Chapter 1
ALEA Montecito stares at her reflection. She was standing in front of a large mirror inside the bathroom of one of the suites inside the famous Xavier Hotel. Her hair seductively messy, the skimpy cloth she calls underwear clungs to her like second skin.
She took a deep breath. This isn't her scene. She's Scarlet, a high-class escort, she use to date politicians, state leaders, VIP's- she's not some cheap girl who'll come out from a big cake, dancing.
Cheap lang ang babaeng lumalabas sa cake.
Kung hindi lang talaga request ni Mama L na siya na lang ang pumalit sa babaeng dapat sasayaw sa stag party na 'to na nakipagtanan sa boyfriend, nunca na gawin niya 'to.
At kanina niya lang din nalaman na sa matalik na kaibigan pa ng mga Araullo-ni Logan Araullo- ang stag party na 'yun.
'Small world, isn't it?'
She should have known. After all, sa Xavier Hotel gaganapin yung stag party, but then again, hindi niya naman masyadong naintindihan yung instruction ni Mama L bago siya pumunta dito. She just get the address, fix her things and went straight to the Penthouse. His Place.
Logan Araullo's place.
'Damn it!'
She took another deep breath as she close her eyes. Her perfectly manicured nails tapping on the marbled floor.
'Focus Scarlet! It's been f*****g eight years! There is a big possibility na wala si Logan sa crowd. Wala nga siya sa Pilipinas hindi ba? Iniwan ka niya pagkatapos niyang kuhanin yung virginity mo!' Unti-unting umahon yung galit na kinimkim niya ng ilang taon. She took a deep breath bago pa man siya may magawang kakaiba. 'Wala si Logan, Alea. Baka si Lucas ang nag organize ng party na 'to. After all, he was the one who accommodated you and led you into this classy bathroom o kung nandyan man siya, kung nandoon man si Logan sa labas, then show him what he lost.'
Isa pa, eh, ano kung nandoon ang lalaki? Wala naman siyang kasalanan rito. Kung tutuusin, ang lalaki ang dapat mahiya sa kanya.
Nagkagulatan pa nga sila ni Lucas nung binuksan nito kanina ang pinto at siya ang nakita instead of Mitch-the original dancer.
The knock on the door and the sound of a man's voice behind the close door startled her. She used to have this kind of things, she lived a luxurious life bago niya nalaman ang totoo. Her father kept her in the dark at nung nawala ang ama sa buhay niya, kasama nitong nawala ang magara niyang buhay, leaving her with all of his secrets, and the huge amount of debt she has to pay.
Mabuti na nga lang at nakilala niya si Dylan. She doesn't need him to protect her pero sa trabaho niyang ito, mas mainam na may koneksyon siya para may taong poprotekta sa kanya.
She grab her mask-the one she insisted on wearing rather than coming out from a cake-and wear it. Natatabunan ng mask yun kalahati ng mukha niya, revealing only her lips which she painted on a deep shade of red and her eyes. She cross her arms under her breast, pushing them up to make it look bigger. She pull the thin robe away from her shoulders before marching her way out with confidence she manage to master. She's not nervous. Sa klase ng trabahong meron siya, kinailangan niyang sanayin ang sarili na 'wag matakot. Kinailangan niyang pag aralan at matutunang sikmurain ang lahat ng bagay, kahit gaano man yun kahirap tanggapin. Kahit mahirap sikmurain. She has to stay strong.
The crowd cheered at her entrance. Sa tantya ni Alea, nasa fifteen hanggang twenty lang yung nandun. Half of them looks familiar to her. X.U Alumnus. Yap, mga kaibigan nga sila ng kambal.
Nilapitan niya ang lalaking nakaupo sa gitna ng maliit na stage. She walk slowly, seductively, with a luscious smile on her lips. Kahit ayaw niya, her eyes automatically scan the room while gliding and dancing and touching the guy whose name she can't remember.
