Chapter 01

MARRIAGE was supposed to be the legally or formally recognized union of two people as partners. It was when two people wanted to tie the knot and settled- but not for me.

I don't do marriage, especially with someone whom I've never met and loved. Kahit na nga ba marami na akong napaluhang babae at nasaktan, naniniwala pa rin ako na love still exists. Na dapat pakasalan mo ang taong mahal mo at handa kang makasama siya sa hirap man o ginhawa. Most of all, I wanted to marry a woman whom I chose to love and hold, not a woman chosen by my family for me for the sake of fucking business.

"Come on X, the night is still young, and you still have lots of condoms to be used."

I look at Mira who's still lying on my bed, naked and wanting for more. Nakilala ko lang siya kanina sa music bar kung saan umorder ako ng alak dahil naubusan na ako.

And just like the other women that I bedded, Mira is not different from them. She's willing and easy to know what she wanted from me... pleasure and money.

Napangising umiling na lang ako at tinalikuran na siya. Tapos na ako sa kaniya, nakuha niya na ang gusto niya, naibsan na rin ang init ng katawan ko sa pamamagitan niya, at pareho naming napaligaya ang isa't isa sa kama. There's no reason for me to pleasure her again and there's no reason for her to stay another minute or two here in my unit. I only have to say 'leave' for her to leave me alone but instead of saying that... ako na lang ang lumabas.

This is my second day here on Vitale Island and I must say that I fucking enjoy every minute of staying here. I am here for a business proposal with Mr. Vitale who wants to get my service for his expansion. Naging maayos naman ang kinalabasan kung kaya't kailangan ko na munang huminga kahit sandali lang.

Hindi rin naman kasi ganoon kadali ang buhay sa kalakaran ng industriya. Marami ang gusto at sumusubok na pabagsakin ka, kunin ang tiwala mo, at higit sa lahat ang traydorin ka. Kaya naman hinahayaan ko ang sarili kong mag saya and forget those works that stressing me out for a while.

It was already eight in the evening and yes, Mira was right. The night is still young ganoon pa man mas gusto kong mapag-isa. Humugot ako ng sigarilyo ngunit pinaglaruan lang 'yon sa daliri ko. I stopped smoking, pero minsan ay hindi pa rin maiwasan lalo na ngayon na napakarami kong alalahanin.

I was about to sit on the sand and watch the beauty of the dark sea that sparks in the middle of the night when I saw someone... a woman to be exact!

Kaagad akong lumusong sa dagat at hindi na inalintana ang lamig pati na rin ang cellphone ko na nasa bulsa ko pa pala. Ang mahalaga lang ngayon sa akin ay mailigtas ang babaeng nagpapalutang lutang sa gitna ng karagatan ng ganitong oras. She must be drawn or something. At sa kaisipang 'yon ay binilisan ko pa ang pag langoy papunta sa kaniya. But when I was almost near her...

"Hindi naman pagiging makasarili ang piliin ang sarili, pero mas pinili kong piliin ka higit sa sarili ko," she said that causing me to stop for a while.

Anong trip niya sa buhay? Was she memorizing something? A pick-up line perhaps? Damn! Nabasa pa ang cellphone ko kamamadali, hindi naman pala siya nalulunod!

Ganoon pa man ay kaagad kong hinawakan ang braso niya at hinila siya pabalik sa pangpang. Basa na rin lang ako, basa na ang cellphone ko, kaya ano pang silbi kung babalik ako sa pangpang ng hindi siya kasama?!

"Woman! Kung hindi ka naman pala marunong lumangoy, 'wag mo ng tangkain pang pumunta sa malalim," wala sa loob na singhal ko sa kaniya.

Hindi naman dapat 'yon ang sasabihin ko, napangunahan lang ako ng inis dahil parang mas galit pa siya. I admit she's beautiful and damn hot. With her sharp legs, tiny waist, and damn that breast that made me crave... "She can be my woman!" I whispered to myself. I was about to look at her face but I didn't expect her to slap me hard, fuck!

"What the hell!"

"What the hell is your problem huh?!" She asked angrily. Like what the F! Ako na nga itong nag mamagandang loob, siya pa ang may ganang manampal at magalit. "Mind your own life, and just do your fucking business!" aniya pa bago walang pakialam na iniwan na ako.

