Chapter 3

Calixta Verana POV

Alas-dose na ng gabi pero dilat na dilat pa rin ang mga mata ko. Nakahiga ako sa maliit kong kama, yakap ang folder na ibinigay ni Zion. Kabisado ko na ang bawat numero, bawat plano para sa bagong hotel resort sa Palawan. Pero hindi ang mga numero ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.

Kundi ang naging reaksyon ni Zion Montes kanina.

The way his body reacted to my touch... it was primal. Shocking. Para siyang taong galing sa disyerto na nakatikim ng unang patak ng ulan.

Biglang nag-vibrate ang phone ko sa tabi ng unan ko. Isang unknown number ang tumatawag.

"Hello?" sagot ko.

"My penthouse. Now."

Boses pa lang, kilala ko na. Deep, raspy, at tila may halong pagmamadali.

"Mr. Montes? Gabi na. Bukas na ang start ng official duty ko," pagmamatigas ko. Kailangan kong ipakita na hindi ako basta-basta susunod sa bawat pitik ng daliri niya.

"I don't pay you to follow the clock, Calixta. I pay you to be there when I need you. The driver is already downstairs. Don't make him wait," pagkatapos ay agad niyang pinatay ang call.

Napabangon ako. The audacity of this man! Pero may bahagi sa akin na nagdiwang. He’s bothered. Hindi siya makatulog dahil sa akin.

Nagsuot lang ako ng isang simpleng silk slip dress at pinatungan ko ng trench coat. Wala nang bra-bra, total gabi naman na. Pagbaba ko, naroon nga ang isang itim na Rolls Royce. Isang oras ang lumipas at narating namin ang pinakamataas na building sa Bonifacio Global City.

Ang penthouse ni Zion ay parang isang museum—sobrang lawak, puro glass, at sobrang dilim. Tanging ang mga ilaw mula sa siyudad ang nagbibigay ng liwanag.

"Nasa library siya, Ma'am," sabi ng butler bago ako iniwan.

Pagpasok ko sa library, amoy usok ng sigarilyo at alak. Nakita ko si Zion na nakaupo sa sahig, nakasandal sa dambuhalang bookshelves. His white shirt was unbuttoned halfway, his tie was discarded on the floor, at gulo-gulo ang buhok niya. He looked frustrated. He looked... wrecked.

"You're late," he muttered without looking at me.

"Traffic," pagsisinungaling ko habang papalapit sa kanya. "Bakit mo ako pinapunta rito, Zion? Is this about the Palawan project?"

He let out a dark, cynical laugh. "The project? Fuck the project, Calixta."

Tumayo siya nang pasuray-suray. He walked toward me until I was backed against the mahogany door. Ipinatong niya ang magkabilang kamay sa pinto, kinukulong ako. Ang amoy ng alak sa hininga niya ay hindi mabaho but it was intoxicating.

"Ano'ng ginawa mo sa akin kanina?" tanong niya, ang boses niya ay halos pabulong na lang pero puno ng galit.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Sir," maang-maangan ko.

He growled, hitting the door with his fist. "Don't play games with me! Five years... five fucking years na walang naramdaman ang katawan ko. I thought I was dead inside. I hired the most expensive therapists, the most beautiful escorts... and nothing! Pero kanina, noong hinawakan mo ako..."

Huminga siya nang malalim, pilit na pinapakalma ang sarili. "I couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn't stop thinking about you."

I smiled, reaching out to touch his chest, right where his heart was thumping wildly. "So, you brought me here to confirm it? To see if it would happen again?"

Hindi siya nakasagot. His eyes were glued to my hand. Dahan-dahan kong ibinaba ang zipper ng trench coat ko, sapat lang para makita niya ang manipis na silk dress na suot ko.

"Confirm it then, Zion. Touch me," hamon ko.

He hesitated. His hand was shaking as he reached for my waist. The moment his skin met the silk and my bare skin underneath, Zion let out a choked sound. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent.

"God, Calixta... what are you?" he whispered, his grip tightening.

I felt it again. Against my thigh, nararamdaman ko ang pagbabago sa kanya. The beast was waking up, and this time, it was angrier and hungrier.

"I'm your assistant, remember?" I teased, tilting my head to give him more access to my neck.

Zion didn't answer with words. Instead, he claimed my lips with a kiss that tasted like whiskey and desperation. It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was a battle. It was a man trying to reclaim his masculinity through the only woman who could give it back to him.

He lifted me up, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. He carried me toward the large desk, sweeping everything, the laptop, the files, the expensive pens fell onto the floor with one swift move.

"You're not just an assistant," he growled against my lips, his hands roaming everywhere. "You're my curse. And I think I'm going to enjoy every second of it."

Sa gabing iyon, sa gitna ng mga nagkalat na papeles ng negosyo, nagsimula ang isang kasunduan na hindi nakasulat sa kontrata. A dark, twisted addiction that neither of us was ready to end.