III

It was one of those nights for Nick Ferrera.

Nights when he was craving for a distraction from his shitty, boring and compelling life. And so once again, he found himself drinking inside Desideria. A club he and his brother once built. Ngunit iniwan na siya ng kapatid niya. Not that he died or something. Randall just wanted to explore other opportunities, preferably something that has nothing to do with Nick and their family.

His brother wanted to prove himself to their father. Something he couldn't blame him for. Simula pa naman noong una pa lang ay mas pinapaburan na siya ng kanilang ama at ina. Noong una akala niya ang pagrerebelde ni Randall ay dala lamang ng sibling rivalry. Ngunit pambata lamang iyon. They are grown ups now, and still his brother's competing with him.

He gulped what remains of his brandy. He terribly missed his brother. Sappy as it seems.

Mas gusto niyang lumabas kasama ito at makipagkwentuhan tungkol sa boring niyang buhay gawa ng pagpapatakbo niya sa negosyo ng pamilya. Gago ka talaga, Ran, dapat tinutulungan mo ako ngayon, eh!

Ngunit ano pa nga bang magagawa niya? They have shitty parents. Sometimes, he too, wanted to slap some sense into his father's mind. Pero wala. You can't choose your family.

Nanghingi siya ng isa pang shot sa bartender saka niya ipinilig ang katawan upang pagmasdan ang kabuuan ng club.

This used to be one of the most high end bars in the metro. Ngunit simula ng bitawan ito ng kapatid niya at napwersa siyang ipaubaya ito sa pamamahala ng isa sa mga pinsan nila ay naging out of control na ang club.

Although it was still earning good, really good actually, this is not at all what he and his brother had envisioned.

Nick had no qualms when it comes to debauchery but this, like he said, is out of hand. Hindi ito kagaya ng Illicit--isang sex club na minsan ay nabisita na rin niya--ngunit it's coming close to that. Siguro ay kung makikita lamang ito ng kapatid niya ay madidismaya ito sa kanya. Kung ikukumpara ito sa Remix ay pihadong pagtatawanan ang club na ito. His brother did just fine without him and he's clearly happy with his life now. Something that Nick isn't.

Kitang kita ng mga mata niya ang kalaswaang nangyayari sa bawat madilim na sulok ng establisyimento at bahagya siyang nadismaya. Cmon, Nick, it's not as if you're a saint. Aaminin na niyang na-tempt siya na sundan na ang yapak ng Illicit ngunit naalala niya ang mga plano nila noon ng kapatid.

So, it's all about my brother now?

He shook his head trying to get rid of those bothersome thoughts and as if by some invisible force his eyes suddenly found this beautiful siren on the dance floor.

Ang bawat indayog ng katawan nito ay nagdala ng init na gumagapang patungo sa singit niya. He's more of a booty than a boob type of guy. And this woman had a perfectly shaped butt perfect for spanking. His cock jolted against the zipper of his dark jeans. Man, how he wanted to squeeze that ass!

Mahinang napaungol si Nick. He wanted that woman bent over a table while he's fucking the shit out of her. "Cmon now, babe. Turn around so I can see the face of the woman I'd be burying my dick in tonight."

At nang muli itong kumembot at umikot pakabig sa kanya ay napamura si Nick. Shit. Fuck!

It was that woman in the coffee shop earlier!

Damn, Aya Valderama. May itinatago pala ito sa likod ng mahabang coat na suot nito kanina. Mas lalong umigting ang itinatago niya sa loob ng kanyang pantalon. He wanted this woman ever since he laid his eyes on her earlier. May kung ano sa mapang-akit nitong mga mata na hindi niya magawang tanggihan. And then he had to screw it up by acting like an ass.

Nang magpalit ng tugtog ang DJ ay nagsimula itong umalis. He groaned. Hindi pa siya kuntento sa ginawa nitong pagsasayaw, ngunit sa kabilang banda ay nasabik na rin siyang solohin ito.

Napatayo siya agad at sinubukang sundan ito ngunit parang bula itong nawala.

Dammit! Malas talaga!

Nick tried to look for her all over the club but she almost literally disappered into thin air. Sinubukan din niyang hanapin ang mga kasama nito kanina ngunit hindi rin niya makita ang mga ito.

Mura siya ng mura isip niya.

Fuck you, Nick! Libog lang 'yan. Don't let it distract you. Maghanap ka na lang ng iba diyan. I'm sure there are other available and willing pussy somewhere inside this club.

Right. Aanhin nga naman niya ang masungit na babaeng iyon? She probably would cut off her dick if she had a chance.

But I want her, goddammit! He wanted those long and shapy legs wrapped around his hips while he screw her. He wanted her lips wrapped around his dick and those sexy eyes staring at him like he's heaven sent or something.

