Ang Lalaking Nagmahal sa Akin (COMPLETED)

Chapter 2

ZEPHYRUS grabbed the breasts of the woman licking his neck and then gently held the head of the woman crouched in front of him. Two women were giving him pleasure and it was not out of the ordinary for him. He lived in that kind of world—where women were open to everything, and he was king.

"Zeph, baby," ungol ng babae sa kanyang tabi.

"You like that, don't you?"

Bilang tugon ay bahagyang itinulak nito ang babae sa harapan niya at ito ang pumalit dito. They were two hot women. The one now crouched in front of him was a has-been actress, Ginny. Gumanap daw itong bida sa isang soap opera may ilang taon na ang nakalipas, subalit dahil mula ito sa mayamang pamilya kaya hindi rin tumagal sa showbiz. Mas gusto pa nitong mag-party kaysa magtrabaho.

Ang isa pang babae na ngayon ay ipinuwesto ang kanyang kamay sa espesipikong bahagi ng katawan nito ay isang sales executive mula sa malaking kompanya ng heavy equipment. He met her in a party the other week. And she came to his place looking to party earlier that night. Here was the party she was looking for.

"Oh, you're so good. So damned good!" sambit nito. He forgot her name already.

Ginny stood up and slowly eased her body on top of him. The other girl kept moaning while he was touching her. After about a minute or so, Ginny stood up, looking so satisfied and flushed. The other woman changed his rubber—for sanitary reasons, he guessed—and followed what Ginny did.

After pleasing them both, he stood up, lit a cigarette, and grabbed his cellphone. There were ten messages from his mother, asking him where he was. Bigla ay nais niyang matawa. Tumawag siya sa front desk at nagpahatid ng pagkain at inumin para sa dalawang "kalaro" niya.

He lived in his hotel. That was his very own hotel. Hindi iyon kasama sa properties ng kanyang pamilya. His family was in the food and pharmaceutical industry. His grandfather was pure American. Ang lola niya ay purong Pilipina. Ang mommy niya ay Pinay rin, pero ang lolo nito ay mula sa Gresya at ang lola naman ay mula sa Espanya. He had American, Spanish, Greek, and Filipino blood in him.

He was named Zephyrus, the west wind in Greek mythology. What an apt name, too, for his life was a breeze.

Noong nag-boom ang mga vitamins at food supplements sa Amerika, isa sa mga pioneers ang itinatag na korporasyon ng lolo niya. Kasama ang pangalan nito sa pangunahing nabanggit noon sa senate hearings sa bansang iyon. Matagal nang kontrobersiyal ang mga supplements at ang pagkakaroon ng batas doon na hindi na kailangang dumaan ang mga iyon sa ahensiya ng gobyerno ng Estados Unidos na nangangasiwa sa mga gamot.

But his grandfather managed to stay away from all those controversies. Naglagay rin sila ng mga produkto nila sa iba't ibang bansa hanggang sa lalong lumaki ang kanilang emperyo.

Siya ang namamahala sa malaking conglomerate, ang Wellbeing, Incorporated. Ang pamilya ng kanyang ina ay mayroong ekta-ektaryang hacienda sa probinsiya. Mula roon ay nabuo ang food corporation ng pamilya sa partido nito, na sa ngayon ay siya rin ang namamahala. It was a small company compared to Wellbeing, but one of the biggest in the country.

And having everything from the time he was born made him what he was now—a powerful man who had the world as his playground.

He put on his clothes and went to his private office to call up his mother. Naglalambing lang pala ito sa kanya. Kailan daw ba siya magpapakita rito?

"How about we spend the day together tomorrow, huh, old girl?"

"That would be a delight."

"I might come with—"

"A girlfriend?" sabi kaagad nito, mukhang natuwa bigla.

Napahalakhak siya. "No."

"Kailan ka ba mag-aasawa, hijo?"

Natawa uli siya. Matagal nang hiling nito iyon sa kanya. Palibhasa ay nag-iisang anak siya ng mga ito. But getting married was not a part of his plans yet. He didn't think it would ever be. Of course, he knew he had to sire a son, but that could be done any time he wanted to. Iyon nga lang, magwawala ang kanyang mga magulang kapag isang bastardo ang ipinakilala niya sa mga ito.

He guessed he would just have to settle down with a woman who would understand the needs of a man like him. He would find that woman. But it wouldn't be any time soon.

"Matagal pa siguro, 'Ma."

"Santisima. Puwes, sino'ng isasama mo bukas?"

"Narciso—"

"Puwera ang asawa niya! Ayaw na ayaw kong makikita ang babaeng iyon!"

Natawa uli siya. Ilang ulit nang magkasama sila ng isa sa matalik niyang kaibigan na si Narciso Fortunato na bigla na lang darating ang asawa nito. Malapit sa kanyang ina si Narciso, subalit nauunawaan niya kung bakit ayaw ng mama niya sa asawa nito. Even he didn't understand why his friend married that woman.

Kung ano man ang dahilan ay hindi nito sinabi sa kanya. Hindi rin naman siya ang tipong nag-uungkat tungkol sa mga ganoong bagay. Narciso was a friend because their grandfathers were friends, and he was a good guy. That was it.

"If you're not too busy, you can drop by tonight."

Naalala niya ang mga "kalaro" niya sa labas. Hindi pa tapos ang laro. "I'll just see you tomorrow, all right?"

Nagpaalam na ito at ibinaba na niya ang telepono. He went back to the two girls. They were naked. The woman he couldn't remember the name was eating an apple, while Ginny was shooting up crack.

"Get out of my place, Ginny," he said. That was his pet peeve. If she wanted a quick fix, that was her business. But if she did it in his place, that was another thing.

"C'mon, don't be such a spoilsport." Tumayo ito habang pinapadaan ang hinlalaki sa ilong, inaalis ang bahid doon ng pulbos.

"Get out."

"C'mon, baby—"

"Put on your clothes and get the hell outta here."

Ganoon nga ang ginawa nito pero patuloy pa rin sa pagrereklamo. "I thought you, of all people, would understand me."

Paglabas nito ay binalingan niya ang babaeng panay pa rin ang kain sa mansanas. "If I told you I forgot your name, would you take it against me?"

"It's Chloe, and no, I won't."

"Good." Tinabihan niya ito. "You want to meet another friend of mine, Chloe, or me alone would be okay? It's your choice, baby."

"I want to meet another friend of yours."

"I like you."

Ngumiti lang ito. Nagtungo siya sa pinto. Nang buksan niya iyon ay tinawag niya ang assistant niyang si Greg.

"Sam, Jewel, Trisha, and Love," anito. "They're all waiting for you."

"Tell Trisha I want her to meet a new friend of mine. Tell the rest I'm busy."

Tumango lang ito at tumalima. He didn't need to wait long. Trisha seemed excited to meet Chloe. He didn't do this sort of thing often. One partner was usually enough. But these girls couldn't seem to get enough of him and a man can only give them what they wanted. He smiled.

And then in a split second he felt miserable. That was the only adjective he could come up with describing that feeling of alarm, guilt, and sadness that made a knot form in his stomach. But the feeling came and went so fast he ignored it and joined the ladies waiting for him.