Bring Me To Paradise (Sugar Daddy Series #3)

Menthol. That was what Alessandro tasted when he placed the cigarette in between his lips. He hated collecting payments for debts. But his godawful brother Alonzo kept on insisting that he should be the one to do the deed. Mukha raw kasi siyang nakakatakot at alam naman niya iyon. But still, f*ck you, Alonzo. He sighed as he glanced at the clock. It was eight in the evening and he could not leave his office yet or else he would be dragged into the crowds of partygoers and old geezers who were hyping on their strippers. Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit pa tumanggap ang kanyang kapatid ng mga escort at stripper ganoong ayos naman ang takbo ng kanilang negosyo mula sa pagpapautang hanggang sa kanilang bar sa Paradiso. He hated seeing those women dance and get groped by balding businessmen. But he could do nothing to watch. First of all, they did not force them and they worked there on their free own will. Isa pa, mas malaki ang hawak na kapangyarihan ni Alonzo kaysa sa kanya at mas marami itong tauhan na sunud-sunuran. Alessandro knew that his twin brother would never hesitate on killing him if he tries to do something funny. He yawned but immediately shut his mouth when a file caught his attention. Makapal iyon, ibig sabihin, maraming utang sa kanila. Kaagad na kinuha ni Alessandro iyon at tiningnan. Napapalatak siya nang mapagtanto kung sino ang nagmamay-ari niyon. Alonzo told him to take care of the man not long ago but he learned that that man died because of cirrhosis. Ngayon, ang anak naman nitong dalaga ang halos araw-araw pinupuntahan ng kanilang mga tauhan para lang singilin. He took the folder and immediately stood up. Bahala na si Alonzo sa kung anong pinagkakaabalahan nito. Mas nais niya na mamalagi sa kanyang sariling penthouse kaysa sa La Traviata. Hindi rin naman kasi siya palainom at mas lalong hindi niya ugali ang tumingin-tingin ng babae. He hated that. He was never that kind of man, anyway. Si Alonzo lang naman ang maraming bisyo. But Alessandro? He was the coldest and more serious between the two of them. Killing machine. That was how he was trained to be. If his brother was spoiled and was let by his parents to have fun most of the time, it was never the case for him. Given that they were the only ones left to rule the Romano clan after his father passed away, he had no other choice but to toughen up and stay out of his brother's sh*t. Naroroon lang siya para sumunod sa lahat ng utos nito, mula sa kung sino ang dapat patayin, kung sino ang dapat na singilin, hanggang sa kung sino ang dapat na alisin niya sa buhay niya. Alonzo holds him by the neck like a hound dog, ready to bite anyone whom his owner would tell him. He could not even fight back without thinking of the repercussions of his actions. He was powerful and powerless, in irony. Most of his men usually compare him to the fearless Vladymir Krasny from Krasny Corp. Or to Xiao Feng of Paradiso. Nakakatawa mang sabihin, tingin ni Alessandro sa sarili niya ay hindi niya kayang pantayan ang dalawang lalaki. They were all strong and fearless and would kill in a snap but the only thing that differs him from them was that he has no guts. A powerless marionette manipulated by his brother to do the dirty work. Enough with the self pity, Vittorio Alessandro, he thought to himself as he grabbed his keys and coat before glancing one more time in his office. Bago lumabas ay kinuha niya ang file na nakapukaw ng kanyang atensyon kanina lang at naglakad papalabas ng silid bago iyon ini-lock. Hindi niya pinansin ang kanyang kapatid na umiinom habang pinapanood ang mga nagkakasiyahan sa baba. Hindi na rin siya nagpaalam. Hindi naman ito kumibo. He already had a very long day and stroking Alonzo's ego was the last on his list. Inihagis niya ang folder na kanyang hawak sa passenger seat ng kanyang itim na Bugatti bago lumigid at sumakay sa driver's seat. Bago patakbuhin ang makina ay binuksan niya ang dalawang unang butones ng kanyang polo at pinaharurot nang mabilis ang kanyang sasakyan. He was already forty years old. But still, he was under Alonzo's