Fuck! This is so frustrating! Nagtungo lamang siya sa Desideria upang mag unwind. A pussy to fuck would be very much welcome but right now, all he got was blue balls.

Sa sobrang inis ay lumabas na lamang siya ng club at nagpasyang umuwi. Dumaan siya sa fire exit kung saan niya malapit ipinarada ang sasakyan niya.

Pagkabukas pa lamang niya ng pinto ay namataan na agad niya ang magsyota na naghahalikan sa may pader. He scoffed. Some guys are just born lucky. Samantalang siya ay sadyang mukhang minamalas talaga.

"Kunwari ka pa, gusto mo rin pala." narinig niyang sambit ng lalaki habang nakatayo siya sa gilid upang hanapin ang susi sa bulsa niya.

"Yeah.. Of course, I do."

Natigilan si Nick nang marinig ang boses na iyon. He looked over the couple with his eyebrows drawn together. Pamilyar sa kanya ang boses. Hindi niya alam kung naghahalusinasyon lamang siya ngunit ang babaeng ngayon ay nilalamutak ng hindi niya kilalang lalaki ay si Aya Valderama.

He couldn't describe fury he felt as he witnessed them making out. He wanted to rip the guy off her and choke the life out of him. She was supposedly his! Ngunit ano bang magagawa niya? Mukhang gusto rin naman ni Aya ang ginagawa ng lalaki sa kanya.

He took one good look in her face and left the compound fuming mad. Life is so fucking unfair!

AYA HAD NO OTHER OPTION. It's either manlaban siya at matalo sa huli dahil hindi biro ang lakas ng lalaking nasa harapan niya o hayaan na lamang itong rapin siya.

No. She wouldn't go down without a fight!

Mas mabuti sana kung may isang magmamagandang loob na tulungan na tulungan siya. But it seems like all men are born pigs. Walangyang Nick Ferrera iyon! Tiningnan lamang siya at hinayaang molestyahin ng h*******k na lalaking ito!

Sarili lamang talaga niya ang maaasahan niya. Kaya naman ng magkaroon ng pagkakataon ay tinuhod niya ang lalaki sa pinakaiingatan nito.

Napahiyaw ito sa sakit. At sinamantala niya iyon para tumakbo at humingi ng tulong. Ngunit sadya yata talagang minamalas siya ng gabing iyon at naputol ang takong ng sapatos niya, sanhi upang madapa siya.

"You bitch!" binitbit siya ng lalaki sa leeg at sinakal. "Pakipot ka pa eh. Alam ko namang nagustuhan mo din ang ginawa ko. Pagkatapos binayagan mo ako?"

She tried kicking him again but her legs felt like jelly from too much fear. She's going to die.

Just when she was about to pass out. The stranger's hands loosened and she heard what sounded like a punch. Napadilat siya nang mapaupo siya sa sahig at nakita si Nick na pinagsusuntok ang lalaki.

"You know what I hate most?" he asked the guy while holding his collar. Duguan ang nguso ng lalaki at halos hindi na makilala ang mukha nito sa dami ng dugo. "It's seeing men like you hurting a woman. Why don't you pick your own size?"

Muli nitong binanatan ang lalaki hanggang sa huli ay payagan na nitong tumakbo iyon palayo.

"Fucking asshole." he spat.

He turned back to her. He still had that vicious look in his face but it only made him more attractive. She knew she shouldn't be thinking that way but Nick Ferrera saving her made him one hundred times sexier in her eyes. Nag-squat ito sa harap niya at inalok ang kamay nito. Tinanggap niya iyon at inalalayan siya nitong tumayo.

Alanganin ang tayo niya dahil sa naputol niyang takong. She looked up at him and she saw concern in those beautiful dark brown eyes.

"Are you alright, Aya?" there's something in his voice that made her want to melt. And swoon.

But she didn't. Instead, she slapped him across his face.

The surprised look in his face was priceless.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded.

"That's for turning your back and refusing to help me when I asked for it!"

"What?!" he shook his head. "Ano pa nga bang ginawa ko? Hindi ba't iniligtas na nga kita? You should thank me!"

She crossed her arms over her chest like a spoiled child would. "You're late! He could've raped me! Nalawayan niya ang leeg ko kanina dahil hindi mo ako agad tinulungan!"

"Oh! Sorry if I thought you were enjoying it! You could've just asked for my help instead of giving me incomprehensible signals!" tumawa ito ng pagak. "You know what? You're insane. Maiwan na kita at sana balikan ka ng manyak na iyon para maituloy niya ang maitim na balak niya sa'yo!"

