Collision of Hearts

Chapter 6

Hindi pa rin bumabalik si Damon sa kwarto. Ang tahimik ng gabi… pero ang isip ko, maingay. Paulit-ulit ang tanong sa utak ko.

“Si Elian ba ang gustong magpapatay sa akin?"

At habang nakahiga ako sa kama, hawak ang isa sa mga lumang hard drives na nakuha ko mula sa surveillance system ni Damon, unti-unti kong naririnig ang mga tinig mula sa nakaraan — mula sa mga gabing pinilit kong kalimutan.

Flashback.

One week before the crash.

“Elian, I’m going to Singapore next week for the Luxe expansion briefing,” sabi ko habang naka-cross legs sa opisina ko, tinatap ang mga screen. “Ayusin mo na lang ‘yung PR rollout.”

Pero hindi siya sumagot agad. Nakatingin lang siya sa laptop niya, para bang wala siyang naririnig.

“Elian?”

Finally, he looked up. But not with concern.

With coldness.

“Do whatever you want, Ate,” sabi niya, tono’y walang emosyon. “You always do anyway.”

Napatigil ako.

What was that?

“Elian, if this is about the board seat—”

“This isn’t about the board,” sagot niya, mabilis. “This is about you treating this empire like it’s yours alone. Monteverde Holdings is more than your name. It’s mine too.”

Parang may malamig na hangin na dumaan sa pagitan namin noon.

“Don’t turn this into a power struggle,” sabi ko, pilit hinuhulma ang boses sa lamig. “We’re stronger together.”

Pero ngumisi lang siya. Isang ngiting hindi ko nagustuhan.

“You don’t trust me,” he said quietly. “You never did.”

At umalis siya. Walang lingon. Walang pasabi.

Back in the present, napapikit ako habang ang mga mata ko’y nakatitig sa lumang folder na na-restore ko — Sent Items. Encryption Level 6. Pinaglaruan ko ang password — ELIAN31.

Boom. Unlocked.

At doon ko nakita ang email.

From: Elian Monteverde

To: unknown@secureproxy.io

Subject: She flies over site Bravo next week.

She?

Me?

Bumilis ang t***k ng puso ko. Nakahawak ako sa dibdib, parang may lumulubog sa kaluluwa ko. Hindi ito hallucination. Hindi ito paranoia.

May code name ang isla.

Site Bravo.

At alam ni Elian na doon ako dadaan. Siya ang nagbook ng routing plan ng eroplano. Siya rin ang nagbigay ng clearance sa pilot team.

Captain Reyes.

Lea.

“f**k…”

Was it him?

Did my own brother set me up?

Tumayo ako mula sa kama, nanginginig ang mga daliri ko habang hinahawakan ang tablet. Tinap ko pa ulit ang ibang logs, but most were corrupted. Deleted. Or worse — wiped clean.

Pero ang email na iyon?

Hindi ko basta mabubura sa isipan ko.

“Elian… bakit?”

Ang kapatid kong kinargahan ko ng tuition. Ang lalaking sinama ko sa lahat ng board meetings kahit hindi pa siya ready. Ang lalaking akala ko’y kakampi ko sa laban sa mga shareholders at external threats.

Pero baka siya pala ang banta.

Lumabas ako ng kwarto, palakad nang mabilis sa hallway habang ramdam ko ang lamig ng sahig sa talampakan ko. Suot ko lang ang oversized shirt na iniwan ni Damon sa kama. Wala akong pake.

I needed air.

I needed answers.

At ang unang kailangan kong gawin… ay harapin si Damon.

Whether I trust him or not, he knows something. And I need to know what the hell I’m walking into — and who really wants me dead.

Hindi pa rin ako makatulog. Sa dami ng bumabagabag sa akin. Pumunta ako sa veranda ng villa, tumingin sa karagatan na tila walang hanggan. Ang buwan ay kalahating bilog sa langit, at ang mga alon sa ibaba ay para bang humihinga kasabay ko.

Pero hindi ako mapakali.

Sa loob ng dibdib ko, parang may granadang naghihintay sumabog. Sa isang sulok ng tablet screen na hawak ko, nananatiling bukas ang email na ‘yon—ang code na hindi ko maintindihan noon, pero malinaw na ngayon.

