Chapter 9

Jason and I were just talking inside the glass cubicle in the first few minutes when the bidding resumed. The boss was not on sight and her assistant took charge. As expected, Mr. Samontino bid for me but as we had planned, I chose Jason. The old man was furious and demanded for the boss' presence but was instead escorted outside the establishment. I felt like a heavy object was lifted from my heart when I saw them dragging the old man away. Serves him right. I wouldn't want to be touched by him. Ever. 

My eyes went back to Jason who was talking about how his brother got insecure when he told him about our truce. I shook my head tentatively. Males are indeed really simple beings.

"Where would you wanna go after here? Do you want to be in my condo, yacht or do you want to be kinky and do it in my new car? What do you think, Fem?" His eyes were laced with lust and desire. 

I rolled my eyes at the obvious excitement in his voice. "Wherever you prefer, Jason. You're the client so you have the last words. Anyways, it's just one night."

"Well baby, I don't think you would ever want to cut your ties with me after this night," he grinned and stared at my exposed cleavage. 

"You're all just pure talk. Show me instead then let me be the judge." I stood up. This is it. I'm going to give my body to this man. I would be lying to the grave of my parents if I say that I'm not regretting jumping off the cliff and into the lap of this man. I know I am and I will regret this but I have no choice. I need the money and Jason is willing to give me what I want. I may not like him but the idea that I picked him myself somehow gives me power over my choice. At least, I was in-charge of the man-picking. 

But Maverick was also very willing to pay you, the other side of my brain whispered to me.

I tried to shake off the image of the man inside my head. Stop thinking about him. That man is dangerous for you.

Jason also stood up and reached for my waist. He pulled me closer to his body. "Sure, but first let me kiss you."

I slowly nodded. What more could I do? I even agreed into having sex with him. But still... I felt trapped like it's not really what I wanted to do. Slowly, I raised my face to meet his lustful eyes. I'm trying to trick my mind that I'm ready for this, that it's the only way. But before he could claim my lips, the door burst open and the panicking Chino ran to me.

"Femella! The police are raiding the club! Come on out! They're coming here!" he shouted to my face and snatched my hand away from Jason.

"What?!" I hollered in fear. "W-Why? I thought the boss made sure of our safety?" I asked in mixed perplexion. La Vida club is a known underground club among the elite. No way in hell would it be exposed like this. The names and the transactions of the biggest names of the country here and abroad are all stored and documented here.

"I don't know and we don't have time to know about that! We have to hurry! We have to leave now!" He was pulling me out of the room already.

"Wait! Where are you taking her? I already paid for her so she's coming with me." Jason dragged me back to his side away from Chino. 

"I know. I know but please set it aside for now! We need to hurry! We need to leave this place! They already caught some of our men!" 

I pulled free from Jason and drew Chino in my hands. I began running while keeping him close to me. We headed onto the fire exit of the floor. 

"What about the other girls? Are they all okay?" I asked in the midst of catching breath.

"Some are already in safe rooms but others are already caught. Where is the boss? We need her here right now!"

We passed through the array of glass cubicles. Thankfully, I see no woman inside. We continued running to the fire exit and used the stairs to the rooftop where Jason's car was parked. We just decided to escape with him. It'll be more dangerous for us to go downstairs where I know it's teeming with the operatives.

Sweat dripping and our tears were about to stream down when we reached the rooftop. Jason left us in a corner to run for his car.

I was on the edge waiting for what will happen next. I can almost hear and everything in the area. I'm too sensitive in even the slightest sound that I would always jump up every time I hear something. The fear of being caught and being put in jail ate up all my inhibitions. Who said that you can't think clearly when panicking? Clearly that's not case here. I'm even willing to leap to another floor just to save ourselves. 

A loud whirring sound of a coming helicopter filled the air. My heart beats erratically while I put my hand upwards to cover my face from the blinding lights that are coming from the aircraft. Chino is vibrating in fear beside me. 

"Fem, we are going to jail!"

"No!" I shouted. I looked back at Jason who was still running towards his car and then back to the helicopter which is now landing. Shit! Why does he have to put his damn car on the last rows?

I'm slowly losing my hope that we could get away from this situation so I just did the first thing my brain told me to. I pulled Chino with me and ran back to the fire exit but we were back to our frozen feet when we heard voices and then slamming from the other back. 

"Girl..." I heard Chino crying by my side.

I pulled him away again this time to Jason's direction but a pair of strong arms caught me and imprisoned me in his metal-like embrace. I tried to break free from his grasp but the stranger is just too strong for my midget strength.

"Fem, it's okay. It's us," the Boss' voice stopped me from wriggling. 

I turned harshly at the Poncio Pilate who is keeping me a prisoner in his arms. To say that I'm shocked is an understatement. I felt like my eyes would burst out of their sockets when I saw the face of the smirking man. The image in my mind materialized. I came face to face with the man I detest. 

"Let go." I tried breaking free from him but he never lifted his arms on me. He even gripped me tighter than before.

The man just smirked but didn't utter any word who then faced Vina. 

