more."

"Ah, you disgusting piece of s**t," ani Jael saka nito tinungga ang natirang alak sa baso nito.

"Ano na ngayon ang balak mo? Man, she looked like she's ready to chop both of your heads off and feed it to the dogs. Will you give up your marriage and stay a member or you'll choose the harder route?" tanong ni Linel saka ito ngumisi.

Umismid si Armani. "She's just mad because I lied and she thinks I played with her heart, but I got two weeks to prove to her I deserve a chance. Hindi ko pakakawalan 'yon."

Jael and Linel both groaned. Halos sabay pang tumayo at tila naaalibadbarang umalis. Jael went towards the door closest to the pathway leading to Raja Amor while Linel went to his cabin to probably change so he can surf with Stephan.

Stephan . . .

Right. Kung may pwede siyang hingian ng payo, si Stephan iyon. Ito lang naman ang dati nang may asawa sa kanilang lahat kaya kahit paano naman siguro ay may mapupulot siya sa kaibigan.

He grabbed his glass of whisky then went to Stephan. "I need to consult something."

"Knock it off, I ain't your doctor," iritable nitong sabi habang nananatiling nakahiga.

Sinipa niya ito nang bahagya saka siya naupo sa kabilang sun lounger. "I need help. My wife is mad at me."

Inalis nito ang suot na sunglasses saka siya masungit na tinaasan ng kilay. "My wife is mad at me for six years already."

Umismid si Armani. "Ex-wife, bro."

Inirapan siya nito saka muling isinuot ang sunglasses saka nito inunanan ang mga braso. "As long as she's not someone else's wife, I still have all the right to call her that way so f**k off."

Sandaling sumimsim si Armani ng alak bago muling nagsalita. "I need your help, alright? You are the only reliable person here. They all have no idea how marriage works."

Umismid ito. "Gago, annulled ang kasal ko. You think I have any idea how to keep a marriage when I failed to keep mine? Tarantado ka, kung mang-aasar ka lang, lumayo-layo ka muna sa'kin, Armani. Masakit pa ang ulo ko dahil sa tindi ng hangover ko."

Armani sighed. "I am not teasing you. I just . . . wanna know how to make it up to Teissa. Baka 'yong nahihiya kang gawin sa asawa mo, maibalato mo muna sa'kin habang mataas pa ang pride mo."

Stephan grunted. "Fine. Hug her and tell her you're sorry. Listen to her rants and when she cools down, take care on a nice date." Binaba nito ang sunglasses. "If that's not gonna work, welcome back to the club."

MASAMA ang tingin na ipinukol ni Teissa kay Armani nang pumasok ito sa cabin nila. Nakaupo siya sa kama at yakap ang kanyang mga tuhod habang ang sinungaling na si Armani ay naupo sa gilid at tila nakikiramdam.

Maya-maya ay humugot ito ng malalim na hininga saka siya hinatak. Bumagsak silang pareho sa gitna ng kama at ang mga braso ni Armani ay mabilis na pumulupot sa kanyang maliit na katawan.

Sinubukan niyang kumawala sa yakap ng lintik niyang asawa. "Ano ba, Armani napipikon pa nga sabi ako sayo, eh! Pinagtripan mo ko! Nagkamali ako sa'yo! Wala kang karapatang dalhin ang pangalan ni Andres Bonifacio!"

Armani tightened his hug. Nang iangat niya ang tingin dito ay kumabog ang puso niya nang mapansin ang tila pagsusumamo sa mga mata ni Armani.

Bwisit! Ang hirap manatiling pikon kung ganito kagwapo ang nagpapaawa! Idagdag pang crush na crush niya ito noon!

She felt a shiver down her spine when Armani caressed her back with his palm before he took in a heavy breath. Mas lumamlam pa nga ang mga mata nitong nakatitig sa kanya at tila nagmamakaawang huwag na siyang magalit.

"Sorry na . . ." He drew circles on her back, halos mahigit niya tuloy ang kanyang hininga. "I didn't mean to keep the truth from you. Natakot lang ako na . . . baka mas piliin mo ang annulment oras na malaman mong ako ang napangasawa mo."

Her heart felt a tug when she saw insecurities crossed Armani's eyes. Napakurap tuloy siya, hindi makapaniwalang nakita niya iyon sa mga mata ng isang tulad ni Armani. She didn't realize that someone like him could still feel that way gayong narito na nga halos ang lahat.

Teissa sighed. "Hindi ka nagtitiwala sa judgements ko, ganoon ba, Armani?"

"No, baby it's not like that. I just . . ." He let out a frustrated sigh, ang mga mata ay pumungay habang nakatitig sa kanya. "I just got scared . . . because I really really wanna keep our marriage."

Nagwala nang husto ang puso niya dahil sa naging tugon nito. Maging ang dila niya ang bigla yatang umurong kaya nang natulala na lamang siya kay Armani, bumaba ang tingin nito sa kanyang mga labi.

Her skin felt heated and the little hairs on her neck stood to its end when Armani moved to get on top of her. She held her breath when he parted her legs and his face went down to finally kiss her.

Muntik nang mabasag ang rib cage niya! Ni hindi niya rin alam ang gagawin lalo na nang humagod na sa bawat himaymay ng kanyang katawan ang nakapapasong kiliti na dala ng bawat galaw ng mga labi nito.

Gosh, this is their official kiss as husband and wife, and no matter how hard Teissa tries to stay angry at him, her heart just wouldn't allow her anymore.

Sumara ang kanyang mga mata at umalpas ang kanyang ungol nang pumasok sa laylayan ng kanyang suot na fitted shirt ang mainit nitong palad.

He caressed her burning skin on her sides up to the edges of her brassieres, slightly teasing her before he pulled it down to cup her breast with his warm hand. Halos pumutok ang mga ugat niya sa biglaang bugso ng kakaibang sensasyon. Gosh, this is way better and more incinerating compared to when she did it to herself.

Napaungol si Teissa kaya nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Armani. He sucked her tongue and explored her mouth like he wanted to brand every inch of her. When his thumb rolled the tip of her hardened n****e, she clutched on his hair and moaned in ecstasy.

He continued kissing her and teasing her boob, but when the door suddenly opened and one of his friends came in carrying a woman while they were kissing, napabalikwas ng bangon si Armani at Teissa.

"Putangina ka, Colden!" malutong na mura ni Armani.

His brother chuckled then went out of the room again carrying his girl. Bumuntonghininga naman si Armani, ngunit nang akmang hahalikan siyang muli ay umiral ang pagkataranta at gulat ni Teissa. Tumama ang tuhod niya sa pagitan ng mga hita nito, at nang bumagsak si Armani sa sahig, namilipit ito sa sakit habang dumadaing.

"God, Teissa." He groaned in paint. "I didn't know I married a Katipunera . . ."