BREE’S POV
Nilapag na ko ni Heath sa kama. Habang inaayos niya ang mga paa ko sa ibabaw ng unan, tinaas ko ang kamay ko. “Wait, wait. Papatayin nila ako AGAD-AGAD dahil lang inasawa kita?”
“Well, not only that, but also because you’re the daughter of the chief of police.”
I curse under my breath. Bakit ba pahirap lang ang mga lalaki sa buhay ko?
“So that settles it then?” tanong ko sa kaniya. “Kailangan nating maging maingat. This has to be a secret marriage until it’s over.”
Tumango si Heath. “We’re going to try to keep it that way, but it won’t be that long bef
BREE’S POVUmaga palang kinukulit ko na si Heath kung anong oras kami aalis. I didn’t think that I would be this excited to get a glimpse on what it’s like to live in a mafia world, but my blood was zinging through my nerves.“What should I wear?” tanong ko sa kaniya. “Kailangan ba naka-leather ako or something? Naka-all black? Or ‘yung parang may spikes?”Heath is busy with his laptop on the dining table. He had made us scrambled eggs and bacon under my instructions for breakfast.He sighs. “Brianna, you can calm down. Nobody cares what you’re going to wear. You’re the wife of their boss. They’re not going to comment on it.”
HEATH’S POVKung ako tatanungin mo, hindi din ako sigurado kung tama ba ‘tong ginagawa ko. Pagsisihan ko ba na dinala ko siya dito para makita ang isang banda ng mafia organization? Masyado ba siyang matatakot?Huli na ang lahat para alisin ko pa siya dito.Mukha naman kasing excited siya kaninang umaga, pero lahat naman ng tao may hangganan din ang imahinasyon. The mafia is not a beautiful thing.The mafia is ugly, full of blood, pain, bones, and death.Brianna settles herself beside me. May nagdala ng ibang boteng beer at makakain sa harap niya. Ayun nga lang, I don’t think she’s in the right state to actually consume anything.
BREE’S POV“Dinaya mo ko, Heath,” sabi ko sa kaniya pagpasok namin ng bahay. He has me in his arms. I am anticipating that creeping feeling in my stomach but I am too annoyed to notice if it’s there.“Anong dinaya?” balik niya sa’kin na parang natatawa. “You’re the one who chose your fighters. Ako nga ang lugi sa’yo eh.”Inirapan ko siya. Hindi ko din alam kung ano bang pinuputok ng butchi ko pero kasi naman… “Ah basta,” sabi ko at iniwas ang mukha ko sa kaniya. “That bet is not counted.”“Aw, come on, Brianna. You’re no fun.”“Hindi ako nagpapa-peer pressure. Pasensya ka na ha.”
BREE’S POVAkalain mo nga namang nadadaan lang pala sa pilit ang mga tauhan ni Heath. Char! Sa katotohanan, halos mapaos na ko sa kakasigaw para sa kanila bago pa nila ako sinilip kung totoo ba ang pagsigaw ko na nasaktan ako.Nang may isang lumapit sa’kin, sinabi kong kailangan niya kong dalhin sa ospital. Nakapwesto pa ko sa sahig ng banyo at pinilit kong magmukhang nakaawa.Nagsisisigaw ako habang binubuhat nila ako pasakay ng kotse, kunwaring nasasaktan at nabalian na naman ako ng buto.Hindi ko alam kung sa sobrang nerbyoso ba nila na nasaktan ako nang wala si Heath kaya ko sila napasunod. Pero ayan na nga, nasa ospital na ko at sa wakas, nagagalaw ko na ang aking binti at bisig.“Is that better?” p
BREE’S POVOne moment the world is tilted, then the next it was upright again. Someone gathers me in their arms and places me back on my stool.“Hey.”Heath’s face sharpened in front of my eyes as his fingers push hair away from my face.“You okay? You need to breathe.”Nang makita ko na nag-aalala ang mga mata niya, biglaan na lang lumabas ang mga luha ko. I can feel pain in my newly healed leg from all the running earlier.“He got hurt because of me,” sabi ko at binaon ang aking mukha sa’king mga palad. “Four times, Heath. He got stabbed. It’s horrible.”
