Chapter 1

I pressed my forefinger against my tragus while trying my best to walk properly towards the VIP couch where my friends are sitting. My other hand is holding my phone right on my ear but I can't seem to understand Kuya Sage's words from the other line.

"What ?!" I shouted, but my voice was overwhelmed with the loud music and plenty of screams everywhere.

"You- come- two-" I creased my forehead as I struggle to analyze whatever he wants to say. I'm already tipsy and the crowd is getting wild and wild every minute.

"I can't hear you! Call me later! Bye!" I shouted at my phone and stuck it in my back pocket when I finally reached the couch.

"Hey, Lea!" A guy from the same couch stood up to greet me. I don't know him actually, he wasn't here earlier when I left this circle. I arched my brow at him. "Ah, I'm Jeffrey. I'm from the college of business and finance." He lend out his hand for a handshake and smiled exposing his couple of dimples.

I nodded and took his hand for a second shake before I withdrew and proceeded to my seat at the center of the U-shaped couch. I heard some tease from my friends and a gasp from Jeffrey but I didn't give a damn.

"It's good that you're back already. Jace texted me earlier, he's looking for you." Cora, my best friend beside me said.

I just shook my head and my eyes irked as I took my margarita. I shot glass and leaned my back against the backrest and laid my head off at the top of it. I feel a little bit dizzy and light so I just closed my eyes. I already had 9 glasses of Cuervo before I danced with some random guys on the dance floor.

"Dare." I heard Molina say. My friends cheered and they shared some giggles.

"Okay, I want you to french kiss-" I automatically opened my eyes and woke up from the incline when I heard what Brianna said. I can't miss this show!

"What the hell, Bri!" Molina shouted while laughing, even I was laughing too. I adjusted to my seat while I continue to listen to them.

"C'mon, it's  just for 15 seconds!"

I felt Cora poking me so I turned to her. She leaned closer to me and whispered.

"I think the hottie over there has a thing for you." I look at the same direction she's pointing with her pouted lips.

There I saw a man crossing his arms over his chest. He's wearing a white button-down shirt folded until his elbows and paired with black jeans. His black luxury watch screams manliness.

"Okay okay!" Molina surrendered after a bunch of complaints from our friends.

He's sitting on the left side not so far from our table with two more guys of his age. I arched one of my brows when I met his glare. With his dark brooding eyes, perfectly pointed nose, thin ass lips, God-tier, and fuck .. that sexy jaw, I thought he would divert his eyes but the God-tier visual didn't even flinch when I caught him staring at me.

"Listen to me, Moli, you'll serve 15 seconds of french kiss to the first guy who'll pass by this area. I know you can do it, girl!" Said Brianna.

"Whoaaa!"

"You go, girl!"

My friends were busy for Molina's show and here I am, staring back at the stranger with sleepy eyes 'coz I'm barely pulling my shits together.

"Hey, princess, he's about to melt," Cora whispered again in my ear. I ignored her.

This is my first time seeing him. Something in this guy is making me stare at him for more and more, it's like he's getting a little hotter as I look, so I wouldn't miss a second of this sight.

"Aahh!"

"Oh my goood!"

"Go Moli! That's my girl!

I was startled by the shouting of my friends so I turned to Moli who was outside our table and kissing a man. She's locking the man's face by holding both of his jaws on andAt at least the man is supporting her waist. They exchanged turns while kissing and gained some cheers from the crowd. The man's figure is familiar but I don't know.

They spent more than 15 seconds kissing in front of us that even those who are dancing in the dancefloor and drinking beside our couch are watching.

"Hey! That's enough! It's only 15 seconds, isn't it ?!" Brianna groaned so the two stopped. I was surprised when the man confronted us.

"Omg, Jace ?!" It was Cora.

"Oh my God!" Brianna exclaimed.

Moli couldn't look at me in shock either. I looked at Jace as if bragging to me. Dude, you got no balls, remember? I stared at him and turned to my companions.

"Ugh, stop it, it feels disgusting." My complaint.

Jace and I were done a long time ago. I don't know what's the big deal with them when I glance. I just looked back at the hottie guy. He's now busy listening to the girl beside her. It wasn't there before, was it? Now their table is filled with 4 girls and 3 boys. The guy on his right has two girls, that's why.

