CHAPTER 25.

THE AUDACITY of this fucker to smile at me as if he didn't threaten my life.

He wasn't showing himself for days after he was announced as the new boss of Luciano's clan. Muntikan pa kaming magpatayan sa comfort room ng casino. Tapos ngayon, magpapakita siya na para bang normal na taong nagtatrabaho ng 6-9 shift, at uuwi siya sa pamilya niya kung makangiti?

I grabbed the fork he just darted on the table and in a blink of an eye, I was already aiming it on his neck, right at his vocal chords. Though I want to hear him scream and cry in pain from me torturing him to death, I also want to just slit his throat this instant.

His eyes went down to the fork, then smirked, before he raised it again to look at me.

"Your water's boiling," he said.

I blinked. Magtataka pa sana ako kung bakit niya sinabi 'yon pero naalala kong nagluluto pala ako ng makakain bago siya nagpakita sa akin.

"I wanted to eat noodles, that's why I boiled some water. But right now, I think I want to see something else melt rather than the noodles..." I tilted my head. "Let's see... your face?"

He stared at me for a few seconds, a hint of amusement glinted in his eyes.

My brow twitch. Oh, this fucker is having fun? Really?

He bit his lower lip, stifling a smile. "Feisty as always. I like that."

My eyes narrowed. "Ilang araw kang hindi nagpakita, 'tapos ngayong nagpakita ka na nga, ganiyan ka pa umasta?"

"Why? Did you miss me?"

What the fuck?

Idiniin ko na ang tinidor sa leeg niya, dahilan para mapatingala siya nang kaunti.

"This fork might not look that sharp, but I can burry this in your throat with just one thrust, you know that."

He chuckled.

He. Fucking. Chuckled!

He raised his hand and with just his index finger, he pushed the fork down slowly. Hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak ko sa tinidor pero mas diininan niya rin ang pagkakalapat ng daliri niya sa tinidor.

His finger wasn't leaving my fork when he started walking towards my direction. What's he gonna do?!

Unti-unting namilog ang mga mata ko at napakunot ang noo, pero hindi ko pinahalata sa kaniyang nagsisimula na akong mataranta dahil papalapit na siya sa akin!

He stopped in front of me. I was so ready to stab him if he ever attack me, but he just grabbed the pack of noodles, took out the uncooked noodles, and dipped it in the pan before putting back the pan's lid. Then, his eyes went back to me.

"Why the fuck are you even hiding us here?!" sa halip ay tanong ko para itago ang pagkataranta. "Kung gusto mo kaming patayin, gawin mo na lang agad!"

"Oh, no," he said while grinning. "I didn't put you here to kill you."

"Then what are we? Your hostages? Plano mo ba akong gawing pang-blackmail para makuha mo ang loob ng mga tauhan ko? Well, kung gano'n, nagkakamali ka! I'm not the boss of Azarcon anymore!"

The amusement in his face disappeared and was replaced with a serious expression. "So you'll give it up that easily?"

"Ano pa bang magagawa ko?! Everyone's who's on my side were already killed! Swerte na nga't naiwan pa si Trisver!"

His brow twitched upon hearing Trisver's name.

"At ano ba 'to? Hindi ba't kasabwat ka naman ni uncle?! You should be rejoicing that I'm already gone from the clan! At ngayon, hindi ba't partners na kayo?! That was what you want from the beginning!"

Hindi siya nagsalita at nanatili lang siyang nakatitig sa akin habang nagsasalita ako. Kaya noong natapos ako, at parang kinapos na sa hininga dahil dire-diretsong nagsalita, naaalibadbaran ako na nakatitig pa rin siya sa akin at walang sinasabi.

"Quincy!"

Pareho kaming napabaling sa direksyon ng hagdanan nang nakarinig ng mabibigat na yabag mula ro'n.

I blinked when I saw Trisver, running barefoot on the stairs. Napahinto siya nang makita niya ako at kung sino ang kasama ko ngayon. It took him seconds to realize it was Kace.

"Stay away from her!" Trisver snapped, and he ran towards me. Nang nakalapit, kaagad niya akong hinila at itinago sa likuran niya.

Kung kanina ay nag-iba ang timpla ng mukha niya noong narinig ang pangalan ni Trisver, ngayong nakita niya na nga ang tao, mas dumilim ang mukha niya.

Kace smirked. "Playing the knight and shining armor, aren't we? Does your princess need that? She's the type who could drain the life out of you with one hand, though."

"Stop fucking around!" Trisver gritted his teeth. "If you want her head, you'll have to go through me first!"

Kace chuckled. "This fucker..." I heard him mumble. "Pagod ako ngayong araw, kaya bukas na natin ipagpatuloy ito, hmm? I badly need to rest now, and Quincy needs to eat." Tinuro niya ang pan na nasa stove pa rin.

Napasunod na lang ako ng tingin sa kaniya nang tinalikuran niya kami at nagsimula na siyang lumakad papalayo. He does look tired, but he's gonna sleep here knowing I'm here? I could literally go up and sneak in his room after he falls asleep, and cut his head off.

Trisver exhaled in relief and his body loosened up when Kace wasn't in our sight any more. Humarap siya sa 'kin.

"Did he do anything to you?"

Natatawa na napailing ako. "No. And if he did, you think I won't fight back? Have you forgotten who I am, Trisver?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but cat got his tongue. Napailing na lang ako at saka siya tinulak para makadaan ako at balikan ang kawali na nakalimutan ko. When I opened the lid, the noodles were already soggy!

