S7VEN: The Devil Who Loves Me (TAGLISH/ R-18)

Chapter 4. The Ambassador

SEVEN'S POV

"Yow, Hermano!"

"What is it?" I asked idly to my younger brother who invited himself to my office.

Kahit kailan talaga 'di ito marunong kumatok. The fool even took the liberty to eat the turkey sandwich my secretary had ordered for me earlier.

"Give me a ride."

I shoot him daggers. What the?! Siraulo talaga to.

"Anong palagay mo sa 'kin, grab? Uber!? I'm not your chauffeur, Onze. Go and find Shamie. Doon ka mang bwiset, wag sa'kin," pagtataboy ko dito.

I waved my free hand while my gaze was fixed on the report I was studying. It's a merger proposal that requires scrutiny and Onze's presence isn't helping me now. The board needs my decision today before we add the casino to our umbrella.

Palugi na ang nasabing casino, but I can see some potential in it, so I told our acquisition department that I want to give it a shot. I'll test the waters and see if the odds will favor us. I trust my guts on this one. I know that it'll be a win-win situation for us and the owner. I'm shrewd and opportunistic.

Kapag may nakita akong isang bagay na alam kong kikita kami ng malaki, walang pag aalinlangang sinusunggaban ko iyon. And all my decisions for the past years brought billions of pesos in our family. I have the Midas touch, that's what my father's said but for me, I'm just greedy. It's my forte, aside from killing people who irritate me just like the one who's shamelessly gnawing my food. Unmindful of my thoughts and busy schedule.

Nakita kong patutoy lang sa pag nguya ang bunso namin sa harapan ko. Gusto kong bigwasan sa lalamunan nang matauhan.

Onze was the youngest of us. He's around the age of my wife, I think. I'm not really sure. However there's one thing that I'm certain about this hellion, he knows every f*****g app on the planet. And every nook and cranny of the dark web.

Onze's the great magician, a wizard as what he named himself, who wore his black hat like it's his crown.

"Pff. Are you kidding me?" Onze chided.

I decided to spare him a glance. Kung kanina nag dadalawang isip pa ko sa balak kong pag bigwas sa kanya, ngayon buo na ang pasya ko. He's wearing his awful sneakers into my office.

"I'm serious and you'll be dead within the next 5 minutes kapag hindi ka pa umalis sa opisina ko, Onze. And for the love of God, wear something nice. Get your f*****g shoes off my table. NOW!"

"What? This is nice, Siete."

"Nice? You call that nice?" matalim ang matang pinasdahan ko ang ayos nito."Talo mo pa ang miyembro ng isang pipitsuging banda d'yan sa suot mo," I snarled and eyed the tattered jeans, black t-shirt, and his well-worn sneakers. Isama po natin ang kulot nitong buhok na 'di pa masyadong kilala ang suklay. And he had the audacity to call his looks nice. f**k me.

"Papa will go ballistic dahil sa ayos mo."

"This is fashion, Kuya," Onze's carefree answer irks me.

I glowered at him. Kailan ba nito maiintindihan na sa klase ng estado na mayroon kami, dapat ay lagi kaming presentable. Maliit pa lang ako'y isinaksak na sa kukote ko ng magaling kong ama na kahit anong mangyari, umulan man o magka delibyo, we must wear suit.

Be it facing our worst enemy or conquering the world, a suit is a must. But my younger brother seemed to forget that cardinal rule.

"Hindi naman ako sinermunan ni Papa, so keep your cool. Okay? Besides, I can't wear those Armani. Nangangati ako. Mas masarap gumalaw sa jeans at shirts ko."

Napatingala na lang ako sa rason nito.

"Fine. Just wear different shoes next time."

"This is new! I just bought this yesterday. This is rare Jordan IV."

"Fine, sneaker head. What is it that you want? Kung wala, lumayas ka na sa harapan ko."

"We have to go. Sasabay ako sa'yo.Mama called me and asked me to get your ass out of this office. Ora mismo 'cause she's at your house now preparing her famous paella."

I groaned. That's the magic word. Mama. And it always works for the five of us, all the f*****g time.

"Can't you just go and fetch Shamie? He's in his mancave now," nahahapong sagot ko na ang tinutukoy ay ang pangatlo naming kapatid na lalake. "Sa kanya ka sumabay."

I heard my little brother snort.

