Your legacy is being written by yourself. Make the right decisions. – Gary Vaynerchuk

CHAPTER ELEVEN | MADE FOR THIS

Stas

Wala akong imik habang nakasakay sa sasakyan at tahimik lang din na nagmamaneho si Patek. Naalala ko ang ginawa namin ni Sofia sa loob ng elevator. I knew she gave in to me. I could feel that from her kiss, from her touch. The way her body was moving against mine. She came so much and I knew she liked what I did.

And I liked it too. I liked to taste her lips again. I liked to touch her body again. I wanted to feel the heat of her core beneath her thighs. To smell it. To kiss it. I wanted to claim her and hear her beg for me to fuck her. I wanted to hear her scream my name over and over while I was giving her the best fuck she couldn't forget.

So, she could forget all those men that came before me.

Napasimangot ako nang maalala ko ang sinabi ni Sofia. She had boyfriends. I am sure she also had many one-night stands. Lumaki sa Amerika ang babaeng iyon at normal na normal na ang gawaing iyon doon kaya lalo lang akong nainis.

"Do you have any news?" tanong ko kay Patek.

"About?" Balik-tanong niya.

Napahinga ako ng malalim. "About Sofia's ex. Men that she had in her life."

"My contact is still getting info. Stas, kanina mo lang ni-request iyon. Magkaiba ang oras dito at sa Amerika." Tonong nangangatwiran si Patek. "Besides, what is so important about that? Sa iyo na nga nanggaling na hindi naman importante kung may nakaraan ang isang babae."

Napasimangot ako at tumingin sa labas. "It's important now because she is going to be my wife."

"Ano ang gagawin mo kung malaman mong may nakaraan si Sofia? Dahil doon hindi mo na itutuloy ang kasal n'yo?" Napailing si Patek. "You are my boss, Stas and you are also my friend. I treat you like a brother but if your reason is like that, you are acting like a teenage prick."

Hindi ako sumagot at hindi ko tinapunan ng tingin si Patek. He was right. I am acting like a teenage prick because I am getting pissed. Knowing that there are men tasted her before, touched her. Hell, had sex with her, talagang napipikon ako.

Fine. If she had experiences with other men before, be it. Once she became my wife, I would make sure that she would forget all those men that she had sex with. She would think of only me dahil mas magaling ako sa lahat ng mga iyon. I made her came with one finger and I knew she loved it.

"We had to kill the guy." Narinig kong sabi ni Patek.

Napatingin ako sa kanya mula sa rear view mirror at tinapunan niya ako ng tingin doon tapos ay muling itinutok ang tingin sa kalsada.

"Who?"

"The guy you told me to cut the hand." Napahinga ng malalim si Patek. "I found out he is one of Dmitri's men. Nasa hotel para magmanman."

Mahina akong napamura. Dmitri was getting bold. Hindi na natatakot at nagpapadala pa ng mga tao niya sa hotel ko para magmanman.

"What did you do to the body?"

"The boys took care of it. Made sure na hinding-hindi matatagpuan kahit hanapin ni Dmitri."

Napatango-tango ako. "May mga nakuha bang information ang taong iyon? Tungkol kay Sofia? Sa tingin mo naipadala kay Dmitri?"

"I checked his phone. He told Dmitri that you are getting married but he wasn't able to tell who it was." Iniliko ni Patek sa isang kalye ang sasakyan. "Don't worry. Sofia's identity is still safe. Malalaman lang ni Dmitri kung sino si Sofia kapag nakasal na kayo."

"What's with him? For the longest time we've been doing business without shitting each other. What does Dmitri want and he is starting a war with me? First, he took my shipments. Now, he sent his men to look after me and my business. He wanted something," sa sarili ko lang sinasabi iyon.

"Gusto mong magpasok ako ng tao natin sa grupo niya?" Suhestiyon ni Patek.

"Not yet. Let him do what he wants for now. Whatever he does we retaliate quietly." Tumingin ako sa labas ng bintana. "Just make sure the next shipment of our items is safe."

