SEDUCTION SERIES 3: SINFUL HEARTBEATS

Kabanata 19

"Isang bote pa," ani Zeus sa kaibigang si Lucifer De Ville. Ayaw muna niyang abalahin ang pinsang si Jael na nasa Monte Costa ngayon kaya kahit na iritang-irita siya minsan kay Luce dahil wala na itong ibang bukambibig kun'di babae, rito na lamang siya nakipag-inuman.

Luce paused from licking his woman's neck to give him a new bottle of beer. Nang mapansing hindi pa rin napapawi ang sama ng loob niya ay ngumisi ang binata saka nito hinaplos ang hita ng babaeng nakakalong dito.

"Would you mind giving my friend some lap dance? I think he needs it more, Stacey," Lucifer said.

The woman giggled and ran her fingertips on Lucifer's jaw. "Stella, Luce. I'm Stella."

Lucifer raised his brows. "Oh, sorry. Stacey sound a lot like sexy so . . ." palusot nito sa babae.

Zeus sighed. "Stay on that man's lap, lady. I'm already committed with someone."

Tinaasan siya ni Luce ng kilay. Maya-maya ay pinaalis nito ang babaeng kasama nila saka ito pabulong na nagtanong na animo'y may makaririnig sa kanila. "I thought you're not faithful to Rosanna?"

Nayayamot niyang tinitigan ang kaibigan. "Nakinig ka man lang ba sa kwento ko, hmm?" asik niya.

Yes, Roxie is his secret but Lucifer can be trusted. Kahit naman saksakan ito ng kalokohan ay ni minsan wala pa siyang sikretong ikinalat ng lintik kaya kahit papaano ay kampante rin siyang nagkikwento kanina, kaya lang ay mukhang wala naman pala itong naintindihan sa mga pinagsasabi niya.

Luce clicked his tongue. "Right. You were referring to the other girl." Kinuha nito ang bote ng alak at tinungga. Luce then slouched on the sofa and rested his arms on the backrest. "I hate to break it to you, but maybe it's just karma, though."

Umismid siya. "Kailan ka pa naniwala sa karma sa rami ng katarantaduhang nagawa mo sa buhay?"

"Hey, I am an exception. My name came from God's most beautiful angel." Ngumisi ito. "Sorry pero . . . I think I'm sky daddy's favorite."

Napakamot ng sintido si Zeus. Dapat yata tinawagan na lang niya si Arevalo o kaya ay si Alec. Baka sakaling mas matino pa ang naging inuman.

"Sometimes I really question myself for making friends with you," he said in a hopeless way but Luce just grinned as if it was a compliment.

"Oh, you should because you know, you feel to privileged to be friends with me. Hey, no offense."

Zeus groaned. "That's it. I'm going home. Thank you for the drink."

Sinuklay niya ng mga daliri ang kanyang buhok habang papaalis. He knows Luce is just trying to prevent them from having deep talks about their own lives. Alam niya ang buhay nito at mga pinagdaanan. Luce is the kind of friend who would always try to talk nonsense so you wouldn't have the chance to invest your attention to your problems. Yes, it's unhealthy, but Zeus can't blame him. Luce is really bad at handling his emotions anyway.

Naiintindihan naman ni Zeus kung bakit ganoon ang mga pinagsasabi ni Luce. Ramdam niyang sinusubukan lamang nitong ilihis ang atensyon niya ngunit mas kailangan kasi niya ngayon iyong matinong kausap. Ewan ba kasi niya sa sarili niya kung bakit kay Luce pa siya tumakbo ngayon.

Right. Because Jael is in Monte Costa while Arevalo and Alec are in the northern part of Luzon as of the moment.

He sighed. Pumasok na lamang siya sa kanyang sasakyan at dumiretso pauwi ngunit nang maiparada niya ang sasakyan sa labas ay nawala yata ang tama ng alak sa kanyang sistema nang makita niya si Roxie sa labas ng bahay.

