The Magnate's Holiest Sin (Cavanaugh #3)

Kabanata 26

Kabanata 26

Office

"Out, everyone," mahinahon ngunit mahigpit nitong utos sa lahat ng narito sa loob ng masikip na opisina.

Nasa harap ko pa rin s'ya. Nakatayo na at malamig na nakatitig sa'kin.

"S-Sir, hindi mo po s'yang puwede'ng saktan—"

"Get the fuck out!" his authoritative voice thundered the moment he faced them.

Wala naman na 'yong ibang mga police officers. Bumaba na kanina matapos dumating ng lalaking ito. May dalawang nagpaiwan. Malas naman 'yong nanatili rito at nasigawan pa. Halos napatalon pa sila sa pagdagundong ng marahas na boses nito.

Even me, I almost jumped on my seat. An unexpected explosive shout after a minute of blistering silence would definitely make any person near, jolt in fear.

Hesitance on leaving crawled on the expression of each person here, most especially the two police men and one security guard who ought to initiate peace between the two party. Mine and this man in front of me. My family driver have not came back from buying me water and food. Actually, there was a water dispenser here, but the driver chose to buy outside. How obvious that he did not trust the liquid that was actually drinkable anyway.

Praying that they would not leave me alone in this incommodious office with this man, I tightly closed my eyes in hopelessness when I heard footfalls headed its way out.

No. It was not good anymore. A totally bad idea. Not even funny but why did I find myself mentally and sarcastically laughing in my head? Then all of a sudden I felt like I wanted to cry? Gone insane.

Feeling the palpitations in my chest that grew even two times rapid after hearing the door shut closed, and perhaps I was also imagining that I was hyperventilating as I felt my chest getting heavier every passing second. I panicked on my seat, and tried to hide the uncontrollable emotions. This feeling was scary, I felt like I was being asphyxiated.

I acted calm, and remained my face down. I found something that diverted my mind and delayed the attempt of anxiety attack. Eyeing my feet that were still on heels. Drearily, I just got even more stressed when I realized that the laces of my heels were suffocating my ankle. Plus some area of skin on my feet were reddish.

Puffing my breath out because of the sight of my poor feet, I replayed on my mind the roguery that I adroitly exhibited earlier.

Biglang nawala sa isip ko na may kasama pa pala ako rito dahil sa inaalalang pagtakbo namin kanina ni Sheriff.

Sinadya kong ipanatili ang tingin sa aking mga paa. Wala ng iba'ng tao. Kami na lang dalawa. Nakasara pa 'yong pinto. Hindi ko na rin naman inisip na takasan ito dahil bukod sa nakaposas pa rin ang dalawang kamay ko sa aking harap ay nararadaman ko na rin ang pagsakit at hapdi ng paa ko.

Kung balak ko ring umalis ay alam kong hindi ko kakayanin ang laki at maskuladong katawan nito. Isang simple'ng paghuli at hila lang sa baywang ko ay mapapabalik ako nito sa puwesto.

Accepting my defeat, I pursed my lips.

The man in front of me noticed the strange quietude from me that captivated his dear attention.

In a lion-like manner, he went down on one knee for the second time around. Once again, he languidly played on my small fingers, compared to his one long and lean index finger.

Having the instinct to distance myself from him, I almost flinched from his touch. It felt impossibly warm and safe yet new to me. I recognized the person although he had physical and personality changes. But the newfangled feeling was affecting me to the core. Indeed, I had felt this before. I just couldn't remember how it really feels like after years of not sensing it. Today, his touch appeared to be unknown and unusual to me.