CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 1
THUNDER VON
"What's this?" Malamig kong sabi habang hawak ang papel na binigay nito. Sumandal ako sa swivel chair at tinitigan ang aking sekretarya na nakatayo sa harap ng lamesa ko.
"I-It's my resignation letter, Sir." Not again.
I sighed. "Why?"
She bit her lower lip. "I- I've broke the rules, Sir. I fell in love with you."
Akala ko hindi pa siya aamin. "I know."
"Y-You knew?" She blew out a disbelieving breath.
"You're too obvious, Fionna." Tinatamad kong sabi. Binuklat ko ang resignation niya at binasa.
"And yet you broke my heart by paying me after we had s*x!" Sigaw nito.
I glanced at her. "I paid you to leave."
Namula ito sa galit. Woah! Girls are so hot especially if they're fuming mad. "I'm not a slut! I don't need your damn money, you player!"
"Player? Oh, I'm hurt. Deeply." Tumaas ang isang sulok ng labi ko. Initsa ko ang resignation letter nito sa ibabaw ng lamesa. Tinatamad akong tumayo at nilapitan ito. Hinawakan ko ang bewang niya, nanginig ito. Pinaglapit ko ang mukha namin. "You break my fragile heart with a cruel word, Sweetheart."
"You don't have a heart, Thunder. Yes, you're every girls dream. Perfect face, panty-melting body, billions of money, but, you don't have a hea----"
My lips crashed against her. Helpless against my assault, she moaned into my mouth and skimmed her fingernails down my taut body, responding to my kiss with a fire. My touch served only to enflame her as she pressed closer, my tongue coming out to briefly flick her lip and tease her mouth open. My large hands roamed down her body, settling on her waist, my fingers digging into my hips and backside, pulling her closer against my wide frame.
Her hands came up around my neck, tangling in thick dark hair, as desperate for my touch. One leg wedged itself firmly between her legs, and she gasped as it pressed against parts of her body that were swollen and begging for more.
I stopped and looked at her coldly. "Leave."
Nangilid ang luha sa mga mata niya. Tinulak niya ako at mabilis na tumakbo palabas sa opisina ko. Lumapit ako sa intercom at tinawagan ang HR Department.
"I need a new secretary. ASAP." Kalmado ngunit ma-awtoridad kong sabi.
Umupo ako sa swivel chair at muling binasa ang whiteprint na binilin sa akin ni Tatay. Ilang minute lang ay bigla na namang bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina ko. Hininto ko ang ginagawa ko at tiningnan ang Tatay ko na nakapamewang sa akin.
"Thunder, ano itong nabalitaan ko? Kailangan mo na naman daw ng bagong secretary? Magtatatlong linggo palang si Fionna, a." Bungad nito.
Binaba ko ang whiteprint. "What would you like me to do? Stop her? You know me better, 'Tay. I don't chase anybody except Nanay."
I am a Mama’s Boy. So what?! Wala namang masama doon.
Naningkit ang kanyang mga mata. "Stop fooling around, Son. Stop playing with every girl’s heart. They're not your toys."
"I don't treat them like toys, 'Tay. Nanay would be mad at me." Damn it. "Girls are so complicated. Sila itong lumalapit sa akin tapos sila pa ang may ganang magalit kapag hindi ko maibigay ang gusto nila. Kapag nasaktan sila, ako pa ang sisisihin."
Pumalatak ito. "Lagot tayo sa Nanay mo nito."
Ngumisi ako. "Unless, you won't tell her."
Umililing ito.
"Someday, you're going to meet your match." Napataas ang kilay ko sa sinabi ni Tatay. Tumalikod ito ngunit humarap muli. "So, be prepared, Son."
"You won't tell her, right?" Habol kong sabi bago nito isara ang pinto.
Tumaas-baba ang kilay niya. "You'll know when you get home."
Naisuklay ko ang aking kamay sa buhok ko. "Oh, I'm in deep shit."
KIANNA SOFIA'S POV
Naiinis akong bumangon dahil sa walang lubay na pagtunog ng doorbell. Nag-inat ako bago tumayo at isinuot ang rabbit slippers ko. Hindi ko na inintindi kung ano pa ang suot ko basta ko nalang binuksan ang pinto ng apartment ko.