Pumarada si Patek sa harap ng secret door passage ko sa hotel. Ayaw kong dumaan sa harap at wala ako sa mood humarap sa mga tao. Mula dito ay may access na sa elevator patungo sa penthouse ko. Sabay kaming sumakay doon ni Patek at pinindot niya ang floor ng penthouse. Sumandal lang ako at wala sa loob na napangiti at marahang hinaplos ang mga labi ko ng daliri ko. I remembered Sofia's face. Her pretty face distorted because of pure pleasure that she experienced from my finger.

"You're smiling."

Napatingin ako kay Patek at natatawang ibinalik niya ang tingin sa control panel ng elevator.

"I always smile." Umayos ako ng tayo at inayos ang suot ko.

Natawa siya. "You don't smile, Stas. You don't like to smile. You think smiling is for weak people. You laugh. Like the devil. But you don't smile."

"Kung napangiti ako masama na ba? Bakit ba lahat napapansin mo na?" Kunwa ay ipinakita kong naiinis na ako pero alam kong hindi naman niya papansinin iyon. Bumukas ang elevator at nauna na akong lumabas kasunod siya. Pabagsak akong naupo sa couch at dumeretso si Patek sa mesa ko. Nagsalin ng alak sa dalawang baso at ibinigay ang isa sa akin.

"I think I like that Sofia is making you smile," komento niya at naupo sa harap ko.

Sinimangutan ko siya at ininom ang ibinigay niyang alak.

"She's a breather for you. Stress reliever sa mga nangyayari sa iyo." Sabi pa niya.

"The fuck you talking about? Anong breather? Anong stress reliever? She is the cause of my stress. I should be fucking other women right now. I could even have a dozen on my bed." Painis kong binitiwan ang hawak kong baso sa mesa.

"Then why you don't do it? Do you want women on your bed? I can get a dozen for you. I know your type and I am sure you will be satisfied." Sagot niya at kinuha ang telepono tapos ay nagsimulang magda-dial doon.

"Put your phone down," seryoso kong sabi sa kanya. Napansin na siguro ni Patek na hindi na ako nakikipagbiruan kaya ibinaba niya ang telepono sa harap niya.

"You are Stas Rozovsky. You can do whatever you want. You can get whatever you want. Hindi dahil ikakasal ka na, babaguhin mo ang lahat. Even if you are married, you can still fuck any woman you like."

Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Patek. "Demonyo ka. Dini-demonyo mo ako."

Tumawa siya. "Hey, those are your words not mine. Sinasabi ko lang ulit sa iyo dahil baka nakakalimutan mo."

Napahinga ako ng malalim at napasandal sa kinauupuan ko. Bakit ba ako nagkakaganito? Why am I letting that damn marriage to affect me?

It's not the marriage that affects you. It's Sofia.

Mahina akong napamura at tumayo. Tama si Patek. Hindi dahil magpapakasal ako, dapat ko ng itigil ang kung anong nakasanayan kong gawin. Lumakad ako at tumungo sa salamin at tumingin sa paligid. Nakikita ko ang kabuuan ng hotel. Ang mga guests na dumarating. Ang mga taong nag-e-enjoy sa malawak na pool. Sofia was nothing to me but still, nothing can change the fact that she was going to be married to me.

"Samahan mo si Sofia bukas sa jeweler. She needs to have a ring. For sure, daddy will have an announcement so everyone in the organization would know about us." Nanatili akong nakatingin sa paligid nang sabihin iyon.

"Hindi ba dapat ikaw ang sumama sa kanya para ikaw ang makapili ng engagement ring para sa kanya?" Sagot ni Patek.

Nilingon ko siya at sumenyas siya na tipong humihingi ng pasensiya.

"But you need to be with her. That's the normal thing to do for engaged couples. They do things together. Saka para magkakilala na din kayo ng lubos."

"This is just marriage for convenience, Patek. Walang feelings involved dito." Tonong nagpapaalala ako.

"But you are smiling." Halatang pinipigil niya ang mapatawa nang sabihin iyon.

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "If you don't shut your mouth, I am going to cut your tongue." I said that in between my teeth that made him laugh so hard. Tawa pa din siya nang tawa nang tumunog ang telepono niya at sagutin iyon. Ang pagtawa niya ay unti-unting nawala hanggang sa maging seryoso ang mukha tapos ay tumingin sa akin.

