My Pretend Niece

C 3

CHAPTER 3

CAINE

SHIT!

Napamura ako habang ramdam ko ang pagkabalisa. Nagagawa kong itago pero sa loob ko ay para akong sasabog. Diyos ko. Ako ba ay masusunog na nang tuluyan sa impyerno? Paano ako nauwi sa ganito?

Why can’t I stop the throbbing of my d**k? This is wrong but my shaft is such a traitor. I madly massage my nape as I start to walk back and forth. Siya pa rin ang maliit na bata na iyon na inalagaan ko.

I must not look at her with lust and must not put a lot of malice in every little thing that she does. I have to remind myself that she’s just so sweet. I must respect her and protect her, and protect her even more to a fucker like me! Damn it!

Malamang, siya ay parang tigre kung umasta dahil spoiled siya sa akin pero parte iyon ng pagiging napakalambing niya. She looks at me like her Daddy and f**k my dickhead for overreacting with that simple kiss.

Aba, Ginoong Maria, iligtas mo ako!

Napadasal ako nang wala sa oras.

She even kept on giggling after that as if telling me that it was nothing but a mere fatherly kiss. Hindi dapat ako ganito. Akala ko ay nagandahan lang ako sa kanya sa litrato, mas pala sa personal. Yet still, she’s my Clariz Nassandra, my baby.

I trail off when Nass' phone vibrates and rings. The name of Zion Lunatic flashes on the screen. This stupid dumbass is trying to call her again. Kanina ki pa ito nakita na naka-flash sa screen ng smartphone.

Lumapit ako sa aparato at tiningnan iyon. May mga mensahe na nagsisipasok ngayon, napakarami. Nabasa ko ang message ng lalaki dahil hindi naka-restrict and messages mula sa lockscreen.

“My baby. Answer me.”

Tinawag niyang baby si Nassandra.

Makulit ang hayop na ito. I angrily swipe the answer icon on her smartphone.

“Who the f**k are you?” I knot my brows and it was exactly what Nassandra heard when she opened the closet's door, after putting some clothes on. She’s in her black leggings and white ruffled spaghetti-strapped camisole.

God, she’s really lovely. She even looks like a sixteen-year-old girl wearing her cute ponytail on her side.

Muntik akong mawala sa katinuan ko dahil lang sa saglit kong pagkakatulala sa kanya.

“I am Zion. Rizzy's boyfriend. Who’s this?” sagot ng walang hiyang lalaki, na sa pandinig ko ay mayabang.

After talking with Jix on the phone a while ago, I heard this man asking him where Kisses was.

Sabi ni Nassandra, wala pa siyang boyfriend pero iba ang lumalabas sa bibig ng lalaking ito.

“Stop calling her Rizzy! Pari ka na ba para binyagan mo siya ng bagong pangalan na Rizzy, Rizzy mo? Sino kang hayop ka? I swear to hell I’ll smash your d**k if you will keep on talking nonsense!” Gigil na sabi ko.

Nassandra starts to laugh her ass out after hearing my words. Napatingin ako sa kanya. Why? What’s so damn funny? I'm just protecting her. I will do my best to protect her because if not, Jix will shoot my balls.

“He’s my classmate, Zion.” She informs me while laughing.

She looks so awesome. Halos mawalan na siya ng mga mata sa pagtawa. It’s the rare thing I always look at a woman who I actually f**k but none had the same eyes as what this young girl has. Her eyes seem to light up, and her eyes smile first before her lips.

“Rizzy! My baby, Rizzy. Come on answer me. Save me from your old grumpy bodyguard.” The lunatic guy said.

What the f**k?! Me, a bodyguard? And what did he say? His baby? No!

“Shut the s**t up!” I yell at him.

Pakiramdam ko ay nagkiskisan ang mga bagang ko dahil sa galit. Naha-high blood yata ako kahit wala naman akong altapresyon.

Nagseselos ba ako o pinaninindigan ko lang ang mga pangako ko? My balls are tightening but I am not going to have an orgasm, I will have a cardiac arrest in no time. This bullshit is giving me one hell of Arrhythmia!

“Easy, grumpy bomber.” Nass holds my hand and gently takes the phone off my hand. “He’s a freak,” She giggles.

“Is he your f*****g boyfriend?” I sternly asked. I don’t take my eyes away from hers.

Her eyes widened and abruptly shook her head. “No!”

She puts her hand on my waist and steps in a bit closer. Her hand moves leaving a warm path from my waist down to my spine as she leans her head on my chest. I am wearing a white cotton shirt but it felt like I wasn’t wearing anything at all. Her warmth passes through the fabric and it sends me a different kind of feeling. It’s not actually lust; I can feel how much she cares for me and how much she loves me.

And above it all, I can feel how much she terribly misses me. Hindi ako makaugok ngayon.

Oh, have mercy. Her innocence and sweetness aren’t doing any good to me.

“Zion, will you stop acting so paranoid? You’re talking to Caine.” She furiously told the boy over the phone.

I just let her lean on me. Mula rito ay nakikita ko siya nang di niya alam na pinagmamasdan ko siya.

Hanggang ngayon ay di pa rin ako makapaniwala na nandito siya makalipas ang maraming taon.

Salubong pa rin ang mga hayop na kilay ko pero nawala na ang cardiac arrest. I just stood on my foot and carefully listened to their conversation.

