Beckett Clainfer (Wild Men Series #24)

Chapter 4

“YOU'RE THE same woman as before…” saad ni Beckett sa isang malamig na tono bago pinasadahan ng tingin ang dalaga. “I told you to go home, didn't I?” dagdag niya pa, pero hindi kaagad sumagot si Vivianne.

Halos mapailing si Beckett dahil sa itsura ng babaeng nasa kan'yang harapan. Pumupungay na ang mga mata nito, at hindi na rin ito makalakad nang maayos.

Pero hindi iyon ang napansin niya. Napabaling ang tingin nito sa mga mumunting sugat na nasa braso ng dalaga.

Maputi ang balat ni Vivianne kaya naman kahit kaunting higpit lang ng hawak sa kan'ya ay paniguradong mamumula kaagad ito nang husto.

And Beckett was certain on his hunch, too. He knew that someone gripped onto Vivianne's arm tightly, given the terror he could see on her eyes, too.

Pero dahil sadyang ipinanganak na sutil si Vivianne ay kaagad na kumunot ang noo nito sa sinabi ni Beckett kanina.

“Eh sa ayaw ko pang umuwi!” ani Vivianne sabay irap. “Gusto ko lang naman mag-inom, bawal ba 'yon?”

Beckett stopped breathing for a bit as he was astounded by Vivianne's sudden change of attitude. No one had made this kind of attitude to him, and he had mixed emotions about it. Naiirita siya na natutuwa.

For the first time, someone treated him like an ordinary person and not someone they must worship.

Parang kanina lang ay humihingi ito ng tulong sa kan'ya, tapos ngayon ay galit na ito.

“Why does it seem like you're madder than I am—”

Hindi na natapos ni Beckett ang sasabihin niya nang bigla siyang itulak ni Vivianne pasandal sa kotse niya. Inilagay nito ang magkabilang kamay sa uluhan ni Beckett, habang naging matalim ang tingin nito.

“I don't have time for this, just so you know,” ani Vivianne bago ito nagkagat-labi, tila ay naiinis na kinakabahan. “Help me. I beg you.”

Sa isang iglap ay nagbago ang ekspresiyon ni Vivianne. Her stubborn attitude earlier suddenly changed into a pitiful one. Her eyes dazzled in awe, making Beckett stop breathing for a bit.

“And why would I help you?” Tumaas ang kilay ni Beckett, kabaliktaran ng mga mata niya.

Mula sa mamula-mulang labi nito ay bumaba ang tingin ng lalaki sa makinis nitong leeg. Nagtagal ang tingin niya roon hanggang sa mapalunok siya.

Mabuti na lang at naka-face mask siya kaya hindi nakikita ni Vivianne ang mumunting paggalaw ng labi niya.

Hindi sumagot si Vivianne. Imbes ay nagkagat labi ito saglit.

Umiwas ito ng tingin bago nagsalita. “Because I need help,” tiim-bagang niyang saad.

“Is that even a valid reason?” Beckett chuckled, his eyes playing with lust and admiration he felt for the first time. “Just because you need help doesn't mean I should help you.”

Given how drunk Vivianne was, Beckett could easily pin her down in a second. However, he was enjoying the scene.

It's his first time to see someone taking on the masculine side—Especially on him.

Vivianne clicked her tongue, slightly annoyed and dizzy at the same time. Sigurado siyang may inilagay ang mga lalaki kanina sa inumin niya kaya kakaiba ang pakiramdam niya.

Aside from dizziness, she felt hot, too. Hindi niya maintindihan pero kakaibang init ang nananalaytay sa katawan niya habang tinititigan ang mga mata ni Beckett.

She knew how handsome he was, but he didn't know that he was this appealing up close. Suddenly, she wanted to see more… Gusto niya ulit makita ang kabuuan ng mukha nito.

“Hey,” sita ni Beckett nang biglang ilagay ni Vivianne ang isa niyang kamay sa mask nito, at akmang tatanggalin iyon.

Suddenly, Vivianne looked like she was hypnotized by something. Mas naging mapungay ang mga mata nito kanina, at umawang din ang labi niya.

Napadako ang tingin ni Beckett doon, pero hindi rin nagtagal ay natauhan din siya.

In one swift move, they switched positions. Vivianne was now the one pinning on the car, while Beckett was in front of him.

Marahas ang pagkakalapat ng likod ni Vivianne sa kotse kaya naman napangiwi ito.

“I'll repeat this since it looks like you didn't understand what I said earlier.” Inilapit niya ang labi sa tainga ni Vivianne. “Just because you need my help doesn't mean I need to help you.”

“Is that so?” Vivianne clicked her tongue. Kalmado lang siya kanina, pero nang makita niyang may mga lalaki nang naglalakad papalapit sa kanila ay naalerto siya. “Well, then. I guess I need to force the help out of you.”

Vivianne's move was even faster than Beckett. Sa isang iglap ay nakuha nito ang susi sa kamay niya at mabilis na binuksan ang pinto.

Before Beckett knew it, Vivianne was on the driver's seat already as she moved like a flash. Namangha si Beckett doon pero hindi niya iyon ipinakita sa ekspresiyon niya.

“f**k?” Beckett grunted, confused and amused at the same time.

“Hop in before they come!” sigaw ni Vivianne sabay lingon doon sa mga lalaking hahabol na sa kanila, dahilan para mabilis siyang mabalik sa reyalidad.

