09
"Good evening, Mr. Dajero. I'm TL Fajardo, and I'll be Ms. Dajero's bodyguard."
I suppressed a scowl while I was looking at him while he kept a straight formal face while looking at my father.
Para bang wala itong sinabi kanina na kalokohan habang nasa kuwarto kaming dalawa.
Mabuti na lang talaga at kumatok ang kasambahay namin kung hindi ay baka tuluyan na may mangyari sa aming dalawa!
And he left my room like nothing happened!
Tapos ngayon, kausap na nito si Daddy rito sa may sala.
"Good evening, too, TL... or what should I call you? Ang alam ko ay last name ang madalas na gamit niyo, hindi ba?" Dad smiled, pleased upon seeing that he's successful in putting a shadow on me now.
Narito na si TL, buhay na ebidensiya na nagtagumpay siya sa gusto niyang mangyari.
"TL is fine, Sir," he replied.
I sat on a single-seater chair, quietly watching TL as he spoke with Dad about his expectations.
I rolled my eyes the moment they started discussing how TL needed to be with me at all times to ensure my safety. Dad didn't even bother sugarcoating it—he made it painfully clear that TL was assigned to watch over me, not just for protection but to make sure I wouldn't do anything reckless.
Na para bang talagang may ginagawa akong kalokohan!
Binanggit pa niya ang nangyari na gulo sa pagitan nila Cyrus—na hindi naman niya pinangalanan pero sinabi niya kay TL na nagkagulo raw sa restaurant dahil sa akin, dahil nag-away ang mga naka-date ko, at kinailangan akong papuntahin sa presinto para magbigay ng statement.
Napalingon ako sa gawi ni TL nang banggitin ni Daddy iyon dahil alam na alam naman ng lalaki ang nangyari noong gabing iyon!
At hindi lang naman iyon ang nangyari noon!
I caught the subtle smirk playing on his lips as he glanced at my way, as if he was enjoying this arrangement far too much.
I pursed my lips and rolled my eyes.
"You have nothing to worry about, Sir," TL said with calm confidence. "I've read her profile, and rest assured, your daughter will be safe. I'll take care of her."
"That's exactly what I expect," Dad replied, nodding approvingly before turning his gaze toward me.
"He will be with you at all times, Sue. Hindi mo siya puwedeng takasan—do you understand?" he said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
I huffed, crossing my arms. Great. Just what I needed—a glorified babysitter with an ego.
"Your room will be next to Sue's to make sure you can attend to her at all times," Dad said matter-of-factly.
"Are you serious, Dad?" I blurted out, unable to stop myself.
Both of them turned to look at me, and to my utter irritation, TL had that damn smirk on his lips again, like he was enjoying every second of this.
"What's wrong with that?" Dad asked, his tone calm but firm. "Between your room and the front door, there's still plenty of space for you to do something reckless, Sue."
I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to groan.
"Magpapahinga na lang ako, good night," paalam ko sa kanilang dalawa bago tumayo na at naglakad papunta sa may kuwarto ko.
Ramdam ko na nakasunod ng tingin sa akin si TL kaya pinilit ko na huwag ng lumingon pabalik sa kanila at dumiretso ako sa may kuwarto ko at naupo sa may kama habang humihinga ng malalim.
He's my bodyguard...
Sa sobrang pagkabigla ko kanina, hindi ko pa agad na-proseso ang nangyari.
I wasn't able to ask him what happened... and how it happened.
Matigas ang tanggi niya nang sabihin ko na gusto ko siyang maging bodyguard ko, so, ano ang nangyari?
Kinagat-kagat ko ang labi ko at muling kinuha ang telepono ko para tignan ang email sa akin kaninang tanghali ng Praesidium—ang email na ikinagagalit niya na hindi ko raw man lang in-acknowledged.
If I had just checked earlier, I would have known right away that it was him listed in the email. But because I was so sure it wasn't, I didn't even bother.
I looked at his photo.