She flies over site Bravo next week.

Ako ang tinutukoy doon.

Ako ang “she.”

At si Elian… siya ang nagpadala.

“Hindi,” mahinang bulong ko. “Hindi siya ‘yon. Hindi puwedeng siya ‘yon.”

Pero gaano ba kalalim ang bulag kong pagtitiwala?

Gaano na katagal niya akong pinaplano?

“Can't sleep?”

Ang boses na ‘yon. Matalim. Kalma. Ngunit may dalang bigat na hindi ko matakasan.

Damon.

Lumingon ako at nakita siyang nakatayo sa may pinto, balikat ay nakasandal, mga braso’y naka-cross, naka-black shirt at tactical pants na parang laging handa sa digmaan.

“What do you want?” matigas kong tanong.

“Answers,” sagot niya agad. “Not the kind you throw around to distract me.”

Lumapit siya, mabagal ang hakbang, pero para akong natutulak paatras sa bawat kilos niya.

“You’ve been digging,” dagdag niya. “I let you. I wanted to see how far you’d go.”

“Then you already know what I found,” sabi ko, pilit panatilihing matatag ang tono ko.

He stopped just a few inches away. Too close.

“I know you found something,” bulong niya. “But I want to hear it from you.”

Nagkatinginan kami. His eyes were unreadable — cold, assessing, but burning with something raw beneath. He wasn’t just my captor anymore.

He was my mirror.

And I hated it.

“You think Elian set you up?” tanong niya nang dahan-dahan, as if testing the weight of the words.

Hindi ako sumagot agad.

“You wouldn’t be this quiet if it were just a theory.”

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa tablet. “I don’t know,” bulong ko. “I… I don’t want to believe it.”

“But you do.” May bahid ng awa sa tono niya. Bahagya. Ngunit mas nangingibabaw ang katotohanan.

“You saw something. Something that made you question your own blood.”

Bumigat ang dibdib ko. Para akong hinihila pababa ng bawat salitang binibitawan niya.

“Damon…” I whispered, barely able to say it. “Kung totoo nga ‘to… kung siya talaga… then what the hell was all this for?”

“Control,” sagot niya. “Power. Money. It’s always one of the three.”

He stepped even closer. I could smell his scent — musk, danger, heat.

“And if he really did this, Skyra…” His voice softened but turned lethal, “then he didn’t just betray you. He tried to erase you.”

Napapikit ako.

“I don’t want it to be him…”

“But your instincts are already screaming it is.”

Tahimik. Walang tunog kundi ang pagaspas ng hangin at ang t***k ng puso ko na parang may sariling sigaw.

“You should’ve told me,” dagdag niya.

“Why?” I opened my eyes, chin tilted up. “So you can control how I break?”

He flinched.

Good.

“Skyra—”

“You don’t get to tell me when and how to bleed, Damon,” I snapped. “This isn’t your goddamn war.”

“But I’m in it now,” he growled. “Whether you like it or not.”

Nagkatinginan kami muli, parehong puno ng apoy ang mga mata.

“You think I’m hiding something?” tanong ko. “You think I’m still protecting Elian?”

“I think,” he said coldly, “you don’t know how to stop loving people — even when they’re the ones pulling the trigger.”

That struck deeper than I expected.

Bumalik ang lahat ng memorya — ng kabataang magkasama kami ni Elian, ng mga board meetings na ako ang humaharang sa galit ng mga investors para sa kanya, ng mga pagkakataong ipinaglaban ko siya kahit siya mismo ang dahilan ng problema.

And maybe that was my weakness.

My blind loyalty.

“You’re wrong,” bulong ko, halos wala nang lakas.

“Am I?”

Tumalikod ako. I didn’t want him to see the cracks forming. Not now. Not when he could use them against me.

But his hand reached out — hinawakan ang braso ko, marahan ngunit mahigpit.

“I’m not your enemy, Skyra.”

“Then stop treating me like a goddamn prisoner.”

His voice dropped. “You’re not a prisoner.”