The bitch was pathetically laughing while whispering at him, she's even holding his arm and pinching it a little. Oh, this skunk.

"Okay, next one!" The guy beside Molina announced getting all our members back to their places.

I looked at them and leaned towards our table so I got all their attention. "Dare." I said with a hint of pre-amusement in my eyes.

"Huh? We'll drop our bet first." Brianna said.

I look at her with my dagger eyes.

"I said. Dare."

They all went silent and exchanged glances at each other.

“Okay!” Cora clapped beside me.

I grinned before sitting up and leaning back on the couch. I raised my brow at her. "Kiss the hottie guy." She commanded and I celebrated quietly in my head. You're really my best friend.

"The hottie who? Where?" Brianna asked.

Cora secretly pointed at him and they all went shocked, as they look at the greek god sitting like a king, three couches away from us.

"Holy motherfucker, can I do it instead?!" Brianna shouted.

"Fuck off, Bri." I warned and her lips formed an 'O' shape then she laughed.

"Oh my god, who is he? I haven't seen him here before." Molina whispered. I glanced at her and smiled.

"Whatever his name is, he'll still be mine. So calm your tits and sit back here." I said before standing.

“But wait, wait!” I stopped mid-air of my first step when I heard Brianna. I rolled my eyes at her. "Kiss is so cliché .." she said with a hint of idea in her tone.

"What are you suggesting Brianna?" Jeffrey asked annoyingly.

"Well, I'm sure man of his kind already had so many kisses before. Why not .. make it more daring and memorable?" She explained while looking at us.

"Should I fuck him?" I joked and they all gasped.

"What the hell, Lea!" Moli laughed so I laughed too.

"What?" I asked half laughing.

"Strip," Brianna said.

We all fell silent.

I looked at her and waited for her to add a 'joke' but she stayed smiling like an idiot to me. "You want me to skin you alive, bitch?" I asked.

They just laughed and waited for her reply. "I think you can .. take your top off and give it to him as a souvenir?" They all burst into laughter except for me and Jeffrey.

For a moment, I think Cora is not my best friend. Brianna you bitch, you hit the button!

I smirked and looked at my outfit. I'm wearing an opera-mauve sequined sleeveless crop top, paired with black jeans and ankle strap heels. Anyways I'm wearing a black string bikini top underneath my top so it's not a problem. I just hope this won't reach my Kuyas.

"Sure." I whispered before turning my gaze to Cora and mouthed 'watch me' before heading my way in his direction.

I heard them cheer and I could feel all of their eyes at my back while I walk. All of my inhibitions are gone now because of that motherfucking woman beside him. I watched her flirt with him …a couple of times before I reached their table. That's enough fella, it's my turn now.

I was immediately noticed by the two men next to him so they arranged to sit down. I looked straight at the woman's hand resting on his chest. When they both notice my presence, they both look up to me at once.

"Oh, hi miss Eleanor!" Huh, the audacity of this worm to greet me. I know that my family is well known here in La Cuevas, but I'm not informed that the underworld creatures know us too!

I just raised an eyebrow at her, I don't know how many times I've raised an eyebrow in the past hour. I walked right in front of them. When I looked at the burly man holding a glass of wine, my knees almost gave out. Why is he so big now that he's up close ?!

"Auntie, can you move a little?" I asked the whore beside him with full of control.

"Wh-what did you-" I cut her off by giving her my deadly look. Damn, she looks so stupid.

I just rolled my eyes and lifted my right foot and placed it in between them, cornering the hot guy.

"Whoa," I heard his companions.

The man looked straight at me. Not even terrified. I grabbed the hem of my crop top and gently lifted it. I even heard her friend spit out what she was drinking when my black string bikini top appeared. The other adjacent tables were whispering as well.

Slowly .. I was about to take it off completely when the sound of the glass he dropped on the glass table suddenly clinked.

To my shock, I  stopped and almost jumped. I lowered my foot to the floor. What the hell? He stood up and picked up his coat lying on the chair before pulling down my crop top to put on again.

To my shock, I could not speak. Since he is much taller than me, I have to look up at him.

I felt dumbfounded when he wrapped his fragrant coat around me and pulled me on my elbow out of their table.

"I'll go now." He said goodbye to his companions before continuing to pull me over. My eyes widened as I remembered my friends.