I was shocked, not because of the slap that I got, but because of how beautiful she was up close! Kahit na bakas ang inis sa mukha niya, hindi pa rin 'yon naging dahilan upang mabawasan ang angkin niyang kagandahan.

Her eyes were green as forest, matched with her curly eyelashes that were perfect for her pointed nose and kissable lips. At kahit na naglalakad siya palayo sa akin ay amoy na amoy ko pa rin ang natural niyang bango. Sa dinami-rami na ng babaeng nag daan sa palad ko'y sa babaeng 'yon lang ako humanga ng husto.

"Fuck! I need to get to know her, kahit pangalan lang," I whispered to myself and then immediately follow her.

Nakita kong pumasok siya sa music bar at walang pakialam na umupo sa high chair sa harap ng bar counter. Narinig ko rin na umorder siya ng mojito, but when I was about to sit beside her... someone grabbed my arm.

"Where have you been? Bakit basang basa ka?" Sunod-sunod na tanong sa akin ni Mira. Napabuntong hininga naman ako ng maalalang hindi ko pa pala siya nadispatsa.

"Someone told me to mind my own life, and just do my fucking business..." I look at her straight in the eyes and then smirk. "Puwede ko rin bang sabihin 'yon sa'yo?"

She was shocked at first and then raised her middle finger at me and without even saying a word, she left. Nakita ko pa kung paano siyang kaagad na kumapit sa braso ng isang lalaki na base sa mukha at tindig ay isang turista. I'm sure as hell na kung ano ang hindi niya nakuha sa akin ngayon, malamang na kukunin niya sa lalaking hawak niya ngayon.

"What's new? Ganyan naman ang lahi ni Eva, kapag hindi kuntento sa isa... magpapakamot sa iba." Naiiling na muli akong humarap sa puwesto kung saan naroon ang sinusundan kong babae.

But to my surprise... she was staring at me with a smile that she keeps on hiding on her lips. I can't read what's on her mind, or the reason behind those smiles that she keeps on hiding.

Nang tumayo siya at halos gumegewang na lumapit sa akin, ay kaagad na akong umagapay sa kaniya. Her smell was addicting, nakadagdag pa roon ang lime mula sa iniinom niya kanina.

"People come here for three reasons," she said while gently caressing my jawline down to my neck. "First is to drink. Second, to get a man or woman that spices their night. And third... to flirt with someone, have fun and fuck after," aniya bago huminto ang hintuturo niya sa dibdib ko. "Tell me, alin doon ang sa'yo?"

I smile at her and hold her finger, especially the one that points at my chest. "I'm here for a business," baliwalang sagot ko ngunit nakangiti sa kaniya.

Mamula-mula ang pisngi, namumungay ang mga mata at pagewang-gewang kung lumakad, malamang matindi na ang amats niya. But still, she's acted like she doesn't care at all.

"A business huh!" She smirks. "So what's your business? Would you mind telling me?"

I hold her chin and grabbed her tiny waist. When I didn't hear her protest I pulled her closer to my body. Felt the softness of her creamy white skin and then whispered to her ear.

"Do you want to be my business?" I gently bit her earlobe which caused her to gasp.

"Flirting is not my style... I guess."

I gently touch her jawline down to her neck and move lower down in the middle of her boobs, she did that to me too. Hindi naman siguro masamang gawin ko rin sa kaniya.

"A beautiful woman who was wearing a bikini, drinking a mojito, getting herself drunk, and went to a very handsome man, but confessing that flirting is not her style... tsk, I doubt."

I heard her chuckle which made me more amused and interested in her. She looks, even more, prettier when she smiles. Hinawakan niya naman ang daliri ko tulad ng ginawa ko sa kaniya kanina, bago iniyakap ang mga braso sa batok ko.

"A handsome man who's soaking wet, pulling a beautiful woman closer to his body, asking her to be his business but confessing that he's here for a business... tsk, I doubt." Pang-gagaya niya sa akin na pareho naming tinawanan.

Pinakatitigan ko ang mga mata niya pababa sa ilong hanggang sa labi niya, and yes... I think I like her. Or maybe... I wanted her to spend the night with me.

"Axel Barcelona, but you can call me X. Would you find me creepy if I told you I followed you here?"

TO BE CONTINUED...