CHAPTER 4.2

PABAGSAK NA umupo ang kaibigan ni Luscious na si Livid sa kaniyang tabi. May hawak itong bote ng rum at nagsalin sa sariling baso.

"Ang aga natin ha."

His eyes landed on Ace. Ito ang kaibigan niyang may-ari ng bar kung saan sila madalas umiinom.

They're just sitting and drinking inside the VIP room. Hindi niya alam kung anong oras sila nag-umpisang mag-inuman. All he knew was he wanted to get wasted. Dalawang araw na siyang ganito. And he can't even understand himself, why? Why he's drinking and drowning himself to death?

"Ace, kailan mo ba bubuksan ang VVIP room nitong bar?" tanong ni Shy rito.

"Just wait, f*cker. I'm just waiting for my cousin."

"Your cousin?" Trevor asked, frowning.

"Yeah," maikling sagot nito at sumimsim ng whiskey.

He's not in the mood to talk with his friends. Wala rin naman siyang pakealam sa pinag-uusapan ng mga ito.

Muli siya lumagok ng rum mula sa sariling baso. Hinayaan niyang umagos ang init ng alak sa kaniyang lalamunan.

"Why? I don't see any reason for you to wait for your cousin just to open it," Shy snickered.

Ace chuckled and patted Shy's shoulder. "You're wrong, dude. My bar will explode and burn into ashes if I didn't do what she wants."

Their eyes all darted to Ace.

'A she?'

His eyebrows knotted together at the thought, but shrugged it off after a while. It's not like he should be bothered so much if Ace's cousin is a woman.

She would definitely be off limits. Not that he would be interested about her. Yeah?

"Your cousin is a she? D*mn, bud! May popormahan na naman si Trev," umiiling na wika ni Shy.

"G*go, my cousin is off limits!" Ace tsked and punched the latter on the shoulder.

"Bakit dude? Ayaw mo ba akong maging kamag-anak?" Trevor and Shy bursted out laughing.

Napakalalakas talaga ng tama ng mga kaibigan niya.

"G*go! I'll bury you six feet under the f*cking ground if you lay a finger on my cousin."

Kilala naman niya ang mga kaibigan. He knew that they're not serious. They respect each other. Trevor is a certified player, but he will never mess with Ace's cousin.

"By the way, when will be the Seven Deadly Sins?" Trevor asked.

The Seven Deadly Sins is one of the biggest events held in Sinner's Place— Ace's bar. Taon-taon itong ginaganap kung saan pitong kalalakihan ang mamimili ng kani-kanilang babae sa loob ng bar. Those men are all bachelors from well-known families. They're rich, handsome, and hot. Kaya naman inaabangan ng halos lahat ng kababaihan ang nasabing event. That is also the reason why Sinner's Place is a very famous bar. Who wouldn't want to be chosen by those 'seven deadly sinners'? No one.

"I'm still thinking about the exact date. The 'sinners' aren't complete, yet." Bumaling ito sa kaniya. "Will you participate, Might?"

"No," maikli niyang sagot dito.

He always joined the said event, but not this year. And that's very unusual. He used to enjoy that kind of 'fun'.

"We can ask the Cortez brothers, Lycan and Alpha."

"Oh the siblings with weird names. Pwede. Last year sumama si Lycan and Dread. They're not bad, but of course I'm more handsome," pagbubuhat ni Trevor ng sariling bangko. "Lycan was also your friend, Ace. I'm sure he'll be up for the fun."

"Chord and Lust are also interested." dugtong pa ni Shy.

Chord is one of his cousins from his mother's side. They're close, but barely talk for the last two years. Sa ibang bansa ito nakatira at hindi niya rin malaman kung ano ang gagawin nito rito sa Pilipinas.

'Business maybe.'

He just shrugged.

"How about Dom? Two years na rin magmula nang sumama siya."

Hindi niya na pinansin pa ang mga kaibigan. Patuloy lang siyang sunod-sunod na lumagok ng alak.

They drowned themselves in alcohol. And they're already physically wasted just after midnight. Literal na halos hindi sila makalagad na magka-kaibigan.

Si Kaj lang na nakaupong tahimik na nakikinig kanina ang hindi lasing, kaya ito na rin ang naguwi sa kanilang lahat. And he wanted to laugh at his friend, looking so annoyed while driving.

"F*ck you, bud!" His friend hissed. He's currently driving him to his penthouse. Nauna na nitong naihatid sina Trevor at Shy. "What's with you? Dalawang araw ka nang gan'yan. And I've been driving you for two f*cking nights as well! You should pay me for this!"

Luscious groaned and sighed. "I don't know, either," he murmured in his drunken state.

"The normal Might I know has a woman to bed, leaving the bar."

He sighed audibly again, hearing Kaj.

That's one of his problems too. Sex doesn't excite him anymore. And that's not so him! Hindi siya kailanman nabakante ng isang gabi. Kung oo man ay dahil abala siya sa kaniyang kompanya. He's acting really strange these past two days.

Mabilis siyang lumabas sa kotse ng kaibigan nang tumigil ito sa building ng kaniyang penthouse. Dito siya madalas umuuwi, dahil na rin sa malapit ito sa kaniyang opisina kung ikukumpara sa bahay niyang sa village pag-aari ng kaibigang si Shy nakatayo.

Hindi niya na nagawa pang magpaalam sa kaibigan at basta na lamang lumabas ng kotse. He just heard Kaj's car maneuvering away with screeching wheels.

Sumusuray siyang naglakad patungo sa elevator at pinindot iyon sa pinakamataas na palapag. Mariin siyang napapikit habang nakasandal sa pader ng elevator. Tila umiikot ang kaniyang kinatatayuan dahil sa sobrang kalasingan.

'F*ck!'

He's already expecting a severe hangover the next morning. Hindi na siya magtataka kung tila pinupokpok ang ulo niya sa sakit kinabukasan.

Mabilis siyang lumabas sa elevator nang marating niya ang floor ng kaniyang penthouse.

Luscious stumbled a few times until he reached the door. Pabagsak niyang isinarado ang pinto nang makapasok siya sa loob.

He stripped himself naked while  walking towards his bedroom. He badly needed to rest. Wala rin siyang plano pumasok sa opisina kinabukasan.

Kaagad siyang humiga sa kaniyang malambot na kama hanggang sa nilamon siya ng kadiliman. At sa pagpikit ng kaniyang mga mata, naramdaman niya na naman ang bagay na ilang araw nang gumugulo sa kaniyang sistema.

But for now, thanks to the alcohol for letting him sleep in peace.