power, without any will to move or work on his own. Maski ang mga gusto niya na makarelasyon ay pinapakialaman ng kanyang kapatid kaya naman hindi na siya nagtangka pa na maghanap ng makakapareha. Besides, who the hell would even want to marry him? He was a loan shark, a thug, a gangster, or whatever people call him. An asshole that makes X dirty. Like what people would usually say about him. It only took him a few minutes before arriving at his penthouse. Mabilis siyang magpatakbo dahil ayaw na niyang mahabol pa siya ni Alonzo at mautusan na naman kung saan. Kanina pa siya uwing-uwi. Gusto niyang magpakalasing, matulog, o magmukmok. Hindi niya alam. In simple terms, he just did not want to socialize that evening. He needed rest, after all. Ilang linggo na siya paikot-ikot sa X kakahanap sa mga may utang sa kanila at kakasingil, kung hindi man may pinapaligpit ang kanyang kapatid. It was tiring. Being Alonzo’s hound was exhausting. He swiped his key card on his door before entering, throwing his car keys on the sofa couch. He let out a deep breath once more when he saw the state of his room. Mukha na naman iyong nadaanan ng bagyo dahil ilang araw na siyang hindi nakakapagpalinis sa home cleaning service. Habang hinuhubad ang kanyang pang-itaas na damit ay inilabas niya ang kanyang smartphone sa kanyang bulsa at tinawagan ang home cleaning service upang magpadala ang mga ito ng maglilinis ng kanyang tinitirhan. He softly groaned as he stepped under the shower. Malamig ang tubig at nakasanayan niya na iyon. Habang hinahayaan ang tubig na lumagaslas sa kanyang matipunong katawan ay tumitig siya sa malaking salamin na bintana ng banyo kung saan tanaw niya ang buong siyudad ng X. Parang maliliit na bituin ang mga kumukutikutitap na ilaw ng mga gusali ang kanyang nakikita. He did not mind being stark naked and the possibility of someone seeing him through the window. Alam niya naman na walang magkaka-interes. He was forty. And lonely. Maybe that was a more accurate description of Vittorio Alessandro. He did not know what was lacking in his life when he got all the money, power, and prestige that he could possibly have in his hands. Hindi niya rin naman masasabing pangit siya dahil maraming mga babae sa La Traviata ang halos kulang na lang ay itapon ang mga sarili nito sa kanya. So why did he still feel lonely? Why did he still feel– Pinatay niya ang shower nang marinig niya ang pagbubukas ng pinto ng kanyang penthouse. Kumalat ang katahimikan sa loob ng kanyang tinitirahan. Dahan-dahan at maingat niyang tinungo ang inidoro at itinaas ang lid niyon bago kinuha ang baril na nakatago sa loob. Ikinasa niya iyon at nilagyan ng silencer. Paanong may makakapasok sa loob ng kanyang penthouse, ganoong siya lang naman ang may key card? Maski si Alonzo ay walang kopya niyon. Mayroong spare sa management ngunit sino naman ang bigla na lang pupunta sa kanyang bahay nang walang pasabi? Maingat ang mga hakbang ni Alessandro. Dahan-dahan at tinitiyak na hindi siya makakagawa ng ingay. Marahan niyang binuksan ang pinto ng banyo at kaagad na nahagip ng kanyang mga mata ang pigura ng babaeng nakayuko sa may entrada ng kanyang penthouse. Tila naramdaman yata ni ang presensya niya kaya akmang lilingunin siya nito ngunit kaagad na nanlamig at natigilan ang babae nang makita ang baril na nakatutok sa ulo nito. “Who are you?” alingawngaw ng tila kulog na tinig ni Alessandro habang hindi inaalis ang asinta sa binti ng babae. Kaagad naman nitong itinaas ang mga kamay nito na tila ba sumusuko. Namutla. Ang pamumutla nito ay sinaliwan ng pamumula ng tainga at pisngi nito bago kaagad na nag-iwas ng tingin. “Sir, galing po ako sa home cleaning–” Kapwa sila natigilan nang umihip ang malamig na simoy ng hangin mula sa nakaawang na bintana ng penthouse. Gumapang ang kilabot–at hiya– sa katawan ni Alessandro nang mapagtanto na wala siyang saplot. Kaya pala ayaw siyang tapunan ng tingin ng babaeng pulang-pula ang pisngi habang itinatakip sa mga mata nito ang feather duster na hawak. Kaagad na naitakip ni Alessandro ang kanyang mga kamay sa kanyang alagang tila proud na proud pa at pumaparada para sa lahat ng makakakita. “Sh*t!”