Sold To The Devil (Tagalog)

Kabanata 4

Mabilis na bumalik sa kaniya ang mga mata ko, matalim ang tingin.

“Hinding-hindi ko ’yan pipirmahan. Hindi ako magpapakasal sa ’yo!” Tumayo ako pero hindi ko pa rin siya napantayan. “I would rather die than tie my life with you.”

I put all my force into my hand and pushed him aside by his chest. I tossed the pen across the room as though I were having a tantrum. I didn’t care if I was going to make him mad—hell, I didn’t even care if I died here right now.

Being his wife meant letting go of the hope I had left for freedom. Anong magiging kabuluhan ng buhay ko kung magiging isang alipin lang ako habang-buhay ng isang demonyo?

Umalis ako sa silid-hapagkainan at dumiretso sa hagdanan upang magtungo sa kuwarto ko. Sa dulo ng hagdanan ay naroon si Adam at Sienna.

Sienna faced me while Adam leaned back on the staircase’s ledge and watched me approach them.

“You both knew the reason I’m here,” I stated. Why would I ask when I already knew the answer?

“Akala ko alam mo na?” She c****d her head to the side, confused. “Hindi ba sinabi sa ’yo ni Master Zaccheus?”

Tumawa ako, hindi makapaniwala. “I’ve been confused this whole time!”

“Akala ko sarcastic ka lang, malay ko bang hindi ka pala nagbibiro.”

I threw my hands in the air in defeat. I walked past her and stomped my way to my bedroom. I ran to the balcony and let my eyes roam outside. I heaved myself up over the ledge to get a better look.

I can’t stay here anymore. There was a tiny part of me that considered living here, but that was a huge mistake. Kahit na katiting na pag-iisip pa ’yon, kahit na subconscious ko lang iyon—malaking pagkakamali.

May nagtangkang magbukas ng kuwarto ko, kasunod noon ay ang marahang pagkatok sa pinto. Hindi ako kumibo at nanatiling nakatayo sa ledge. Dahil gabi na, wala akong masyadong makita sa labas.

Bumaba ako, dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang pinto at sumilip sa labas.

Likod ng pigura ni Adam ang nasilayan kong naglalakad palayo. Pinagmasdan ko Nang maiigi ang katawan niya, naghahanap ng armas na maaari kong manakaw sa kaniya.

“Adam!” I called for him.

He stopped in his tracks. He spun around and walked back to me. “Mildred... Okay lang na tawagin kita sa pangalan mo, ’di ba?”

Binuksan ko nang maluwang ang pintuan. “I’m not going to be Zaccheus’s wife, so yeah. Mildred lang.”

Tumaas ang sulok ng labi niya. “You didn’t read the contract.”

“I’m not interested,” I muttered, gritting my teeth in frustration. “Gusto kong makipag-deal sa ’yo. Kapalit nun ay tutulungan mo ’kong makalaya rito.”

“I don’t mean to offend you... but actually, I am. Anong meron sa ’yo na gugustuhin ko?”

“Duh?” I rolled my eyes. “My body?”

“Anong gagawin ko sa katawan mo?” he asked, entertained.

I slowly closed the space between us while maintaining eye contact. I trailed my fingers from his stomach to his chest, then grabbed his collar. I gave it a tug, pulling his face closer to mine and breathing the same air he was breathing.

“You can do anything you want to my body, Adam. Anything you like. Oh, you can also do all your kinks and fantasies and I’ll cooperate. You can f**k my ass if you like, tie me on the bed, grope me, spank me, f**k my mouth,” I whispered, forcing my voice to sound sexy.

I smiled when my lips caught his attention for a short moment. I felt the weight of his hand on my waist. I closed my eyes when he pulled me close to him until our chests were touching. I bit my lower lip seductively, running my palm on his chest while my other hand went around his nape.

“That’s very tempting,” I heard him chuckle in my ear. I moaned from his warm breath tickling the back of my ear. “But no.”

Minulat ko ang mga mata ko, nagtatakang tiningala siya. Impit akong sumigaw nang buhatin niya ako para itapon sa kama. Kinuha ko ang unan at malakas itong hinagis sa kaniya.

