Chapter 3

I tugged at the helm of my see-through silver nightgown as I surveyed myself in the full-length mirror inside the exclusive room in the club intended for me. I look majestic with the way the flimsy material of the night slip hugged my curves in the right proportion. 

Nakalugay ang tuwid at itim na itim na buhok ko dahilan para matakpan ang nakabilad na na likod. The gown is backless and I'm not wearing any bra inside kaya kitang-kita ko ang tayung-tayong nipples beneath the gown na wala na ring itinago pa sa akin. Hantad ang mayamang d****b papunta sa makurbang balakang pababa pa sa mala-kremang mahahabang biyas. I'm wearing a red lacy panty just enough to cover my femininity which is something my gown which reached my ankle failed to do. I put on a strappy black sandals and as always, I'm good to go.

Inabot ko ang black coat na nasa dresser at isinuot ito. Lumipat ako sa vanity mirror at umupo sa ergonomic chair na nasa harap nito. I studied my face. It is devoid of any make-up except for a bright red lipstick dabbed on my luscious lips. The clients prefer us to be bare-faced so that they will know if we are a great deal or not. I puckered her lips and ran my tongue on it. 

"This night will be fun. I can feel it."

I put a smug face before glancing on my appearance and heading for the door. Mabilis na sinulyapan ko si Chino na umalis sa pagkakasandal sa pader at sumabay sa paglalakad ko. Kapansin-pansing wala itong kibo habang kanina ay animo hindi na ito magkandaugaga sa paglalaway kay Maverick. Speaking of that man, will he bid for me again? 

Napangisi ako. Subukan lang niya. Makakatikim uli siya ng rejection sa akin. Come to think of it, I want him to try to bid for me para naman malasap niya ang pangalawang rejection sa buhay niya all coming from the same lady. That would definitely feel great on my ego. Imagine having the privilege to smack his handsome face twice. Heaven. 

Bumaba kami sa hagdan mula sa third floor patungong second floor kung saan matatagpuan ang mga nakahilerang glass cubicles. Glass panel ang nakapagitan sa bawat kwarto na purong glasses din. Sinadya ng boss na ganoon ang design for the sake of the clients and for our safety. 

When the boss signals, the clients can walk around and pick the girl they want. The boss will name the price of each virgin. The men will then start to bid for the woman. The highest money on the table will get the girl if ever more than one wanted the same lady. Whoever wins the bidding will have the right to enter the glass cubicle and talk to the girl. If all is settle then the man can take the lady out of the glass. 

The cheque should be given first to the boss before any man could take out the girl outside the premises of the club. There are no private rooms in the club. No sex is allowed here. 

"Chino, why the sudden drop of energy? Come on, my friend, indulge your mistress." I mischievously laughed.

"Femella kasi..." 

Tumigil ako sa paglalakad sa hallway nang masagap ang nag-aalinlangang boses nito. Nilingon ko siya.

"Why? What's wrong?"

Sa halip na sagutin ako ay mas lumapit pa ito at may ibinulong sa akin. Namilog ang mga mata ko sa narinig at awang ang mga labing hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi niya. 

"Really? Then how can you explain what happened yesterday?"

"Iyon na nga. Medyo gipit si boss ngayon kaya mag-ingat ka Femella, ha. Baka mabitag ka!"

Tumawa ako. "Chino, ikaw na ang kasama ko simula nang dumating ako rito months ago. You should know by now how formidable and fearless I am. You can't scare me with that unfounded threats. I eat threats for breakfast. Now revert back to the bubbly Chino I know. I will need that. I heard Mr. Samontino is here again."

Muntik na akong masuka nang maalala ang itsura ng matandang huklubang nag-bid sa akin noong isang buwan. Ew. I cannot even picture his face in my mind. He's just plain disgusting. A pedophile on the look for another minors to stake. He even bid for me assuming that I'm a minor. Sorry for him, but I'm not buying any of his advances. 

Kailan pa ba kasi magpapakita ang lalaking iyon? Naiinip na ako sa kakahintay sa kaniya. 

Narating na namin ang second floor. Hinanap ko ang booth na nakapangalan sa akin. Tumigil ako sa harap nito at tinitigan ang glass table na may nakalagay na dalawang glass chairs sa magkabilang dulo. Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakakapit sa coat na suot na para bang mababaklas ang mga butones nito sa anumang sandali. 