"Now that's definitely a joke. Walang sinuman ang makakapag palabas sa lungga niya kay Shamie. Not when you ordered us to track the activities at Port Claveria."

My jaw automatically clenched upon hearing that word. It's one of the reasons why I need to stay in Davao for almost two weeks. Aside from the fact that I was furious about my shotgun wedding.

Otto found out that through one of his sources that there have been numerous exchanges going on in one of our ports and we're left in the dark. Gusto kong pagsasakalin lahat ng hefe namin sa Mindanao nang malaman iyon. Hindi namin sila binabayaran para lang magpalaki ng bayag at hayaan ang isa sa mga kinamumuhian kong transaksiyon na manyari sa mismong teritoryo namin.

Coke and meth. I loathe those things and the people who have them in their books.

"Where are we on that, Onze?" I put both of my hands together on top of the table. A gesture that means I'm in a business mode. My mood was darker now.

How the pricks hide the exchange puzzles me more than it angers me. There's a snake in our backyard and I'll go hunting one of these days. I swear to relish every moment of it.

Nobody gets away with La Familia. Nobody.

Onze knows it. If there's one thing that I'm proud of my brother, it's his innate nature to shift from one crazy clueless kid on the block to a cold-hearted son of a Kingpin.

"We've tracked the account that wired the payment to the shipping company. I traced it back to an offshore bank in Cambodia. Sadly, it was a dead end."

"Then?"

Onze c****d his head to the right and slowly gave me his boyish grin. I knew It. This boy will never let me down.

"Give me until tomorrow, Kuya. I'll have the balls of those fuckers on a silver platter," Onze proudly says.

"Good."

"The ghost is courting someone at the bat cave as we speak."

A small smile curved on my lips when I saw the smug look on my brother's face.

"Tell him to be creative."

"If he's here he'll be insulted. That psycho is a genius, Hermano. I'm sure he's having a field day now given that Romero delivered his new set of toys," umiiling na sumandal sa upuan si Onze.

"Just don't make me go there. I don't want to see him ripping someone's leg or worst someone weeping blood cause Shamie made them count a corpse's bones!"

"Onze, zip your mouth kung ayaw mong pasakan ko ng glock yan!"singhal ko dito.

Napaka kulit at daldal talaga nito. Nakakalimutan ata nitong nasa opisina kaming dalawa. Call me paranoid, but I forbid my brothers to talk our family business here or in any other place other than The Office.

"Sorry," he raised his hands and smile sheepishly. "So? Okay na. Nakapag report na ko sa'yo. We can go and fetch Santy?"

Marahas akong napatingin sa kapatid. "What do you mean?"

"Damn! That's why I'm here. Mama told me na puntahan ka dito para sunduin natin ang hipag ko. Come on."

"f**k. Mukha ba kong school bus driver ha?"

"No. At kung ikaw ang driver, hindi ako sasakay. You loathe kids to the bones.Baka kung saan pa ko makarating."

"Puno na ang impyerno, hindi kita tatanggapin don."

"Funny."

Tumayo na ito at isinukbit ang jacket sa kanang braso.

"Are you going to sulk here or sasama ka sa 'kin? I'll call Mama if you want para siya mag utos sa'yo," nakangising wika nito.

"Mierda! Get lost, Onze."

"Si. Hasta luego, Hermano. I'll be at the parking lot," nakakalokong sumaludo muna ito sa 'kin bago umalis.

Naiwan akong iritado. Hindi na ko makapag concentrate sa binabasa ko kaya't sinabihan ko na lang ang sekretarya kong ihatid ang mga papeles sa CFO ko at madilim ang mukhang lumabas ng opisina.

Nadatnan ko ang kapatid na balewalang nakasandal sa Maybach exelero ko.

"Senor."

I gave Bob a curt nod and made my way into the waiting car. Onze instructed Harley who's my official driver of our destination.

KMIS.

Bob and Harley exchanged a questioning looks, I noticed that through the rearview mirror. Sa tagal nga naman nilang dalawa na nag sisilbi sa amin, never pa akong tumapak sa loob ng eskwelahan na kami ang isa sa major shareholder.

Great. I look like a whipped husband who can't wait to see his dear innocent wife.

Inis na ipinikit ko ang mga mata. May kalahating oras ako para umidlip sa biyahe. I don't know what's wrong with me but I can't seem to relax when Santy's around. There's something about her that bothers me and that's an unknown reason that kept me at the edge the whole day.

