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 Zoe, sa likuran nila ay parang mga batang nanonood ng sine ang dalawa pang miyembro ng Quad. Ang kanilang mga bulungan ay nagsilbing background noise sa tensyong bumabalot sa dalawang bida.

​"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 bilang hamon. "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 Zoe ang unang humalik, akin 'yung bagong sports car mo."

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

​"Control is a choice, Zoe," panimula ni Jace, ang kanyang boses ay bumaba sa isang mapanganib na octave. Ang kanyang kamay, na mahigpit pa ring nakahawak sa beywang ng dalaga, ay ramdam ang init ng balat nito sa kabila ng manipis na seda ng pulang damit nito. "And right now, I’m choosing to see how far you’re willing to go."

​Zoe let out a soft, melodic laugh that vibrated against Jace’s chest. Inilapit niya ang kanyang mukha, sapat para 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," ungol ni Jace, ang kanyang mga mata ay dumidilim sa pagnanasa at inis.

​"I know exactly who you are, Jace. You’re the man who thinks he’s a god because he holds a scalpel," bulong ni Zoe, ang kanyang hininga ay humahaplos sa mga labi ni Jace. "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!"

​Doon na naputol ang huling pisi ng kontrol ni Jace. He didn't like being read, and he hated being teased. Bilang isang surgeon, sanay siyang siya ang nagdidikta ng daloy ng operasyon. 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. Zoe 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. Zoe was responding, her tongue dancing with his, her body melting into his hard frame. Ang bawat haplos at bawat pag-ungol ay tila isang deklarasyon ng digmaan sa pagitan ng kanilang mga puso.

​Nang humiwalay si Jace, kapwa sila habol ang hininga. Zoe’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, Zoe," bulong ni Jace, ang kanyang hininga ay mainit pa rin sa labi ng babae.

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

​Zoe 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 Zoe out of the VIP lounge.

​Habang naglalakad sila palabas, ramdam ni Jace ang bawat mata na nakatingin sa kanila. Ang pinakasikat na neurosurgeon at ang pinakamagandang aktres ng bansa. It was a scandal waiting to happen.

​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. Walang nagsasalita, pero ang bawat sulyap ni Jace sa hita ni Zoe na nakalitaw sa ilalim ng pulang seda ay sapat na para lalong bumilis ang takbo ng sasakyan.

​Nang makarating sila sa kanyang penthouse, hindi na nila nahintay na makasara ang pinto nang tuluyan. Jace pushed Zoe against the cold mahogany door, his mouth finding hers again with a ferocity na tila galing sa mga buwan ng pagpipigil.

​"Tonight, Zoe..." 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," Zoe moaned, her head falling back as she surrendered to the man she intended to break. "Show me the mistake I’m about to make."

​Little did Jace know, this "mistake" would be the only thing in his life that he could never fix with a scalpel.