Chapter Two

Madilim. Mausok. Maingay. Iyon ang bumungad kay Kate pagpasok niya pa lang ng bar. The disco lights illuminated the poorly lit room. It’s a low-end bar. Ito ang klase ng bar na dinadayo ng mga ordinaryong tao, at mas komportable si Kate dito. Messy and ordinary. 

“Beer, please,” Kate ordered as she sat on the stool at the counter. 

“Right away, gorgeous.” Briggs, the bartender, winked and smiled seductively at Kate before leaving her to prepare her order.

Napailing si Kate. Briggs and his flirty smile. Kilala niya na halos ang lahat ng mga bartender sa bar na ito dahil dito siya nalalagi.

Inilibot ni Kate ang paningin sa buong bar. Marami nang tao kahit alas-otso pa lang ng gabi. Lahat ay nagsasaya, naglalasing at nilalandi ang sino mang makikilala sa bar.

The loud banging of the music reverberated in the place. It’s noisy, dark, and fun. 

The dance floor was already packed. Strangers were grinding their asses to other strangers, not caring about the sweat—a typical scene in bars like this. The smell of orgasm and smoke blended in the air.  

Bumalik si Briggs dala ang isang bote ng alak para kay Kate. Kumindat muna ito bago umalis para asikasuhin ang ibang customer. 

Tinungga ni Kate ang bote at napapikit siya nang tumama sa lalamunan niya ang mapait pero malamig na alak.  

Nag-e-enjoy si Kate sa alak niya nang may tumabi na lalake kan’ya. Ang unang napansin ng dalaga ang mabangong amoy nito na umasulto sa ilong ni Kate. He smelled sexy, and her body reacted to that scent. Medyo pamilyar kay Kate ang amoy na iyon. 

She inhaled more, filling her lungs with the scent that made her body tingle. Iba ang dating ng amoy nito sa katawan niya. Nangingiliti at nang-iinit. 

She glanced at his hand which was resting on the counter. Malaki. Mabalahibo. Maskulado. Maugat.  Mas lalong tumindi ang kitili na naramdaman niya. Kate shivered at the thought of what those muscled hands could do to her body. 

Napailing si Kate. Umandar ka naman, Kate!  Sita ni Kate sa sarili. Hindi naman siya basta-basta naapektuhan dahil sa mabangong amoy lamang. 

Hindi nagsalita ang lalake, at itinaas lang nito ang kamay para umorder kay Briggs. 

Kate wants to hear his voice. Pero nanatiling tahimik ang lalake at hindi din siya nito nilingon. She can see his movements through her peripheral vision. 

Dumating ang order nito, at tahimik lang din itong umiinum sa tabi ni Kate. In some scenarios, men would introduce themselves the moment they sat beside her. Pero iba ang isang ito. It was like she’s invisible.

Nilagok ni Kate ang natitirang alak sa bote at nag-desisyon na pumunta sa dancefloor at magpapawis. She needed the rush and the heat the dancefloor could give. 

Women and men were bumping their bodies to hers as she made her way to the dancefloor, some even dare to squeeze her butt, but Kate just let it slide. 

Sumabay siya sa malakas na tugtog ng musika. Kate closed her eyes and let the alcohol take over her rational mind. She let go of all her inhibitions and just go with the flow. She just enjoyed the moment.   

Minutes later, Kate was screaming and dancing wildly in the middle on the dancefloor. Sa bawat galaw ng katawan ng dalaga, doon niya ibinuhos lahat ng emosyon na kinikimkim ng kan’yang puso. Walang pakialam kung may mga humawak sa kan’yang katawa. She just let them touch her, it doesn’t matter to her. Hindi naman siya malinis na babae. Why bother? 

All of a sudden, strong and muscular arms crawled from Kate’s abdomen and settled on her hips. Kate shivered at the tingling sensation that crept to her most sacred part. Ninamnam ni Kate ang sarap ng paggapang ng mga kamay nito. 

Suddenly, he pulled her closer to his body, and Kate felt the bulge poking at her backside. It’s huge and hard, she’s sure of it. And she’s not innocent not to know what it was. Nakadikit ang katawan ng lalake sa kan’ya habang sinasabayan nito ang pag-indayog ng ni Kate sa musika. Her buttocks were literally rubbing his hardness. 

Kate’s sense was assaulted with the familiar scent. Napamulat nang wala sa oras si Kate nang may matanto.