“Then what am I, Damon?” I turned to face him. “Your project? Your pawn? Or just your f*****g obsession?”

He didn’t blink.

“You’re mine.”

At sa isang iglap, lahat ng galit, takot, at tanong sa dibdib ko ay parang sabay-sabay na sumabog sa hangin.

Because the worst part?

I wasn’t sure if I hated hearing it…

…or needed it more than anything.

A short gust of wind swept through the veranda, knocking over the half-full glass of water beside me.

Crash.

Damon’s grip tightened slightly on my arm. Pareho kaming napalingon sa paligid — instinct, training, tension. Something wasn’t right.

And then—

Bang!

Isang pagsabog mula sa kaliwang bahagi ng compound.

The ground shook. A sharp jolt of vibration climbed up my legs.

“What the f**k—” napaatras ako, but Damon was already moving.

“Down!” sigaw niya, tinulak ako sa likod ng concrete wall ng veranda habang mabilis niyang kinuha ang comms earpiece sa bulsa.

“Echo, report!” barko niya sa device. “Status, now!”

Static. Then—

“Sir! Breach on south fence! Multiple armed contacts—three confirmed, more inbound—”

“f**k,” Damon growled.

Tumayo siya at tumakbo pabalik sa loob ng villa. I followed him, adrenaline pumping hard through every vein in my body.

This isn’t a test.

This isn’t a drill.

This is real.

Pagpasok namin sa hallway, dalawang security staff ang nag-abang. May inabot silang tactical rifle kay Damon. Ako naman ay binigyan ng sidearm—isang Glock, fully loaded.

“Stay in the house,” utos ni Damon, mabilis. “Barricade the main doors. Don’t engage unless they breach.”

“I’m not hiding,” sagot ko agad, hingal ang boses. “You trained me. I fight.”

He looked at me—really looked. His jaw clenched. Then a short nod.

“Fine. Stay behind me.”

Hindi ko na kayang magtalo. Lahat ng sistema ko’y nakatutok sa iisang bagay: survive.

Bigla—

Bang! Bang!

Gunfire. Close. May mga putok na sa bandang likod ng villa.

We moved fast. Tactical. Parang nasa isang real-life war zone.

Paglabas namin sa service kitchen, tumambad sa amin ang isang armadong lalaki—nakaitim, may night-vision goggles. Itinaas nito ang baril at akmang babarlin kami nang...

Bang! Bang!

Damon fired. Headshot.

Right in the chest. The man collapsed.

“Gate perimeter breached!” someone shouted through the comms.

We ran toward the helipad — strategic vantage point. Trees shook from another small explosion.

Biglang may arm na humatak sa akin mula sa gilid —

Damon grabbed my hand, pulling me behind cover at binaril ang lalaki.

“You okay?” tanong niya, hingal.

I swallowed. “No. But I’m not dead.”

A flash of something passed through his eyes — admiration? Guilt? Lust? Hindi ko na alam.

“You’ve got three more minutes to keep it that way,” he said, checking his ammo.

Bang!

Another round clipped the post beside my head. I ducked. Damon returned fire. One down, two, and three more flanked us from the trees down.

Dead leaves falling from the treetops.

I looked around. My heart was still racing. My legs, trembling.

Damon looked at me, then dropped his weapon.

He stepped forward, grabbed my face, and kissed me.

Hard.

Hot.

Violent.

I gasped against his lips, and he didn’t stop—his hands gripping my waist, my ass, pushing me against a tree. The adrenaline had nowhere to go. It exploded between our mouths.

“Damon ... ahhh ... s**t,” hingal ko habang sinusunggaban niya ang leeg ko.

Our mouths clashed again. I clawed at his shirt, tugging it up, wanting to feel skin. Wanting to know I was alive.

And safe.

And savage.

“f**k—” Damon murmured against my mouth, his breath hot, tasting like sweat and smoke. “You’re driving me insane.”

I kissed him harder — fingers tugging on the fabric of his shirt, the adrenaline making everything feel primal, electric. My back was pressed against the rough bark of the tree, and for one insane moment, the world went still.