She kept me awake last night. Isa pa iyon sa ikina pepeste ko. She's been restless the whole night and keeps on blabbering something. From the looks of it, I knew that she's having a nightmare last night. I was planning to wake her but then I was shocked when she started to cry in her sleep.

But I was more surprised when she started to move towards me, eyes closed of course. Her slim arm snaked around my body and I stilled for a moment. I was torn between pushing her and fondling her.

I exhaled the unique combination of vanilla and some flower, perhaps jasmine. I don't know but I find it shockingly pleasant. And I'm surprisingly hard. Rock hard because of that simple closeness. How a simple cuddle could do that to me, I don't f*****g know. Nobody did that to me. It's a first.

Ilang beses ba 'kong napalunok kagabi? Hindi ko mabilang. The next thing I knew I was grabbing her waist and slowly checking her round and perky boobs. Christ, kelan pa ko nag nasa sa isang babaeng tila comatose sa pagkaka tulog? Yes, gross. I know. But I'm just curious about my wife's package. After seeing that Santy was gifted in that department, mas lalo akong di napakali.

Shit!

Curiosity always kills the cat but in my case, it wakes up the f*****g lion. I'm even tempted to grab my throbbing man meat and jack off for the second time last night. Jesus, I acted like a stupid schoolboy who's elated with his porn magazines.

Magaling, Siete.

Am I really at fault? No. She's my wife and legally I have all the rights to claim her any way I want. Any time. But I don't want an unwilling p***y. I want a warm, feverish, drench fanny where I can plunge my huge cobra, as what my mom calls our d***s.

Yes, poetic and eww. I know. But the point is, it's huge, restless with ginormous needs and it frustrates me. Evidently, Santy's didn't tick any of the boxes I need.

Pero hindi ibig sabihin non na ligtas na sya sa responsibilidad n'ya sa 'kin. I'll make sure that she'll do her end of the bargain cause my family did ours. Hindi barya 50 million pesos na ipinatalo ng papa niya sa casino. At hindi din biro ang puyat ko kagabi.

I groaned when Ambassador jerked off against my pants just by the thought of Santy's soft and warm skin. f**k. I know I'm crazy to name my d**k like he's some dignitary but for me he is. For some special occasions, I used him to tighten some foreign relations. I guess it's appropriate to call him that. But what's crazier is that I'm having a hard-on in broad daylight with a woman that could pass as my younger sister, who's kilometers away from me.

Shit. What sorcery is this?

"Hermano, are you really asleep?"

"Yes."

"Gago. Ba't ka sumagot?"

"Mas tarantado ka cause you asked. Alam mo naman palang gising ako," galit na sagot ko at 'di nag abalang dumilat.

"Tsk! Sasabihin ko lang na malapit na tayo."

"So?"

"Go text or call her."

"Naisip mo di ba? Gawin mo. Don't order me around. Wala tayo sa bahay. Boss mo ako, Onze."

"She's your wife."

"I'm the boss. Call her. May paa 'yun, pag lakarin mo."

"Man! Wala ka man lang sweetness sa katawan."

"Says someone who f**k and run," I sarcastically muttered.

"But all of them iisa lang ang sinasabi. That I'm a fantastic lover, Hermano."

"Fantastic my ass. Porntastic. That's what you are. Slut."

Tawa lang ang naging sagot nito sa 'kin. Onze's infamous for leaving his flings before they can even exchange numbers or names. Magugulat na lang kami na may isang babae ang mag tatanong sa concierge if they saw a certain man that matches his description.

Since we own the hotel, trained na ang mga tauhan namin sa kung ano ang sasabihin. My brother is also a horny motherfucker like me. It runs through the blood.

"Mana sa'yo."

Sasagot pa sana ako but I felt that the car stopped.

"Get off. Now!" I ordered Onze.

"Damn! Perks of being the youngest. Ikaw ang dakilang utusan. Buti na lang gwapo ako," reklamo nito habang itinatali ang mahaba at alon-alon na buhok.

"Pronto!" Inis na sigaw ko dito. Kulang na lang ay sipain ko 'to palabas ng sasakyan.

Panay ang angal ni Onze habang bumababa ng sasakyan. Naiwan ako at si Bob sa loob ng sasakyan. My right hand was discussing some important meeting that needs my presence when the hellion called.

"I can't find her, Hermano. Can you call her? Wala s'ya sa library."