He was wearing his glasses, the same ones that always framed his sharp, calculating eyes. In the picture, he looked formal—composed, almost distant. His dark hair was neatly styled, not a single strand out of place, and his expression was unreadable, as if he was already assessing whoever might be looking at the photo.
He wore a crisp white shirt, perfectly fitted to his broad shoulders and toned build. The top button was undone, just enough to make him look effortlessly put-together, but not casual.
"What made you change your mind?" mahinang bulong ko habang nakatingin pa rin sa larawan ng lalaki.
Ibinalik ko na lang ang telepono ko sa may lamesa at huminga ng malalim. Malamang ay magkausap pa rin ngayon si Daddy at si TL tungkol sa mga kailangan niyang gawin bilang bodyguard ko.
Noong tinanggap ko na sa sarili ko na hindi nga ang lalaki ang magiging bantay ko, naisip ko na rin ang mga gagawin ko.
I will be formal. I will keep everything professional.
Ang tanging kailangan lang naman na gawin nito ay samahan ako sa mga lakad ko, bantayan ako at siguraduhin na wala akong gagawin na kalokohan.
But now that it's TL... I have no idea what I will do.
Para akong nablangko bigla.
It was past eleven o'clock when I moved quietly and left my room. Nilingon ko agad ang kuwarto sa may kanan ko paglabas dahil iyon ang kuwarto ni TL.
Nasa loob na kaya siya?
I bit my lip as I almost tiptoed while I was walking towards his room.
Sigurado naman ako na nasa kuwarto na si Daddy ngayon, pero ayoko naman din na gumawa ng kahit na anong ingay.
I need to talk to him.
I don't think I will be able to sleep peacefully today without knowing why he's here... why did he change his mind...
Nasa tapat na ako ng silid ni TL nang huminto ako at huminga ng malalim.
Ilang beses ko ring inangat at ibinaba ang kamay ko dahil sa pagdadalawang-isip kung bubuksan ko na lang ba iyon o kakatok ako...
"Bahay ko naman ito, e..." sabi ko sa sarili ko na para bang may karapatan na talaga akong bastang buksan ang pinto dahil doon.
I was about to twist the doorknob when someone cleared his throat beside me.
I jolted in surprise.
Glancing over, I found TL casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his sharp gaze locked onto me.
My eyes widened, and I quickly straightened, trying to act unaffected despite the way my heart hammered against my ribs.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, amusement lacing his voice.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay composed. "What... what are you doing there?" I countered instead of answering his question.
My hand dropped to my side as I turned to face him completely. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough," he replied. "I saw you tiptoe from your room to mine." His smirk deepened, while he was still staring at me. "What's your plan? Sneaking into my room, hoping to catch me stripping naked?"
My breath hitched, and a rush of heat crawled up my neck. Damn it.
"Ang... ang kapal mo, ha! Hindi iyon ang intensiyon ko!" angil ko sa kaniya at agad na nag-iwas ng tingin.
Narinig ko ang paglakad niya papalapit sa akin at siya pa mismo ang nagbukas ng pinto ng silid na tutuluyan niya bago tumingin sa akin.
"After you," he said, gesturing to me to go inside.
Pumasok na lang ako sa loob imbes na tumanggi dahil gusto ko rin naman talaga siyang makausap tungkol sa nangyari.
Nakita ko na may dalawang maleta na naroon sa may gilid ng kuwarto. Mukhang hindi pa naman nakakapag-ayos ang lalaki. Hindi na ako nagtaka dahil kadarating lang nito ngayong gabi rito sa bahay namin.
I heard him closing the door.
Humarap ako sa kaniya at tumingin din siya sa gawi ko.
"What is it?" tanong niya sa akin. "What is it that you want to talk about that you're trying to sneak into my room?" ipinilig pa niya ang ulo habang nakatingin pa rin sa akin.
"I wasn't..." I bit my lip.
Of course, I can't deny that I was trying to get inside his room! He caught me in the act.