The shots had stopped. The air was thick. Every sound echoed like thunder inside my skull — our breaths, the pounding of my heart, the rustle of leaves.

Then—

Snap.

Damon froze.

His lips stilled against mine.

He turned his head slightly, ang katawan niya’y biglang nag-shift — shielding me with his own.

Too late.

Bang!

A silencer.

Muffled.

I heard it before I saw the man.

Black gear. Night-vision goggles. Camouflage paint on his skin.

He had emerged from the tree line just a few feet away — gun raised, aimed directly at Damon.

Time stopped.

I saw everything in slow motion.

The man’s finger tightening on the trigger.

Damon’s arms tensing, hand reaching for his own weapon too late.

And me—

Moving.

Without thinking. Without calculating. Without hesitation.

I raised the Glock Damon had given me earlier.

My grip was tight. My vision tunneled.

I squeezed the trigger.

Bang!

Isang putok lang.

One clean shot.

Direct hit.

Sa gitna ng noo.

The man collapsed instantly — like a puppet with strings cut. His rifle slipped from his hands before he hit the ground with a thud.

Dead.

Silence.

I was still holding the gun. Still breathing hard. Still processing what I just did.

Damon turned slowly, eyes wide — staring not at the dead man, but at me.

"You…" he started, but his voice cracked. "You just saved my life."

I stared at the body.

My first kill.

This wasn’t from defense.

This wasn’t part of training.

This… was because I chose to protect someone else.

Because I protected him.

“Holy s**t,” I whispered, the gun slowly lowering as my arms began to shake.

My knees buckled.

Damon caught me before I hit the ground.

He pulled me against his chest, his hand cradling the back of my head. “Skyra…”

“I killed him,” I said, voice trembling. “I didn’t think—I just—he was going to shoot you.”

“You did exactly what you had to do,” he murmured, voice hoarse. “You didn’t hesitate. You saved me.”

“But I—” My breath caught. My stomach twisted. “It felt… easy. Too easy.”

Damon pulled back, held my face between his hands, blood smeared across his knuckles. “Because you're not weak. You're not helpless. You're not a f*****g victim.”

I looked up at him, my vision blurry.

“But what does that make me now?” I whispered.

He didn’t answer.

Instead, he kissed me again.

This time, not from lust.

But from something darker.

Something deeper.

Something that blurred the line between war and desire, death and devotion.

Mainit pa rin ang katawan ni Skyra. Hindi dahil sa labanan. Kundi dahil sa pagkakatingin nila ni Damon ngayon.

Basang-basa siya sa pawis, pero mas basa ang pagitan ng hita niya.

Their eyes locked.

Damon’s jaw was clenched. Skyra's lips were parted, chest rising and falling.

Walang salita.

Hanggang sa bigla siyang hinila ni Damon sa baywang. At pinahiga sya sa damuhan.

Mabilis ang galaw. Madiin ang hangin sa pagitan nila. Hinubad ni Damon ang upper gear niya at sinundan siya.

“Do you know what you just did?” tanong niya, tinig niya'y mababa, bahagyang paos.

Skyra’s eyes flashed. “I saved you.”

“Then I’m gonna show you exactly how that made me feel.”

And he kissed her. Matagal. Malalim. Gutom.

Dila sa dila. La­way sa la­way. Nilasahan ni Damon ang init sa bibig niya. His tongue pushed in, claiming her fully.

Habang naghahalikan sila, kinapa ni Damon ang loob niya — diretso sa gitna ng legs niya. Naka tshirt lang pala sya ni Damon at panty, walang bra. Ngayon lang nya naisip na ganito pala ang suot nya.

Basang-basa.

“God… you're dripping.”

Pinisil niya ang clit nito, marahan. Paikot-ikot.

Skyra moaned against his mouth. “Damon…”

“Sshh,” he whispered. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Hinubad ni Damon ang panty ko, at inangat ang mga hita ko. He dropped down — between my legs — and stared.

My p***y was glistening. Pink, swollen, needy.

“So beautiful…” bulong niya, then he dived in.

Sinibasib ni Damon ang kaselanan ko.

Dila, sipsip, kagat. Halos isubo niya ang buong p********e ko. He licked from bottom to top, then circled his tongue over her clit, again and again.