"Mierda!" galit na ibinaba ko ang tawag at hinagilap sa cellphone ko ang number ng asawa.

"Señor, is there a problem?" tanong ni Bob mula sa unahan. Marahil napansin nito ang pagkaka kunot ng noo ko.

"Santy's not in the library."

Hindi ko na kailangan pang utusan ito. Mabilis na kinuha ni Bob ang phone at narinig kong nag bigay ng utos sa kung sino man galing sa HQ.

"She's not picking up. Damn it!" I blared. Why she's not answering her phone? Ayoko pa naman sa lahat ang pinaghihintay ako't binabalewala ang tawag ko. Pangalawang beses ng ginawa ni Santy sa 'kin to at di ako natutuwa.

"She's on the 4th floor of the administration building, Senor. Santy's being interviewed by the board at this moment," Bob announced while his eyes were on the screen of his phone.

"What for?"

"Possible expulsion due to violation of the school's good morals. Miscond—"

"Damn it!" I grabbed the handle of the door beside me and briskly made my way towards the gate of the school leaving the amused Bob inside my car.

Malalaki ang hakbang na nag tungo ako sa sinabi ni Bob na building habang nasa likuran ko ito at tahimik na naka sunod.

"Where's Navarro?"

"On his way here, Senor."

Napaka saya ko ngayong araw. Isa kong ganap na baby sitter. From my brother now my wife. It's as if I'm a parent of a petulant kid who's about to face her advisers and told them to forgive her for misbehaving. Great.

"Senor, I'll go inside the room and get Santy."

"No. I'll go."

Nakita ko ang pagtataka sa mukha ni Bob mula sa repleksyon ng pinton ng elevator habang sa gilid ay parang maiihi sa takot ang elevator staff.

I want to tell Bob that he's not alone. I, myself was left dumbfounded too. I've been acting weird since last night and I don't know what's gotten into me. Again, I trust my guts. All the time.

I'm just doing this cause I'm her husband and despite our circumstances, I vowed to protect her. Yes, that's it.

Nothing more.

???

"Walk faster. Damn it!"

"S-seven..."

I groaned. Santy's voice stopped me and I glance at her.

"What?!"

She winced and her big hazel eyes even grew wider. Frightened by my sudden outburst. Hindi na bago sa 'kin iyon. Almost all of the people I came across were afraid to be at the receiving end of my wrath. And I'm about to go batshit now for reasons I can't fathom with.

"I l-left my bag–"

"So? Buy a new one. Kahit sampo pa bukas makaka bili ka agad. Let's go," inis na hinila ko ulit ito at malalaki ang hakabang na tinungo ang elevator.

"P-pero a-andon ang mga homeworks at term papers ko. B-babalikan ko lang saglit, Seven..."

"No. Sakay," nagtatagis ang bagang na bulyaw ko at nilingon ulit s'ya.

"S-seven–"

"Zip it Santy." Galit na hinila ko ang manipis na braso ng asawa. Wala akong pake kung matanggal ang braso n'ya sa pagkakakabit sa hugpungan nito.

"S-seven.."

Pinagsisihan kong nilingon ko ang asawa. Nakita ko ang pag mamaka awa sa mukha nito. I don't know but something inside me twitch when our eyes met. This is bad news for me, I knew it in an instant.

"Bob get here damn bag! Tell that f*****g Balba to shut his mouth," I belted without tearing my gaze to her.

Get your act together, Seven. I chastised myself mentally. What's wrong with me? Why am I acting weird, kagabi pa.

"Yes Señor." Anang kanang kamay kong kanina pa nasa likuran namin.

"Satisfied?"

Santy was still fazed but she managed to nod. "T-thank you."

Lumalim lalo ang kunot sa noo ko nang marinig na nautal na naman ito sa harapan ko. I feed on the fear of people around me and I'm accustomed to people stammering and saying incoherent words in my face. Pero bakit naiinis akong nauutal ang asawa ko sa harapan ko? Weird.

"Sakay," I commanded her and as she scampered inside the lift like a little kitten she is, I glowered at the elevator attendant. The poor man got my message and take his leave while Santy began to fidget.

Galit kong pinindot ang button pasara ng lift at hinarap ang asawa kong naka tayo sa sulok at akala mo bubwit na nasukol ng isang leon. It only took me three steps to inch our distance. I slammed my hand to the wall of the lift where my wife was leaning for dear life.