Denying it will be pointless and stupid.
"Hmm?" he smirked.
I groaned and rolled my eyes before walking towards the couch on the side.
Naupo na ako kahit hindi niya ako inanyayahan. Nakaligo naman na ako at nakapagbihis kaya alam kong malinis naman ako.
"I just want to ask you something," I crossed my legs and looked at him.
"What is it?"
Hinila niya ang upuan na naroon at naupo bago muling tumingin sa akin.
"What made you change your mind?"
My heart raced, and I could feel my palms getting sweaty as I stared at him while asking the question.
I was nervous about what he would say in response.
He smiled at me, almost as if my question didn't catch him off guard.
"I thought you wanted me as your bodyguard?" he shot back, accompanied by a grin.
I suppressed a groan.
"Yeah, I did ask for you, but you turned me down. You rejected me, and now you're here. So, what changed?" I repeated, my curiosity growing.
He let out a heavy sigh before shrugging nonchalantly. "I just decided I didn't want to hand off a problematic client to any of our agents."
Nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi niyang iyon.
"What the? Ang kapal mo talaga, ano?" I scoffed and crossed my arms against my chest.
"You asked, I answered. Bakit nagagalit ka?" natawa ito ng maliit bago tumayo at kinuha ang maleta, mukhang magsisimula na siyang mag-ayos ng gamit niya.
Pinagmasdan ko siya, pino ang kilos niya, walang pagmamadali sa paglalabas niya ng mga damit.
Ang mga inilalagay niyang damit sa may maleta ay maayos na nakatupi rin, nakaayos pa iyon base sa kulay. Lightest color to darkest color.
Pinanonood ko lang siya nang sumulyap siya sa akin.
"Are you planning to stay here until I shower and, I don't know, maybe walk out... naked?"
Nag-init ang mga pisngi ko dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon. Ikinuyom ang mga kamay at huminga ng malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili.
"Ang feeling mo talaga, ano?" sabi ko bago padabog na tumayo para lumabas na lang ng kuwarto niya tutal naman ay wala naman akong napala na maayos na sagot mula sa kaniya.
Naglakad na ako papunta sa may pinto nang matigilan ako at muling sumulyap sa kaniya na inaayos pa rin ang mga damit niya.
Mukhang natunugan niya na naroon pa rin ako kaya lumingon din siyang muli sa akin.
"What?" He creased his forehead. "You changed your mind?"
I looked at him and smirked. "You're not telling the truth..."
His frown deepened.
I chuckled softly, exhaling loudly. "It's not true that you didn't want to give your agents a problematic client, right? You accepted this for a different reason."
Nawala ang pagkakakunot sa noo niya at sumeryoso ang mukha niya.
"Think what you want to think. I've already told you my reason and—"
"And I don't buy it..." I kept my smile despite the hammering of my heart inside my chest right now.
Naglakas pa ako ng loob na humakbang papalapit sa kaniya.
"And I don't care if you—"
"You're here because of what I said when I picked my bodyguard..." I cut him off again. Nilalangkapan ko ng pang-aasar ang tinig ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya.
He stared at me, his Adam's apple moving as he swallowed, but I noticed the slight tension in his jaw. I tried not to look too closely, but my heart raced anyway.
"You should go back to your room and sleep, Ms. Dajero."
I ignored his words, taking a step closer, my breath shallow despite my best attempt to play it cool. I didn't want him to see how nervous I really was, but the way he looked at me made it hard to act like I wasn't feeling something.
Bakit ba sa tuwing inaasar ko siya ay hindi ko rin mapigilan na maapektuhan lalo na kapag ganitong nakatitig siya sa akin ng matiim?
Pero hindi ako puwedeng magpatalo sa kaba na nararamdaman ko ngayon, lalo na at nakikita kong nag-iigting ang panga niya habang nakatitig sa akin.
