#DaggerSeries #LiaxGun #DS2Unstrung

CHAPTER 20: BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER

LIA'S POV

Umiling ako nang lumapit sa akin si Trace at inabutan ako ng kape. Napapabuntong-hininga na ibinaba niya iyon sa lamesa na nasa harapan namin at pagkatapos ay umupo siya sa tabi ko. Nasa loob kami ng malaking conference room na nandito sa research floor ng Dagger. Nagkalat ang mga kapatid niya sa paligid namin habang pabalik-balik din ang ilang mga empleyado nila.

"You'll be fine."

Nilingon ko si Trace at sinalubong ko ang mga mata niya. "That's not what I'm worried about."

"That's our priority."

I turned my head away at what he said. Nagbaba ako ng tingin sa magkasalikop ko na mga kamay. This is my fault. I need to stop everything. I need to stop dreaming again. Kasi kada makukuha ko ang mga bagay na pinapangarap ko... ang daming nasasaktan kapalit ng katuparan ng mga iyon.

"Lia." I didn't look at him but I was forced to when I felt his hand on mine. Kita ang pag-aalala sa mga mata niya. "I know we haven't talked for years mula nang... mula nang maghiwalay kayo ni Kuya. We were hurt not just because of what happened with you two but because you scraped us out of your life too."

"Trace..."

"You're important to me too. You're my friend." Hinigpitan niya ang pagkakahawak sa mga kamay ko. "Kaya ikaw ang priority namin. We will take care of your team but you deserve to be safe too. Wala kang kasalanan."

For a moment, I felt some of the weight pinning me down got lifted from me. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na malaman na hindi lang ito basta trabaho para sa kanila kundi dahil importante pa rin ako sa kanila. For a moment... I wanted to hope.

Just for a moment.

"Gun, I'm telling you, we don't have much. Lahat ng suspect natin may alibi. We're not looking for someone who is just admiring her obsessively."

Nanggaling ang mga iyon kay Pierce na nakaupo sa isa sa mga upuan ng mahabang lamesa. Sa kabisera niyon ay naroon si Gun na nakatayo dahil nagpapabalik-balik siya sa glass wall na sinusulatan niya at sa laptop na nasa lamesa.

"Iyong height at built din. None of them is close to what Lia stated. Kung hindi sobra ay kulang naman," sabi ni Axel.

"Built can be faked."

"Pero hindi ang height. I doubt he's wearing heeled shoes during the attack."

May pumasok na empleyado na may tulak na malaking whiteboard. Inilagay niya iyon sa harapan ng kuwarto. Opposite from where Trace and I are at.

"If we're looking for someone who just want to hurt her then what motives could be possible?" Gun asked.

"Money," Thorn said. Sandaling tumingin siya akin bago nagpatuloy. "Unang-una roon ang mga magulang ni Lia. They've been after her inheritance for awhile now."

Natahimik ang mga tao sa paligid namin. Kita ko ang tila pagdaan ng kung ano sa pagitan ng magkakapatid. Meaningful glances that I didn't understand.

Iniisip ba nila kung anong klaseng magulang ang makakagawa ng ganito? How a parent could ask someone to kill an innocent person? Kung paanong ang mga magulang na dapat ay nagpaparamdam ng kaligtasan sa anak ay siyang mga tao pa na nagdudulot ng kabaligtaran no'n? Kung paanong ang mga magulang ko ay kaya na pagbalakan ako ng masama?

They don't know my parents but I do. If they are capable of doing the things they have done... imposible pa ba ang mga nangyayari sa akin ngayon?

"That's too obvious," Domino said after awhile.

"And sometimes the obvious answer is the answer," Thorn returned.

Napalunok ako nang makita ko ang larawan ng mga magulang ko sa whiteboard na dala ng empleyado kanina. It must be from the research team. Hindi lang sila ang naroon kundi ang iba ko pang mga kamag-anak na maaaring maghangad ng mga nakuha ko mula sa mga Asterio.

"I don't think that's the case on this one," Gun said, straightening up. "We're missing something."

Nagtama ang mga mata namin. He held my gaze for a moment. Worry is evident in his eyes. Worry that I saw in him back at that nail salon... and anger to what is happening to me.

Sinubukan niyang habulin ang tao na tinutukoy ng babae sa salon pero hindi niya na iyon nakita pa. He asked the woman to give us a description pero ang sabi ng babae ay naka-mask daw ang lalaki at sumblero. But the height and built were the same to my description.