"Ahhhh... Damon... don’t stop…” bulong ko, pilit kong hinahabol ang hininga, habang naka-sabunot siya sa buhok ko.

Two fingers slid inside me.

Madulas. Mainit. Kumakapit.

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK. Malalalim ang pasok. May kasabay na pag-flick ng dila sa tinggil. Every motion was exact, ruthless, delicious.

“D-Damon… I’m—!” napapahiyaw ako sa sarap na ipinararanas nya sa akin, buong katawan ko nanginginig.

“Let go,” bulong niya, habang sinisipsip pa lalo ang clit ko.

And then—I exploded.

My hips jerked. Umagos ang katas sa akin. Dumulas sa daliri ni Damon, sa sahig, sa hita ko.

He wiped his mouth. “Now I want in.”

Binaba ni Damon ang pantalon niya lumabas ang ari niya — matigas, mahaba, pulang-pula ang ulo. Precum glistened at the tip.

He stroked it once, then aligned himself with her entrance.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “I want all of it.”

Isang ulos.

Pumasok ang kabuuan niya. Mabagal pero mariin. Napasinghap si Skyra — ramdam niya ang bawat pulgada, bawat paghagod.

“Damon… oh my god…”

“Feel me, Skyra,” bulong niya. “Feel how deep I am.”

Damon began to thrust. Mabagal sa una. Then faster. Deeper. Harder.

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK.

Tunog ng balat sa balat. Tunog ng pagkabaliw. Tunog ng mga basang katawan na nagsasayaw sa gitna ng mga puno.

Skyra wrapped her legs around his waist.

He leaned in. Kinagat ang balikat niya habang kumakadyot. Then he sucked on her n****e, wet and wild, habang tinutulak niya nang mas malalim ang sarili.

“Ang sikip mo…” bulong niya. “You're made for me.”

“Yes, Damon—yes… just like that… please don't stop…”

She clung to him, moaning, arching her back. He pounded harder, his c**k hitting her G-spot over and over again.

He reached down. Hinimas uli ang tinggil habang kinakantot siya.

“Ayan na ‘ko, Damon… malapit na…”

“c*m for me.”

Skyra shattered.

Her p***y clenched hard. Katas niya sumirit muli habang si Damon ay napamura, hinila ang bewang niya, at...

Bumuga sa loob niya.

Mainit. Mabigat. Puno.

Nilabasan si Damon ng sagad-sagad — habang magkayakap pa rin sila, pawis sa pawis, hininga sa hininga.

Bumagsak siya sa ibabaw ni Skyra.

Tahimik. Basa. Mainit ang dibdib.

Wala na ang galit. Wala na ang gulo.

Ang natira lang — ang katawan nilang pinagtagpo ng panganib… at tinali ng pagnanasa.

Biglang tumunog ang earpiece ni Damon.

“Clear. Perimeter secured. No more hostiles.”

Tumigil siya, nakapikit, saglit na ngumiti. Finally.

“Safe na tayo,” bulong niya, saka tumingin sa mata ni Skyra.

Hindi sumagot si Skyra. But her eyes said it — she wanted more.

No words. No questions.

Binuhat siya ni Damon — bridal style — hubo’t hubad, basa ng t***d, nanginginig sa adrenaline at libog.

Diretso sa loob ng villa, sa kwarto at sa banyo.

Pagpasok sa glass shower, binuksan agad ni Damon ang tubig. Mainit. Bumuhos ang tubig sa mga katawan nila — lagkit, pawis, at katas ay umaagos paalis.

Nakahawak pa rin siya kay Skyra — likod nito nakasandal sa pader, hita’y nakaangkla sa baywang ni Damon.

Naghahalikan sila — malalim, madulas, puno ng laway at gutom. Dila sa dila. Kumakapit si Skyra sa batok ni Damon habang sinasakal siya ng halik nito.

"Ako naman," bulong ni Skyra.

She pushed him backward — Damon’s back hit the tile. Then lumuhod si Skyra sa harap niya.

Hinawakan niya ang matigas pa ring ari ni Damon — basang-basang nakatayo, namumula ang ulo.