"You don't want anyone else to finish what you started, is that it, Traven Lewis?" I said, my voice still teasing. "You don't want anyone else to... touch my..." I smiled sexily. "Pussy..." I mouthed again just like what I did back at the restaurant.
He breathed heavily and his gaze dropped to the floor.
Hindi ko mapigilan na mapangiti dahil alam ko na naka-isa na naman ako sa kaniya at mukhang naiinis siya sa akin ngayon.
Ano'ng akala niya? Papayag ako na sabihan niya ako na problematic client?
"And what if I say yes?"
He lifted his gaze to meet mine, his expression shifting in an instant.
Gone was the playful, indifferent look from before. Now, his eyes were locked onto me, intense and dark, filled with something deeper—something hungry, as though he could see right through me. The air between us thickened, charged with an electricity that made it hard to breathe. Every inch of me felt the weight of his stare, and I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same pull.
Ako naman ang napalunok dahil doon.
"What—"
"What if I tell you that you're right? That I don't want anyone else to finish the job, because I want it to be me? That I don't want anyone else touching your..." He leaned closer, his breath brushing against my earlobe, sending a shiver down my spine.
It felt like I had forgotten how to breathe in that moment, my chest tightening, my heart racing, as his presence consumed the space between us. The warmth of his breath made everything else fade, leaving only the electric charge of his proximity.
"Pussy..." he whispered.
Tinayuan ako ng balahibo sa buong katawan ko dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon.
I looked at him, and I could feel my cheeks burning right now.
He looked at me and scoffed before turning around and walking back to the luggages he's emptying.
"Go back to your rom now, Ms. Dajero," mariin na ang pagkakasabi niya bago lumingon sa akin. "Unless you want me to do something about that wetness between your legs?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya.
"I'm not—"
He cocked his head, as if telling me that there's no point in lying.
Hindi ako agad nakakibo, pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili at napahinga ako nang malalim nang maramdaman na namamasa nga ang pagkababae ko ngayon.
When did I get freaking wet?
I bit my lip and looked at him.
"Matutulog na ako," mabilis akong tumalikod at naglakad papalabas ng kuwarto niya at tumungo sa kuwarto ko na tumatahip pa rin ang dibdib.
"What the fuck is wrong with me?" I groaned as I leaned on the door.
I do get affected when we argue like that. It's like that banter is our foreplay, damn.
Kinalma ko na muna ang sarili bago ako nagtungo muli sa banyo para maglinis ng katawan at nahiga sa may kama ko, nasa isipan pa rin ang lalaki.
Sigurado naman ako na hindi pa siya tulog ngayon.
Ano kaya ang iniisip niya?
"Ano bang pakialam ko?" napasimangot ako at pinatay na ang lahat ng ilaw sa kuwarto ko at ipinikit ang mga mata para makatulog na.
Kinabukasan ay bumaba na rin ako para mag-almusal pagkatapos kong maghilamos. Sinulyapan ko pa muna ang kuwarto ni TL pero nakasarado pa iyon.
Hindi ko alam kung gising na ba ang lalaki o ano.
"Good morning, Ma'am. Maaga pong umalis ang daddy niyo. May meeting daw kasi siya ngayong umaga," sabi ng kasambahay namin nang dumulog ako sa hapag-kainan.
I nodded.
Mukhang dahil narito na si TL ay wala ng problema kay Daddy na umalis nang hindi man lang ako napapaalalahanan na kailangan kong maging maingat.
Nakita ko naman si TL na pumasok sa komedor, nakaligo at nakabihis na ito.
He's wearing a black polo shirt that hugs his frame just right, the fabric subtly highlighting his broad shoulders and toned arms. Tinernuhan iyon ng lalaki ng jeans at sneakers, at may suot pa siyang salamin sa mata ngayon.
I can't deny the fact that this man is handsome.
"Good morning," he greeted me as he occupied the seat in front of me.
"Morning," I tried to sound cold, but my voice rasped instead.
"I checked your schedule, you have a product shoot from eleven o'clock until four o'clock."