"Do you have a last will?"

Napalingon lahat sa akin ang mga tao sa kuwarto na iyon nang direkta akong tanungin ni Gun. Last will. We're now talking about a last will. Ito na lang ba talaga? Money. The most cliche of all coveted things.

"Y-Yes."

"Did you name your parents in your will?"

"No."

"But the principal beneficiary of your assets are still your parents. You're not married and you don't have children."

If I'm standing, his words would have crippled me. Sa halip ay humigpit lang ang pagkakahawak ko sa sariling mga kamay ko sa paraan na halos maramdaman ko na ang pagbaon ng mga kuko ko sa balat ko. "So they want to kill me?"

"No. I don't think they are the perpetrators, Lia."

"They have motives."

"Your parents are rich. Alam kong gusto nilang makuha ang mga ibinigay sa iyo ng lola mo pero bakit ngayon pa? They could have taken that from you before."

"Hindi na lang iyon ang makukuha nila sa akin kung sakali."

"They are billionaires. You are too and you have a lot of properties but they're not hurting for money."

"Properties na makukuha din nila kung mawawala ako." I felt Trace hand returned to mine. His hold was gentle, stopping the bite of may nails on my own skin. "My parents are evil, Gun. I know that more than you do."

"I doubt that."

"You don't know anything."

"And what if I do?"

Nanglaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. I can see the ghost of an old pain crossed his eyes. Pain that I am familiar with.

No. It's impossible.

"Who did you name in your will?" he asked, redirecting the conversation on another path.

"You." Sa pagkakataon na ito ay siya naman ang natigilan. He opened his mouth but I beat him into it. "I just gave you a letter. Hindi ko alam kung paaabutin ko iyon hanggang sa mamatay ako. I probably will tell you first but in case that I wouldn't be able to, I made a letter for you in my last will."

We never know kung hanggang kailan na lang tayo sa mundo. The word "The end" is not written in everyone's story. Minsan hindi natatapos ang kuwento. Minsan... parang nasa gitna ka pa lang pero iyon na pala ang huli. Life is not fiction. It doesn't prepare you and it doesn't give you hints. Sometimes an end is just an end.

"Ano pa?"

I looked at Thorn when he speak. "What?"

"Ano pa ang nasa last will mo?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako, "Just things concerning the shares that I have."

"I thought you don't have any shares in you family's company?"

"I don't." Napakunot ang noo ko sa tanong niya. "But I have shares in Crimson Artists United. I own half of the company. Hindi ko alam ang rason ni Travis pero kinailangan niya ng malaking pera. I thought it was because of gambling because I know he gambled a lot. Binili ko ang CAU dahil ayokong bumagsak iyon at alam kong kailangan niya rin ng pera."

Hindi ko maintindahan ang sumunod na mga nangyari. All I know is that even Trace who's sitting beside me suddenly stood up and went out of the room. Kasunod niya ay si Gun na walang lingon-lingon na lumabas.

The others were also moving. Some of them throwing themselves into their paper works while some got busy on their phones and laptops. Tanging si Thorn lang ang huminto para tignan ako na animo nararamdaman niya ang pagkalito na bumabalot sa akin.

"That's a motive, Lia."

NAALIMPUNGATAN ako nang maramdaman ko ang mainit na bagay na dumampi sa balikat ko. I shake the cloud of sleep that was wrapped tight around me and I turned to the heat that I can feel on my back.

"You're here," I whispered.

Muli akong napapikit nang maramdaman ko ang marahan niyang paghaplos sa pisngi ko. His fingers trailed from the upper side of my face, gliding it down to my cheek. "Yeah."

He looked tired. Kahit hindi tinitignan ang orasan ay alam kong umaga na. Kung ngayon lang siya nakabalik ang ibig sabihin ay hindi pa rin siya nakakatulog.

Hindi ko alam kung anong oras natapos ang iba pang mga kasamahan ni Gun kaninang madaling-araw. I was about to sleep in my chair when Thorn told me to use one of the rooms and sleep. Iniwan ko sila na abala pa rin sa ginagawa.

"What happened?"

"He's in police custody."

Nagbaba ako ng tingin pero naramdaman ko ang kamay niya sa ilalim ng baba ko. Inangat niya ang mukha ko at bago pa ako makapagsalita ay naramdaman ko ang mainit niyang mga labi na dumampi sa akin.

