Chapter Two

       He led me outside the club, where a limousine was parked and guarded by some of the club's security. I knew it was meant for Zaccheus when one opened the door, but I pushed by him and slipped inside comfortably. My lips parted open when I saw a table inside, which had an expensive-looking bottle of champagne and three champagne flutes. Inside, the room was so large that I appeared to be able to move about freely.

I grabbed the champagne and poured myself in one of the flute. I shifted to the left, giving Zaccheus plenty of room to sit away from me. I didn't look in his direction, instead I crossed one thigh over the other and drank the champagne as if I owned the limousine.

Umandar na ang kotse nang mahinahon, hindi natumba ang mga kagamitan sa loob. Kung sino man ang nagmamaneho ay mukhang sanay na ito.

Hindi ako naninibago sa lahat ng ito, ilang beses na akong nakasakay sa mga magagarang sasakyan—even fancier than this one. Sure, I admit that most of my past owners spoiled me, but was I free?

To answer my question, I cringed and shook my head. I was far from free. I could only leave the house when they were around, and I had to always obey their commands and fulfill their requests. I was more obedient than a dog in the past, and that was all I did. However, as I grew older, I became aware of the side of the world in which I grew up in. The Underground.

Mafias. Drugs. Syndicates. Prostitution. Human trafficking. Gambling. Slavery. Sex.

"Tell me more of your good qualities," he demanded. Just like the others, he was bossy and his tone just sounded very rude and stubborn. I hated him already. Maybe I already hated him before I even met him.

I furrowed my brows. "Hindi pa ba sapat na magaling ako sa kama? Na-mention ko na 'yon, hindi ba?"

"Do you know how to clean?"

"Huwag kang mag-expect na maglilinis ako ng bahay. I'm a whore, I only do sex, you bought me for sex. Hindi mo 'ko binayaran para mag-maid." I rested my back on the backrest and bit the rim of my glass.

"Do you cook?"

"I'll just burn your whole kitchen down."

Silence.

"Do you know how to take care of a child?"

"Oh, so hindi mo lang akong gagawing katulong at tagaluto? Gagawin mo rin akong taga-bantay ng bata?"

Hinintay ko na tumugon siya, ilang kalahating minuto na ang lumipas ay hindi siya nagsalita. Hinawi ko ang buhok sa kaliwang balikat nang masulyapan siya. Hindi ako nakomportablehan sa katahimikan, nang binuka ko ang bibig upang magsalita ay naramdaman ko siyang gumalaw sa tabi ko.

He shifted closer to the window, he was shaking his head. I caught the his expression in his reflection on the tinted windshield window, his brows were furrowed and his lips formed a grimace.

"Useless."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're not gonna say that once I fuck you."

No expression. No response. Just the uncomfortable silence that played with my sanity.

"God, I'm trying to dirty talk here, hindi mo man lang ba 'yon pupurihin o papansinin?"

He didn't answer and I didn't press him any further. First and foremost, I did not want to die, and the rumors about him might be eighty-five percent accurate. Second, I was too exhausted and sleepy to do anything. Finally, the leash around my neck hurts my throat and neck. When I said it was tight, I meant it like a virgin.

Binaba ko ang champagne flute at dinampot ang pamilyar na remote sa lamesa. Pinindot ko ang pamilyar na button, bumukas ang bintana na nakapagitan sa front seat at sa backseat ng limousine. Naaninag ko ang itim at medyo mahaba at kulot na buhok ng driver, sa anggulo ko ay masisilayan ang rear view mirror sa loob.

"Mr. Driver! Can I ask where are we heading?" Kumaway ako para kuhanin ang atensyon niya.

He positioned the rear view mirror towards me, a pair gentle brown eyes met mine and white set of teeth.

"Sa Laguna tayo, Miss Mildred."

I waved my hand dismissively. "Huwag mo 'kong tawaging Miss, bayarang babae lamang po." Pagbibiro ko. "Ilang oras ba ang biyahe?"

"Expect a two to three hours drive, Mildred." Thank God, he listened to me about disregarding the 'Miss.'

Bumuntong hininga ako at napasabunot sa buhok. "Antok na antok na 'ko, ang tagal ko kayang kinulong duon sa kulungan na nasa stage ng club."

"Pwede ba 'kong magtanong?"

"Magtanong ka lang, sure."

