"Sir, we have him already," imporma sa akin ni Jex.
Natigil ako sa paglalagay ng gatas sa baso nang marinig ang sinabi nito. I glanced at Femella who has poured all her focus on building the puzzle. Nakasalampak ito sa sahig. Suot na niya naman ang t-shirt ko. It's been three days since she's been with me and so far, she's recovering fast.
"Did you file the necessary charges? I want him forever locked." Natapon ang laman ng carton ng gatas sa higpit ng pagkakahawak ko rito. Naglalaro sa isip ko ang itsura ni Femella ng gabing iyon. She's pale, almost lifeless in my arms. That image will keep me haunted forever and it's all because of that man. Magdasal na siya dahil hindi lang ako titigil dito. I know this is deeper than this. Malaki ang paniniwala kong may kinalaman ang nasaksihan kong pag-uusap nina Lagma at Fem sa mga nangyari.
"Yes, sir. Already taken care of."
"Good. I'll be there."
Tinapos ko ang tawag at pinunasan ang kalat. Kumuha ako uli ng gatas sa ref at nagsalin sa baso. Dinala ko ito at ang platito ng cake kay Femella na naniningkit na ang mata sa kakatitig sa mga nakakalat na puzzle pieces. Parang batang nakaupo lang ito sa sahig habang kinakagat ang labi. Umupo ako sa tabi niya at tinapik ang hita nito.
"Kumain ka muna. Hindi tatakbo ang mga iyan." Inayos ko ang nagulong buhok nito at inipit sa tenga nito.
"Are you sure na kompleto ito? Baka naman may naiwan pa sa box or did you hide the other pieces?" Diskumpiyado niya akong sinulyapan.
I laughed softly. "Kumpleto iyan. I even finished it earlier, remember?"
Kinagat na naman nito ang labi. "Bat di ko mabuo-buo?" Tinitigan nito ang mga hiwa-hiwalay na piraso bago dinampot ang isa at inilagay sa board para mabuo ang tenga. Tiningnan niya ako at iminuwestra ang nabuong imahe pagkatapos ay ipinakita sa akin ang braso nito at hinimas-himas. A proud smile is etched on her face. "Hindi pa talaga ako nangangalawang. I used to enjoy solving puzzles way back in college."
Itinaas ko ang isang tuhod at inilagay ang isang braso ko dito. "Really? What degree did you take up in college?"
"You didn't know? I thought you had me investigated?" Kinuha nito ang baso at uminom mula rito.
"I did not read the full report. Gusto kong ikaw mismo ang magsabi sa akin tungkol sa sarili mo."
"Isn't it unfair? Halos alam ko na ang lahat sa iyo."
Kinuha ko ang isang puzzle piece at idinikit sa bandang kanan ng puzzle board. "You only know the physical details about me. The basic ones. You only know me from afar. Hindi mo pa rin ako lubusang kilala. I am more than the person the media project me to be. Sa loob ng apat na taong pagmamanman mo sa akin, do you really think you have known the real me?"
She looked me in the eyes and shook her head. "No. Those information I gathered from you didn't do you any justice at all. You're much more arrogant than I thought you were." Ngumisi ito.
Ngumisi rin ako. "You know you have a sharp tongue, don't you?"
"I obviously know. Alam ko ring it's one of the reasons why you fancy over me. You attract good stuff and I happen to be the cream of the crop."
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ko. "My, my. What do we have here? An arrogant man and a woman who's so full of her herself."
Inirapan niya lang ako bago kinuha ang kutsara at sinimulang kainin ang cake. Nangingiting pinagmasdan ko lang siya.
"So answer my question," I coaxed her.
Nilunok muna nito ang cake at uminom ng gatas bago niya ako sinagot. "Journalism. I took Journalism in college so I know how to ask the right and controversial questions."
"Cool. Now I know that I have a girlfriend with excellent journalistic skills. Sounds about scary but I can bear with that. Do you still talk to your friends in college? Hang-out? We could probably arrange you to meet with them."
She gave me an amused eye. "Mav, the kind of life I'm living for years don't warrant me to have friends. I can barely get through studying in an exclusive university thanks to a college trust fund without students asking about my connection with Alcantaras. Of course, I denied any relationship with them. It's what I thought to be the only way to survive back then. To be invisible. So no friends."
