"Halika kana..." hinili s'ya ni Rake pero nagpumiglas si Ericka at tiningnan muli isa-isa ang mga kasama sa loob ng kwarto na iyon.

"Babalikan ko kayo isa-isa. If you think you can defeat me by using him, you can't. Nasa akin ang alas ngayon." Ericka said as she confidently walked out of that room.

Hinabol s'ya ni Rake at hinawakan sa kamay. He squeezed her hand, she didn't bother to look at it. Dere-deretso lang sila palabas hanggang sa makarating sila pareho sa sasakyan nila na halos magkatapat lang.

"You bought me." she told him. "You fucking bought me to humiliate me, Rake!"

"I did, Quinn. That's my point. I want you to know who's your alpha now."

"You're not, you will never be. Mas nauna ako makapasok sa'yo. I will never obey your rules, Rake. Not tonight, not ever." sabi n'ya at agad binuksan ang sasakyan ngunit hinawakan agad s'ya ni Rake sa braso.

"If you can't obey my rules atleast take care of that child."

Tumawa s'ya. "Huh? Bakit? Para maampon n'yo na ni Laura?"

"Quinn, that's not what I mean."

"I get it, Rake.. You're after revenge too. Hindi ko kailangan manghula. You know what? You can have me and my body. But you can never control me."

"I'm up for that challenge, Quinn." nakitaan n'ya ng pagngisi si Rake.

Sa sobrang inis agad s'yang pumiglas sa pagkakahawak nito at pumasok sa sasakyan. She drove fastly as she could. She's in fury right now. She felt betray over and over again by him. Gusto n'ya ilabas ang galit sa loob n'ya ngunit hindi n'ya alam kung paano.

Hindi n'ya namalayan na nasa tapat na pala s'ya ng bahay ng kapatid n'ya. Lumabas si Ericka ng sasakyan at nagsindi ng sigarilyo. This night was a good timing somehow dahil nakita n'ya ang kapatid n'ya na si Erin playing with her children.

She couldn't stopped herself from smiling. How she wished life was easy on her. Yes, nakita n'ya ang kapatid n'ya ngunit kapag tumitingin s'ya sa mga mata nito. May iba, hindi ang Erin na tinatakbuhan s'ya tuwing may problema. Life's unfair because she couldn't remember her. How she wish she could remember every little thing about her. Dahil kahit gaano nila pilitin maging okay, there would be invisible wall between them.

Unti-unti nawala ang ngiti ni Ericka kaya bago tumulo ang nagbabadyang luha sa mga mata. She turned around. Hindi na n'ya namalayan ang mga susunod na nangyari. All that she remembered was ordering a drink to lose herself once more.

Hindi narin n'ya alam kung paano s'ya nakarating pauwi. Habang gumegewang papasok sa bahay ni Rake. Pinaghahagis n'ya ang gamit sa kung saan. Nahihilo s'yang papunta ng kusinan nang maabutan n'ya si Laura at si Rake na naghahalikan.

She stopped midway. Mas lalong sumisikip ang dibdib n'ya. There was a spang of jealousy going through her system. Nakatalikod si Laura sa kanya habang hinahalikan ni Rake ang leeg nito. She gritted her teeth.

"I love you..." narinig n'yang bulong ni Laura habang lulong sa binibigay ni Rake na halik dito.

Nakita ni Ericka na napaangat ng tingin si Rake. Walang halong pagkagulat sa mukha nito habang patuloy sa paghalik sa leeg ni Laura papuntang balikat. He was doing it while staring at her.

Her hand combed into fist.

"I love you too, Laura..." Rake whispered back. Umakyat ang halik nito sa tenga ni Laura. He bit it, still looking at her. "And I want to feel your body against mine..."

"Take me, honey..." halos nababaliw na sagot ni Laura. "Promise me... You'll choose me in the end."

"Laura, you know me more than anyone else.." he kissed her deeply.

I'm up for that challenge. Umalingawngaw sa utak ni Ericka ang sinabi sa kanya ni Rake kanina. Binuhat ito ni Rake at hinalikan sa labi. She turned her around and laid her down to the bar counter so that she couldn't see her.

Nangingitngit si Ericka sa galit. Tumalikod s'ya kinuha ang bag para maglabas ulit ng sigarilyo. Sinindihan n'ya ito habang iniisip ang ginagawa ni Rake kay Laura sa oras na iyon.

"Fuck you, Rake." she said. Ibinuga n'ya ang usok mula rito.

How fucked up this life could. Everyone wanted to kill her. Pero humaharang si Rake para protektahan s'ya. Paano kung malaman nito ang totoo sa kanya. Of course, he would hate her. But she would make sure he'll hate himself too.