Nalaglag ang panga niya sa ginawa ng lalaki. Pinagmasdan niya itong lumulan sa isang Ford pick up at wala siyang nagawa kundi sundan na lang ito. Surprisingly, the door of the passenger's seat is open like he already expected her to follow. This brute.

"May pagkaantipatiko ka rin talaga, ano? Presko at antipatiko. What a deadly combination."

"At inggrata ka."

"Mayabang." sambit niya.

"May sayad."

"Feeling gwapo!"

"And you're fucking stunning."

Napalingon siya bigla dito at natagpuan niya itong nakatitig sa kanya. Nangilabot si Aya. Hindi kilabot na nandidiri o ano pa man. But it was a good kind of sensation.

She gulped as he continued staring at her down to her almost naked body. Para bang hindi siya kamuntikang ma-rape kanina. She felt electricity flowing from his eyes to the tips of her breasts and down to the apex of her thigh where she could feel warm liquid slowly sipping in her underwear. Something she very rarely feel.

She pressed her thighs together and that seemed to snap Nick out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have stared at you like that," hinubad nito ang suot na jacket at inabot sa kanya. "Isuot mo. Nagkakasala ako sa itsura mo."

Tumango siya at mabilis na sinuot ang jacket. Oh god, mukhang siya naman ang magkakasala sa amoy ng jacket ni Nick. It smelled so manly. So enticing. She pressed her thighs together again.

"Did that guy touch you?"

"Yes." nanumbalik ang inis niya sa tanong nito.

"Where?" his hands clenched around the steering wheel.

"He wasn't able to touch any of my privies if that's what you're getting at."

"Why are you so snappy?" inis na tanong nito. Mabilis siya nitong sinulyapan. "I'm just asking. Ikaw na ngang tinulungan, ikaw pang masungit!"

"Nakakabwisit ang mga tanong mo eh." nagsimula itong paandarin ang sasakyan. "I'm parked over there."

Hindi siya nito pinansin.

"I said, I'm parked over there! Oh! Lumampas ka na!"

He remained staring at the road ahead. "There's no way I'm letting you drive alone. Baka mamaya kung ano nanaman ang mangyari sa'yo. Tell me where you live and I'll drop you there."

Nag-isang linya ang labi ni Aya sa inis. She wasn't used to being thwarted by men. And this guy's getting on the last of her nerves. But she decided to humor him, anyway. Bilang kabayaran na lang din siguro sa pagligtas nito sa kanya. "Basta wala kang balak na gahasain ako katulad ng lalaking 'yon ha?"

He smirked. He actually smirked! "I won't do anything you didn't ask me to, alright?" he said. "Besides, it wouldn't be rape if you wanted it, too, right?"

Hinampas niya ang braso nito. Kakatwa na wala siyang maramdamang takot mula rito. She knew a guy like him who's a well known businessman --if what Kylie told her was true--wouldn't risk his reputation for a fucking crime. Besides, katulad nga ng sinabi niya noong una, mukhang maraming babae ang nagkakandarapa dito.

"As if naman ganun ka ka-yummy."

Nagkatinginan sila at sabay na natawa sa sinabi niya. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, actually, tama lang na sinabi mo." he said. "Na-challenge ako lalo sa'yo."

Pinigilan niya ang sarili na magreact sa sinabi nito. But what he said did something to her ego. He's challenged. Ibig bang sabihin niyon ay kahit paano ay may gusto ito sa kanya? Who would have thought?

Oo nga't masasabi namang maitsura siya. Ngunit alam din niyang hindi siya ganoon kaganda. By the looks of Nick Ferrera, he seemed to be the type of guy who goes after models, beauty queens and the likes. Not someone like her.

"What were you doing in Desideria, anyway?" he asked. "You don't strike me as a liberated woman."

Hindi niya nagustuhan ang pagstereotyoe nito sa kanya. "Paano mo naman nasabi iyan?"

"Well let me see," he said chuckling. "by the way you were outraged by how I acted in the coffee shop? A liberated woman would easily just flirt with me instead of walking out."

"You have a point." she grumbled.

"So, what were you doing in Desideria?"

She sighed. "I was trying to be adventurous."

"Adventurous, huh?"

Inirapan niya ito. "Oo nga! Bakit ba?" ikinuwento niya rito ang tungkol sa pagkamatay ng favorite auntie niya at ang takot niyang matulad dito. Hindi niya alam kung bakit niya iyon ginagawa. Maybe she had one too many vodka.

"I like where this conversation is going." he commented with a silly grin.

"What do you mean?"

"I have a proposition, Aya."

Naningkit ang mga mata niya. "What?"

"We'll talk about it later. In your condo. Where we can be more comfortable."

She saw this devilish glint in his eyes and wondered why the hell she still hasn't run the opposite way.