Chapter Twenty Five

"P-Please... kiss me, Gin. Please," Vodka begged. Hot tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. "Please."

Vodka needed distraction, she needed and wanted Eugene. He made her feel safe, his kisses chased all her worries away and his touch made her forget about the things that troubled her. She doesn't care if Felix was outside, she wanted him.

Hindi matagalan ni Eugene ang mga mata ni Vodka na punong-puno ng iba't ibang emosyon. Naroon ang takot, kaguluhan, pagod at pagmamakaawa. Tinawid niya ang distansiyang nakapagitan sa kanilang mukha. He initiated the kiss this time, Vodka was still responding like how she kissed him earlier, frantic and rough. But the movements of his lips were softer and comforting, wanting her to feel at ease.

Hindi kalaunan ay naging malumanay ang pagtugon ni Vodka sa mga halik ng binata. Isang ungol ang nakulong sa mga labi ni Eugene nang maramdaman ni Vodka ang marahang paghaplos ng mga palad nito sa kanyang katawan. Napakasuyo ng bawat haplos ng mga kamay at hagod ng mga labi ni Eugene. Tuluyan niyang nakalimutan ang mga alalahanin at agad na natangay sa nakakaliyong damdaming ipinapadama nito sa kanya.

Her lungs were about to give up when Eugene released her lips and started kissing her jaw to the hollow of her neck. He was taking his time exploring her sweet places, his movements were soft and slow. Making Vodka whimpered with pure bliss and sweet torment at the same time.

It takes minutes for her to get fully naked with his slow movements. His hand and finger on her sensitive flesh were killing her, she begged him to go faster but her pleas were landed on deaf ears. She moved her body instead to meet every thrust and stroke of his fingers. "Please, Eugene," she cried, literally.

Eugene stopped kissing her breasts and meet her now drunken with lusts and pleading eyes. He kissed the tears from her eyes and dropped kisses to every part of her face. Then, he stared at her again as he took her fully, owning her.

A soft moan both came out of their lips as they became united. Ipinalibot ni Vodka ang mga braso sa leeg ni Eugene at ikinapit ang mga binti sa bewang nito. She was meeting his every thrust while their gazes were still connected. The way his eyes stared at her was making her heart pound too fast. Making every fiber of her being yearned for him.

Walang pagmamadali sa mga galaw ni Eugene, tila ba ninanamnam nito ang sandaling iyon. It felt so intimate for Vodka, it was not sex, it was making love. That night, they made slow passionate love like never before.

VODKA'S heart was pounding too hard against her chest, from that faint light, which she doesn't know where it came from, she can see the silhouettes and she's certain that those were owned by a man and a woman. 

"N-no!" Napatigil si Vodka sa paglalakad at napatakip sa bibig nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses na iyon kasabay ng pagdaing mula sa isa pang boses. 

She was frozen in place as she witnessed how the person fell on the cold marbled floor while the other ran away. Narinig niya ang pagsinghap ng taong nasa sahig at ang pag-ungol nito na tila nahihirapan hanggang sa natahimik ito.

Tumulo ang mga luha mula sa mga mata ni Vodka habang wala sa loob na napatingin sa isang bagay na nasa kanyang paanan. Kumikislap iyon kaya napansin niya sa kabila ng kadiliman. Sa nanginginig na kalamnan ay dinampot niya iyon. Sandali siyang natigilan nang bukod sa bagay na iyon ay may-isa pa siyang nakapang kung ano, hindi na siya nag-isip at kasama rin iyong kinuha bago tumayo at mabilis na tumalikod upang lumabas na sa Tipsy Talk. 

Sandali niyang nilingon ang kinaroroonan ng lalaki habang walang tigil ang kanyang luha. Kapagkuwan ay nabitin ang kanyang mga luha at napalitan ng sindak ang kanyang mga mata. 

"H-help..." mahinang daing ng lalaking nasa sahig habang nakabaling ang ulo sa direksiyon ng dalaga. 

Tila nanlaki ang ulo ni Vodka sa nasasaksihan. Hindi na dapat siya lumingon pa. 

Wala sa sariling naiatras niya ang mga paa habang nakatingin sa dalawang bulto na ilang metro ang layo mula sa kanya. She was shaking her head violently while staring at the silhouette of the man who was standing beside the man on the floor. Nasisiguro niya hindi iyon si Isabella na siyang tumakbo kanina. 

Vodka was scared beyond words. Ang may-ari ng hulma ng katawang iyon na biglang sumulpot ay alam niyang nakatingin sa kanyang direksiyon. Malaki ang pangangatawan nito at may katangkaran. She was sure it was a man. 

When she saw the man took a step in her direction, she abruptly turned her back at them, holding her bag and the things she picked on the floor as if her life depended on it, and ran as fast as she could. 

Wala siyang nakasalubong na ibang tao hanggang sa makalabas siya at makarating sa kanyang kinapaparadahan. 

With shaking limbs and tears flowing down her cheeks, she maneuvered her car away from her favorite place and stepped on the gas as if she was being chased by seven demons.

MGA tapik sa pisngi ang nagpagising kay Vodka. Pawisang ang katawan at lumuluhang nagmulat ng mga mata ang dalaga, agad na nakasalubong niya ng tingin si Eugene na nakatunghay sa kanya.

"Are you okay?" tanong ni Eugene sa dalaga habang pinapahiran ang basa nitong mukha.

Vodka was still in a state of shock and just stared at Eugene for a couple of seconds. Kapagkuwan ay wala sa sariling umiling siya.

