Chapter 1
MESSY:
“Damn it. . . .” I groaned.
I pressed my trembling hand harder against my side as warm blood continued soaking through my fingers. The pain was unbearable. Minsan talaga mahirap maging superhero e. Tumulong ka na nga lang sa nangangailangan ng tulong–masasaksak ka pa. Ano ba namang kapalaran ‘to? Damn, baka naman mamatay na ako nito e virgin pa ako.
OMO! Hwag naman, Lord!
My breathing turned uneven while leaning against the cold floor beside my bed. The expensive marble beneath me was already stained red, and honestly? That was probably going to piss me off later. Mabibigat ang paghinga ko at ramdam kong pahina na nang pahina ang katawan ko. This can't be. Ayokong mamatay na virgin at duguan!
“C'mon, Messy. Don't think stupid things! Hindi ‘to makakatulong sa'yo!” I scolded myself.
Right now, I was trying my best not to pass out. Wala akong ibang kasama dito sa villa ko at sugatan pa ako jusko naman!
“No. . . no. . . I can't die here. Hindi pa pwede,” I murmured.
My vision blurred slightly as I grabbed my phone from the floor with shaky hands. There was only one person I wanted to call. One person I trusted enough to see me like this. Napangisi ako kahit naghihingalo na ang itsura ko.
I pressed his number. The call barely rang twice. Then he picked up. That's my boy.
“Messy?”
Even through the phone, Heath sounded alert already. Cute.
I weakly smirked despite the pain. “Hey, doc. . . I need my handsome doctor here–” I pause to make him worried.
“Messy? What's wrong, huh?” his voice suddenly changed. Sharp. Dangerous. Panicked.
“What happened?” he repeated.
I smirked and sounds my voice so weak. “Hehe. Wala lang, ano--uhm, nasaksak ako e.”
“You–what?!” bulalas nito kaya nailayo ko ang cellphone sa tainga at masakit sa tainga.
I winced dramatically. “Okay, don’t yell. I’m already dying.” Pabebe kong tugon.
“Messy.” His breathing turned heavy on the other line. “Where are you stabbed?”
“My side.”
“How bad?” he asked again.
“There’s a lot of blood. I really need you, doc. If I will die tonight. . . at least I saw your handsome face, right? Magiging masaya na akong sasama sa liwanag,” mahina kong sagot–totoong mahina dahil para na akong mawawalan ng malay.
“Damn it.” I heard car keys jingling immediately. “I’m coming. Don’t move.”
“I’ll try to survive until you arrive here.”
“Messy.”
“Hmm?”
“Stay awake, okay?”
After hearing that–the line disconnected. And somehow. . . even while bleeding on the floor, I still smiled. Because no matter how calm and professional Heath acted all the time–the man completely lost composure whenever it came to me.
Heath is my private doctor. He's my favorite person. My man. My baby–pero ako lang ang may alam. Ayaw niya e. Kainis din ang isang ‘yon. Medyo maarte na para bang luging-lugi siya sa akin. I am Messy Madrigal. A mafia queen and daughter of Mr Delta Madrigal. Isang heredera pero hinihindian palagi ng baby Heath niya. Shuta.
*****
Ten minutes later, the door of my villa burst open violently. Kahit nakapikit, alam kong siya na ang dumating. Kabisado ko ang tunog ng bigbike niya. Lalong-lalo na ang pabango niya. Napangiti ako na pilit nagdilat ng mga mata ko.
“Mes–holy s**t!” bulalas nito na makita ako!
The color drained from his face the moment he saw me sitting on the floor covered in blood.
“Oops.” I mouthed. “Do I look ugly, doc?” I asked him weakly.
Napangiwi ako na namumutla at napalunok siya. Maybe I looked worse than I thought. He immediately rushed toward me and crouched down in front of me. His warm hands carefully touched my face while checking if I was conscious enough.
“You’re pale.” Saad nito na nakalarawan ang pag-aalala.
“You still think I’m pretty though, right?” I weakly teased.
Heath glared at me. “This isn’t funny.”
“Hmm. But your worried face is kinda cute, doc.” I replied.
“Messy.” His jaw tightened. “Who did this to you?” he asked seriously.
“Girls problem.”
Napahinga siya ng malalim bago muling nagsalita. “You should be in the hospital. Dadalhin kita–”
“No.” Putol ko.
“What?”
“I said no.” I pointed weakly around my villa. “I pay too much for this place for my privacy--katulad ngayon. Sayang naman. Kumpleto ang gamot at ibang gamit mo dito.” Sagot ko na nanghihina.
He looked one second away from losing his mind. Seryoso pa rin siya. Hindi manlang marunong ngumiti. Hindi niya ba alam na lalo akong lalakas kung ngingiti lang sana siya sa akin ngayon?
“You lost a dangerous amount of blood.” Aniya na nag-aalala.