Dinilaan niya ang dulo. Paikot. Dahan-dahan.

"Skyra..." ungol ni Damon, napapikit habang pinapanood siya.

Then — isinubo niya. Buo. Malalim.

Gwak. Gwak. Slurp. Slurrppp.

Basang-basa ang bibig ni Skyra habang taas-baba siya, pumapasok hanggang lalamunan.

Sinabunutan siya ni Damon, pero hindi para kontrolin — kundi para patuloy na malasahan siya.

Pag-angat niya, may laway pang nagdugtong sa dulo ng dila niya at ulo ng ari ni Damon.

“My turn,” sabi ni Damon.

Binaliktad niya si Skyra — pinatuwad sa loob ng shower, kamay sa wall, pwet nakataas.

Inilabas niya ang dila at dinilaan ang buong p**e ni Skyra mula likod — marahan, basa, malikot.

“Ahhh, Damon… f*ck…”

Kinain niya ito habang naka-angat ang isa niyang binti, pinipindot ang tinggil nito gamit ang hinlalaki habang dinidilaan ang butas.

Then — two fingers.

Plok. Plok. Slosh.

Pabilis. Palalim. Paikot.

Tumulo ang katas ni Skyra, kahit nasa ilalim ng tubig.

"Ayan na… ayan na..." ungol nito — at muli siyang nilabasan.

Then — Damon stood up. Tinutok ang ari niya.

“Are you ready?”

“Always,” sabay kagat sa labi.

Isang madiin na ulos — pumasok si Damon mula sa likod, sa basang-basang p**e ni Skyra.

"Ohh... ang sarap..."

Tumama siya agad sa loob — sagad.

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK.

Mas madulas ngayon — kaya mas malalim, mas mabilis, mas malupit.

Hinila ni Skyra ang batok niya. Hinalikan siya — wet, aggressive. Nag-eespadahan ang mga dila nila habang bumabayo si Damon.

“Sabihin mo… sino gusto mo araw-arawin ka ng ganito?”

“Ikaw… ikaw lang…” bulong ni Skyra.

Then —

Sabay silang nilabasan.

Si Skyra, nanginginig ang binti.

Si Damon, muling bumuga ng t***d sa loob niya.

Pareho silang humihingal, nakasandal sa tiles, basang-basa, pero bitin pa rin ang mga mata.

Dinala uli siya ni Damon — this time, sa kama.

Hiniga si Skyra, nakabuka ang hita. Tumabi si Damon — then gumulong sa ibabaw niya.

Their lips met again.

This time — mas mabagal. Pero mas malalim.

Hinagod ni Damon ang leeg ni Skyra ng dila niya. Pababa sa dibdib. Dinilaan ang kaliwang u***g, saka sinupsop ng buo.

Habang ginagawa niya iyon — ipinasok uli niya ang daliri niya. Dalawa. Tapos tatlo.

"You're still dripping," bulong niya.

"Pasok mo na ulit," sagot ni Skyra.

Damon slid in slowly — mas marahan, mas sagad.

Every thrust was deep. Controlled. Wild pero mapanlikha.

Skyra wrapped her legs around his waist.

PLOK. PLOK. PLOK.

Ahhh…

“Damon… please… huwag kang titigil…”

Hinawakan ni Damon ang mukha niya habang naglalabas-masok.

“You feel this? Sa bawat pasok ko, alam mong sa ‘kin ka lang.”

“Yes… yes…”

Binilisan niya. Sabay silang lumalapit.

Then — habang nakatitig siya sa mata ni Skyra — ipinutok niya ulit sa loob.

Napayakap si Skyra nang mahigpit.

Humabol siya sa hininga. Nilabasan uli.

Tumulo sa hita niya ang katas nilang dalawa.

Humiga si Damon sa tabi niya. Hinila siya papalapit.

Si Skyra, walang imik — pero kusang dumantay sa dibdib ni Damon, nakapatong ang hita at braso.

Hinahaplos ni Damon ang buhok niya. Dahan-dahan. Paikot. Tahimik.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered.

At tuluyan nang pumikit si Skyra.