Ang lalake sa counter kanina! Her mind screamed. 

With the knowledge that it was the same guy, her body flared making her most sensitive part throb in anticipation. Liquid gushed out from her center wetting her underwear. Images of his muscular and veiny hand flashed in her mind, and the thought that those hands feasted on her curves made Kate even more aroused!

Mas pinaigi pa ni Kate ang pagsayaw. She even grinned her butt to his hardness which earned a groan from him. Nasa tainga niya ang mga labi nito. 

“What are you doing here, Kate?” A masculine voice spoke behind her, his wet lips touching the tip of her ears. 

Umawang ang mga bibig ni Kate nang marinig niya ang pagbanggit nito sa pangalan niya. Now that she has heard his voice, she certain he knew the man! 

Antonius Altamerano! How can she ever forget his deep and masculine voice?

Kaagad na humarap si Kate at doon niya nakompirmang si Niu pala talaga ang mabangong lalake at ang lalake na sumasayaw sa likod niya.

She scanned him from the head to his feet. He looked unusual, he was not in his suit and tie. Naka hapit na v-neck shirt lang ito at isang kupasing maong ang suot nito He still wore his eyeglasses and it made him look more like a model than a CEO. 

“Are you done checking me out? Isang pilyong ngisi ang umukit sa mga labi nito. 

“Antonius, what are you doing here?”  

“Dancing, I guess?” natatawa nitong tugon. 

“I mean, why are you in a place like this?” 

 Anong ginagawa ng isang CEO ng isang kompanya dito sa isang mumurahing bar? 

“I guess fate brought me here, because you’re here. You look exceptionally beautiful tonight.” Hinapit siya nito sa baywang kaya muling nagdikit ang mga katawan nila. The heat came back. 

Agad na sumama ang timpla ng mukha ni Kate. He just chuckled and his lips formed into a lop-sided smirk.  

“Alam ba ni Claire na nandito ka? And what I mean was, what are you doing in a place like this?”  

Inulit ni Kate ang kan’yang tanong. 

Nagkibit lang ito ng balikat at marahang sumayaw kasabay ng katawan ni Kate. Their bodies rubbed, igniting the fire once more.  

“This place is for people who need alcohol and a little sweat just to get by a day without getting insane, and I guess I'm one of those, you already know what I mean.”

His eyes roamed around her sweaty body, from the head to her almost spilled breast and down to her skimpy skirt. Bumalik ang tingin nito sa dibdib ni Kate at ngumisi. “Gorgeous tits you got there, babe,” 

Pinilit ni Kate ang sarili na pigilan ang namumuong pagnanasa para sa lalakeng kasayaw. He’s married to her bestfriend, for fuck’s sake!

Bahagyang tinulak ni Kate si Niu para makawala sa yakap ng lalake at iniwan ito sa dancefloor. Bumalik si Kate sa bar counter at muling nag-order ng alak. Naiinis siya kay Niu, pero mas lalo siyang nainis sa sarili dahil sa nadaramang pagnanasa sa asawa ng mismong bestfriend niya!

“Sex on the beach, please,” Kate ordered. 

 Napaikot na lang ang mata ni Kate nang makitang tumabi ito sa kan’ya at nag-order din ito ng alak. 

“Leave me alone, Niu. I’m not into married boys,” pagtataboy ni Kate kay Niu.

Sumipol lang ito at tila hindi alintana na ininsulto niya ito nang harapan. 

Naalala ni Kate ang eskandalong kinasangkutan ni Niu. He had an affair with an actress, and even though the marriage between him and Claire was only for the sake of business, he should at least respect it. 

“Feisty,” he laughed as he drank his shot in one go. 

Muli nitong binalingan si Kate, ngayon ay nakaharap na talaga ito sa dalaga. Ang isang braso nito ay nakapatong sa counter. “Why are you like that? Did I do something to upset you? Kaibigan ka ng asawa ko kaya dapat mabait ka sa akin,” he said, matter of factly. 

 Muli ay umikot ang mata ko. “Have you no shame, Mr. Altamirano? You are my best friend’s husband, yet you dared flirt with me in public?” Maanghang na sumbat ni Kate.

Niu stared at Kate for a moment. His eyes bored into her soul. Wala na ang pilyong ngisi nito. 

Tinungga nito ang bote na may laman na alak bago nagsalita.  