"Where? At the bar? How many men?" Nakita kong naging alisto ang hitsura ni Patek at sigurado ako na may nangyayari sa ibaba para maging ganito siya. "Okay. Be alert. Watch the exits. Check the whole area for bombs. Just be discreet we don't want the guests to be afraid. I'll go down." Pagkasabi noon ay tumayo na siya.

"What's going on?"

Hindi agad nagsalita si Patek pero alam kong ayaw na niyang sabihin sa akin kung anong nangyayari.

"I'll handle this. Stay here." Tumayo na siya at tinungo ang elevator.

"What the fuck is going on, Patek?"

Huminto siya at lumingon sa akin. "Dmitri is at the bar and he wants to talk to you." Napabuga siya ng hangin bago muling nagsalita. "Stay here. Ako na ang bahalang makipag-usap sa kanya."

"No. I'll go down. I'll meet him." Sabi ko at inayos ko ang sarili ko bago lumakad patungo sa elevator.

"Stas, stay here. Hindi mo alam kung ano ang puwedeng gawin ni Dmitri." Nakasunod siya sa akin hanggang sa makapasok kami sa elevator.

"He cannot do anything here. He won't break the truce in my turf. He knows all the organization will turn their backs at him if he tried to do something here. You know that," natawa pa ako. Fucking Dmitri. What the hell does he want and he went here personally?

Ramdam ko ang tensyon sa buong paligid nang makalabas pa lang ako sa elevator. Agad na may mga tao akong sumalubong sa akin para mag-assist. They had their concealed weapons on their bodies so anytime that a shootout will erupt between my men and Dmitri's they were ready.

Papasok pa lang ako sa bar ay nakita ko na si Dmitri na nakaupo sa bar area at iniinom ang ang Remy Martin Jeroboam na naroon. Kita kong wala ng tao sa loob ng bar kundi siya at tatlong tao niya na nakaposte sa paligid. Ang mga tao ko naman ay handa rin kung sakaling magsimulang manggulo si Dmitri.

"You have a taste, Stas." Sabi niya habang nakatingin sa basong iniinuman niya at hindi ako tinitingnan. Maya-maya ay kinuha iyon tapos ay ininom. "The taste of a two million bottle cognac."

Naupo ako. Two seats apart mula sa kanya at nagsenyas ako sa bartender na salinan din ako. Halatang kinakabahan ang bartender kaya pagkasalin ay sinenyasan ko na itong umalis na.

"I have Isabella's Islay whisky at home. If you want to taste it, be my guest," sagot ko sa kanya habang nakatingin sa basong nasa harap ko.

Napatawa si Dmitri at umayos ng upo tapos ay humarap sa akin.

"I have a friend that went here earlier. He said that he wanted to party and try your hotel. But when I am trying to call him, I cannot reach him anymore."

Kumunot ang noo ko at humarap sa kanya. "The last time I remember this is a hotel not a place to look for your wandering dogs. Your man has a taste if he likes to go here."

Doon sumeryoso ng mukha si Dmitri at lumapit sa akin. Agad na kumilos ang mga tao ko at lumapit sa amin. Ganoon din ang mga kasama niya pero sumenyas ako.

"That man is my consigliere. He is important to me. His name is Val Igorov. I can't find him Stas and this is the last place that he went to." Seryoso na siya ngayon.

"Are you trying to tell me that I have something to do with his disappearance?" natawa ako at uminom sa basong hawak ko. "Dmitri, I am a businessman and that kind of issue is not my thing. I am busy working."

"At least tell me where I can find his body," nanatili siyang nakatingin sa akin dahil alam kong alam niya na may kinalaman ako sa pagkawala ng tao niya. Damn it. That man was his consigliere definitely he would need him. Kung bakit kasi kinailangan pa ng gagong iyon na makipagsayaw kay Sofia.

Sumeryoso na din ako at ipinakita ko kay Dmitri na talagang wala akong kinalaman sa sinasabi niya.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dmitri. If you want you can check every corner of my hotel to look for your man. You can even go check the cctv footages." Tumingin ako sa gawi ni Patek at tumango lang siya sa akin. Alam kong nagawan na nila ng paraan iyon na walang trace na makikita na magko-connect sa akin at sa hotel sa pagkawala ng kung sino. Hindi ito ang unang beses na nangayari ang ganito. Napakarami nang pumasok at nawala sa hotel na ito. Those people who crossed me that needed to disappear permanently.