"Yes?" Naiirita kong bungad. Ayoko talaga na gumigising ng sobrang aga. Bumungad sa akin ang lalaki na may hawak na punpon ng bulaklak at may sombrero na may nakasulat na ‘Wilma Flower Shop’.
Napansin kong bumaba ang tingin ng lalaki sa katawan ko. Napalunok ito. Ang suot ko lang na pambaba ay boxer brief na sobrang ikli at itim na sando na may malalim na neckline kaya kitang-kita ang cleavage ko. Kumportable ako sa boxer brief, malamig kasi ang tela niyon.
Nag-iwas ito ng tingin at marahan nitong tinaas ang mga bulaklak. "D-Delivery po para kay M-Ms. Seville.”
Humalukipkip ako at sumandal sa hamba ng pintuan. "From?"
"K-Kay Mr. Sabariaga po, Ma'am." Oh. It’s from that Sixty-Nine years old multinational business man. Akala ko pa naman sa oras na mag-resign ako sa kanya, titigilan na niya ako. Tsss.
"That filthy old man." Naiiling kong bulong. Umalis ako sa pagkakasandal sa hamba at nilapitan ang Delivery Boy. Hinawakan ko ang pisngi nito. Ngumiti ako ng kaakit-akit. "I can't accept it. Return it from sender. Will you?"
Lumunok ito ng maraming beses. "Yes, Ma'am. Right away, Ma'am."
Pagkalapat ng pintuan ay agad kong hinubad ang sando at ang natira lang ay ang itim kong bra. Sarado naman ang mga bintana kaya paniguradong walang nakakakita sa akin. Dumiretso agad ako sa banyo at doon hinubad lahat ng saplot ko. Nagsimula akong maligo. May kailangan pa pala akong puntahan. Isang tao na nagkaroon ng malaking puwang sa puso ko noong bata pa ako. Ang unang lalaki na nanakit sa bata kong puso.
Pagkatapos ng ilang taon, magkikita kaming muli. Bago ako umalis ay tumawag na muna ako sa aking ina na nasa abroad.
"Good morning, Darling." Bungad sa akin ni Mama.
"Good morning, Mama. How's New York?"
"It's so cold outside, Darling. I can't go out. So, papunta ka na sa interview mo?"
Sinuot ko ang 4 inches heeled shoes ko bago sumagot. "Yes, Mama."
"That guy will surely regret that he rejected you. And I guarantee you, Darling, he'll regret calling you 'panget'."
"After so many years, we meet. Do you think, maaalala pa niya ako? Elementary pa noong huli kaming magkita." Sabi ko habang naglalakad papunta sa sasakyan ko.
She laughed. "I doubt. That's why you're there, to show him how great you are now. Twist him on your little fingers, Darling."
I smirked. "I will, Mama."
THUNDER VON'S POV
Napapagod at naiirita akong sumandal sa swivel chair ko. Tatlong oras na akong nag-i-interview ng pwede kong i-hire bilang sekretarya ko pero wala pa rin akong ma-qualified. Pinindot ko ang intercom para tawagan ang Assistant Secretary ko.
"Coffee." Malamig kong utos.
"Right away, Sir." Mabilis na sabi nito. At ilang minute lang ay pumasok na ito sa opisina ko, dala-dala ang tasa na kape. Iniabot niya iyon sa akin. Kinuha ko iyon at marahang uminom.
"How many interviewees left?" Seryoso kong sabi habang pinagmamasdan ang tumpok ng deny resumes sa table ko.
"Uh, Fifty and still counting, Sir." Magalang nitong sabi. Muntik na akong masamid sa sinabi niya.
"Fifty?!" Hindi ko makapaniwalang sabi. "That's a lot."
Tumango ito. "Your company's popular, Sir. We can't help it."
"Pero isa lang naman ang bakanteng posisyon." Hinilot kong muli ang sentido ko. Nagsisimula na naman kasing kumirot iyon. "And fifty is quite.. damn."