However, Beckett didn't go to the passenger seat. Instead, he opened the car door toward the driver's seat and pushed Vivianne away.

“Wow, sobrang gentleman, ha?!” singhal ni Vivianne bago nito hinawakan ang ulo niya. Nauntog kasi ito sa bintana.

“Thank you,” Beckett answered sarcastically and started the engine.

He drove the car and escaped the place, but he didn't use the main exit that the common customers use. Mayroong ibang exit para sa mga VIP kagaya niya, at sinamantala ni Vivianne ang kaalamang iyon.

Dahil doon ay hindi sila nasundan ng mga lalaki kanina. He was about to go home, but before that, he needed to settle things first with the strange lady.

Nang makakita siya ng lugar kung saan walang masyadong tao ay itinigil niya ang kotse roon. Now, they were in an empty park.

Beckett now removed his facemask and cap since the car's windows were tinted. Siguradong walang makakakuha ng litrato sa kan'ya.

“Bakit ka tumigil?” nagtatakang tanong ni Vivianne habang nakakunot ang noo.

Hindi pinansin ng lalaki ang tanong niya. Imbes ay binunot nito ang wallet sa bulsa niya at hinila ang iilang blue bills doon. “How much?”

“Ha?” Vivianne tilted her head, still looking at him.

“Magkano ang kailangan kong ibigay kapalit ng pananahimik mo?” paglilinaw ni Beckett sa tanong niya kanina.

Beckett is half-Filipino and half-British, but since he stayed in the Philippines since grade 5, he knew how to speak the language. With that, he has an accent when he's speaking Tagalog.

But it wasn't funny or cringe like someone else. His accent was cold, intimidating, and dangerous whenever he spoke in a different language.

With his exuding aura, partnered with his cold expression, Beckett expected Vivianne to be afraid.

Pero hindi iyon nangyari. Imbes na matakot at mukhang na-offend ito sa tanong niya.

“Pananahimik? You were saying?” Tumaas ang kilay ng babae. “Hey, akala mo ba ay madadala mo ang lahat ng tao sa pagiging artista mo?”

“Not because of me being an actor, but because of this.” Beckett raised the money in his hand. “If you can't save yourself from stupidity, it's better not to involve anyone about it.”

Sobrang lamig ng tono ng boses ni Beckett, at hindi lang basta malamig. It was harsh, causing Vivianne to blink twice due to disbelief.

“I-Ikaw—”

Hindi na natapos ni Vivianne ang sasabihin nang biglang lumapit si Beckett sa kan'ya. Masama na ang tinging ipinupukaw nito.

“Lady, just in case you're not aware, you're wasting my damn time,” Beckett said in a warning tone. “Don't tell anyone that you saw me today, or it'll be the last time that you'll breathe in this world.”

“Wala akong pagsasabihan tungkol dito—”

“Everyone says the same thing,” pagputol ni Beckett sa sasabihin niya. “I've heard that countless times. Magugulat na lang ako na nasa balita na ako,” he added in a sarcastic remark.

’Ah… Tangina,’ saad ni Vivianne sa isipan.

Hindi siya kaagad sumagot dahil tinatantiya na pa kung hanggang saan na lang ang natitirang pasensiya niya.

Hindi rin nakatulong na tuluyan nang umepekto ang alak na nananalaytay sa katawan niya ngayon.

Nasa kalagitnaan siya ng pagmumuni-muni nang biglang tumunog ang pinto sa likod niya, senyales na bumukas ang pinto.

“Leave. Now,” utos ni Beckett. “If you don't want to accept the money, just get out of my sight,” he added, his words were rude and merciless.

Tila may pumitik sa ulo ni Vivianne nang mga oras na 'yon. Gusto niyang murahin ang mapagpanggap na artista sa mga oras na iyon pero mabuti na lang at napigilan niya ang sarili niya.

Vivianne was the type of woman who always thought about what she was going to say before she spoke. Ayaw niya kasing makasakit ng damdamin ng iba hangga't kaya niya.

But it was different now.

At mukhang hindi masasakit na salita ang maibabato niya sa binata.

“Fine. Aalis na ako,” saad ni Vivianne bago nito ini-stretch ang dalawang kamay. “But let me give you a memory to remember, alright?”

Beckett raised a brow in response. But before he even knew it, a strong punch landed onto his face. Sa sobrang lakas no'n ay tumama pa ang kabila niyang pisngi sa bintana.

“Ang kapal ng mukha mo, infairness. Nanakit ang kamay ko, eh,” ani Vivianne sa isang sarkastikong tono.

Tiningnan nito ang kamay niya saglit bago ito mabilis na umalis. Sinamantala niya ang pagkagulat ni Beckett sa ginawa niya para tumakas.

“Damn you, woman!” sigaw ni Beckett mula sa loob na kotse. “Huwag mong ipapakita sa akin 'yang mukha mo dahil papatayin talaga kita!”

“Talaga lang, ha?" napahalakhak si Vivianne habang naglalakad palayo. “Tangina n'yo talang mga lalaki kayo, lalo ka na, Tristan.”

As she drowned in her thoughts, she could hear Beckett shouting and mouthing curses at her but she didn't care. At all.

Alam naman niyang hindi siya makakayang habulin ni Beckett dahil iniingatan nito ang reputation siya.

Dahil hindi lang naman ito basta artista at model. Isa ito sa mga pinakasikat sa Pilipinas.

And now, she just punched the Nation's Perfect Guy's face.

If only she was sober, she would definitely regret the things she did at this time.