CHAPTER 1.1

INISANG-LAGOK ni Luscious ang rum mula sa kaniyang baso. He's so bored in this party. Bakit ba kasi pumayag pa siyang sumama sa mga kaibigan rito?

'To spare myself from my nagging mother... Right!'

Wala na kasi itong ibang ginawa kundi ipaalala sa kaniyang kailangan niya nang mag-pamilya. He's already thirty-one, but marriage and family are still not included in his bucket list.

'Maybe still not, in a billion years!'

He can't imagine himself being a one woman man. He can't imagine himself in a marriage! Ayaw niya pang tapusin ang pagiging binata. Hindi niya kayang matali sa isang babae. That will be the death of him!

Luscious doesn't need a wife just like what his mother's always saying. He's successful, handsome, and rich. He has it all! 

If it's just about his bed, women would gladly spread their legs for him. Hindi mahirap sa kaniyang makuha ang kahit na sino pang babaeng gugustuhin niya. Who would refuse a Might Luscious Duncan? No one. Women flock on his feet without even raising a finger.

The party's going so well— at least for those who enjoy lavishness and luxury. Kahit saang parte ng pagtitipon ay puro mga kabilang lamang sa alta-sosyedad ang makikita. Karamihan sa mga ito ay nagmula sa sikat at mayayamang pamilya na kagaya niya rin.

The classical music played by string quartet elevated the mood of elegance in refined manner— ironic to most of this evening's patrons, standing under the crescent moon that was hanging in between the stars, who were clad in high-grade materials, holding their glasses of fine wine.

How did he knew? Well, those types aren't myths, especially to the kind of society where he was raised. Most things are just for show, they say.

Luscious gulped, and let the liquor pour down his throat. He blew a loud breath before his lazy eyes wander around the place again, as if looking for someone.

"Remind me to punch Galvin later," iritableng wika ng kaniyang kaibigang si Livid na kararating lamang mula sa kung saan. Nagsalin ito ng rum mula sa bote na balak niya rin sanang ubusin.

"Punch him for what?" he asked dryly. 

Nang hindi siya makakuha ng sagot mula rito ay nagkibit-balikat na lamang ang binata. Nahagip naman ng kaniyang mata ang iba pang mga kaibigan na naglalakad mula sa 'di kalayuan na sina Kaj, Shy, at Trevor. Alam niyang ang direksyong tinatahak ng mga ito ay patungo sa kaniya.

"I'll bash Galvin's head against the wall later," Kaj grunted when he's finally a few steps away from him. He even saw his jaw clenching.

"What's with Galvin? Kanina si Livid ngayon naman ikaw," Luscious asked with his knotted eyebrows.

Hindi rin ito sumagot at piniling magsalin ng rum na inisang-lagok pagkatapos.

"Hindi mo ata kasama ang fiancee mo."

"We all know here that she's not my fiancee anymore." Kaj heaved a sigh and shook his head. 

"Not your fiancee 'again', yet. You know your Mom won't stop convincing you to marry her," Shy snickered shortly.

"Bakit pa kasi umatras ka sa kasal niyo noon? Edi sana tapos na ang problema mo."

Trevor was right. Hanggang ngayon hindi nila alam ang dahilan ni Kaj kung bakit ito umatras sa engagement nito noon. Hindi rin naman ito sumasagot sa tuwing tinatanong kagaya na lamang ngayon.

"I'm housing a boner right now," pag-iiba ng usapan ni Shy.

"No one cares, Schulz!" sigaw ni Trevor dito na bakas ang pagka-disgusto sa mukha.

"You're gross, man..." he added and grimaced.

"Can you blame me? I just saw three gorgeous women straddling their bikes earlier." Shy gave them a deadpan look as if they just lost their heads. He was like telling them that it's the most reasonable thing to feel after what he saw.

"Oh the engineers... I feel you, bud," sagot ni Trevor dito na may nakalolokong ngisi.

"D*mn you!" hindi niya inaasahang sabay na sigaw ni Kaj at Livid.

Napantastikuhan siyang napabaling sa mga ito. 

Kilala niya ang mga tinutukoy na babae ng mga kaibigan. Ilang beses niya na ring narinig ang tungkol sa mga ito. They are the famous civil engineers from Singapore. Kilala ang mga ito na magagaling at respetado. Bukod pa rito, pare-parehong magaganda ang mga dalaga. And Luscious confirmed that earlier, personally when he was able to take a short glimpse of them— especially the woman in high slit red gown. 

They are the apple of the eye of most men. The perfect epitome of strong and independent women— smart, professionals, gorgeous, sexy, and single. That's how people call them.

Sikat sa real estate industry ang tatlong dalagang tinaguriang 'engineer trio'. For the past three years, they focused on environmental friendly construction designs and structures. Their famous recent project is the ecological high-rise building in Dubai. It's energy and power sufficient. They're also the engineers behind the Thailand's newest ecological park which is now one of the country's well-known tourist destination.

"I'm outta here." 

Bahagya niya lamang tinapunan ng tingin ang bulto ng kaibigang si Livid habang papalayo ito.

"I'll ask Galvin for Jasmine's number later," ani Shy sa katabi nitong si Trevor na mahina lamang na ikinatawa ng huli.

"At kailan ka pa naging stalker?" tanong nito.