Hindi naman ako naghirao maghanap ng secretary dati dahil hinayaan ko ang HR ang gumawa ng interview. Kaso nangielam si Tatay, inutusan niya ang mga tao roon na huwag sila ang mag-interview, dapat daw ay ako ang gumawa niyon.
Huminga ako ng malalim. "Who's next?"
Binuklat nito ang hawak na folder.
"Her name's Kianna Sofia Seville." Kianna? Napaupo ako ng maayos nang marinig ang pangalan na iyon. Inilapag nito sa akin ang resume at application letter ng babae. Agad kong binasa iyon. "She took Bachelor of Science in Business Management. And graduated as the Magna c*m Laude of her batch."
"That's superb." Napangiti ako. Magna c*m laude for a secretary. Not bad. "I want to see her."
Tumango si Mrs. Robertson. Pagkatapos nitong ayusin ang folder ay tumalikod na ito.
"Mrs. Robertson." Huminto ito at humarap sa akin. "Paalisin mo na rin ang iba pang aplikante. This woman is.." Mine. "Qualified."
Ilang minute lang ay pumasok na ang isang babae sa pinto ng opisina nito. Naamoy ko kaagad ang pabango nitong gamit. Her gaze nearly blinded me. I had to admit Kianna was something to look at. Though she has the most amazingly sexy eyes, sexy lips, I couldn’t help being distracted. Her natural grace serves her well, and I struggle to keep myself under control. She’s so damn sexy that it’s almost too much.
"Have a seat.. Ms. Seville." I said huskily.
"Thank you." Parang hindi ako makahinga nang marinig ang boses nito.
I stared at her.
She stared back.
Damn, her lips were so damn sexy. Pink, ripe and utterly kissable. My mouth tingled, and I had to fight the urge to lean in and press my lips to hers. I was dying to know if she tasted as sweet as she looked. The kind of noises she’d make when our tongues touched.
"What? Aren't you going to ask me?" She snapped. "Wake up, Sir."
"Fiesty.." I like that. I lean on the table. "..And confident. Tell me, Ms. Seville, have I seen you somewhere? You look quite.. Familiar."
Naningkit ang mga mata ko nang napalunok ito. Is she the Kianna I knew?
KIANNA SOFIA'S POV
"I don't know, Sir." Ngumiti ako ng tipid. Kailangang hindi ako magpa-intimidate sa kanya. "I don't remember seeing you somewhere."
"You don't? Uh-huh." Seryosong sabi nito. Bumalik uli ang mga mata nito sa resume ko. "Hmm. Okay."
“Being my secretary is a significant position, Miss Seville. Many students compete to get it, and there is only one position. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re at the top of your class.” His fingers tap the top of the table as he stops speaking. Thunder’s gaze slides over my face.
“I’m the top in my class.” Silence fills the air before Thunder finally speaks again. His gaze narrows. The look he gives me is intimidating.
Leaning back in his chair, he folds his arms over his chest. “Let’s cut to the chase, Miss Seville. I don’t normally do the interviews. Your resume looks the same as a hundred others. But your work demonstrates potential, and very phenomenal.”
He pauses, taking in my reaction.
“Thank you, Sir. Please, don’t flatter me too much.” Nakangiti kong sabi. Tumayo ito at lumipat sa upuan na nasa harap ko.
Oh boy.
He was as gorgeous as I remembered. Actually, even more gorgeous, because instead of a leather jacket, today he wore a black long sleeve polo that clung to his massive chest and revealed his bulging biceps. Jeez, he had great arms. Tanned, sinewy, roped with muscle. The kind of arms you wanted pinning you down while those trim hips pumped into you.
The rest of him was equally appealing. Long legs encased in camo pants, strong jaw dusted with stubble, black-brown hair. My n*****s tightened involuntarily, my core clenching at the sight of all that manly goodness.
Lord, the man was sexy as hell.
His expression is hard to read. Leaning back, his steeples his fingers and taps them one at a time, his eyes never leaving mine. The room fades away and the only thing I can see are his eyes, dark as sapphires, and glinting like he’s amused.
Hindi ako mapakali sa ilalim ng titig nito. "Ms. Seville."
"Yes?"
Muntik na akong mapaigtad nang hawakan nito ang kamay ko. "Lunch?"