“But I called the best doctor I know.” I grinned faintly. “So I’m safe now. Magaling ang doctor ko–napakagwapo pa. Paanong hindi ako lalakas at magpapatuloy mabuhay, ‘di ba?”
Heath closed his eyes briefly like he was praying for patience. “You’re unbelievable.”
“And yet you still came running the second I called.”
Natahimik ito. Napalapat ako ng labi. Oops, I hit a weak spot.
“Bahala ka nga. Pasaway ka talaga,” aniya na sumusuko.
Heath carefully lifted me bridal style. I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck and smiled at him.
“Hmm. . . I could get used to this.” I murmured and lean my head on his shoulder. “Ang bango mo, doc. Mukhang sinadya mo pang magpabango para sa attention ko a,” usal ko na sininghot ito sa leeg.
“You’re injured. You better behave.” Ingos nito na ikinangiti ko.
“You’re handsome e.”
“That’s not the matter now, Messy.”
“It is to me. It's really matters to me, doc.” I pouted.
He laid me carefully on the bed before immediately opening his medical kit. His expression turned serious again while removing the blood-soaked fabric near my waist.
“You need stitches.”
“Then stitch me up, my doc.”
“You’re impossible.” Aniya na napailing. "Ibang klase ka talaga."
"Naman, doc. Nag-iisa lang ako. Kaya ingatan mo ako, naghihingalo na ako oh?" tugon ko.
“You’re still talking too much, so clearly you’re fine.” Aniya na sa ginagawa nakatuon ang paningin.
I laughed softly before hissing when pain shot through my side. Immediately, Heath’s expression softened.
“Careful.” Aniya. “Pwede naman kasing manahimik ka na lang e.” Panenermon niya pa sa akin.
God. That gentle deep baritone voice again. That was honestly my favorite version of him. Kahit madalas siyang seryoso, for me, he's so hot and kinda cute. Pa-hard-to-get kasi ang doctor ko.
“I can't shut my mouth specially my eyes. Ikaw ba naman ang view ko, super gwapo. Paano ako magbi-behave? Gusto ko na ngang tumili e. Kinikilig ako, doc.” Wika ko pa habang nakatitig dito.
He shook his head. He started cleaning the wound carefully while I shamelessly stared at his face. Ang gwapo niya talaga. Mala Kim Taehyung mare! Ang gwapong hayop shuta!
“Why are you still single, doc?” I suddenly asked.
“Shut up, I'm busy.” He replied.
“No, I want to know. Kasi kung hindi mo alam, nandito naman ako. You don't hate me naman, ‘di ba?” tugon kong ikinailing lang niya at patuloy sa paglinis ng sugat ko. “You’re attractive, smart, tall, rich, handsome and my type–”
“I’m stitching your wound right now. Ingay mo.” Aniya na nanenermon na naman.
“Then focused.” I sighed dreamily. “You're so hot, doc. You makes me weak. . . so weak.”
Heath shook his head while disinfecting my injury. Napangisi ako na napadaing at mahapdi naman talaga. Ikaw ba naman tahiin ang sugat sa tyan.
“Aww, masakit. You're too harsh to me. Alam mo ba iyon? Masakit ha?” reklamo ko.
“You flirt too much.”
“Only with people I like. Tulad mo, doc.”
His hands paused very briefly. I smirked. Caught him. Pinamulaan pa siya ng pisngi at napalunok.
“Did that affect you, doc?” I teased him again.
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I’m literally cleaning blood off your body.” Aniya na iniiba ang usapan tsk.
“And yet you still won’t look nervous seeing me half naked.” I clicked my tongue teasingly. “What kind of man are you, doc?”
“A decent one.”
I blinked dramatically. “No. The answer should be. . . Messy's future husband. ”
That finally made him chuckle quietly. Victory. Honestly, that was exactly why I loved teasing Heath. Most men looked at me with lust first.
They stared too much. Touched too much. Wanted too much. But Heath? He treated me carefully. Respectfully. . . like I was a woman worth protecting instead of something to possess.
And weirdly enough. . .that drove me crazier than any flirtatious man ever could.
Ilang segundo kaming natahimik. Abala siya sa ginagawa e. “Doc, thank you.”
Natigilan siya sa ginagawa na dahan-dahang napalingon sa akin. Honestly, hindi ko na rin kaya. Sobrang nanghihina na ako. Nakita ko siyang napalunok at kitang nag-aalala.
“M-messy,” mahinang sambit niya bago ako tuluyang napapikit.
“Stay. All I need is you, my favorite person, my Doc. Heath Scott. Take good care of me, baby. Stay with me, ha? I really need you now. Ikaw lang ang gusto kong humawak at mag-alaga sa akin.” I whispered weakly.
Before I completely lost consciousness, I felt him gently embraced me, kissed my forehead and whispered. . . .
"You're such a stubborn one. Don't you know how worried I am every time you get hurt?"