“Being trapped in a loveless marriage is one thing, but being in love with the woman you can’t have is the worst. I didn’t mind if I have to play a good husband for the rest of my life, but looking at her every time we bumped into each other, and she saw me in the arms of another woman, the pain is unimaginable.”  

Umawang ang mga labi ni Kate sa pahayag nito. He was staring darkly at the bottle of beer. 

It’s not new to Kate that Claire and Niu were arranged to marry by their parents. But what she didn’t know was that Niu was hiding a painful secret. Nakikita ni Kate ang sakit sa mga mata nito. This man was deeply hurt.

“Ikaw, anong kwento mo? You can’t be here just because you like this place.” he asked Kate as he turned to look at her. 

Kate swallowed. He asked about her story. Will she confide in him? 

“C’mon, Kate. Let that out, or else it’ll eat you from the inside,” patuloy nito. He was waiting for her answer.  

Suddenly, Kate felt the urge to spill everything to him. The weight of his stare was just too much. May nakaharang man na salamin sa mata nito, pero ang lakas pa rin ng epekto ng mga titig nito. He's like a soul reader.  

She swallowed an invisible lump in her throat. Why does she feel like telling him? His eyes mesmerized her, and Kate felt like she found that one person whom she can confide in with everything without being judged. 

“You know what? It’s oka- 

Kinuha ni Kate ang tissue na nasa counter at pinahid iyon sa balikat niya. The concealer that hides her hideous scars and bruises were erased.  

Mula sa mukha ni Kate ay bumaba ang tingin ni Niu sa balikat ng dalaga. Mabilis na nag-iba ang timpla ng mukha nito. His brows met and his jaw tightened. 

 He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. His eyes were now blazing with anger. 

Sa unang pagkakataon, pakiramdam ni Kate ay natagpuan na niya ang taong magiging kakampi niya laban sa mga demonyo ng kan’yang nakaraan.

 “Who the f*ck did that you, Kate?” mapanganib nitong tanong.

 No! Don't tell him! Sigaw ng utak ni Kate. 

Umiling si Kate. Sapat na muna iyong ipinakita ni Kate kay Niu. Kahit na ganoon lang iyon ay pakiramdam ni Kate may isang malaking bato ang natanggal sa puso niya.  

“Damn!” he cursed as he took a little closer look at Kate’s bruised skin. He inspected it and slightly touched it with a shaking finger like she was delicate china that needs so much caring. 

Kate’s heart melted.

Kinuha nito ang kamay ni Kate at hinila patayo. He pulled her out of the bar. “Let’s go, we need to talk.”

“Teka lang, Niu, saan tayo pupunta?”

Hindi ito kumibo at hinila lang ang dalaga patungo sa exit ng bar. She tried to let go of his grip but he’s holding her wrist tightly. Nagpatianod na lamang si Kate sa paghila ito. 

Pinakasakay siya nito sa kotse.

“Teka, sandali nga! Ano ba? Saan mo ba ako dadalhin? Remember, we’re not that close para sumama na lang ako sayo ng basta-basta.” asik ni Kate. she tried to pull her arm, and he let it go. 

Binuksan nito ang passenger’s side ng kotse st hinintay si Kate na sumakay. 

“C’mon, don’t be stubborn. Huwag kang mag-alala, hindi kita type kung iyan ang ikinabahala mo,” he said flatlyt.

“B’wesit ka talaga!”

He drove the car out of the parking lot. It was almost midnight and the streets were almost empty now. Nagningning ang mga streets lights sa gilid ng kalsada.  

“We’re going somewhere peaceful and quiet, ang gulo na doon,” 

“At bakit naman ako sasama sayo? And why do we need that peaceful and quiet place?” nakataas ang kilay na tanong ni Kate. 

“Because you don’t have any choice but to choose me?” patanong nitong sabi. May multo ng ngiti sa labi nito at wala na iyong seryoso nitong mukha kanina.  

Antonius Altamirano is a carefree man. Ginagawa nito kung ano ang sa tingin nito na makapagbigay ng saya sa kaniya.  

Pinanatugtog nito ang car stereo na nakakabit sa harap ng kotse niya. Napataas ang kilay ni Kate. Doon lang napansin ni Kate na hindi pala isang luxury car ang minamaneho ni Niu. 

He’s a CEO of a multi-million company but preferred to use old-model cars. 

Nakakamangha.