"Chino?"

"Yes, Femella."

"See you in the third floor."

Hindi lumilingong pumasok ako sa glass door, umupo sa glass chair at ipinikit ang mga mata. I put my hands on the glass table with my palms on it feeling its seething cold surface. 

Huminga ako ng ilang ulit para pakalmahin ang nagririgodong d****b. I should have been used to it by now. Halos linggo-linggo ko na itong ginagawa but still, nothing has changed. My senses are still in haywire. Nothing will make me prepare for this. Not even my steel-like appearance I want to project.

Nakuha ang atensiyon ko ng babae sa kanugnog na silid. The girl looks so young. She must have been in her early twenties. Perhaps she's eighteen or nineteen. Bawal dito ang underage. It is stipulated in the contract that you have to be in the right age and in your own right mind to enter this world. 

Pinagmasdan ko ang babae. Halatang ninenerbiyos ito base na rin sa malilikot na mata at nanginginig na kamay. I'm sure as hell she's come from a wealthy family. Her skin, demeanor, and looks gave it away. I wonder how she got here. 

Ah, it's either na-bankrupt ang pamilya nila at kailangan niya ng pera o naglayas ito dahil ayaw maipakasal sa napiling lalaki ng pamilya kaya napadpad dito. Alam ko dahil ito ang palaging rason ng mga babaeng kumakatok sa pintuan ng club ng madaling-araw.

I stretched my arms forward and settled my face on the table. Nagdikit ang noo ko at mesa at agad na sumigid ang nakakaengganyong lamig. Pumikit ako at ilang beses na naglabas ng hininga. Umaasang sa pamamagitan nito ay mapapayapa ang mga naghahabulang daga sa d****b.

My heart jumped from its cage when the very familiar buzz filled the air. Kasunod nito ang pagkapatay ng mga ilaw at ang pagpalit ng red lights. 

The bidding is now starting. Time to kill anothet set of birds in one stone. 

Umayos ako ng upo at inayos ang laylayan ng nalilis na gown. Wala naman talagang aayusin dahil abot-sakong na ang suot ko. I just did it out of nowhere.

Tuwid ang likod na hinintay ko ang mga yabag ng paparating na mga buwitre. Here they go with their bloated ego again. These men hunt down a prey and then take it down as if it's the game of chase between a cat and a mouse. They are deliberately there with their proud muscled chest peering us down using their blank cheques. 

Maya-maya pa ay natanaw ko na ang ilang kalalakihan na parang bumibili lang ng alahas sa eskaparate kung tingnan kami. Some are holding a glass of wine and a cigarette on their mouth. Some are walking around with their hands inside their pants and their piercing eyes on us. 

Sinalubong ko ang tingin ng isang lalaki na nasa early-thirties. Pinag-aralan ko ang kabuuan niya. He's handsome. He's not like the other men in his ranks in terms of physical appearance. He's just your average handsome neighbor type of guy. 

Is he the one I've been looking for? He's different. I don't feel any emotion from him. I don't feel threatened and aroused just like how I feel for that son-of-a-bitch. 

Baka siya na nga ang hinahanap ko. Siguro nasanay na akong napapalibutan ng mga taong larger than life ang pagkatao kaya hindi na ako na-i-impress. And now he has given me a glimpse of another recipe. Maybe with this guy, I can finally do it.  Bumalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya. 

Nakaramdam ako ng panghihinayang nang pinutol niya ang aming eye contact. He then moved on to another cubicle. 

Pag-alis ng lalaki ay natutok ang paningin ko sa nilalang na nasa likod nito. The man is casually leaning on the wall with his arms crossed on his chest. Nakatuon sa akin ang mga mata ng lalaki. Hindi ako nag-alis ng tingin. I'm competitive. If he wants some staring contest then I will gladly give in to what he wanted. Hindi pinuputol ang pagkakahinang ng aming mga mata na may sinabi ito. A man in a formal suit approached him. Maverick got something from his pocket and handed the thing to the man. 

Sinundan ko ng tingin ang kamay ng lalaki. He gave his car key. Awang ang labing dagli kong ibinalik ang tingin sa kaniya only to realize one thing, I lost our game of stare. I glared at him out of annoyance. Kinindatan niya lang ako. 

Marahang naglakad si Maverick patungo sa cubicle ko. He lazily opened the door, sat on the chair, and crossed his legs. He eyed me curiously. 