"Come on," he told her.

"No. Take Fem with you, Maverick. I'll stay here with Chino. I need to fix everything here. Go ahead before the police destroy that door. And thank you Mr. Fuentebella for the favor. I will be forever indebted to you." Vida glanced at my direction and sighed. My strength left me completely as I read her final decision. I wanted to try one more time to break free but what for? He owned me now. 

"Femella Alcantara, you are auctioned to the highest bidder tonight, Mr. Maverick Fuentebella." 

While she's saying those, I felt like every brick of my carefully built walls just crashed one by one. I felt so small, so powerless. I can see in her eyes that she's silently asking for my forgiveness but I don't know if I can really accept it. I tried saying a word. I tried protesting but silence is all I have given. 

It's game over. 

"Very well then. We should get going." Maverick turned me over and seized me by my waist. I just stopped fighting and let him lead me to the waiting chopper. He strapped me in the seat belt and put the headset on my head before he wore his. When the chopper took off, I just helplessly watched Vina, Chino and Jason as they looked at our vehicle flying away. 

I casted an eye at Maverick who is busy on his phone. He looks so serious with those furrowed brows and tight lips. And the way his fingers move on the surface of his phone is so elegant. And his hair. His tousled hair looks so smooth as it dances with the air. My eyes went to his bulky muscled arms that even a pair of formal coats didn't conceal it enough. 

I almost jumped up on my seat when he caught my gaze and stared at me. I involuntarily shivered with the way his eyes roamed all over my body, especially on my chest area. I looked away and hugged myself. I'm cold.

"You're cold." 

I ignored him and continued to look outside. Being up in the air seeing all these views is an experience but I can't seem to appreciate it. Not when I just fell into this man's arms. 

I felt his warm hands take a hold of my cold arms. Sighing, I stared at his serious face as he put his jacket on my back and then zipped it up until my neck. He's only wearing a shirt inside.  

"Don't look at me like that. I might ravage you here."

I abruptly looked away and kept a distance from him. 

"Where are you taking me?" I asked after an uncomfortable silence.

"To my lair."

"And where is that?"

He chuckled. "Impatient, are we? You'll know when we get there, Fem."

"Don't call me that." I sneered. "We're not close."

"Oh, come on. We will be closer than what you are expecting, Femella. But on second thought, maybe you're right. We're not close. We're intimate." He grinned afterwards.

I rolled my eyes at him and tried hard to control the crazy beating of my heart with the view outside. After more than an hour in the air, I saw a strip of land below, a little island in the middle of nowhere. Moments after, the chopper landed on the makeshift runway. 

Maverick got out first carrying a small traveling bag on his shoulder while he helped me go down. I tensed a little when I felt him brushing my chest for a moment. It was just a very brief touch but it's enough to make me feel a tingling sensation.

Maverick held my hand as we walked in the deep of the night. My heart further sank into my stomach when I heard the helicopter leaving.

"Where to now, Fuentebella?" I asked to deviate my thoughts.

"Mav. You should call me Mav. I'll call you Fem and you'll call me Mav. I don't like the sound of my surname coming from your mouth. It's as if you're thinking murder."

I didn't reply. I can feel exhaustion in my bones already so I let him guide me the way across the uncomfortable silence in the night as we walk through the village. The houses are typically made up of the usual bamboo and wood. Some are already built with cement and bricks but there are just so few of them. 

"It's just a one night stand. No need to get familiar. Remember, you paid for my body. After you claim it then it's the end. I will disappear from your sight and so will you are to me."

Maverick stopped in his tracks and faced me. The annoying smirk on his mouth is pestering me again.

"Who said it's just one night? One night is not enough for me, Femella. I paid for not just a night but as long as I want you. That's what your boss and I agreed on." 

I was again floored by what I learned. I wanted to shout at him, curse him, and punch his handsome face. He is really a sneaky and clever guy. He's a businessman for a reason. But what would it change in my current situation now? Nothing. I will not be able to get away from this place. The only remaining thing left for me to do is to swim back to the city. Another problem is I don't even know where the fuck this place is. And also, I needed the money. If Maverick had paid for me already then Jason will obviously get his initial payment back. 

I sighed in resignation. "Okay. As long as you lust for me then I have no choice but to stay here with you. As if I could do something against your wish, master," I sarcastically said.

He gave me a long hard stare and shrugged. I don't know if he believed me but that's not the problem here anymore. I'm more concerned with what will happen tonight.

"Come on. I don't have the keys to my rest house so we have no choice but to spend the night at my Nanay Paz. Andy is not available because his wife is in labor. Can you sleep in a pallet? There's no aircon there." 

I nodded. "I'm not a princess, Cholo. Of course I can."

"Good. Come on."

He still held my hand while we're walking along the eerily quiet small village. We stopped at a decent house at the end of the village. 

"Nay Paz! Anybody here? Nay Paz!" Maverick howled out.

A light was lit from the inside and the door opened revealing an old woman in her sixties. 

"Who's that?" she called out.