I cupped her face and forced her to look me in the eye. I want to give her a piece of my mind, that my call is as important as the air she breathes. Hell, even the crown prince himself called me several times to ask for a f*****g favor tapos siya dalawang beses ng di sinasagot ang tawag ko.

"Look at me.."

Santy slowly opened her eyes and it may sound crazy but it's the second time that this woman, my wife mollify me in ways that no one can. There's that strange feeling of pure, raw connection and it scares the hell out of me.

Parang may isang kamao ang sumuntok sa sikmura ko. Napapasong binitiwan ko ang mukha niya.

"Don't let anyone look down on you like that. Your surname alone can send a man to his grave, don't forget that."

Bakit iyon ang lumabas sa bibig ko, hindi ko alam. I heard the elevator come to stop and without a word, I turn my back to Santy who was utterly shock. Just like me.

Tang ina ko ngayong araw!

"Did you see her?"

Hindi ko pinansin si Onze at diretso lang ako sa loob ng naka abang na sasakyan. I saw that my brother happily met my wife and it seemed that the two of them get along just fine. Santy smiled sweetly at Onze.

"SAKAY!" Galit na bulyaw ko sa dalawa matapos ibaba ang bintana sa gawi ko.

Tahimik na sumunod ang dalawa. Santy takes the seat beside me and the whole duration of our trip, sila lang ni Onze ang nag uusap. I found out that despite her shy nature, she's a sensible woman. Panay ang biro dito ng bunsong kapatid ko habang marahang tumatawa ang asawa ko sa tabi ko. Malayo sa Santy na kilala ko, takot at nauutal.

Iritadong napasandal ako at doon ko lang napansin ang manila folder na nakapatong sa kandungan ni Santy.

"What's this?" I grabbed it before she can even think of a response.

"S-seven.."

"Mierda!" Singhal ko sabay hagis ng hawak sa kapatid. "Burn that."

Puno nang pagtataka ang mukha ni Onze nang kunin iyon. Marahan itong tumango. He knew I was ordering him to do some digging about the sender of the photos. Wala sa loob na namasahe ko ang sentido. This is one of the problems we are facing now kaya nag patawag ng meeting ang papa ngayon sa bahay. We are at war with an unknown enemy and the whole family especially the women, are in grave danger unbeknownst to them.

"Seven, are you okay?"

Natigilan ako nang marinig ang nag aalalang boses ni Santy sa tabi ko. Nakatingin na naman ito sa 'kin and I f*****g hate her eyes.

"I'm fine."

"Y-you look like you have a headache. Wait I have paracetamol here."

Yes, my head is aching now but I don't need paracetamol. I wanted to tell her pero mas pinili kong manahimik.

"Sweet," Onze whispered to me. Nakangisi pa ang gago sarap busalan ng bibig.

"Shut up!"

"Seven, here."

I look to my right and saw the expectant look of my wife. In her left hand were a small white tablet and a bottle of Evian on her right hand. Without saying a word, a grabbed those, opened my window, and throw it outside.

My wife let out an audible gasp, surprise or hurt, I don't care.

"I said I'm okay. Bingi ka ba?"

"S-sorry," she said and bowed her head.

"Kuya?!"

Matalim ang matang tinitigan ko ang kaharap. Lahat ng kapatid ko'y takot sa 'kin. Walang sinuman sa kanila ang nagtangkang salungatin ang desisyon ko, sa lahat ng pagkakataon. Pero bakit ngayon nakikipag sukatan ng tingin sa 'kin ang bunso namin? What the f**k is happening to us?

"Isa pang salita, Onze. Isa pa."

Hindi ito sumagot at idinako ang mga mata sa katabi ko.

"Santy?"

I rolled my eyes when I heard Onze's patronizing voice.

"I-I'm okay, Eleven."

Eleven? He let her call him that? What the! Only our mother was allowed to call Onze on his pet name, well aside from us- his siblings, but other than the family nobody dare to call him his nickname. Pero kung nabigla ako sa pagtawag ni Santy sa palayaw ng kapatid, mas nagulat ako nang paglingon ko'y nakita kong nakasiksik ito sa pinto ng kotse.

Naramdaman nito marahil ang tingin ko kaya lumingon ito at doon ko napansin ang pamumula ng mga mata niya. Her hazel brown eyes are staring at me through unshed tears and by all miracles I experience a feeling that's I don't know I'm capable of.

Guilt.