“B-Bitawan mo na ako.”
The trembling in Graciella’s voice betrayed the firmness she was trying so hard to project. Kahit anong pilit niyang gawing matatag ang tono, nanginginig pa rin ito, parang siya mismo ay hindi kumbinsido sa salitang binitawan niya. The more she tried to sound strong, the more obvious it became that she was conflicted—lalo na’t ramdam niya ang init ng bisig na nakapalibot sa kanya.
Pero hindi bumitaw si Patrick. His strong arms caged her completely, pressing her against his body with a steady grip that made escape impossible. Para siyang hawak ng isang pader—warm, unyielding, and immovable.
“Hindi kita mapagkakatiwalaan na hindi tatakbo palayo sa akin,” he said, calm yet firm, voice carrying that kind of certainty that made it hard to argue.
Sinamaan siya ng tingi