It was comforting. Not just the kiss... but knowing that he's here with me. He's like a gentle breeze of the wind, waves touching my feet, and the sweet sound of serenity. He's all that and more.

"Do you think it's really him?"

"Malaki ang posibilidad, Lia." I know that I couldn't hide the pain I instantly felt with his answer when I saw the worry crossed his. "You'll be okay."

I place a hand on his chest and when my voice came out of my lips, it sounded strangled. "Why?"

"Baby-"

"Bakit sa'kin lagi nangyayari ang ganito? Bakit iyong mga taong hindi ko akalain na sasaktan ako sila pa iyong gumagawa sa akin ng gan'to? What have I done wrong to deserve this?"

"Wala kang ginawang mali."

"Then why is the world keep punishing me?" My hand on his shirt tightened. "My grandmother believed in me but she left me, I wanted my parents to believe in me but they wouldn't so I left. I went to him, Gun. Pumunta ako kay Travis kasi naniniwala siya sa kakayahan ko. He believed in me but now he wants me gone."

"That won't happen."

"Ang alin? Na hindi ako mapapahamak? Na hindi ako masasaktan? I've been hurting since I learn the meaning of that word." Umupo ako dahilan para mabitawan niya ako. I ran my hands through my hair in agitation. "Sometimes I don't know why I'm still fighting when I have no one."

"No one?"

Lumingon ako sa kaniya nang marinig ko ang galit sa boses niya. I opened my mouth but I didn't have the chance to speak when he suddenly pulled me out of the bed. "B-Bitawan mo ko."

Hindi siya tumigil at sa pagtataka ko ay hinila niya ako papunta sa banyo ng kuwarto. He opened the lights and turned my body around so I would be facing the mirror. Tumayo siya sa likod ko at mahigpit niya akong hinawakan nang magtangka akong umalis.

"What do you see, Lia?"

"W-What?"

"Anong nakikita mo?!"

Halos mapatalon ako sa naging pagtaas ng boses niya. I moved away from him as if his touch is burning me but he didn't let me go far. I know that his hand on my wrist will bruise by how it's tightening around it. "Gun... nasasaktan ako."

Lumuwag ang pagkakahawak niya pero hindi niya ako hinayaan na umalis. Ibinalik niya ako sa kinatatayuan ko kanina at muli niya akong pinatingin sa salamin.

"What do you see?"

"Me," my voice sounded weak even to my ears.

"You're wrong."

He turned me around again and this time so I could face him. Kita pa rin ang galit sa mga mata niya pero may pagsuyo ang paghawak niya sa kamay ko nang iangat niya iyon. He gently kissed my wrist that can still feel the pain from his touch awhile ago. He kissed it so gently that it feels like the pain went away magically.

Sinalubong niya ang mga mata ko, ang akin ay puno ng kalituhan at takot... habang sa kaniya ay puno ng kasiguruhan. He's sure of this.

Of us.

"You have me. Paano mo nasabing wala kang kahit na sino habang nasa tabi mo ako?"

"Gun, no-"

"What we have now is not temporary. You asked me before... anong nabago? Hindi kita gustong makita pero sa isang iglap hindi ko kayang mawala ka. Just like before. That's the answer, Lia. That's what I realized. It's always been the two of us. Pain and pride pulled us a part that for one moment I thought we changed. Pero ang totoo sa kabila ng lahat, sa kabila ng galit... walang nagbago. That's when I knew that it will always be you. That's why I'm sure. That's why I'm here."

Sunod-sunod na umiling ako. I can feel the walls around me starting to weaken. Walls that are now opening me not only to him but to the weight of the pain that I carried for years. "We can't."

"You can't stop me."

A tear fell from my eyes. "I can't."

"I'll show you how you can."

The next moment, I found myself in his arms while his lips are claiming mine. Napakapit ako sa balikat niya at naramdaman kong inangat niya ako. He carried me back to the room until I felt my back touched the softness of the bed.

Hindi niya hinayaan na magkahiwalay ang mga labi namin at sa halip ay patuloy lang ang paggalugad niya sa akin. I answered his kisses, pairing my tongue with his in a dance that only us knew.

His hands went to my clothes and he hurriedly took them off. Bumaba ang mga kamay ko sa suot niya na shirt at hinila ko iyon para matanggal mula sa pagkakaipit sa pantalon niya. I pulled it up while my other hand is feeling the hardness of his body.

I pulled my lips from his kiss and I met his blazing stare. "I want to touch you."

