KNIGHTS I-5: Master of Deception (Xord Knights)

Chapter 35

Naalimpungatan ang dalaga mula sa mahimbing na tulog dahil sa panunuyot ng lalamunan. She forgot to drink milk before sleeping.

Kinusot niya ang mga mata bago bumangon sa malambot na kama. She fixed her wavy hair before leaving the room. Mula sa hagdan, tanaw niya pa rin ang mga lalaki na nag-uunat na ng likod marahil sa pagod.

It's 3AM already and they're still sitting there, working.

"X-Xord?" mahinang usal ng dalaga habang kinukusot ang mata.

Agad na lumingon ang limang lalaki sa kaniya. "Oh, princess. Ba't gising ka na agad?" takang tanong ni Kyel.

She sat beside Xord who gestured her to come closer. "I f-forgot to drink my milk. You can go back to work. P-Pero kailangan n'yo ba ng tulong ko?" nag-aalala niyang sagot kay Kyel.

Teodore shook his head while smiling widely. "No need, princess. Kaya na namin 'to, matatapos na rin namin 'to mamayang umaga. Huwag ka nang mag-alala sa amin, mga leon kami."

She chuckled with that. "Sa kusina lang ako."

Naramdaman niyang pinisil ng katabing lalaki ang kamay niya kaya agad siyang lumingon dito. Ngumiti nang matamis ang dalaga bago hilahin nang mahina ang kamay niya.

She stood up and walk towards the kitchen. Maingat niyang kinuha mula sa itaas ang gatas para ipagtimpla ang sarili.

While stirring her drink, she felt two strong arms encircled around her waist. Agad naman siyang humarap sa lalaki na ngayon ay abala sa paghalik sa balikat niya.

"B-Boss. Ayos ka lang?" she worriedly asked him.

"Yeah. Just a mild migraine, I haven't slept for 2 days because I need to handle other business outside our agency," sagot nito habang hinahaplos ang baywang niya.

Agad na bumalandra ang pag-aalala at awa sa mukha ng dalaga. Hinawakan niya ang dalawang braso nito bago ito kalasin sa baywang niya. She faced the man infront him, halata nga ang pagod sa mukha nito.

"Bakit mo kasi pinapagod ang sarili mo? Hindi mo dapat inaabuso 'yang katawan mo kahit feeling mo okay lang, hindi porke't kaya mo ay gaganyan ka na lang," sermon niya rito.

Xord chuckled with that. "You look like a mad girlfriend right now, my Astreille."

She immediately zip her mouth for a second. "I'm s-sorry. I just got carried away."

He held her cheeks gently before kissing her lips. "I love how you nag me about these things, like you're so worried about me, baby. Parang gusto ko na lang abusuhin ang katawan ko araw araw," he whispered.

"Xord--"

"Woah. Did you guys just kissed?"

Gulat na napalingon ang dalaga nang marinig ang boses ni Ephraim mula sa hamba ng pintuan.

Xord just rolled his eyes in a manly way before facing the guy. Astreille stood frozen on her place while looking at Ephraim's shocked face.

"N-No. Naduling ka lang," Astreille immediately answered.

Isang tawa ang pinakawalan ng lalaki. "Oh?"

"Yeah, we kissed. Why? May problema ka?" tanong ni Xord sa tabi habang nakaigting ang panga.

Namula ang mga pisngi ng dalaga sa sagot nito. "I'll g-go ahead, and no. We d-didn't kiss." Pilit niyang pagtanggi bago tumakbo palabas ng kusina dala ang gatas na tinimpla.

Naiwang tulala si Ephraim kaharap ang lalaki na may suot suot na iritang ekspresyon.

"What have you done, Ephraim? Istorbo ka talaga," galit na saad nito.

"Boss, may relasyon talaga kayo ni Astreille? Woah," manghang dagdag niya.

"Yeah, got a problem on that?"

"Kalma! Tinatanong ko lang naman. Atsaka hindi lang ako makapaniwala sa nakita ko. I mean, you're not into girls, right? You told me before that girls are all hoes, well aside of your mom, ofcourse," mahabang litanya ni Ephraim.

Nakapamulsang lumapit ang lalaki sa kaniya. "That was before. When I was an asshole and a fuckin jerk, Ephraim. I've already met Astreille."

"Your woman..."

"Yeah. Tell the three guys that Astreille is mine alone, send the good news to them."

Napangiti si Ephraim sa sagot nito. "You're damn smitten, Xord Knights. I can't believe it."

"Dramatic," iritang sagot nito.

Xord was about to walk out when Ephraim stopped him. "Boss, sa maikling panahon, alam mo kung gaano na kami na-attach kay Astreille. She's the only woman in our circle, so don't let her down. I just met her, pero sobrang gaan ng loob ko sa kaniya. I always wanted to have a little sister and I want to treat her like one, so please, don't hurt her. She suffered too much from her past, you can make her happy, I am aware of that. So take care of Astreille," he uttered.

Xord nodded his head. "My brothers, and I. It's always our responsibilities to take care of our women, Ephraim. May nabalitaan ka na ba sa mga kapatid ko na nangaliwang babae?"

"Yes, si Trigger--"

"Be my guess, then," Xord said before smirking.

Dire-diretsyo itong naglakad papalabas ng kusina matapos sabihin 'yon.

Maybe he got offended with that, Ephraim thought. Totoo naman ang sinabi niya, para sa kaniya, Trigger really cheated on his wife. And that's on different level because Knights won't do that.

"Knights ba talaga si Trigger? I doubt that," nakangiwing saad ni Ephraim bago sundan ang boss sa sala.

Astreille bit her lower lip when she saw Ephraim and Xord walking towards their direction. Agad niyang hinarap ang tatlong lalaki.

"'Yung dalawang kwarto sa bandang ibaba ng hagdan, you guys can sleep there after working. Bye! Matutulog na ulit ako," she quickly said before standing up.

Paakyat na sana siya sa hagdan pero mabilis na nahila ni Xord ang braso niya. "Where are you going?"

"S-Sleep," she uttered.

"I'll sleep beside you later."

Tumango ang dalaga. "S-Sige. Magpahinga na kayo pagkatapos. Goodnight!"

Mabilis siyang tumakbo paakyat para hindi maabutan ni Ephraim. Natatakot siyang magtanong ito at marinig pa ng tatlong lalaki.

She doesn't even know the answer to his questions. Baka mahimatay pa siya nang wala sa oras kapag naipit siya sa sitwasyon na 'yon.

But why did she ran if she's not guilty?

"Oh shoot," she whispered bago mahinang tuktukan ang sarili.