Chapter 2

​Sa loob ng VIP booth, ang hangin ay naging kasing bigat ng isang paparating na bagyo. Habang nakatitig si Jace sa mga mata ni Zia, sa likuran nila ay parang mga batang nanonood ng sine ang dalawa pang miyembro ng Quad.

​"Hoy, Drake, tingnan mo. 'Yung ugat sa leeg ni Jace, parang puputok na," bulong ni Dylan habang humihigop ng scotch, ang kanyang mga mata ay nagniningning sa tuwa. "Si Doc na laging 'clinical' at 'precise,' mukhang nakatagpo ng pasyenteng hindi niya kayang i-sedate."

​"Tsk. Five minutes? Masyadong matagal ang five minutes para sa isang Jace Villareal kapag na-challenge ang ego," sagot ni Drake, habang inilalapag ang kanyang platinum card sa mesa.

"Dagdagan ko ang pusta. If Jace kisses her in less than a minute, you owe me that vintage watch you won last week."

​"Deal!" mabilis na sagot ni Dylan. "Pero kapag si Zia ang unang humalik, akin 'yung bagong sports car mo."

​Hindi sila naririnig ni Jace. Ang buong mundo niya ay lumiit at naging kasing lawak na lang ng espasyo sa pagitan nila ni Zia. Ang bango ng babae—isang halo ng jasmine, vanilla, at panganib—ay tila unti-unting nilalason ang kanyang katinuan.

​"Control is a choice, Zia," Jace said, his voice dropping into a dangerously low register. His hand, still firmly on her waist, felt the heat of her skin through the thin silk.

"And right now, I’m choosing to see how far you’re willing to go."

​Zia let out a soft, melodic laugh that vibrated against Jace’s chest. Inilapit niya ang kanyang mukha, ang dulo ng kanyang ilong ay bahagyang dumampi sa ilong ni Jace. "Is that so? O baka naman natatakot ka lang na kapag sinimulan mo, hindi mo na alam kung paano tatapusin?"

​"You have no idea who you're talking to," Jace growled.

​"I know exactly who you are, Jace. You’re the man who thinks he’s a god because he holds a scalpel," Zia whispered, her breath fanning over his lips. "But tonight... you’re just a man. And I’m the forbidden fruit you’re dying to taste."

​Sa background, halos mag-cheer na si Dylan. "Galaw na, Doc! Sayang ang relo ko!"

​Jace’s pride snapped. He didn't like being read, and he hated being teased. To him, this wasn't just attraction; it was a battle for dominance. At sa bawat laban, kailangang siya ang panalo.

​Without another word, Jace’s hand moved from her waist to the nape of her neck, his fingers tangling in her soft, dark hair. He tilted her head back, exposing her long, elegant throat, before his gaze locked onto her red lips.

​He crashed his lips onto hers.

​It wasn't a gentle kiss. It was possessive, hungry, and filled with the arrogance of a man who refused to lose.

Zia gasped into his mouth, her hands flying to his chest, grabbing the fabric of his expensive polo as if to keep herself from falling.

​"Whoa!" sigaw ni Dylan, muntik nang mahulog sa upuan. "Thirty seconds! Drake, akin na 'yung relo!"

​"Shut up, Dylan!" asar na sagot ni Drake, pero hindi rin niya maalis ang tingin sa dalawa. "Look at Jace. He’s not just kissing her. He’s claiming her."

​The kiss deepened. Jace felt a surge of adrenaline that no successful surgery could ever provide. Zia was responding, her tongue dancing with his, her body melting into his hard frame. The noise of the club, the laughter of his friends, and the flashing lights all faded into a blur.

​Nang humiwalay si Jace, kapwa sila habol ang hininga. Zia’s lipstick was smudged, and her eyes were hazy with desire. Jace smirked, his ego fueled by the sight of the untouchable actress looking so disheveled because of him.

​"Game over, Zia," bulong ni Jace, ang kanyang hininga ay mainit pa rin sa labi ng babae.

​"No, Jace," Zia replied, a wicked glint returning to her eyes as she regained her composure. "The game is just beginning."

​Zia leaned in closer, her lips brushing his ear. "Gusto mong patunayan na ikaw ang hunter? Prove it somewhere more... private. Unless, hanggang dito lang ang kaya mo?"

​Jace’s grip on her tightened. He looked back at his friends—Dylan was busy counting his "winnings" and Drake was shaking his head in disbelief.

​"I’m leaving," Jace announced, his voice firm and leaving no room for argument.

​"Opa! Saan ang punta, Doc? Sa Operating Room?" asar ni Dylan, may nakakalokong ngisi sa mukha. "Ingat sa 'glitch' ha! Baka mag-crash ang system mo!"

​"Shut the hell up, Dylan," Jace muttered, not even glancing back as he led Zia out of the VIP lounge.

​Habang naglalakad sila palabas, ramdam ni Jace ang bawat mata na nakatingin sa kanila. The most sought-after neurosurgeon and the country’s most beautiful actress. It was a scandal waiting to happen, a mistake in the making.

​Sumakay sila sa kanyang itim na Lamborghini. The engine roared to life, echoing the turbulence inside Jace’s chest. He drove fast, the city lights blurring outside, while the tension inside the car was so thick it was suffocating.

​Nang makarating sila sa kanyang penthouse, hindi na nila nahintay na makasara ang pinto nang tuluyan.

Jace pushed Zia against the cold mahogany door, his mouth finding hers again with a ferocity that spoke of months of repressed hunger.

​"Tonight, Zia..." Jace whispered against her skin as his hands began to wander. "You’ll learn that I don’t just operate. I conquer."

​"Then conquer me, Jace," Zia moaned, her head falling back. "Show me the mistake I’m about to make."

​Little did Jace know, this "mistake" would be the only thing he could never fix.