"I'll get you some water first."

Pagkalabas ni Eugene sa loob ng silid ay binaklas ni Vodka ang comforter at dahan-dahang umalis mula sa kama. Though her limbs were shaking and her heart was still pounding painfully.

Suot ang damit ni Eugene na mahaba sa kanya, na marahil ay isinuot nito sa kanya kanina, ay sumunod siya rito palabas.

Palabas na ng kusina ang binata nang salubungin niya ito ng yakap at isubsob ang mukha sa leeg nito. Ang tubig nitong dala ay bahagya pang natapon.

Vodka can remember it now, everything that happened in Tipsy Talk that dawn when Patrick Castillo was murmured, she remembered it now.

"I'm here," Eugene murmured to her ear while gently combing her hair with his free hand. 

 DALA ang tinimplang kape ay tumungo siya sa underground kung nasaan naroon si Eugene. Tulong ito sa naroong kama nang datnan niya kaya inilapag niya ang dala sa ibabaw ng lamesa na may nakapatong na baril at mga bala.

Umupo siya sa gilid at tinitigan ang natutulog na binata. She felt sorry for dragging him to her situation, he doesn't need to do all these stuffs for her but he still did. How can't she not believe that he liked her if he was doing things to make her safe?

Mula nang dumating doon ang nakatatandang kapatid, tatlong araw na ang nakakaraan ay naging abala na ang dalawang lalaki sa paghahanap ng paraan upang maprotektahan siya. Felix went to the big city the next day after he arrived at Eugene's house. Whilst Eugene was staying a lot of times in the underground and doing his research. Kahit na magkalayo ang dalawa ay alam niyang nag-uusap ang mga ito sa telepono. She wouldn't be surprise if they'll become the best of friends in no time. 

Felix and Eugene knew about the man he saw at the nightclub when Patrick Castillo was murdered, she told them everything. At malakas ang paniniwala ng dalawa na may kinalaman doon ang pagtatangka sa buhay niya. That maybe, that man in the nightclub was the one who was desperate to get her killed, she was a witness after all. 

And about her friend, Isabella, she still couldn't get hold of her. She watched the news everytime, she might've see Isabella in them, she did but it's not very often. Nakapagtataka dahil matunog sa medya ang pagkamatay ng anak ng congressman ngunit kaunti lang ang mga artikulo o balita na naghahayag ng pagsuko ni Isabella at pag-amin sa ginawa nito. Before Felix left, she asked him to visit Isabella for her but she still hadn't heard from Felix. 

"Hey." 

Natigilan si Vodka nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses na iyon. Ngumiti siya kay Eugene na ngayon ay nakatingin na sa kanya habang magkasalubong ang kilay dahil sa pagtataka. Hindi niya namalayan na kanina pa siya nakatingin dito ngunit wala rito ang kanyang pansin.

"Hi. Buenas dias," she greeted in Spanish. 

"Good morning, Hermosa. Besame."

Napangiti si Vodka dahil sa huling salitang sinabi ni Eugene. She uttered the word sexily and huskily, asking her to kiss him.

Sa halip na tumalima ay tumayo siya mula sa pagkakaupo sa gilid ng kama. "I brought you coffee, I already made breakfast if you're hungry."

Bumangon si Eugene at umupo sa gilid ng kama kapagkuwan ay hinila ang dalaga kaya napaupo ito sa kanyang kandungan. 

Hindi mapigilan ni Vodka na mamangha habang nakatingin sa mukha ni Eugene. Magulo ang buhok nito mula sa pagtulog at kakagising lang ngunit napakapresko pa rin ng dating. He wasn't conscious about how he look in the morning and that made him more attractive. 

Vodka saw it coming and she waited for it like a babe, she waited for Eugene's lips to capture hers. She answered his kisses but she stopped after a minute or two, she had too or else they will get dirty on the bed in that underground the next moments. It's still too early for that, though she missed him, he had been very busy the past two days and they hadn't made love since then, there's a time and place for that and now's not the time, knowing that Felix will be coming in any minute from now from his two day escapade of some sort in the city.

He trailed kissed on her cheek, jaw and neck but she ignored the prickling sensation it caused her. "The coffee will be cold." Sabay tulak ng bahagya rito at dampot sa tasa ng kape. Ibinigay niya iyon kay Eugene at umayos ng upo sa tabi nito kapagkuwan ay inihilig ang ulo sa balikat ng binata. 

Habang umiinom ng kape si Eugene ay tahimik siyang nakahilig dito. Naagaw lang ang kanilang pansin nang marinig ang pagtunog ng cellphone ng binata na nasa ibabaw ng lamesa. Agad naman iyong sinagot ni Vodka at inilagay sa loudspeaker. 

"Hermano, donde estas?" tanong niya kung nasaan na ito. 

"We have a situation here. Outside the house," saad ni Felix mula sa kabilang linya sa halip na sagutin ang tanong ng dalaga. 

Dahil sa sinabi ng nasa kabilang linya ay sabay na napatingin sina Vodka at Eugene sa monitor kung saan makikita ang mga kuha ng CCTV cameras sa ibat ibang panig ng property ni Eugene. 

Sa isang kuha sa labas mula sa isa sa mga CCTVs ay makikita si Felix at hindi ito nag-iisa.

"Stay here," utos ni Eugene kay Vodka bago kinuha ang baril na nasa lamesa. 

"Who is that?" kinakabahang tanong ni Vodka. 

"I don't know."