"Bakit ka ba kinulong duon nang walang saplot? May ginawa ka bang masama para parusahan ka nang ganon?" His head cocked curiously.

"I unfortunately killed my previous owner and choked him to death while I'm on top of him and riding his dick. I must have gotten excited and accidentally strangled him as I came." I quoted the word 'unfortunately' with my fingers and rolled eyes when I finished my lie.

I didn't orgasm.

The driver laughed.

"No shit. Must be a good sex then?"

"Maybe." I shrugged, I poured myself another drink and sipped, licking the rim of the flute. "Gusto kita, Mr. Driver, unlike your boss here na boring kausap at balak yata akong gawing katulong. Anong pangalan mo?"

Tumawa siya habang umiiling, lumipat ang tingin niya saglit kay Zaccheus at bumalik din agad sa akin.

"The name's Adam, my lady." He introduced himself with charm like how a prince would.

"Adam," I bit my bottom lip. "I like you, you're cute. Will your boss be okay to share me to you?"

"Oh!" He laughed again, throwing his head back. "I don't think he will be happy, and my girlfriend will kill me if I sleep with you, so..."

"Aw... A loyal boyfriend. That's sweet." Nagkibit balikat ako at humarap kay Zaccheus na nakadungaw pa rin sa bintana. "Why will you not be happy to share me? My past owners loved threesome."

"Ugh, that's just a disgusting image you put in my head. You, Zac and me? I think I'm gonna throw up." Adam made a gagging sound that made throw my head back and laugh.

"Scared to see another weewee other than yours? Or maybe you’re homophobic?"

"Weewee? If you put it like that, then yes. About the second part though, no, I have nothing against gay people."

Nagpatuloy ang pag-uusap namin ni Adam. He always referred his boss as 'Zac' so I'm guessing he was close to him. Zaccheus only stayed quiet, his jaw kept twitching like he'd been holding himself back. I had fallen asleep the remaining hour with my head on the window and a flute in my hand. I must have drunk a little too much, my head felt heavy.

Magsisinungaling ako kung sabihin kong hindi ako naguguluhan sa nangyayari sa loob ng limousine. Adam acted like he wasn't a driver at all, Zaccheus allowed us to converse wittily and laugh loudly. Inasahan ko na magagalit siya o mapupuno siya sa kaingayan ko, gusto kong mapuno siya at magalit sa akin.

Nagising ako sa kamalayan nang maramdaman kong huminto ang sasakyan, naramdaman ko agad ang pagkakangawit ng batok ko. Lukot ang mukha ko habang umuupo nang tuwid at hinihilot ang gilid ng leeg, binuksan ko ang mga mata at natagpuang wala na si Adam sa driver seat. Wala na ring mahigpit na tali sa leeg ko, si Zaccheus sa tabi ko ay tinutulak na pabukas ang pintuan at lumabas.

Bumukas ang pinto sa gawi ko, bumaling ako rito at tumambad si Adam sa paningin ko na naglalahad ng kamay para sa akin. Nakatingala ako sa tangkad niya.

Adam was handsome, he looked so tall standing outside the car and lending me his hand. He had a pair of brown eyes and long curly hair, his lips pulled into a gentlemanly smile.

Tinanggap ko ang kamay niya nang nakangiti at singkit ang mga mata. Lumabas ako at humakbang siya paatras upang bigyan ako ng espasyo. Nagtaka ako kung bakit nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Mahina akong natawa nang mapagtantong nakatiwangwang ang tuxedo na suot ko at nakalabas ang mga parte ng katawan kong dapat nakatago.

"Nandito na ba tayo?" Hinayaan kong nakabukas ang tuxedo at kinusot ang mga mata nang makakita nang maayos. Humikab ako at niliko ang katawan sa harap ng mataas at malaking gate.

Through the gate was a staircase leading to the mansion at the top of the man-made hill and rocks. The exterior design was very Asian, then again it wasn't my first time seeing a massive mansion. However I was still at awe as my eyes noticed every detail, like the beautiful fountain at the left.

"Ipaparke ko lang ang kotse—"

"Limousine." I corrected him, it didn't felt right to refer the vehicle behind me simply as a car.

"Yeah, that. I'll park it on the parking lot underground." He shook his head while chuckling and returned inside the limousine.