Habang sinasabi niya iyon ay nakangiti lang sa akin si Femella na parang wala lang sa kaniya ang lahat. But I know better. In just a short span of living with her, I've been able to read her. I know when she's really happy, sad or angry. I have been able to register even the slightest change in her behavior. Her lips are smiling but her eyes say otherwise. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang uunahing isipin. The fact that she's trying to hide her emotions to appear tough is one thing. Femella refusing to trust me with her feelings is another.
Hinila ko siya palapit sa akin at kinuyumos ng halik. I want to erase the sadness in her face. I want to replace the unpleasant memories with great ones. Nabigla ito pero agad din namang tumugon. I kissed her hard, nipping his lower lip in the process. I tasted the creaminess of the milk and the sweetness of the cake in her mouth. Bumaba ang kamay ko patungo sa pang-upo nito at dahan-dahang itong inihiga sa carpeted floor habang hindi pinuputol ang halik. Our bodies are moving in a rhythm, seeking for the familiar rush of emotions that got us burning in desire.
I looked down at her. Her eyes mirrored mine. She wants me as much as I want her.
"Do you still want me?" she asked, quivering. "You know you haven't...we haven't...oh geez this is embarrassing! Forget I asked you that." Nag-iwas ito ng tingin sa akin at tinakpan ang mukha.
I rubbed my obvious arousal on her thighs, took off her hands on her face and lunged at her lips again for a sweet agonizing kiss. Ipinaikot nito ang mga kamay sa leeg ko at tumugon ng walang kasing-init.
"Don't ever doubt the way I want you, Fem. It's an insult to my loyal friend down here."
Bumaba ang tingin naming dalawa sa sundalong gusto nang kumawala sa pagkakakulong. She giggled while blushing. Hinila niya ako sa leeg at matamis na hinalikan. Hindi ako nakontento sa ginawa nito kaya idiniin ko pa ang labi sa kaniya. A moan came out of her mouth. I began to undress her not minding the ringing of my phone. I ignored it and kept kissing her but it won't stop. Tumatawang itinulak ako ni Femella palayo bago nito kinuha sa bulsa ko ang cellphone at ipinakita sa akin ang alarm. The fucking alarm once again.
Inis dahil sa pagkabitin, umupo ako at inaalayan rin itong umupo. I exhaled sharply and turned off the phone.
"I better go." I stayed still.
She grinned at me. "Yeah, you should."
Pinanggigilan ko ang pisngi nito. "Hindi mo ako tatanungin kung saan ako pupunta?"
"No. I trust you."
I smiled while I reached for her chin. "I hope you can also trust me with your past, present, and future. Your fears and sadness. All of it. I can deal with them for you. Be bare with me. At this point, hindi lang ang damit mo ang gusto kong hubarin. I want your mind and soul naked before me." I kissed her temple and stood up. "I'll be back."
Paglabas ko sa unit ay naghihintay na si Jex sa akin. We rode the elevator down the parking lot. Nag-convoy kami papunta sa presinto. Sa daan ay masusi kong inalisa ang mga posibilidad. I didn't rule out the possibility that someone from the group is toying on us. I clenched my jaws. Bad move. Mali ang pinaglaruan niyang tao.
Humimpil ang sasakyan sa police station kasunod sina Jex sa likuran. Sinalubong kami ng hepe ng pulisya na dinala kami sa isang silid kung saan pansamantalang naka-detain ang suspek. Tinanguan ko si Jex para manatili lang ito sa labas. Kinuha ko ang envelope na ibinigay niya sa akin at pumasok sa pinto. I saw the man in handcuffs sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. Nagtaas ito ng tingin pagkarinig sa pagbukas ng pinto. I studied his appearance.
Matangkad ang lalaki, may kaitiman ang balat at malaki ang pangangatawan. Femella wouldn't have a stand with him in case a struggle happened. Tumalim ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Binaklas ko ang kuwelyo ng lalaki at binilang ang kaliskis ng tattoo nito. Tatlo. I smirked. Kumuha ako ng silya at umupo kaharap nito. The guy just has no reaction. Kinuha ko ang susi sa loob ng envelope at pinakawalan ito. He seemed surprised.
