In Love With A Psycho (Wild Men Series #23)

Victory

Ciaran Rodriguez

"How is the patient?" Walang kagatol-gatol kong tanong sa nurse na nagbabantay kay Jake pagkapasok ko sa loob ng private room na kinaroroonan nito.

"He gained consciousness again yesterday and his vitals are doing okay, Doc. So far, walang komplikasyon sa operasyon. His wound is healing well. Mr. Mondragon is lucky that the bullet didn't hit his heart."

Tumango ako saka sinenyasan itong umalis. Siya ang private nurse na itinalaga ko upang bantayan si Mondragon. Bukod sa akin at kay Anne, ito lang ang pinagkakatiwalaan ko na hawakan si Mondragon.

"That's good. Get ready. We will move him back to his residence tonight."

Tumango ang nurse saka lumabas. Samantalang sinuri ko naman si Jake at nang masigurong maayos ang lagay nito ay saka ko ito iniwan.

Dumiretso ako sa nurse's station upang tanungin kung ano ang schedule ni Anne ngayon dahil hindi ko pa siya nakikita. Kakabalik ko pa lang sa Pilipinas matapos ang isang linggong pamamalagi sa Ireland upang tulungan si Keyller na mabawi ang trono nito. I am tired pero dumiretso ako rito dahil gusto kong makita si Anne ngunit tila tinataguan niya ako.

Ang huling pagtatagpo namin ay noong iniwan niya ako sa cafe matapos niya akong makitang may katalik na ibang babae. Hindi ko na dapat siya pinagkakaabalahan pa pero dahil hawak ko na ang impormasyon tungkol sa kapatid niya ay gusto ko siyang makausap.

Dude! Stop fooling yourself! Huwag mong gamiting dahilan ang impormasyon para makita mo si Anne! Kaagad namang kontra ng aking isip.

Naihilamos ko ang palad sa mukha dahil tama ang aking isip. Am I really missing Anne?

"Doc Rodriguez, I'm sorry to inform you, but Doc Del Mundo filed leave for ten days and will only be back on Monday."

I frowned when I heard the nurse. Why did Anne do that? Talaga bang iniiwasan niya ako? It is still three days before Monday and I cannot wait that long to see her. Kailangan ko siyang puntahan.

Tinanguan ko ang nurse saka nagpasalamat at iniwan ito. I just had my fill of blood after slaughtering people in Ireland, and now I am thirsty for sex. Gustuhin ko mang maghanap ng babae ay hindi ko kaya dahil si Anne Joy ang nasa isip ko palagi.

I am on-call and only accept those VIPs, so I am free most of the time. Pagkarating ko sa parking lot ay tumunog ang cellphone ko bago pa man ako makarating sa kotse. It was Keyller. He was on the edge these days dahil kahit nakuha nito ang trono ay nawawala naman ang pinakamamahal nitong si Freesha. The last thing I heard was Kit had her.

"Ciaran, I have a clue about Kit's whereabouts. He is in the Philippines. I know you got this one for me."

I smirked when I heard Keyller's words. Is he still the same Keyller I knew a few years ago? 'Yung lalaking galit na galit sa babae?

"Don't worry about it, Hayes. I'll take care of it," walang pangingiming sagot ko saka pinatay ang tawag.

***

I drove my car straight to Del Mundo's residence in Taguig without knowing if Anne was there. Matapos kong iparada ang kotse sa harapan ng bahay nila ay kaagad akong bumaba bitbit ang isang fruit basket na binili ko bago pumunta rito. I didn't even know why I was doing this.

The mansion in front of me was enormous. Its splendid design swallowed the other houses in the neighborhood. Kahit ang engrandeng gate ay sumisigaw sa karangyaan. Alam kong galing sa mayamang pamilya si Anne pero alam ko rin may ibang negosyo ang pamilyang ito para magkaroon ng ganito kalaking yaman.

I need to get to Mr. And Mrs. Del Mundo's good side. Para mismong si Anne ang hindi tatanggi sa akin lalo na kung kaharap ko ang parents niya.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Del Mundo," bati ko sa ama ni Anne matapos akong papasukin ng katulong. Inabot ko sa kanila ang fruit basket na dala na ipinagmasalamat naman ng mga ito. I haven't tried giving gifts to someone kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibibigay.

Nasa sofa ito at nag-uusap silang mag-asawa. It was two hours after noon and, I am guessing, the husband and wife had just had their lunch. Pero hindi ko pa nakikita si Anne.

While waiting, I roamed my eyes around and saw pictures of my subject hanging on the wall. Hindi mapigilan ng isip ko na isipin na ilagay ang mga pictures ni Anne sa kuwarto ko sa mansion upang bago ako matulog ay matitigan ko ito. I could even paint some blood, her blood, on it while imagining Anne's body withering underneath me. How great could that be? But where is my subject?

"I'm surprised na dumalaw ka rito, iho. Are you looking for Anne?" Mrs. Del Mundo asked me. May maaliwalas itong ngiti at ramdam ko na welcome ako sa pamamahay na ito. Iminuwestra nitong umupo ako na sinunod ko naman.

Tumango ako. "Yes, maam. We need to discuss our patient's transfer. I know you know what I mean." Makahulugan kong sabi sa ama ni Anne. Sumandal ako sa sofa na may nakapaskil na simpleng ngiti sa labi. "But I heard Anne was not in the hospital, though?"

Bahagyang napatawa si Mr. Del Mundo. "Ah... I'm sorry about that, hijo. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit biglang nag-file ng leave si Anne. Pero huwag kang mag-alala dahil babalik na siya ngayon. In fact, she texted us that she was on the way home."

"That's a relief, sir. You know our patient must be handled by the two of us or the Montis will kill us." I shrugged.

The door to the living room suddenly opened and Anne appeared after. I secretly smirked as I looked in her direction. She was gobsmacked.

"W-what are you doing here?" nanlalaki ang mata na tanong nito. Ni hindi ito dumiretso sa magulang upang batiin ang mga ito. It seemed like she was really shocked to see me.

"Shouldn't you greet our guest first before asking?" sabad ng ina ni Anne. "We'll leave you two to talk. And, Anne," tawag nito sa atensyon ng anak.

"Yes, mom?"

"Doc Rodriguez has an urgent matter with you. Please attend to him nicely. If there is anything, contact me and your father, we'll be upstairs."

Nakatutok ang mata ko kay Anne habang kausap nito ang ina. I remained leaning on the couch and my arms crossed in front of my chest, feeling relaxed.

Nang kaming dalawa ang naiwan ay saka ako binalingan ni Anne. "Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito, Doc Rodriguez? Do you need something from me? As far as I know, I am still on leave."

I stared at her deeply. "Did you forget that today's the day our patient needs to transfer out? Didn't I make it clear that you and I are the only ones who will handle the patient? You know who he is, Anne. Walang ibang puwedeng humawak sa kanya kundi ako at ikaw lang."

Sandaling natahimik si Anne. Napatungo ito upang iiwas ang mata sa akin. I could feel my anger start simmering because of how Anne gave me a cold shoulder.

Pagkaraan ay tumayo ito. "Iyon lang ba? Sige magbibihis lang ako."

"I already have information about your sister. Ayaw mong malaman kung ano 'yon?"