The Broken Heart Beat [Ace Lucifer's Series Two Volume One]

Eighteenth Heart Beat

Scrambled Eggs, plus mushroom soup, and then of course, the ever priority, shanghai.

Macey's sweat dripped down from her temple to her neck as she was busy frying the last batch of shanghai. Ang iba, katatapos niya lang lutuin. Tanging katabi ng pinipritong shanghai ay ang pinapakuluang tubig para sa kape nilang dalawa ni Kai na siyang...she's not sure if he's still asleep or whatever routine he has.

She looked at the clock, at it's already 7 in the morning. Ang natatandaan niyang oras na nagising siya nang unang beses niyang pumunta rito ay alas-nwebe. Hindi niya alam kung anong oras ang gising ni Kai, and since, it is weekend, she's not sure what time Kaiden would wake up at this kind of day.

"Is that my shanghai?" Kaiden suddenly appeared from behind her that made her surprised a little.

Nagtaasan ang balahibo niya sa katawan, hanggang sa unti-unti niyang nilingon si Kaiden. They don't have a personal space kind of distance. Ramdam niya ang hininga ni Kaiden sa likod niya. She can even smell his minty breath.

She blinked, and cleared her throat. "Good Morning, Mayor."

But Kaiden didn't move. He didn't touch her though, but he just stayed there behind her.

Then, he chuckled at her stiffness. Hindi naman sa naiilang siya, pero baka kasi, kung gagalaw siya ay mapapaso siya, or there could be a touch between them that will make things awkward. Ang kagabi na, awkward na sa kanilang dalawa ni Kaiden dahil sa palitan nila ng salita, ngayon, uulit pa?

"Good Morning..." Kaiden whispered with cocky tone. "Hmm..."

"Kakain na, saglit na lang 'to..."

"Should I hug you?" Kaiden suddenly asked.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya, at bahagyang nanginig ang mga kamay na may hawak ng tongs. But she closed her eyes to gather herself, and looked down a little. Iyong hindi mahahalata ni Kaiden, bago niya malakas na tinapakan ang paa nito na walang tsinelas na suot.

"Shit." Kaiden groaned in an instant, and distant himself to her.

Natawa siya. Ang pinang-apak niya kasi ay ang sakong niya, at medyo diniinan niya talaga. Not that she wanted to hurt him, but she thought that it would ease the tension between them. Sa punto nang nangyari kagabi, she knows that Kaiden really likes her. Maybe beyond that.

And she doesn't deserve it.

Pakiramdam niya, si Kaiden ang nasa pwesto niya noon. Kaiden's trying to help her, of course, but the end point of their deal is all about the two of them. Kaiden might not be planning for it at this early dahil gusto nito na sa sarili niya siya mag-focus, sa nakaraan, at sa lahat-lahat. Kaiden wanted to clear everything that might stop him from pursuing her.

And after that, he will pursue her. Katulad na katulad nang ginawa niya kay Jaxon. She cleared the way. She even pretended and lied to Jaxon about who she is just to clear the way. Siguro, sa ibang punto, patas ang laban niya kay Maxine pero mas nangibabaw lang talaga ang pagmamahal niya kay Jaxon para mandaya.

She sacrificed a lot, yes. But she still lied at Jaxon. Nandaya pa rin siya.

The end part? She lost people that are important to her. She lost... her sanity. She lost herself just for that. At ayaw niyang matulad si Kaiden sa kaniya.

She's considering to return the favor to Kaiden, but she will never...ever... say yes to him not until she knows to herself that she's really moved on, and she's really into him to the point that she can accept an awful past from Kaiden. Kung mayroon man.

It's hard to push away Kaiden. Ang katulad ng pagtaboy ni Jaxon sa kaniya noon, but with her experience, she will not let Kaiden suffer from the same thing she'd been through.