"W-wait!" I protested but he did not listen to me. "Wait! My friends are still-"

"Shut up." I covered my mouth because of the coldness of what he said. Oh my god, who the hell is he to shut me up ?! I am fucking Azalea Bernice Eleanor and nobody stops me!

I remained silent until we got out of ABC. It's Adam's Bar/Club and I am allowed to enter even if I'm a minor because I'm an Eleanor. Without me, my friends will be kicked out from there, that's why I'm worried!

"Get in." He commands after opening a BMW for the shotgun seat. I frowned at him.

"Who are you? Where are you gonna take me, huh?" I was finally able to ask questions. He just looked at me as if I had nothing to answer. "Hey, I said-"

"I said shut the fuck up." I was stunned again by his baritone voice! My god, he should be punished for stepping down onto my ego!

Eventually, my weakness persisted and I just went in, my friends saw his face so they could still find me wherever this man took me. He turned in the driver's seat and started the car.

I wanted to ask again where he would take me, but I was scared and I might shut up again. I just removed his coat from my shoulder and threw it in the backseat. It's not like I'm getting cold.

I took my cellphone out of my pocket and texted Cora to bring my stuff. I also texted brother Sage that I might not be coming home tonight because who knows where this drop-dead gorgeous man would take me. I'm in favor of anywhere anyway. I slapped my cheek to dismiss the thought. Damn it Lea you can't just give yourself to a stranger just because he's hot! What are you still doing here ?!

But in the end, I didn't object, oh God is this it? Are we gonna do it? Am I ready? I don't even know his name for fuck's sake!

I gulped and cleared my throat. After minutes of silence, my phone rang and I saw older brother Sage's name on the screen. I rolled my eyes before answering. "Ye-"

"Azalea Bernice Eleanor!" I automatically distanced my phone from my precious ears when my loud-ass brother yelled my whole holy name.

"What ?!" I spat back.

"I told you that you need to be home before two, and now you're saying you're not coming home ?!" He exclaimed. "Didn't you see Gavin at ABC? I told him to fetch you there."

My forehead frowned. "Gavin? Who's Gavin?" I will ask. I don't know anyone like that. "Maybe Gabriel? Wait, you're close with my ex, Sage?"

"It's Gavin, you brat, Gavin. Damn, we're dead tomorrow if you won't come home tonight!" He added.

"But I don't know that Gavin, I said- hey!" I was startled when the man next to me snatched my iPhone.

"Sage," he started. My eyes rolled. How does he know my brother ?! Wait, we're famous around Cebu so I think- "Yes, I'm driving her home now." And he fucking knows where we live ?! But I just saw him here, maybe he's a stalker? I knew it! He's stalking me!

"No problem." He said before handing me my phone.

My eyes narrowed as I accepted that. He didn't even look at me. He looked straight down the road as if he had no beautiful woman in the car! I gasped in the air before putting my cellphone to my ear.

"It's me," I said, bored.

"At least now I'm rest assured that you're safe with Gavin. Stop fooling me around and don't give him a hard time, okay?" Said Kuya Sage.

Wait what ?! This guy is Gavin ?!

I rolled my eyes and turned to the man next to me. And what have you heard me before? That he's bringing me to this man ?! So I was the purpose of it at the bar earlier but he even managed to flirt instead of taking me home ?!

"What do you mean? Wh-who the fuck is this guy, Kuya ?!" I raised my voice in confusion. I faced the road with my forehead furrowed.

"What? Did you forget him already? He's Gavin, Lea. Our cousin." My lips parted and I felt my tongue cut out. The iPhone would have been almost slippery in the palm of my hand if I hadn’t just immediately laid it on my thigh.

I was dumbfounded along the way as my brain processed what Kuya Sage had said.

The man beside me is Gavin, and he's my cousin. He went to the same bar I am at to pick me up and then there I am, who almost stripped off in front of him like a wild and mad liberated teen. I even thought of silly things with him earlier. And worst, if my kuyas and daddy would know about that, I'm fucking dead!

Oh my god… I want to get out of this car. NOW!

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DISCLAIMER

          This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

         Content warning: This book contains strong language and sensitive content such as sexual harassment, self-harm, and intimate scenes that may not be suitable for young readers. Read at your own risk.

La Cuevas #1: When The Star Falls ✓

La Cuevas #2: Hazards of Love