Binuksan ko ang envelope at binasa ang mga nakasulat. Huminga ako nang malalim.
"Froilan Jacinto, 25 years old, binata, at tatlong taon ng miyembro ng El Draconem. Flat information. Useless." Bahagya kong tiningnan ang lalaki na wala pa ring reaksiyon. "I know you wouldn't talk. Years of training taught you that. My father, may he rest in peace, made sure of the quality of El Draconem men. So how about this." I took the other paper on envelope and handed it to him. Tinitigan niya lang ito pero hindi niya kinuha.
"Oh, now you won't want to see your mother? But according to reports, you were looking for her? Would your mother be proud to visit you in a penitentiary?" Nginisihan ko ito. "How about your sister? Matutuwa kaya siya kung makikita niya ang iniidolong kapatid sa loob ng kulungan?"
The guy's face went dead murderous at the mention of her sister. He snapped and before I knew it, he was lurching on me with his fist. Mabilis kong naiwasan ang suntok nito at binigwasan sa mukha ang lalaki. Sapul ang panga nito na agad na dumugo. I've been meaning to do that ever since I entered the door. Ayoko lang ng kaaway na walang kalaban-laban.
I unbuttoned the first button on my shirt and step forward. I rarely engaged in a fistfight outside my training schedule and matches with Gideon but I could definitely bring down this guy. I'm not the son of the founder of El Draconem for nothing.
"I've never liked violence but you crossed the line the moment you touched Femella."
I took another calculated step and tactically locked him using my arms while kicking his sheen. He managed to free himself but not before accepting my punch on his face.
Hindi pa ako nakontento at inundayan pa ito ng suntok sa tiyan at sinipa ang hita nito. The bleeding guy was forced into the floor in a matter of seconds. Nilapitan ko siya at kinuwelyuhan.
"Who?" I dangerously asked.
Tumawa lang ito kasabay ang pag-agos ng dugo sa mata at bibig nito. I got pissed.
"Wag mong hintaying putulin ko iyang dila mo. I'll make sure to record a video of it and who knows who I have in mind to send it to?"
I dragged him across the floor into the chair and put him again in the handcuffs. Pagkatapos ay bumalik ako sa upuan at pahinamad na naupo.
"I only want a name, Froilan. One name. Please, don't test me. I don't have my father's patience."
Matiim akong tiningnan nito. "Labas dito ang kapatid ko."
"I am not negotiating. Give me the name."
"Nanggaling ang utos sa taas. Kung sino, wala akong ideya."
Umayos ako ng upo at pinag-aralan ang mukha nito. I can't see any hint about him lying. "Who told you to tell her about those words?"
"Hindi ko rin alam. Iyon lang ang nakasulat sa papel. Hindi ko intensiyong patayin siya. Ang utos ay takutin lang siya."
Nagbaga ang mga mata ko sa sinabi nito. "Listen to me, Froilan. Wala akong pakialam kung sino ka at kung ano ang dahilan mo para pumasok sa organisasyon. All I know is that you touched my girl. Whoever instructs you picked the wrong guy to mess with. Kinanti niya ang isa sa pinakamahalagang tao sa buhay ko. Iyan ang pinakamaling desisyon na ginawa niya sa buong buhay niya."
Tumayo na ako. "Wala akong balak na makigulo sa inyo. I don't care anymore who will assume the leadership among the factions. The group could be disintegrating already and I wanted to just watch from the distance. Pero ibang usapan na kapag may ginalaw kayo sa partido ko." I stared at his tattoo proudly sticking out from his skin. "Takot ka sa kanila pero sa akin hindi? This time, this mark, I'm telling you, won't save you."
Tinalikuran ko na ang tigagal na si Froilan at lumabas. Sinalubong ako ni Jex sa pasilyo.
"Do what I told you to do. Keep him locked as long as possible. Inform me if someone tried to bail him out."
"Yes, sir."
Nagpasalamat muna ako sa hepe bago tuluyang umalis.
Author's Note: Follow me for more stories. Thank you 😊