Hindi siya nagsalita at sa halip ay bahagya siyang lumayo sa akin. I watched him take off his shirt and I watched when he started unbuckling his belt.

He didn't let go of my eyes as he pulled himself free from his clothes. I can feel my heart quickening as well as my breath as my eyes dropped to his huge hard length. Hinawakan niya iyon dahilan para lalong bumugso ang init sa kaibuturan ko.

"Please..."

He went on top of me, his eyes hooded with want. He claimed my lips again but this time it was a chase one. I moan in pleasure when I felt his knob prodded my entrance at the same time that he nipped my lower lip with his teeth.

"Anything you want," he whispered.

"I-I want you."

"All of me?"

Tumulo ang luha sa mga mata ko sa naging tanong niya at sa kasagutan na binitawan ng puso ko. I know the answer. I knew all along. I just don't want to see because I'm afraid.

I am still afraid.

So much that I can feel the ball of fear in my stomach starting to form. He hated me when I went away but I accepted it because even for a selfish reason, I know that he's hating me for something that is not true.

Ang kinakatakot ko ay kamuhian niya ako dahil sa mga bagay na alam kong pagkakamali ko. Mga bagay na naging kasalanan ko. But most of all, I made him let go of me as a punishment for the mistake that I did.

He was my penance.

"Gun..."

He didn't look deterred by my hesitance but instead a smile curved his lips as he pulled me by the leg so I can get closer to him. "I'm not in a hurry, Lia. I'll be here when you're ready. I'll be here because if I'm sure about one thing it is that you never stopped being mine."

My lips parted not just because of his words but also because of how his heat slowly entered me. Napaarko ang katawan ko sa sensasyon na kaagad bumalot sa kaibuturan ko. Kumapit ako sa balikat niya hanggang sa halos bumaon na sa kaniya ang mga kuko ko.

I whispered his name, the wind carrying it to his ears, when I felt the fullness of his entirety deep into me. I felt full, I felt owned, I felt complete.

He started moving on top of me. Gliding in and out with so much gentleness that I can feel every bit of his hugeness. I felt one of his hand snaked up to my breast and he curled around it, toying with the peak with his thumb.

I moved with him, trying to speed up the pace, but he didn't let me. Instead he continued his exploration with my body. So soft... like feathery touch. Like the caress of the cold wind but instead of cooling the heat of my body, it is setting everything on fire with everything it touches.

Napamulat ako ng mga mata nang maramdaman ko ang kamay niya na dumaan sa gilid ng mukha ko pababa sa balikat ko. He didn't stop not until he reached my hand. Inangat niya iyon sa ulunan ko at sinunod niya ang isa pa. Doing all that, he held my gaze, his eyes baring everything he's feeling.

Namasa ang magkabilang pisngi ko sa luha ngunit nagbaba siya ng ulo at sinalo ang mga iyon gamit ng kaniyang halik. Nagpatuloy siya sa paggalaw sa ibabaw ko, ipinaparamdam sa akin ang mga salitang nakikita ko sa mga mata niya.

I belong to him... everything of me. Not just my body but everything that is me.

"Gun... please..."

His movement went faster but his gentleness remained. He stared at me with his heated eyes, his hands holding mine tight, while his hips continued to pleasure me... worship me. Bahagyang bumaba ang mukha niya sa akin. Not low enough for him to kiss me, but low enough for me to hear the rasp of his breath. His shoulders looked tight and his breath is starting to quicken.

I love the feeling of him fucking me. I love the wild and dirty. But this... this is different. This is so much more.

He's making love with me.

Binitawan niya ang kamay ko at kaagad akong yumakap sa mga balikat niya. I felt him wrapped an arm around my waist while the other went below my head so he can pull me towards him. He crushed my lips with his, taking me for another intoxicating kiss.

He swallowed my cries when I trembled beneath him as I reached the height of my ecstasy. He didn't let me fall alone because he's just right beside me... falling with me right from the edge of our pleasure.

I felt him trying to pull out for his release but I didn't let him and instead, I wrapped my legs around him... tightening it so I could keep him nestled inside the heat of my body.

"Lia," he growled.

"I want you."

A rumble echoed inside his chest as he exploded deep in me. I cried his name out as another climax took over me when he suddenly rammed all of his hardness inside... filling me with his hot seed. I welcomed the fullness, the warmth, everything.

All of him.

I felt his warm lips almost touching mine as he whispered to me. "Mine."

____________________End of Chapter 20.