POSSESSIVE 23: Thorn Calderon

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

CASSIA WAS SILENT the whole ride home, so was Thorn. Wala silang imikang dalawa habang minamaneho ni Thorn ang Porsche Panamera nito pauwi. Iniwan nito ang sasakyan na ginamit para pumuntang restaurant sa kaibigan nitong si Phoenix na nangakong ihahatid 'yon sa Bachelor's Village pagkasara ng restaurant ng asawa nito.

Cassia was expecting Thorn to demand an explanation for what happened, but he said nothing. Nagpasalamat lang ito sa mag-asawang Martinez saka hinawakan ang kamay niya na hindi masakit at iginiya palabas ng restaurant. His hold was not rough, but it was also not soft. It was firm, but unlike David, it was not painful.

When Cassia saw how mad Thorn was when he arrived, she was scared. Kahit sa mga sandaling 'yon, natatakot pa rin siya sa katahimikan nito at ang paminsan-minsang pagtatagis ng bagang nito habang nagmamaneho.

Pasulyap-sulyap si Cassia sa asawa at sa hindi malamang kadahilanan, naalala niya ang sinabi ng kaibigan niya.

'Minsan ba, hindi sumagi riyan sa isip mo na baka hindi bakla ang asawa mo?'

Looking at her husband now, he really didn't seem gay. Pero wala naman itong sinasabi sa kaniya para itama siya kung totoo man na mali siya kaya hindi 'yon sumagi sa isip niya.

Huminga nang malalim si Cassia saka tumingin sa labas ng sasakyan. Gumalaw lang siya sa kinauupuan nang pumasok ang sasakyan sa gate ng BV. At nang makarating sila sa bahay nila, gamit ang remote, binuksan ni Thorn ang gate saka ipinasok ang sasakyan sa garahe.

Nang pareho silang nakalabas ng sasakyan, walang imik na hinawakan ni Thorn ang kabilang pulsuhan niya na hindi namamaga saka hinila siya nito patungong kusina.

Nagpaubaya naman si Cassia saka nakamasid lang sa asawa na kumuha ng ice cold pack sa refrigerator saka inilapat iyon sa namamaga siyang pulsuhan. Thorn was very careful with her sore wrist. Cassia could see that Thorn was being gentle with her even though he was mad.

After a long silence, Cassia couldn't take it anymore, she spoke. "I'm sorry," aniya. "Hindi ko naman gustong makipag-dinner sa kaniya. Ang sabi niya sa 'kin may dinner meeting kami kaya sumama ako. Hindi ko alam na nagsisinungaling pala siya." Nagbaba siya ng tingin sa pulsuhang namamaga. "Umalis naman ako kaagad nang malaman ko na nagsinungaling siya pero pinigilan niya ako at ayaw niya akong bitawan. Buti na lang dumating ang mag-asawang Martinez at tinulungan ako."

Ilang segundo nang tapos magpaliwanag si Cassia pero walang imik pa rin si Thorn na abala sa paggagamot sa namamagang pulsuhan niya.

Cassia took a deep breath. "It's okay, hon. I'm okay. Just let it go, okay?"

Cassia saw how her husband froze when she told him to just let it go, and then Thorn let out a cold snort.

"Just let it go?" Thorn's voice was cold and livid. "Cinnamon"—he looked at her with those cold eyes of his—"I'm not that nice."

"Thorn—"

"He hurt you." Thorn's jaw tightened. "I'll hurt him back." Thorn held Cassia's hand firmly. "I'm not treating you as my queen just so that damn peasant can hurt you. I will make sure that he will regret touching and hurting you."

Cassia's face softened while staring at her husband. Now she realized, he was not mad at her, he was mad for her. He was not mad because she went to dinner with David, he was mad because she was hurt.

Cassia's heart softened and she couldn't help crossing the distance between them and encircling her unharmed arm around his waist while she pressed the side of her face against his chest.

Yes. She was hugging her husband as her heart throbbed inside her chest.

Thorn, who was taken aback by Cassia's embrace, froze. But feeling her warmth against him made the anger he was feeling dissipate, and slowly, his arms moved to hug her back and pulled her closer to him.