Love from afar (Montecarlo Heir #1)

Kabanata 43

"Have you had your dinner?" Rico asked in his familiar bedroom voice. It became hoarse and him keeps on brushing his lips against my left ear is making me crazy. Will you stop, please? We need to talk. I have to.. explain myself.

Sa totoo lang, kanina pa kami umiinom at ramdam ko ang init ng katawan niya sa tabi ko, pero kahit anong inom ay hindi ko mahanap ang salitang magsisimula sa pagpapaliwanag ko.

Ano ba ang dapat ko simulan? Iyong tungkol kay lola Flora? Hindi niya kasalanan. Sana ay hindi niya sinisisi ang kanyang sarili dahil nahuli ang mga tauhan niya na tumulong. Ako... ang may kasalanan noon.

Kailangan ko ba sabihin sakanya na kinausap ako ng mommy niya at hindi ako gusto nito para sakanya? Ayoko naman noon. Ayokong magkagalit silang mag-ina dahil lang sa pakikipagrelasyon niya sa akin.

O yung sa iniwan kong sulat? Gusto kong sabihin sakanya na hindi yun totoo. Nasabi ko lang iyon.. dahil iyon lang ang naiisip kong paraan para maiwan siya at hindi niya ako habulin.

O ang pagalis ko at pagtatago? Na noong panahon na iyon ay ang tanging naisip kong solusyon para sana maproktektahan ko siya. Nawala na sakin si lola Flora.. hindi ko makakaya... na mawawala din siya sakin.. dahil sa kasamaan ni papa.

"Hmm?" I didn't respond because of my overwhelming thoughts so he had to probe.

I swallowed hard when I felt him rested his forehead on my temple. "Y-yes."

He sighed, still caressing my thighs "What do you usually eat?"

"K-kahit ano.. po. H-hindi naman ako m-mapili sa pagkain." How about you?

"You look thin.. almost skin and bones. You should eat something healthy." He sounded angry yet restrained. I missed his voice. I missed him. Oh God.

Napangiti ako ng pagak. My illness is taking a toll on my health.

I bit my lip "H-how about you.. sir, n-nagdinner na po ba.. kayo?"

I felt him stiffened with my question but he was able to shrugged it off with a low chuckle.

"Yes. Though we can eat together if want? You look like you haven't eaten anything for eons. We should go-"

Akmang tatayo siya ng hawakan ko ang matigas at maugat niyang braso na nakapatong sa hita ko. Dinig na dinig ko ang mabigat niyang paghinga.. ganun din ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso ko.

Agad ko siyang binitawan ng maramdamang napigilan ko siya sa tangkang pagalis. Muli akong napakagat ng labi ng makita sa peripheral na pinapanood niya ang mukha ko.

"Uhh- o-okay na po.. ayos lang ako.. sir. S-salamat."

"You should drop the sir, Ms. Manzano. You can call me by my name."

Then can you drop your formalities too? Can you call me by my name? Or can you call me by... your favorite endearment? Shit.

"O-okay R-A-Adrian.." di magkamayaw ang puso ko. It's his second name, but why does it feel weird? Probably because the name he used felt like an alias from one of my made up stories. It's not a lie though. It's still his name. But I don't call him that.

"Okay. Ria." Do you feel the need to do that? This mockery should stop. We should talk about what happened in the past.

Tinungga ko ang sparkling wine at inabot ang bote para muling magsalin ng panibago. He groaned at the sight of that.

"You drink too much. Is that what you have learned from working in this.. club." That question sounded more like an accusation.

"Y-yes. Minsan po.. kapag may event.. ay pinapainom kami ng mga customers.. sa VIP room."