I had step aside on the pavement, Zaccheus was at the other side of the vehicle. He walked casually around it with a key chain in his finger, his forefinger in the hoop and lightly swayed the jingly thing around his finger.

"Don't flirt with my men," he said.

"Too bad, I like Adam." I shrugged, folding my arms over my chest when the cold breeze of air caressed my naked skin.

He rolled his eyes, the first real expression I'd seen in his face from the moment I first laid my eyes on him.

"I had enough of your mouth tonight. You are going to shut the fuck up and follow me, woman."

May naisip na akong sagot sa kaniya ngunit madiin ang mga mata niya, posibleng imahinasyon ko lang ngunit ultimong naging mas madilim ang balintataw ng mga mata niya. Bumalik sa ala-ala ko ang mga narinig kong usap-usapan tungkol sa kaniya.

Hindi kaakit-akit ang buhay kung saan ako lumaki, sa pananalita ko ay tila pinagmamalaki ko ang trabaho ko subalit kabaliktaran ito ng tunay kong nararamdaman. Kinamumuhian ko ang ginagawa ko, kinamumuhian ko ang buhay na meron ako. Pero hinding-hindi ko naisipan na tapusin ang buhay ko, siguro ay pinanganak lang talaga akong matigas ang ulo at hindi mahina.

I always wanted freedom. I dreamed to be free. I promised myself that I would be free someday. I'm only twenty-six, I still had more years ahead of me.

I shut my mouth. Two guards had scurried down the staircase and opened the gate for us, I followed him inside.

Pinanatili kong dalawang metro ang layo ko kay Zaccheus.

"Ihahatid kita sa kwarto mo."

Muntikan akong mapahinto sa sunod niyang sinabi. Nakatalikod siya pero tumango ako bilang sagot duon—wala sa sarili. Nagblanko ang isipan ko, naging sunod-sunuran ako, nakayuko at tulala sa mga paa niyang malaki ang mga hakbang.

Hindi ko namalayang nakapasok na kami sa mansyon, hanggang sa umakyat kami sa hagdanan na tila walang hanggan bago kami makarating sa taas. Pakiramdam ko ay walang katapusan ang paglalakad namin sa pasilyo, nang huminto siya ay nanginginig ang mga binte ko at mabilis ang kabog ng dibdib.

The hitching of my breath echoed the hall when I heard something clicked, like a door unlocking. I finally raised my head, he stood outside a ceiling-length double doors with his hand on the golden doorknob.

I could see my reflection on it, my helpless and nervous expression. Then I looked at Zaccheus, he had his eyebrows knitted together as he looked back to me.

Shit.

I stood straight, raising my brows and flipping my hair off my shoulders. I took off my tuxedo next. His head tilted sideways and his gaze followed my movement as he pushed the door open. He walked inside, I followed like a dog.

The feminine scent of the bedroom invaded my nose. The space of the room was wide, the ceiling tall and impossible to reach even when you use the king-sized bed with minimalist sheets as a trampoline to reach it. At the center was a chandelier the lit the place brightly.

The walls and curtains were dark brown and black which conveyed luxury and created an inviting atmosphere to the surrounding. A heavy black curtain blocked the glass balcony door behind the bed settled on the center of the room. It looked simple but daring. There were two nightstand on each side of bed, a lamp shade on the right.

I sighted two mirrors. One was a hand mirror above the left side of the table, the second was a full body mirror beside a closet and the last one was the luxurious vanity mirror and table. Book shelves were also present in the room, and other bedroom furniture and things such as tables, lights, modern paintings, and ottoman.

I heard him say something but my ears were deaf to everything.

I dropped the tuxedo on my feet and stood before Zaccheus completely naked.

"Hihiga na ba ako sa kama at bubuksan ang hita kk para sayo?" Diretso ang boses ko.

I realized how much shameless I had become over the past years of being a whore. It felt so normal now when people stared at my nakedness, especially when they were men. I realized it was not because I'm confident with my body.

Nakasanayan ko lang.

He took a step forward and I looked down his pants. Another step and I mirrored his movement. And when I thought he was going to grab me, pull me with him, push me to the bed or whatever, he walked past me instead.

Agad siyang sinundan ng paningin ko, huminto siya sa doorway, ang likod ang nakaharap sa akin.

"From now on, I want you to train yourself how to cook, clean and take care of a child. In short, Mildred, learn how to be a good fucking wife."