HEATH’S POVIt has been a while since I have felt great about waking up. Simula kasi nang ikasal ako kay Brianna, parati na lang putol-putol ang tulog ko. It’s like the problems keep on trying to wake me up, wanting solutions so they could rest.“I don’t feel so good about this,” sabi ni Brianna habang nag-aagahan kami. “I don’t think this is the right decision.”Umiling ako sa kaniya. “There’s nothing else that we can do about it. A lot of people already knows.” I sip on my coffee. “Besides, wala naman akong reklamong narinig sa daddy mo, so I think he’s on board with this. Tingin ko naman na-gets na niya kung anong plano ko.”Napakamot si Brianna sa kaniyang pisngi. “But I don&r
BREE’S POV Alam mo ‘yun? ‘Yung gusto mo na lang manahimik ta’s biglang maga-appear ‘yung ex mong ayaw mo naman nang makita? “I don’t owe you my time, Aidan,” sabi ko sa kaniya. Sa totoo lang, nanghihina ako. I didn’t expect that I would see him again after he let me leave that place. “Alam ko,” sabi niya sa’kin. “But can I just have a few minutes? I… there’s something that I have to tell you.” Napatingin ako sa bodyguard na umupo sa may cashier at naka-krus lang ang mga braso sa kaniyang dibdib. Ang dalawang guard a
BREE’S POV“Do you actually have experience dating people?” tanong ko kay Heath habang nasa loob kami ng kotse.“Yeah,” sagot niya sa’kin na dapat naging obvious ‘yon. “But I have never dated seriously. I only liked humoring people sometimes.”“What do you mean by that?”“Iyong tipong akala nila may patutunguhan kami pero wala naman talaga?”I snort. “Ah, paasa ka pala.”“It’s not my fault. I’m a busy person. Kapag sila nag-demand na sa’kin ng oras, I draw the line there. There are far more important things than love.”
HEATH’S POV If you’re going to ask me why I’m still managing Anino—the mafia, it’s not because of the money. I have plenty enough of that to last me lifetimes. Pero bakit nga ba? It’s more about the constant thought of getting caught. Of living my life always right on the edge. It enables me to live my life to the fullest, every single second of it. You know, that feeling that makes your heart pounds? I want that everyday. Alam ko namang hindi ako tatanda. Well, I have hopes. Pero hindi na ko umaasa. As I’ve said before, mafia lords tend to die young.
BREE’S POV“Bakit ang tagal mong mag-video? Kanina pa tayo nakatayo dito.”Umikot ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Rainier. “Sabi ko naman kasi ako na lang mag-grocery eh! Therapy ko kaya ‘to. If you’re so bored, go ahead and wonder around.”“Ano pang silbi ko kung hindi kita sasamahan kung sa’n ka pupunta?”“Fine, just go to the meat aisle. Kitain na lang kita do’n. I know you need your protein.” Masama pa ang tingin sa’kin ni loko bago nagsimulang lumayo. “And get some for Heath, too.”Rainier snorts as he turns his back on me.Finally, some peace. Ayaw kasing umayos ng camera ko ngayong araw para sa vlog. Malapit na kasi akong
HEATH’S POVAng weird sabihin na maayos ang buhay namin nang ilang araw. Tina-try pa din naming i-trace kung sino ang mokong na ‘yun na nag-hack sa system namin. Pero masyadong malinis. Hindi ko alam kung paano namin siya mahuhuli.“You suck at this, Rainier!” reklamo ni Maeve pagpasok ko ng salas.“What?!” tugon naman nito.Nasa carpet ang dalawa at parehong may hawak na controller.“You’re supposed to be good at this,” dismayadong sabi ni Maeve. “Akala ko ba militar ka? Why can’t you shoot at this kind of games?!”Natatawang sumagot si Rainier. “Well, it’s di
