MALIK's eyes drifted on her body. His flawless jaw clenched hard when he saw something.
She doesn't mind. What matters her most is why he was here? "Wala si Shawn dito. Bakit ka narito?" she coldly bashed.
Tinalikuran siya nito upang pigilan ang kung sino mang gustong pumasok. "Just put them on the side. Thank you," he commanded. Sinara nito agad ang pinto at hinubad ang suot na black suit.
"What are you—" She paused immediately when he already reached her to put the vest. His expensive perfume annihilate her angry mind, it was intoxicating her system to behave. But her woman's pride won the battle, she pushed him.
What is this drama? Why is he acting like a caring boyfriend after what happened last night? She fought back the intensity of his gaze. Being trapped and defeated ones were enough, now she will not let her guard down.
Malik heaves a deep sigh. "You don't have a brassierre?" he drawled, his muscle on the jaw waves angrily.
Bumaba ang tingin niya sa dibdib. Namutla siya ng makita ang bakas na nipple sa kanyang suot.
Malik was just watching her reaction before he speaks, "Sabi ni Shawn gagawa ka ng orange juice. I brought it all. That is why I am here," malamig nitong wika.
Dagli niyang tinanggal ang itim na suit para ibalik dito. Walang imik namang kinuha iyon ni Malik.
"See you in the kitchen. Peel all the orange. Magbibihis lang ako." Hindi na siya naghintay sa sagot ni Malik. Dumiretso na agad siya sa hagdan, mabibigat ang yabag at pabalibag na sinara ang pinto.
When the door shut off, agad pumakla ang mukha niya sa sobrang hiya. Gusto niyang umiyak o magpalamon sa lupa. Of all person, why him? Marahas niyang hinilamos ang mukha habang paikot-ikot sa harap ng dalawang tukador. Gusto niyang sumigaw pero mas pinili niyang pumikit at kalmahin ang sarili.
She satisfied herself with oversized sky blue t-shirt and maong short. Gagawa lang naman siya ng orange juice, bakit kailangang pumorma pa? Kabado siya nang sumilip sa pinto ng kusina. Naabutan niya si Malik na seryoso sa pagbabalat ng orange. Ang puting sleeves nito ay nakatiklop na hanggang siko.
Gumawi ang paningin niya sa magkakapatong na tatlong kahon, lalo ang nangalahating bukas na kahon na nakapatong sa lamesa.
Sineryoso pala ni Shawn 'yung suggestion niya at hindi inaasahang ganito karami.
She watched how Malik's brows almost kissed when he can't peel the skin off the orange.
Tumikhim siya. Taas noong dinampot ang isang orange, "Seryoso ka, lahat 'yan babalatan mo?"
Huminto ito sa kanyang ginagawa para sundan siya ng tingin. "Why? Do you think it will be quick if we buy an orange peeler?"
Napahinto siya sa pagkuha ng isa pang orange para tumigin dito. Tinikom niya ang bibig para hindi matawa, pero ang seryosong expression ni Malik ang nagtulak sa kanya para kagatin na ang mga labi. "You're not serious, aren't you?" She said struggling of not to laugh.
Malik's forehead crease, "I'm serious."
Nalunok niya ang kanina pa pinipigilang tawa. Malik was not giving any humor to their situation. And his hawk and sexy eyes boring at her makes her felt guilty. "Hugasan mo nalang lahat 'yan. May heavy duty juicer ako. It can extract the whole orange." Umiwas siya ng tingin para kumuha ng kutsilyo. She wants to taste the orange if sweet or sour. She cut it into two, and one more until the skin of her fingertip hit by the knife. "Ah!" She grunted when the sting of pain drew on her arm. Nabitawan niya ang kutsilyo.
Malik cussed and immediately storm beside her. Hinila siya nito palapit sa sink. Binuksan ang gripo at agad doon itinapat ang daliri niya. "Wash your wounds," he commanded and leave her.
Sumunod naman siya. She knows that the wound was shallow but the sour juice of orange cling on her fingers that's why the pain really hurts her.
Lumapit sa kanya si Malik dala ang emergency kit.
Nagtataka niyang tiningnan ito. Siya ngang bago lang sa bahay ay hindi alam kung nasaan iyon, ito pa kaya? She watched how he attends her wound. Ganitong-ganito ito noong matusok ng karayom ang daliri niya noon. Akala mo mamamatay na siya para asikasuhing maigi at alalang-alala.