Sumenyas si Dmitri sa isang tao niya at pinasamahan iyon ni Patek sa tao namin. Tumatango-tango si Dmitri tapos ay tumingin sa akin.

"Is this your retaliation because of what I did to your last shipment?"

Tumawa ako. "Retaliation? What do you think of me? You took my shipment, important shipment then you think I am just going to kill your consigliere?" Napahalakhak na ako. "Napaka-amateur ko n'on. If I am going to retaliate, I am not going to kill your negotiator. I am going to kill you." Deretso akong nakatingin sa mata niya nang sabihin iyon.

Tumingin sa akin si Dmitri tapos ay unti-unting napapatawa.

"Hindi ka pa rin talaga nagbabago, Stas. That's why I like you. You are straight to the point. That's good." Nagpasalin pa siya ng alak sa baso niya. "I've heard you are getting married."

Napahigpit ang paghawak ko sa baso at hindi tumingin sa kanya.

"Congratulations. Finally, the ultimate bachelor is getting married. Is she pretty? Can I see her?"

Nagtatagis ang bagang ko. Hindi puwedeng malaman ni Dmitri kung sino si Sofia hangga't hindi kami nakakasal. Puwedeng-puwede niyang agawin sa akin si Sofia lalo na kung malalaman niyang anak ito ni Uncle Rom. Uncle Rom could replace his dead consigliere.

"She is a private person." Iyon na lang ang nasabi ko.

"Private person? She's not a celebrity? Model? Businesswoman?" napakumpas pa ng kamay sa hangin si Dmitri. "I knew it. Your hot ass lawyer. She's the one you're marrying, right?" Napailing-iling pa ito. "Sayang. I like her. She's hot. Sexy with a nice ass."

Para akong nakahinga ng maluwag pero hindi na ako kumibo. At least wala talaga siyang idea kung sino ang papakasalan ko. Wala akong pakialam kahit anong sabihin niya tungkol kay Ilyenna. Pero kung si Sofia ang sinabihan niya noon, siguradong susunod siya sa consigliere niya.

Maya-maya ay dumadating ang tao ni Dmitri na inutusan niyang tumingin sa mga cctv footages tapos ay umiiling-iling. Nagkibit-balikat si Dmitri at inubos ang iniinom na alak at tumayo na. Inayos pa nito ang sarili at humarap sa akin.

"All right, my mistake. Maybe Val didn't go here. Thank you for the expensive cognac. I hope I can taste your Isabella's Islay soon with your wife of course," nakangisi pang sabi niya at lumakad na para umalis pero huminto din sa tabi ako at dumukwang pa para bumulong. "I know it's not your lawyer. She's not even your type. I will find out who is it and why you agreed to marry her." Lumayo na sa kanya si Dmitri. "I hope to receive an invitation, Stas. After all, what are friends for. We're friends, right?"

Pagkasabi noon ay tumatawang lumabas na sa bar si Dmitri kasunod ang mga tauhan niya. Sinundan ko lang ng tingin kahit na nga naglalakad na sila palayo. Lumapit sa akin si Patek at nakatingin din sa tinitingnan ko.

"Do you want me to do something? We can attack Dmitri's house," sabi niya.

Umiling ako. "We just killed his man. The guy is pissed. We won't attack." Tumingin ako sa kanya. "You will guard Sofia. And if I need you to do something for me, you give her two of your most honest men. Leave."

Tumango siya at lumayo na sa akin. Tinawag ang mga tauhan namin at sigurado na akong magpa-plano na itong si Patek.

I knew, I can feel it. War was just brewing against me and Dmitri. Actually, it just started. He wanted to prove something that was why he was starting to go against me. He wanted to replace me. To be the king in our world. I smiled and shook my head. He could try his best to step on my turf. But I am the king. I've got the crown. All the members of other organizations looked up to me. I proved to them that I am worthy and no one could do all the things I did just to stay in this place.

Dmitri could try to hit, to push hard but I'll just knock him down.

I am a fighter and I always win.

I was made for this.