Tumango ako dahil iyon naman talaga ang nakalagay sa schedule ko ngayon.
Should I start a conversation with him?
"How—"
"How was your sleep?" he asked me as he shifted his gaze from his plate to me. '
"Huh?"
"How was your sleep?" he asked again. "I know it's an adjustment to you that you will now have a bodyguard. So, how was your sleep?"
Should I tell him that I had a hard time sleeping because I couldn't get him out of my mind?
Humigpit ang hawak ko sa kubyertos bago ako nagsalita.
"It's fine. Maayos naman ang naging tulog ko. Ikaw ba?"
"I was thinking about you," he casually replied.
Para akong nasamid sa sagot niya kaya tinitigan ko siya.
Inabot niya sa akin ang baso ng tubig na naroon habang nangingiti.
"Relax, I wasn't thinking entirely about your pussy. I was thinking about your case."
Parang mas lalo akong mauubo sa sinabi niyang iyon!
Agad akong sumulyap sa paligid para masigurado na walang kasambahay sa paligid at baka marinig ito!
"What the fuck?" I hissed and glared at him.
"Hmm?" he asked, feigning innocence.
I rolled my eyes and just continued eating. Sumusulyap-sulyap ako sa lalaki na tahimik lang naman din habang kumakain.
Pagkatapos na kumain ay bumalik na muna ako sa kuwarto ko para makaligo na rin.
Tinawagan na ako ni Jelly para sabihin sa akin na nakaayos na ang set-up para sa shoot ko, hindi ko naman daw kailangan na magmadali pero huwag din akong male-late.
Nakasuot lang ako ng roba nang may kumatok sa pinto ng kuwarto ko kaya pinagbuksan ko iyon at nakita ko si TL na naroon.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"Where you are is where I should be," aniya bago nilakihan pa ang pagkakabukas ng pinto para makapasok.
Tumingin pa siya sa akin muli nang makapasok sa kuwarto ko.
"You're not dressed yet?"
"Obviously," I rolled my eyes.
"Alright, I'll just wait for you outside, then," he responded.
Hindi pa siya nakakalabas nang tumunog ang telepono ko kaya sinagot ko na muna iyon.
"Hello, Harris?"
Huminto si TL sa paglalakad at tumingin sa akin.
"Tonight? Yes, I am free," I nodded a little. "Yes, I just have a shoot today, then I am free to have dinner with you."
Sinulyapan ko si TL na salubong na ang kilay.
"Alright, bye. See you later," ibinaba ko na ang tawag at muling tumingin sa lalaki.
"You're still here? I thought you would just wait for me outside?"
"You can't just tell anyone about your schedule," seryosong sabi niya.
"Hmm? And what's wrong with that? I know Harris. He's a friend, I don't see anything wrong with telling him about my schedule," sagot ko naman sa kaniya. "And we're having dinner tonight, since you're my bodyguard now, you'll come with us."
Tumalikod na ako pero hinawakan niya ang braso ko para pigilan ako sa paglalakad. Napaharap ako sa kaniya at napakalapit lang ng mukha niya sa may mukha ko.
"He's the one you kept on using as an excuse when you're wet, right?" he asked, his voice getting darker and deeper.
Napahinga ako ng malalim bago napalunok dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon
"You know that I don't believe that, right?"
I tried to pull my arm but he just pulled me closer, his face is now just inches away from mine.
Nakakabingi na ang tibok ng puso ko sa mga oras na iyon.
His gaze shifted from my eyes down to my lips, and I watched his shoulders move as he drew a deep breath.
Binitawan niya ang braso ko at nag-iwas ng tingin.
"I will just wait for you outside, Ms. Dajero," iyon lang at lumabas na siya ng kuwarto ko at isinarado ang pinto.
Napatingin na lang ako roon at ramdam pa rin ang bilis ng tibok ng puso.
For a moment there, I thought he'd kiss me...
Bakit parang nalungkot ako na hindi niya ginawa?
***
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