And then she saw him-
He's leaning against the wall, his arms crossed above his chest, and their eyes locked in each other. Alea can't help but to stare at him. Eight years and nothing has change. No, Everything has changed. He's leaner, his muscled chest visible on his shirt, he had a strong jaw, everything about him screams perfection. He's no longer the teenager he used to be.
Logan.
Muntik na nga siyang ma-out of balance matapos magtama ang kanilang mga mata. Tila ba kinikilala siya nito ngunit sigurado rin naman siyang hindi siya kilala ng lalaki. Hindi na siya yung dating inosenteng dalagang madali niyang mauto. She's stronger now. See, kayang-kaya niya ngang harapin ang mga taong gumawang impyerno ang tatlong taong pag aaral niya sa Xavier University.
Napailing siya. No Alea. Don't.Go.there. Don't put yourself on a dangerous situation!
She shook her head one more time before turning her full attention to the other guy. She sat on his lap, facing Logan while grinding her ass on the guys obvious arousal. The man behind her held her still, pinched her hips hard, before wrapping an arm around her waist keeping her immobile, trapping her as he rub his jean-clad front on her exposed ass cheeks. She gasped and wince in pain as the buttons of his pants graze on her soft skin. She mentally curses the man while giving him a saucy smile. His other hand move from her neck down to the valley of her breast and inside her bra. Alea stiffed. Hindi naman siya bago sa mga ganitong klaseng sitwasyon but with Logan's mere presence-even though he doesn't know that it was her makes her feel uncomfortable.
He pinch her n****e hard making her gasp. She wiggle against his hold pero mas hinigpitan pa nito yung braso sa bewang niya. Panic started to rise from her throat but she can't do anything about it. Hindi naman siya pwedeng mag eskandalo dahil lang sa pinisil nito yung dibdib niya. Trabaho niya yun, they expect her to do everything just to please her costumers.
"Ikaw ba ang regalo ko?" He whisper on her ears. Alea shiver from his hot breath fanning her nape. He smells like alcohol. She tried to push him, slowly unwrapping his arms around her.
"Sorry darlin', I'm just here to dance," she said calmly. Wala sa usapan nila ni Mama L na may involve na s*x-sabagay, hindi niya nga pala napakinggan ng maayos yung instructions nito sa kanya.
"Sayang naman.. ikaw na sana ang pinakamasarap na kasalanang magagawa ko sa mga huling araw ng pagkabinata ko." He palm her breasts, squeezing them hard. "How much, Alea? I'll pay you double.." Her knees wobble, napalunok siya ng wala sa oras at nakaramdam siya ng panlalamig hindi dahil sa marahas na pagpisil nito sa dibdib niya, kundi dahil sa reyalisasyon na kilala siya nito.
She open her eyes na hindi niya alam na naipikit niya pala. Kailangan niya ng makaalis bago pa man malaman ni Logan na nandito siya. Her eyes automatically shifted to where she last saw him, but he was gone. A sigh of relief escape from her lips. Yung pag alis na lang kandungan ng lalaki ang kailangan niyang problemahi-
"Let her go, Argos. Kapag ayaw ng babae, huwag mong pilitin." A firm, deadly and authoritative voice made everything stop. Even her breathing. Argo did let her go. Para pa ngang umurong ang bayag nito sa boses na 'yun. Even Alea. Hiniling niya na lang na sana may ginawa na lang siyang bagay na mas importante, na sana tinanggihan niya na lang ang trabahong ibinigay sa kanya ni Mama L. Baka sakaling wala siya sa sitwasyon na 'yun. Sana naglaba na lang siya, edi sana hindi niya na kaharap si Logan.
She slowly raise her gaze. Unable to control the urge to look at him. He's already looking at her like a predator eyeing his prey, as if Logan can see her through the mask she's wearing. She gulp twice and licked her lips. Her heart pounding hard against her chest.
******