CHAPTER 5
1312 Words
THAT EVENING, Lucien found himself in front of Room 1707. He had spent most of the afternoon working and had finally decided to take a break. At least, natapos na niya ang trabaho niya at ang dahilan kung bakit pumunta siya rito sa London.
The management was urging him to go to the office, but he didn’t want to. Nandoon naman na ang assistant niya, kaya ito na ang bahala sa lahat.
Now, he can finally relax.
Lucien wanted to invite Neriah out for dinner.
Kakatok na sana siya, pero naalala niyang may ibinigay si Neriah na spare key card sa kaniya. He didn’t want to accept it, but Neriah insisted.
“No more knocking,” sabi ni Neriah nang ibigay nito ang spare key card.
“That sounds unsafe,” he said. Kung ibibigay nito sa kaniya ang susi ng hotel room nito, malaki ang tiwala nito sa kaniya.
Nagkibit ng balikat si Neriah. “Sa ibang tao, siguro.”
“Do you trust me that much?” Lucien asked.
Ngumiti si Neriah saka humakbang palapit kay Lucien. “Bakit? May binabalak ka ba?”
Mabilis na umatras si Lucien. “N-no…”
Mahinang natawa si Neriah. “Just kidding. Ang pula mo na.”
“Neriah.”
Neriah chuckled.
And somehow, despite knowing it was a terrible idea, Lucien had accepted the key.
Using the key, he unlocked the door and entered.
“Neriah?”
Walang sumagot, pero nakabukas ang mga ilaw.
“Neriah?” he called out the second time.
Then he heard movement from the kitchenette.
Lucien rounded the corner, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
Napako siya sa kinatatayuan nang makita niya si Neriah sa may kitchen counter. She was freshly showered, and a large towel was wrapped around her. Her damp hair fell over one shoulder with some water droplets still clinging to her skin.
And she looked completely unbothered.
Hindi alam ni Neriah na malaki ang epekto nito sa katawan niya.
Or perhaps, she was aware… she just didn’t want to mind it at all.
“Neriah.”
Mabilis na humarap si Neriah. “Oh.” And she didn’t even panic.
There was no embarrassment, no screaming, no throwing things at him. It was just her. Just Neriah.
“Hi,” bati pa nito.
Napatitig si Lucien sa dalaga. Agad din siyang nag-iwas ng tingin. Pero hindi niya napigilan ang sarili niyang ibalik ang tingin kay Neriah.
And it was a mistake.
A very serious mistake. Because somehow that was worse.
Nakalitaw ang balikat at hita ni Neriah. And Lucien was already having thoughts of caressing them.
Lucien gulped.
Naramdaman niyang may nabubuhay sa kaniya, kaya pinilit niyang ibaling ang atensiyon sa pader.
“Bakit?” tanong ni Neriah.
Bumuka ang bibig ni Lucien, pero walang lumabas na salita.
“May kailangan ka?” tanong ni Neriah sa casual na tono. As though she weren’t standing there looking unfairly beautiful.
“Labas tayo.” Mabilis na wika ni Lucien.
Ngumiti si Neriah. “Sure.”
“Magpapalit lang ako.”
Tumango si Lucien. “Take your time.”
Neriah stepped past him toward the bedroom. And the subtle scent of her shampoo lingered in the air—clean, fresh, and uniquely hers.
Lucien closed his eyes. He valued his remaining sanity, so it was better not to look at Neriah. And when the door of Neriah’s bedroom closed, Lucien ran a hand through his hair.
He has never been intimate with any woman. Not because he’s not capable of doing it, but because he was not interested in a woman who only likes his face, fame, and money.
Pero si Neriah, iba siya. She’s a unique woman he has ever met.
And his body felt this urge to be intimate with her.
Napabuga siya ng hangin. He was now trying to regain his composure and trying to remember he was a grown man. A disciplined man. A kind of man capable of handling multinational negotiations and corporate crises.
And yet, one woman wrapped in a towel had nearly rendered him useless.
“God.” He rubbed his face. “This is killing me.”
And from somewhere inside the bedroom, natawa na lamang ng mahina si Neriah. She saw it. She affects Lucien. She saw the lust in his eyes—the thing she wanted to see on him.
“Don’t worry, Lucien. You will be mine. And you won’t regret it.”
She likes Lucien because he was pure… and innocent. Even though Lucien doesn’t look as innocent as he looks, for her, he is innocent and needs to be protected.
HABANG HINIHINTAY ang kanilang inorder na pagkain, Lucien excused himself and went to the restroom. Naiwan naman si Neriah sa kanilang mesa.
And while she’s playing with her phone to pass the time, her phone rang.
The caller ID made her grin immediately.
Kuya Evron.
She answered while reaching for her water.
“Good evening, my favorite Kuya.”
“Ako lang ang kuya mo,” pagtatama ni Evron.
Neriah chuckled. “Bakit ka napatawag, Kuya? I’m sure hindi ka tumawag upang kamustahin ako.”
“Nope. But I need you to do something for me.”
Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Neriah. She instantly became suspicious because when her brother started conversations like that, trouble usually followed.
“What kind of something?”
“Auction.”
Napakurap si Neriah. “Auction?”
“Yes.”
“What kind of auction?” Neriah asked before she could stop herself.
“An underground one.”
Neriah nearly choked on her water. “Excuse me?”
“Kailangan kong may pumunta roon.”
“And your first choice was me, Kuya?”
“My first choice was myself.”
Neriah rolled her eyes. “Better, Kuya.”
“Pero hindi ako makakapunta.” Bumuntong-hininga si Evron. “So, go on my behalf.”
Neriah leaned back in her chair. Absolutely not. Probably not. Maybe.
Okay, she was already considering it.
Pero…
She had standards.
“Bakit ako, Kuya?”
“Dahil may tiwala ako sa ‘yo.”
“Aww. Love you, Kuya.”
“And because you’re the most qualified person available.”
Lumawak ang ngiti ni Neriah. “Ano'ng alam ko diyan?”
“Don’t play dumb, little sister.”
Natawa na lamang si Neriah dahil nahuli siya ng kapatid. Because they both knew she had spent years slipping into places she technically shouldn’t be. She gathered stories, meeting unusual people, and observing worlds hidden from ordinary eyes.
An underground auction wasn’t exactly outside her skill set.
“Fine,” sabi ni Neriah.
Evron immediately knew she was about to negotiate.
“Neriah.”
“I can go.”
“No.”
“But—”
“No.”
“Kuya.”
“No.”
“Hindi mo pa naririnig ang sasabihin ko,” sabi ni Neriah.
“Dahil alam ko na kung ano ang sasabihin mo.”
Neriah grinned. “I want payment.”
On the other end of the call, Evron pinched the bridge of his nose. His sister was absolutely shameless sometimes.
"You are impossible, Neriah."
"Yet lovable.” Neriah laughed.
Napailing na lamang si Evron. “A favor.”
Neriah’s eyes lit up. Now that was valuable.
A favor from Evron Rios could solve almost any problem on earth.
“Deal.”
“At talagang masaya ka na dahil doon.”
“I love you, Kuya.”
“Neriah—”
The call ended before he could continue.
Masaya namang ibinaba ni Neriah ang hawak na cellphone.
Pero siyempre, hindi siya pupunta nang mag-isa sa auction na ‘yon. Kailangan niya ng kasama.
“Neriah.”
Kababalik lamang ni Lucien.
Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Neriah.
Looks like someone can really accompany her now.
And Lucien was the only one worthy of standing beside her.
- Writer