“f**k you all!” I screamed. I crawled to grab the lamp on the nightstand and threw it at him.

He evaded and lunged at me. He pulled a pistol from behind him and aimed it at me. The muzzle touched my forehead and I glared at him.

“Deal.”

“What?” My brows knitted.

“But I’m not interested in your body. I have a girlfriend,” he said while pulling something from the pocket of his white shirt. “Alam mo ba kung ano ’to?” Pinakita niya sa akin ang isang maliit na bote na isang pulgada lang ang laki.

Dahan-dahan akong umiling. “Hindi ko alam kung ano ’yan. What game are you playing?”

“It’s a drug we sell. Anyone who consumes this will lose consciousness. A single drop is enough. It’s like a sleeping pill, but a lot stronger and faster to get into your system,” he explained. “Ibibigay ko sa ’yo ’to.”

“Wha… what?”

“Ikaw na ang bahala kung anong gagawin mo d'yan. Aalis kami bukas nang maaga ni Zac kasama ang ibang tauhan niya. Pagkakataon mo na 'yon para tumakas.” Binaba niya na ang baril.

“What exactly is our deal? Kung hindi mo gusto ang katawan ko, what the f**k do you want then?”

I was skeptical. I couldn’t trust a guy I barely know.

“Kapag nakatakas ka, kapag napagtagumpayan mong makatakas, tutulungan kita sa labas at poprotektahan ka. Hindi ka na babalik sa club, at pati na rin dito… that is, if you escape.”

“Bakit kita paniniwalaan?”

“I will also give you this gun.” Pinakita niya sa akin ang hawak niyang baril. Inabot niya ang kamay ko at inilagay rito iyon. “You can check if it’s loaded. I trust you know how to use a gun?”

Tumango ako habang nakababa ang tingin sa baril na hawak ko. I knew how heavy a gun is if it was loaded, so I didn’t ask him further questions.

“Hindi ko alam kung anong mapapala mo sa kasunduan natin, pero hindi na ’ko magtatanong pa. If I find that you’re lying and playing with me, I will come for you. I will kill you.” Tinutok ko sa kaniya ang baril, nilahad ko ang kamay sa harap niya para hingin ang droga. Nakangisi niyang ibinigay ito sa akin.

“What’s your plan?”

“I have two plans, actually. Plan A is a secret, but Plan B will be my backup plan if Plan A won’t work out. Hindi ko sasabihin sa ’yo dahil wala akong tiwala sa ’yo.”

He looked at me suspiciously. “What’s your Plan B?”

I smiled innocently.

Kill Zaccheus Gonzales.

***

Kinabukasan ay maaga akong nagising. Hindi ko inasahan na sa pagbangon ko ay tatambad kaagad sa harapan ko ang lalaking huling gusto kong makita.

Si Zaccheus ay nakasandal sa nakasaradong pinto sa likod niya. Agad sumama ang tingin ko sa folder na hawak niya sa kanang kamay.

Maayos akong umupo, ang comforter ay nakatakip sa ibabang parte ng katawan ko.

“I’m still not going to sign the contract, Mr. Zaccheus,” I said sweetly, smiling with half-hooded eyes.

Inirapan niya ako. Muntikan pang lumaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa naging responde niya sa pang-aasar ko.

Pikon naman pala 'to.

Lumapit siya sa akin. “Bakit hindi mo subukang basahin ang kontrata? No matter what you say, you’re still going to end up signing everything in this contract.”

“I said no, baby. Ang ayoko sa lahat ay ang hindi makatanggap ng simpleng sagot. Naiintindihan mo naman siguro kung anong ibig sabihin ng ‘no,’ ’di ba?” Nilandas ko ang mga mata ko sa kabuuan niya.

Was he wearing the same clothes as before? No, he looked neat and tidy compared to last night. His hair looked smoother, like he just taken a shower not long ago.

“You’re leaving?” I asked in a mutter, then laughed. “After you just proposed to me last night? Hindi mo ba naisip na baka gusto lang kitang paluhurin at bigyan mo ’ko ng engagement ring?” I showed him my left hand and wiggled my fingers.