Umingos ako. "I thought men are prideful. Kudos for you coming at me to receive yet your another rejection. Mr. Fuentebella, you won't have me. Period." 

Pinagkrus ko rin ang mga binti at pinagsalikop ang mga kamay sa d****b. His eyes traveled to my bossom down to my legs. Hindi niya itinago ang pagnanasa sa mga mata. I even think he's proud of it.

"What is it with you, Femella? What's inside that pretty head of yours? What's with your feisty personality? You think you're invincible? Then why are you in a brothel? You think you're special just because you're beautiful? Then why just spoil yourself here? What is it with you, huh?"

I smirked. Itinukod ko ang mga siko sa mesa at pinagsalikop ang mga kamay. Ipinatong ko ang baba rito at ikiniling ang ulo. 

"What is it with you Maverick if you'll know what's inside my pretty head? Will you be satisfied if I tell you that I am here to show you men of power that you cannot get everything you wanted?" I taunted him. 

Hindi ito natinag sa sinabi ko. "Who said about men in power getting everything they want? Certainly, it's not me so I'm technically out of that group you're referring to so I definitely have the chance to have you."Nagkibit'balikat ito. "I'll definitely have you, Femella."

The way he mumbles my name sends shivers down my spine.

"Iyan. Iyan ang ayaw ko sa mga tulad mo. You talked as if the world revolves around you. Para bang wala na kaming karapatang mga commoners na tanggihan kayo kasi guess what? Something will happen to us if we do. I hate people who impose their beliefs on others and I hate people who force their ways upon people."

"And I have all the qualities you just mentioned. Great. Now look who's putting words on the mouth of others. I won't defend myself because that's beside the point why I'm here. The logic is simple, Femella. You put yourself in sale and I'm a willing buyer. Name your price and I will buy you right away. Get your money which is the reason why you're here and then let me satisfy my cravings for you. That's it."

"And who told you that I'm only here for money alone? Did it ever cross your mind that perhaps I'm here for a higher purpose? Like reject you week after week? How's that, huh?" I smiled.

Maverick froze for a second in his seat. It must have been only a product of my imagination because the next time I blinked, he is sporting that same flirty dangerous smile again. 

"Reject me week after week, huh. That's how crazy you think I am for you? Well, you're absolutely right on the crazy part but I'm not sure about the next week's rejection. Ikaw na nga ang may sabi, I force things to go my way. Now that's a good observation. Let me test if it's feasible and if it does, you're the first one to fall in the trap."

Tumayo na ito. Lumigid sa upuan ko at umuklo. Naaalarmang tumayo ako para lumayo pero napigilan niya ako agad. He trapped me in my seat using his arms. Nanlalaki ang mga matang sinalubong ko ang matiim na titig nito. His lips were slightly open. Ramdam ko ang init na nagmumula rito. I can now smell his raspberry mouth and his fruity aftershave. Who the fuck smells this nice and colorful? Itinulak ko siya sa d****b pero mas lalo lang niyang idinikit ang katawan sa akin. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin.

I frantically looked to the door to ask for a help. 

"Don't attempt. I paid for this. My Maserati won't be spared for nothing. Now let me get a taste of what I paid for."

Dumukwang ito at akmang hahalikan ako when the lights went green. The bidding is ending. Natigilan si Maverick at lumayo ng kaunti sa akin. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. I shot him a glaring look. Akala ko tuluyan na siyang aalis pero mas nag-panic ako ng mariin niyang hawakan ang aking baba. 

"You're scared."

"I'm not." I said with conviction.

"Then why are you shaking, hmmm?"

I tried everything to look him in the eyes. "I'm not." Our faces just inches from each other. His breath fanning my face. 

"Still feisty and ready for another round of fire, woman? Maybe some other time. I still need to get my car. Ayokong maglakad pauwi."

He slowly released me from his grip. Humakbang ako ng ilang beses para makalayo sa lalaki. I let out a breathe. Na-realize kong kanina pa pala ako nagpipigil ng hininga. Wala sa loob na nayakap ko ang sarili. Ang isang kamay ay napunta sa dumadagundong ko na d****b.

"See you next week, Fem."

Likod na lang niya ang nakita ko nang magtaas ako ng tingin. 

"Damn, what just happened. Nagkamali yata ako ng kalkula. This night was never fun at all."