Hinila niya agad ang kamay nang mapagtantong tapos na ito sa paglagay ng bandage. "How can you act normally after what happened last night?" she confronted.
"Let's not talk about it, Winona." He avoided her sight.
"And now you were addressing me by that name? Why, Malik? Sino ba ako?"
"Excuse me po, Ma'am Winona. Tumawag po si Sir Shawn, kami na raw po ang gagawa sa orange juice."
Hindi niya nilingon ang dalawang katulong na dumating. The last night brought back into her head refreshing her anger and anticipation for his explanation. But, Malik was just silently looking at her. He might look angry too but his eyes shade the mystery of last night. He is keeping everything. What he did was dangerous, what if someone caught them? What if Winona found them?
The ring from a phone makes Malik emit a long sigh before he tears off his sights on her. Walang paalam itong tumalikod para lumabas sa kusina at sagutin ang tawag. "Yes, Vika?"
Jyra smiled bitterly at the sound of Maliks softness. Kapag si Winona para siyang maamong tupa. Kapag sa akin galit na galit. Isinusumpa ang bawat hibla mayroon ang mukha ko. She harshly brushed her hair using her bare hands. Nahuli niyang nakatulala sa kanya ang dalawang babae. "I'm sorry. Shall we start?"
Umiling ang isa sa kanila. "Ma'am, mukhang may sugat po kayo. Kami nalang po."
She let it be. Nanatili siya sa kusina para panoorin ang mga ito. Ayaw niyang mag-stay sa sala dahil tiyak naroon si Malik. Being with him will suffocate her. And, she will not let that happen.
They were laughing when someone cleared his throat.
She remain looking on the three container while the two maids almost dropped their jaw in awe. Patamad niyang nilingon ito. Kumibot ang kilay niya ng makita ang tatlong butones sa suot nitong puting polo ay nakatanggal.
"Are you done?"
Alam niyang para sa kanya ang tanong pero hindi siya umimik.
"Opo, Sir Malik." Ang isa sa katulong ang sumagot.
She curiously darted her gazed on the lady. Her cheeks flushed red while the other one si cringing. Did they know him? Bigla niya tuloy naisip kung natutulog ba rito si Malik dahil alam nito kung saan ang medicine kit.
"Ladies, can you put them all inside my car?"
Kinikilig na tumalima ang dalawa, agad umalis.
"Sa site mo 'yan dadalhin hindi ba?"
"Yes," he simply replied.
"Sasama ako." Agad siyang lumakad para lagpasan ito, ngunit napahinto siya ng hawakan nito ang braso niya. "You can't."
"Bakit hindi?" She turned to him. Muling bumalik ang nawalang inis niya rito. "I want to go. Hindi pa ako nakakarating sa North Gate. Gusto kong makita kung ano ang ginagawa ng kapatid ko roon. Siguro naman hindi masama ang bisita roon. May alibi ako. The juice."
Dahil sa lapit nila sa isa't isa, she can clearly see how his jaw clenched and how his hawk eyes scanned her body. He sighed. "At iyan ang susuotin mo papunta roon?"
Her brows wrinkled in annoyance. "Nakakapunta ako ng mall ng ganito ang suot ko. I don't see the wrong with my clothes!"
His jaw clenched hardly while his sexy but dangerous eyes burning a hole in her body. "Fine," anito nang hindi umaalis sa harapan niya.
Inirapan niya ito bago nagpatiuna. Naabutan niya ang dalawang kasambahay na nag-aabang sa labas habang ngiting-ngiti. "Sir, okay na po."
"Thank you, Lulu," Malik curtly response.
Habang pasakay sa passenger seat ay tinititigan niya ng masama ang babae. And he knew who Lulu is on the two, ha? Nang isara niya ang pinto, doon niya lang na-appreciate ang interior ng sasakyan nito. It was all black, clean and screams danger as the owner describe himself.
Malik jumped in and shot the door.
She's surveying his car and got distracted when Malik let out a sweet chuckle. Iritable niyang sinulyapan ito. Nakikipaglandian ba siya sa dalawa? My god!
While fastening the seat belt he glanced at her, "You're not serious, aren't you?"
She's annoyed, she knew that that's why she's silent but throwing her pits back was a fuel to her stifling anger. She threw a dagger look at Malik.
Malik chuckled while raising his both hands. "I can see it now," he teased more.
Did I say a while back that I don't want to be with him? Then what am I doing inside his car? Doon niya ibinaling sa labas ng bintana ang paningin. I really wanted to see the North Gate. That is my only reason.