She's sitting by the front door while hugging her knees. Nakapantulog na ito at nakapusod ang buhok. Her eyes and nose looked puffy as if she's been crying for hours. Nakunsensya tuloy si Zeus kaya dali-dali siyang lumabas ng kotse para lapitan ito.

"What are you doing here? Madaling araw na. May pasok ka pa bukas," he said after kneeling in front of her.

Roxie's lower lip trembled as her tears fell. "A-Akala ko hindi ka na uuwi." She sobbed. Naglabi rin na parang bata habang patuloy sa pagpatak ang mga luha. "Akala ko iniwan mo na ko kasi naniwala ka talagang idi-date ko ang gurang na 'yon."

Ewan ba ni Zeus kung bakit bigla siyang natawa. Nawala rin yata bigla ang sama ng loob niya kaya kinabig niya ito para yakapin. "Sorry if I made you worry. Nagpalamig lang ako ng ulo."

She sobbed on his shoulder. "Wala akong iba, Zeus. Hindi ako cheater. Lalong hindi ako manggagamit," she said. Her voice sounded too painful to hear, kaya naman hindi na napigilan ni Zeus na halikan ito sa gilid ng ulo.

He's wrong about judging her immediately. Pakiramdam niya kaya naniwala siya kaagad kasi . . . siya itong may itinatago. Kahit na ba sabihing hindi naman niya mahal si Rosanna at nakatali lamang sila sa kasal dahil napilitan siya, pakiramdam niya niloloko pa rin niya si Roxie.

God, he loves her. She brought sunshine into his life the way he didn't expect. Siguro kung dumating ang araw na magkaroon ito ng iba, pakiramdam niya ay mapaluluhod siya ni Roxie huwag lamang siya nitong iwan. Maybe he would even settle as a side boy just to still be with her, no matter how immoral it sounds.

Humigpit ang yakap niya sa nobya dahil sa naisip. "Tahan na." He kissed the side of her head. "I will never leave you, at kahit itaboy mo ko, nakaluhod akong babalik at babalik sa'yo, Roxie."

She sniffed and pulled away a little just so she could look him in the eye. Tila gustong manigurong hindi siya nagsisinungaling.

"Totoo ba 'yan? Hindi mo talaga ako iiwan? Kahit tapunan ka pa ng mga modelo, beauty queen at mga artista sa harap mo? Hindi mo ba ako ipagpapalit?" she asked.

Zeus wiped Roxie's cheeks with the back of his fingers before he cupped her face. "Why would I still give a damn about them when I'm already with the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

Suminghot ito. "Oo na, naniniwala na. Babanat pa kasi, hindi na lang sabihing hindi ako lolokohin," she murmured before she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Basta hindi ko kilala 'yon. Kahit ipa-background check mo pa ko o kahit tanungin mo si Cyra. Alam ng babaeng 'yon lahat ng baho ko sa katawan--"

Zeus smiled with lips pursed as his thumb stroked her cheek. "I love you," putol niya sa sinasabi nito.

Natigilan si Roxie at natulala sa kanya ng ilang sandali. Maya-maya ay bumuntonghininga ito saka hinawakan ang kamay niyang nakalapat sa pisngi nito.

"You are my last shot, Zeus. If this wouldn't work and you're gonna end up breaking my heart, I will finally lose my hopes that love exist. I've seen the worst kinds of relationships my whole life and this is the only time that I've been in a situation where I feel that it's safe to open my heart to someone no matter how scary it is so if this will end up as just a mere chapter in my life, then I don't know what I'd do anymore. Baka maging matandang dalaga na lang akong iirapan lahat ng magkasintahang mapapadaan sa harap ko," she said with all honesty.

He inhaled a sharp breath then pecked a gentle kiss on her forehead before he pressed their foreheads together.

"I'll be your epilogue guy. The last page in your favorite book. The one you will win battles with, Roxie. All I'm gonna ask from you is to trust me and have faith in my decisions." He sighed. "You may not understand some of them but please, just believe that everything that I'm gonna do, is for the future I want to spend with you . . ."