"Go back to sleep now, Trisver."

"No. What if he'll come back--"

Binalingan ko siya ng tingin. Hindi ako nagsalita, tinitigan ko lang siya, at naintindihan niya naman kaagad ako.

He sighed. "Fine. Sorry. Babalik na."

I flashed him a satisfied smile.

Noong nakaalis na siya, binalik ko na ang atensyon sa niluluto ko. The noodles were already soggy and it'll be a bit weird to eat it like this, so I added anything I could find in the fridge that I could add in the noodles. At noong natapos na ako, tahimik akong kumain habang nakatayo, at nag-iisip.

Sa sobrang comfortable namin dito sa ilang araw na nandito kami, nakalimutan ko na kung bakit kami napadpad dito in the first place. And now that Kace's here, the questions in my head popped one by one again.

We're literally enemies. I was the boss of Azarcon, the only organization that could rival Luciano's, where he's the current boss. But instead of just directly killing us, why was he keeping us here? Anong plano niya?

Sisiguraduhin kong malalaman ko ang lahat bukas. I won't let him get out of this house without spilling what they're planning to do.

After eating everything I put in the pan and the noodles, bumalik na kaagad ako sa kwarto. I was planning on searching for the room where Kace went in, pero baka maunahan pa niya ako. He's a sly bastard, he knows exactly what I'm thinking all the time.

Kinabukasan, maaga akong nagising, which was really unusual. Kahit noong pumapasok pa ako sa skwela, hindi naman ako nagigising ng alas sais ng umaga nang kusa, pwera na lang kung may importanteng lakad, o pinilit ako ni Trisver magising.

I was wearing another t-shirt that looked so big on me, again. Ni hindi ko na kailangang mag-jacket kapag lalabas dahil umabot na sa siko ko ang sleeves. The shorts I was wearing, too, looked like pyjamas dahil hanggang ilalim ng tuhod ko na rin.

Was this hostage taking planned? Bakit walang damit pambabae rito? O baka wala na silang pakialam kung ano man ang suotin ko, tutal mabubulok lang din naman ang katawan ko kapag napatay na nila ako.

I couldn't contain my anticipation to know what I wanted to know, kaya pagkalabas ko ng kwarto ay hinanap ko kaagad kung saan natulog si Kace. I know Roa's room, and there were only four doors here upstairs. Ang isa ro'n, ay comfort room pa. Kaya malamang, ang naiwang room sa dulo ng left wing ay inookupa niya.

Doon ako dumiretso. I was walking barefoot. The wooden floor felt cold, pero hindi ko na pinansin dahil nagmamadali ako. Baka kasi biglang aalis na naman siya, and who knows when he'll be back again!

Hinawakan ko kaagad ang doorknob at sinubukan kong iikot. I blinked when the door opened. It wasn't locked?

Tuluyan na akong pumasok, at nakita ko si Kace na kalalabas lang ng bathroom. He was wearing nothing but black shorts, and he was drying his hair with a towel. Napahinto siya dahil pumasok ako.

He smirked. "I knew you'd come, kaya hinayaan kong nakabukas ang pinto."

Napairap ako. "Let's get straight to the point. You answer my questions."

"Hindi ba makakapaghintay 'yan? I just finished showering, and I haven't changed yet--"

"I don't care!" bahagyang tumaas ang boses ko, naiinip. "Just answer my damn questions!"

He chuckled. "Okay, fine. Ano bang gusto mong malaman?"

"Why did you even bring us here, when you could've killed us instead?"

Humarap siya sa akin. Isinabit niya ang towel sa leeg niya. "But I don't want you dead, Quincy."

I scoffed. "Oh, please! After you stabbed me, and even teamed up with my uncle to bring my organization down?! Baka nga pinaplano n'yo ring patayin si uncle matapos ninyong makuha ang gusto ninyo!"

The amusement in his face disappeared, and it was replaced with a serious expression.

"Are you gonna use me as a hostage so you'll gain my uncle's approval?" dagdag ko.

Hindi siya sumagot. Humakbang siya papalapit sa akin, dahilan para mapakunot ang noo ko. When he stopped in front of me, he was towering over me, and I had to look up at him. I was tall, but he was taller. Hanggang dibdib niya lang ako.

He's so near, and our distance was causing distraction to my thoughts. Dagdag pang wala tanging shorts lang ang suot niya at basa pa siya!

"Kung 'yon nga ang plano mo, then you've got the wrong person," pagpatuloy ko, medyo humina na ang boses.

"Hindi ako nagkamali, Quincy," paninigurado niya. "Ikaw ang gusto kong kunin, kaya ikaw ang nandito. And I brought you here not because I wanted you dead."

I blinked. "Then why?"

"I want you to live..." Unti-unti siyang humakbang papalapit, na para bang hindi pa sapat ang distansya namin para marinig ko siya nang maayos.

I secretly gasped when his hand suddenly touched my right cheek, and he gently caressed it with his thumb. His hand was so warm, that I wanted to just close my eyes and feel his warmness.

"I want you to live..." he whispered, "so you could witness how I'll burn those who want you gone. I want you to live, and stay by my side, so you could see how I'll tear them to pieces and offer them to you."

***

A/N: This will be my last update for this story for the mean time. Dunno when I'll post another update, pero matatagalan pa since I have other things to prioritize.