HEATH’S POV“System breach,” bungad sa’kin ni Eli paglabas ko ng elevator. “I think they are trying to get information that they could possibly leak.”“What’s happening now?”Pumasok na kami kaagad sa opisina ko.“No other threats?”“None as of the moment,” sabi ni Eli habang nakatingin pa din sa tablet niya. “Matindi ang IT team nito. Ang nakakapagtaka lang, kung nabuksan nila ang system at kaya nilang pabilisin ang pagkuha ng data natin pero…”“Pero ano?” tanong ko pagkaupo ko.“Pero hindi nila tinutuloy
BREE’S POV“I can come with you if you want,” ang sabi sa’kin ni Heath nang sabihin ko sa kaniyang pupunta ako sa bahay ng daddy ko.“It’s fine. I can handle it,” lang ang naging tugon ko. Sinamahan ako ni Rainier.“You’re quiet,” obserba ko sa kaniya. “You’re giving me the feeling that you don’t really agree with what I’m doing.”“Your dad is my boss. I don’t speak against my higher ups. Besides, it’s a family matter. I can’t comment on it.”Some part of me is wishing that he would say something. Na parang ma-comfort ako na tama ‘tong ginagawa ko. I hardly go against my father’s wishes. A
BREE’S POVIsang oras din ang tinagal ng byahe namin bago kami nakarating sa presinto. Nang makita ako ni Maeve, ni hindi manlang ako binati nito. Malamlam at antok ang ekspresyon ng mukha.“Where the hell were you?” tanong ni Heath kay Seth. “You were supposed to keep an eye on her.”“Nasa bahay na siya kagabi,” depensa ni Seth na mukhang aligaga din dahil napapagalitan siya ni Heath. “Hindi naman siya nagsabi na lalabas siya.”“Ano ba nangyari?” tanong ko.Ngayon ko lang nakita nang malapitan si Seth. Huli ko siyang nakita may mga dugo pa sa balat niya dahil doon sa palaro sa Anino. Ang laki niya pala talagang bata. ‘Yung tipong gustuhin nga tala
HEATH’S POVAlam mo ‘yung pakiramdam na ang sarap lang mang-asar ng mga taong madaling mabwisit? Gano’n lang naman ang plano kong gawin kay Brianna. I like it when she gets annoyed because of me. Usually, hindi naman ako ganitong tao, pero ewan ko ba. There’s some satisfaction that I get whenever I get a reaction out of her.Akala ko nga masaya na ko sa gano’ng reaksyon mula sa kaniya. Na kapag nainis na siya sa’kin, solb na ko.Hindi ko naman inakala na may mas ikaliligaya pa pala akong makuha maliban sa inis niya.I bite on the inside of my lips as I keep the grin on it.I remember every second of last night.I doubt that you could
BREE’S POVKahit naman hindi ako sobra-sobrang nalasing kagabi, gumising pa din ako nang may sakit sa ulo. Pungas-pungas pa kong nag-inat hanggang sa lumabas si Heath mula sa banyo na may towel sa kaniyang bewang.Natigil ang paghikab ko nang magtama ang aming mga mata.“Great, you’re awake,” sabi niya lang sa’kin at kinuha ang kaniyang bag bago bumalik sa banyo.Binaon ko ang mukha ko sa unan.Shit. May nangyari nga pala kagabi.Anong gagawin ko?Talaga bang hindi ko papansinin kung anong naganap?I clea
BREE’S POV“All you have to do,” panimula ko at hinawakan ang kaniyang tie. Dahan-dahan ko itong inalis sa kaniyang leeg. “Is stop.”“Stop?” he asks with a light chuckle.“Yes. A full stop.”“I don’t get it.”“Stop trying to get me.” I twist on his lap, making sure that my butt grazes that thing being hidden by his pants. I straddle his waist and tilt his head up. “Let me come to you.”“I see,” he says. His hands rested on my hips and I’m going to burn in hell for wanting his touch all over my body.“Tell you what.”“Yeah?