"Nga—"

Hindi na nito naituloy pa ang sasabihin nang malakas na basagin ni Kaj ang bote ng rum sa counter, kapagkuwan. "Heck, the bottle just slipped." Walang imik itong umalis pagkatapos magsalita.

"I smell jealousy," Trevor scoffed in a singsong manner.

"Bull's eye!" natatawang komento ni Shy. And the two even made a fist bump.

"Nasa'n na ang sampong piso? I told you I was right! Kaj has a thing for that, Jasmine."

Padabog namang nagbayad ng sampong piso si Trevor na lukot ang mukha. Tila ito pinagsukluban ng langit at lupa. Napailing na lamang siya sa mga kaibigang mukhang walang magawang matino sa buhay.

"Wala na 'kong pambili ng condom!" reklamo pa ng isa habang lukot ang mukha.

Mga baliw talaga ang mga kaibigan niya. They're a bunch of weird and crazy men in business suits. 

"Oh hell! Can you see what I'm seeing, bud?"

Trevor gave Shy a flat look. "Hindi ako bulag, g*go!" Bumaling ito sa direksyon kung saan napako ang mga mata ng huli.

Walang buhay niyang sinundan ang tingin ng dalawa kasabay ng pagbuntong-hininga. Livid was with a woman in a sparkling gold gown.

Isa ito sa mga babaeng naka-motor kanina. Hindi man malinaw ang pagkakakilala niya sa mga ito ay naging basehan niya ang damit na suot nito. Wala sa loob na hinanap niya ang isa sa kasama ng dalaga. 

'The girl in bloody red gown with high slit and plunging neckline.'

His lazy eyes roamed around the place and found himself stunned for a second, while looking at that girl walking towards his direction. He wasn't able to pay much attention to the woman earlier. And he never thought that she is this much, gorgeous. Now curse him to death for starting to get hard, just with the sight of the sexy seductress exuding a discreet air of elegance.

Her beautiful and angelic face remained expressionless like it was forbidden to flash any kind of emotion. She's ravishing hot while walking, owning the whole damn place! The woman radiates rudeness and authority like she could boss anyone around, and even lure them to the ripper's lair. Her nose is stubbornly proud, while her eyes are brown like they are made for hypnotizing. It somehow seemed like holding an incomprehensible depth with her thick and long lashes. Her soft plum lips looks inviting, and his throat went dry with uncanny thirst when he saw it parted. Her curves are in the right places and he suddenly felt the urge to roam his sinful hands around her body and explore more of the beauty's sweetness.

'Sweetness...'

Luscious smirked at the thought. He tapped his slender fingers on the counter top. His eyes dilated in admiration for a moment then became cold like a domineering beast in the middle of tonight's feast.

How can a girl arouse him with just like that? She's not even doing anything for goodness's sake, beside being illegally hot as hell! She's completely clothed and all, and he'll be damned to see her naked, legs parted in his bed. Ngayon lang siya humanga ng ganito sa isang babae. 

She looked savagely feisty, and God knows how much he wanted to tame this woman. Luscious felt like he was bewitched by the seductress.

"You are mine tonight," bulong niya sa sarili. Wala sa loob siyang napangisi at napalunok ng sariling laway nang saglit na nagtama ang kanilang mga mata.

He rolled his tongue over his lips, and took a sip from his glass of alcohol. His desire rose up when their eyes locked,a all he could do is let himself get drowned deeper into the woman's tantalizing liquid brown orbs. 

His heart was beating so fast like he's getting more and more nervous while she's approaching him closer, and he doesn't even know why? There's no way in hell a Luscious Duncan could get this nervous around a woman for just this reason, right? 

"Eyes laser focus, Trev. A goddess is approaching." Shy let out a short but sexy whistle.

Hindi niya na magawang intindihan ang sinasabi ng mga kaibigan. Ang buong atensyon niya ay nasa magandang babae lamang.

"Engr. Angel Buencamino never fails to send me chills," dinig niyang sambit Shy.

Bahagya pang nangunot ang kaniyang noo. Mukhang matagal nang kilala ni Shy ang dalaga. At gusto niyang batukan ang sarili nang makaramdam siya ng inis sa hindi malamang kadahilanan.

"You knew her?" Trevor asked in his place and he silently thanked him for that.

"Seriously, bud? You do realize that I'm the ruler of real estate industry in the country and there's no one who doesn't know about her in my field. Their group is even internationally recognized."

"That's hot."

'Nah, she's hot...'

Muling napako ang mga mata ng binata sa babaeng alam niya na ngayon ang pangalan. Tila napaka-bagal ng oras habang naglalakad ito patungo sa kaniya. Kinailangan niya pang pigilin ang sariling lapitan ang dalaga. 

'Now where the hell did that came from? And why the hell am I having these thoughts, anyway?'

In just a number of steps away from him, Angel stopped from her tracks. Bakas sa magandang mukha nito ang bahagyang pagkagulat dahil sa pagsulpot ng isang lalake na iginiya and dalaga sa katabi nilang bar counter. 

Luscious wanted to curse the man! Hindi niya alam kung bakit kinain siya ng sobra-sobrang inis at pagka-irita. 

She was a few steps away from him. And a bastard stepped on the way!

Now, that lad will pay him dearly for whatever reason he doesn't give a single d*mn thing!