His eyes narrowed, though he didn’t look mad. It appeared to me that he was trying to read me.

“You’re stupid, darling. I’m not going to propose and go down on one knee for someone as low as you. What makes you think you’re that special?”

Pinagkrus ko ang mga braso ko. Dahan-dahan akong umusog palapit sa kaniya habang titig na titig sa madilim niyang mga mata.

“I want to use your kitchen today.”

Confused by the sudden change of topic, he tilted his head to the side. “For what?”

I shrugged. “I’m gonna cook obviously? Alangan naman maglaro ako dun."

“I thought you said you’ll burn the kitchen down if you cook.”

“I don’t remember ever saying that,” I defended.

His eyes hardened. “You did."

“Well then it’s a figure of speech. I’m not going to literally burn your kitchen down, stupid. I know how to cook, but I’m not good at it. I’m going to practice, just in case magustuhan ko kung anong mang nakasulat sa kontrata.”

“You’ll sign it?” he asked, but his face remained stoic.

“No, I’ll read it first.”

“You’ll sign it.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Ibigay mo na sa ’kin ang kontrata.”

He tongued his cheek as he ran his eyes over my appearance. Then his gaze lowered to my upper body. I wore the silk spaghetti nightdress I found inside the closet. One strap had fallen down my arm, and my hair was tied in a messy bun.

Dinilaan ko ang ibaba kong labi. Unti-unti kong inangat ang katawan at lumuhod. Ang comforter na nakatakip sa hita ko ay bumaba. Mapang-akit akong ngumiti habang umaabante para lapitan siya. Dahil mataas ang kama, naging magkapantay ang taas namin. Ilang pulgada na lang ang layo ng katawan at mukha namin sa isa’t isa.

Although his face remained expressionless, I was still confident that I had an effect on him, considering that his breathing became sharper than normal. I trailed my fingers on the folder he was holding, and my fingers brushed against his.

I smirked, pulling the contract from his hold and discarding it on the bed behind me.

“Mamaya ko na babasahin, hm?” malambing kong saad. “So what would it be? Papayagan mo ba ’kong gamitin ang kusina mo?” Umupo ako sa takong ng mga paa ko, nakatingala sa kaniya at bahagyang nakaawang ang bibig.

Inangat niya ang isang kamay niya, at alerto ko itong sinundan ng tingin, sakaling gamitin niya ito para saktan ako. Pinalibot niya ang kamay sa leeg ko. Napalunok ako at ibinalik ang tingin sa mga mata niyang nakatitig sa akin.

“Gusto mo ba ’kong samahan?” pinagpatuloy ko ang paglalambing.

His hand around my throat tightened, but not enough to prevent oxygen from entering my lungs.

“I would if I could, darling, but I’m a busy man. I have a transaction waiting at the port.”

I smiled inwardly. “Don’t you wanna mess around in the kitchen? Eat me or maybe screw me on the counter?”

“Hmm...” he hummed and unwrapped his hand from my neck. Then his thumb started to rub circles around my throat. “I was just merely curious about your... reputation, but I didn't think you'd be this slutty. Do you live for s*x?"

Mahina akong tumawa. “I love s*x, baby, but I don’t live for it.”

“Ilang lalaki na ang gumalaw sa ’yo?”

“More than I can count.”

His jaw clenched and his eyes darkened. “Filthy.”

“’Di ba dapat maging magaling ka sa trabaho mo? Iyon ang ginagawa ko. Mas magiging magaling ako sa trabaho ko kapag marami na ’kong experience. But it doesn’t bother me, Mr. Zaccheus. As I said, I love s*x and I enjoy it.”

“That’s not your job anymore, so stop behaving like a f*****g whore.”

Gaganti pa sana ako, pero tinulak niya ’ko sa leeg at tumilapon ako sa kama.

“I will have Sienna accompany you to the kitchen. I have CCTVs around my house connected to my phone. The only unsecured places inside the house are the bedrooms. If I see you do something stupid, you won’t like what I’ll do to you.” Matigas ang tono ng pananalita niya, malinaw niyang binigyang-diin ang bawat salita bago lisanin ang silid.