“Nasisiraan ka na naman ng bait! Will you stop calling me? If not, I’m going to block your number! s**t!” she angrily exclaimed, and this time I am the one who widened my eyes.

Shit! She’s cursing. No, she must not. Anong klaseng pamana ba ang ibinigay ni Jix sa prinsesa naming dalawa? Pinaghalo siyang Nikka at Jamie Rix.

She madly tossed the phone onto the bed and clasped her slender arms over her chest. “That man! He’s starting to ruin my day again!”

“Who is he, honey? The truth.” I demanded.

She walks toward the mattress. Naupo siya roon, padabog.

“Just a crazy old friend. Inaasar na naman niya ako sa crush ko.” She pouts and blinks her eyes like a doll.

She looks so upset but she’s still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen though her face turned up a little rumpled.

May crush na siya? Kumulo na naman ang dugo ko sa putang inang crush na iyan. Saan ba yun paauwi kung hindi sa pakikipag-boyfriend, sa date, sa kama, then if she’s not totally used to it, she'd get herself pregnant, that bastard would leave her, then I would f*****g kill that guy! I swear!

“Who’s that s**t?” I remain stoic.

She looks up at me and the grumpiness of her face diminishes. She giggles and covers her mouth with her palm. “Nah-ah! Can’t tell.” She giggles again before she stands and walks toward me.

She wraps her arms on my arm and kisses the crook of my shoulder. Damn!

“I’m hungry. Let’s have a snack, your treat. Then, drive for me to my best friend's condo. It’s also inside this village. Well, that’s what she said.” She demandingly commanded.

Kapag siya ang nagsalita, ano pa bang maisasagot ko? She’s the typical kind of woman who doesn’t take no for an answer. Jesus, she’s a woman replica of her father.

When I was at war, I was the Major who used to command my co-fighter pilots. But when I am with this stubborn kid, Jesus, I’m a f*****g reserved who must not say, no to his commander. And the commander is no other than her.

Well, isang ngiti lang naman niya, bayad na lahat ng kakulitan at pagiging demanding niya.

“Do you have any argument?” she asks and smiles.

Yeah, hell! She smiles but her eyes were likely saying, umangal ka, kung hindi tatamaan ka.

“Shall I wait for you or I’ll just pick you up again after an hour or two?”

“Bakit? May date ka na naman?” her face turns dim and a bit wild.

Parang sasapakin niya ako kapag sinabi ko na, oo.

God, she’s still so terribly selfish when it comes to me. I should’ve just chosen to be a priest and celibate for the rest of my life. I was born a fucker and a bomber, pero tila inaalis ni Nassandra ang mga karapatan kong iyon sa mundo.

Amen!

“What if I have?” I teased her.

She grits her teeth and tosses my arm angrily.

She marches like a lunatic soldier heading to the door.

“I’ll go and grab a flight and I swear I’ll jump off the plane.” She tearfully declared and I couldn’t help but chuckle, but she was damn serious.

She just angrily looks at me and frowns that’s why I take my steps closer to her.

“Jealous, tigress.” I cup the back of her head and gently kiss her forehead. “I was just kidding. No date, honey. Come on now, dry those little tears and we’ll walk ahead.” I said sweetly just to calm her.

“Well, you better!” she stomps her feet and dilates her eyes.

“Okay,” I wiped the imaginary tears on her cheeks and kissed both of her lovely eyes.

Damn, why the heck am I spoiling her like this?

“Feeling better, lady?” I caress her cheek with my knuckles and she nods like a kid.

“Let’s go.” She starts to walk away while giggling yet still pouting. I just shake my head as I enter my room to grab the car's key. She’s too much yet she’s very much.

“Faster, oldie Greek god.” She chuckles as she continues to take her step, the reason why I stop.

“I’ll follow right away, commander,” I told her.

Hindi ko intention na tingnan siya pero napako ang mga mata ko sa pwetan niya.

Nakakapanibago na ang maliit na Nassandra ay lumaki na napakaganda. Para siyang diyosa. Makulit na diyosa.

Kahit na nakatalikod siya, guys won’t be having any second thoughts of persuading themselves to look at her face and discover how beautiful she is. Her first boyfriend will be a very lucky guy.

Kapag ang lalaki ay natutunan ang ugali ni Nassandra, magiging masaya sila sigurado. Mabait siyang bata. Ganito lang talaga siya pero ang loob niya ay tulad din ng Mommy niya. I’m not saying na hindi mabuti ang kalooban ni Jix, pero si Nikka ay babae at doon namana ni Nass ang pagiging mabait.

A guy, who won’t pay enough attention to her sweetness despite being sassy and bossy, won’t have the right to claim her as his'. If they won’t take care of her, then I will never say no taking care of her even if I have to spend my entire remaining life being her second Dad.

Fuck! I feel a sudden jolt of irritation when I said second Dad. Hindi na ba talaga ako makakapag-asawa para isipin na binatang ama na lang ako habambuhay sa isang babaeng hindi ko naman talaga tunay na anak?

O nabubwisit ako sa kaisipan na hanggang ganoon na lang kami? Mag-ama?

Jesus. What am I thinking? This is her fault. Why did she grow up like this? Ang ganda niya at ubod ng lambing. Nakakabwisit siya. She should know all her boundaries and limitations but she’s Nassandra. She’s a brat!

“Thirty seconds, old man!” she yelled downstairs and that trailed me off from my train of thought.

“Coming, honey!” I yelled back and quickly grabbed the keys.