Nakakailan ubos na s'ya ng sigarilyo. Halos kalahating oras na s'yang nasa labas nang mapagpasyahan n'yang pumasok. Tahimik na ang lahat. Wala na ang pag-ungol na naririnig n'ya kanina.

Hindi naiwasan ni Ericka na mapairap habang naglalakad, huminto s'ya para tingnan ang bar counter ngunit wala na ang dalawa dito. Dumeretos na s'ya papasok sa kwarto n'ya. Yes, she's a bitch but she can still feel things like that. Gusto n'ya s'ya ang nasusunod. Gusto n'ya sa kanya ang lahat.

"What the hell are you doing here?" saad n'ya nang makita si Rake nakaupo sa kama n'ya.

"Checking you out." seryosong sagot nito at tumingin sa damit n'ya. "It's been a long rough day, Quinn."

"You can't have us both, jerk." she told him.

Ngumisi si Rake sa kanya. "Pagkatapos mo guluhin ang dinner party ko sa pamilya n'ya, ayan ang masasagot mo sa'kin?"

"Oh dear, bakit bigla ata nag-iba ang ihip ng hangin?" she crossed her arms. "Change of plan?"

"You texted me to come there. Naisip ko lang na ayun ang oras para makilala mo na kung sino ako."

"Yeah, yeah, I know who you are --- you're a jerk trying to get us both. Poor Laura." she said as slowly unzipped her mini gown while looking back at him.

"Seducing me, Quinn? It never gets old."

Ericka chuckled. "You're old." hinubad ni Ericka ang damit sa harapan ni Rake. Nakita n'ya ang paglunok nito.

"You can't have me. You don't own me."

"You're mine.." tumayo si Rake pero itinaas agad ni Ericka ang kamay n'ya para pahintuin nito.

"Ugh, don't come near me." she told him. "Ayoko ng amoy mo, nasusuka ako. Remember? Pregnancy symptoms."

Ngumisi si Rake sa kanya. "Kung wala ka lang dinadala na bata. I'll let them all kill you." bulong nito.

Tinulak ni Ericka si Rake. "Don't seduce me too, it's not working. Wala ako sa mood makipaglaro sa'yo ngayon, Rake." naglakad si Ericka patungon sa pintuan ng banyo. Sinundan s'ya ni Rake dito ngunit masama nyang tiningnan ito.

"I'm fucking serious. Leave me alone, jerk." she threatened.

Tumawa si Rake sa kanya. "You're jealous, Quinn. Hmm?"

"Jealous? What the hell does that mean? I don't get jealous, jerk." she snapped.

"Defensive now, are we? It's a first, Quinn. Hindi ka nagseselos kahit dati."

"It's because, jerk, I turned my emotion off. So that's impossible. You wish." pumasok na s'ya sa banyo at binuksan ang gripo sa bathub.

Pinanood lang s'ya ni Rake na hubarin ang natitirang suot habang dahan-dahan inihiga ang sarili roon. The warm water was starting to calm her nerve. Kinuha ni Ericka ang liquid soap at binuhos lahat sa bathtub. Hinagis n'ya ito sa direksyon ni Rake.

"What are you smirking at?" tanong n'ya rito.

"You're very entertaining." he said to her. "It's a distraction."

"Well, I'm not making any effort." itinaas ni Ericka ang paa n'ya at inilublob ang buong mukha n'ya sa tubig. Ilang segundo s'ya hindi bumabangon nang maramdaman n'ya ang kamay ni Rake at pwersang inahon ang ulo n'ya mula sa tubig.

"You can't die. Don't kill yourself." seryosong sabi nito sa kanya. His blue eyes were almost dark.

"I'm not planning to die here. I'm the master of this game, remember?"

"Kailan ba matatapos ang paglalaro mo?"

"Hanggang sa may sumuko sa atin."

"I want to give up." sagot ni Rake.

"Nope. Gusto ko pa pala muna makitang lumuhod si Laura sa harapan ko."

"I won't let you."

"That's fine. I'm not asking for your opinion, anyway."

Huminga ng malalim si Rake tila susuko na sa pinagsasagot ni Ericka. She knew he's trying so hard to play his game to her. But she won't let him.

"Can I join you?" he asked.

"You can't. Not after I saw you kissing that bitch, I won't let you."

"You're still jealous... Hmm."

"I'm fucking not, jerk. Kung gusto mo tumabi ka nalang ulit kay Laura. Kiss her neck all night. I wouldn't mind."

Tumawa na si Rake ng malakas. "I'm not going to have sex with you, Ericka. Hinintay kita para ibigay sa'yo ang mga vitamins mo. Take care of that child, remember that's the only thing that's stopping them from killing you." sasagot pa sana ulit s'ya. "But this isn't just your game. This is yours and mine."