The Fall of Alexander the Great (Monteverde Series 3)

9

Chapter Nine

"You're back..." Alexander said when he held the elevator button for me. He was inside, looking at me with startled eyes, like he didn't expect me to be back. I nodded slowly and stepped inside, feeling a little bit fuzzy about seeing him again.

The elevator engine thrummed.

"You never told me I looked beautiful," pukaw ko kay Alexander.

"What?" takang tanong niya. "What do you mean?"

"That night three weeks ago when I was almost raped."

"You were taken advantage of," he said through gritted teeth. "And that's what you want to talk about? Seryoso ka ba?" His voice does not hold any anger, just plain disbelief. "Blythe..." he breathed. "You look absolutely stunning that night. When I saw you, I was at loss for words, because I'm not certain the word beautiful would be able to justify the way you looked. I can't believe we are having this discussion now."

"Okay," I said, flushed.

"Okay."

After that traumatizing experience, I had Amanda fetch me the next morning. She drove us back to our family manor in Laguna to relax and loosen up. My sister was fuming when I told her what happened. She called our family lawyer to file a case. Last week, though, Kerth appeared on the headlines... not for the murder attempt, but for the drug use. He was reportedly put to a rehab in Houston, Texas where his mother lived. I wasn't even aware that he has left the country while I suffered emotionally from what he did.

Roselynne called me right after I got home that day. She was apologizing over and over, as if it was her fault she was related to someone like him. I told her she has nothing to worry about and that I was now safe. She said she knew how tough of a woman I am, but she still worries that I won't be able to recover quickly.

I just needed time off is what I said.

So, when I was back in the manor, I cut all communication from everyone, except Terry, who kept my businesses going. The first few nights I was there, the images haunted me even in my sleep. Amanda would sleep next to me some nights until it got better. When I told her I wanted to go back to the city, I could tell she was deeply concerned and wanted me to stay with her longer. But I knew she understood that I have businesses that need managing, staff that looks up to me for supervision, and a life left to live.

She finally relented and let me go.

The elevator seemed to move agonizingly slow. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on something else other than the racing of my own pulse. Alexander doesn't seem to mind the proximity of our bodies. But I do.

"Hindi pa ako nakakapagpasalamat." I was the one who broke the silence.

"It's all right." Humalukipkip siya. "Don't worry about it."

"I want to show you how grateful I am..."

His eyes flew sideways, landing on my face, waiting, questioning. "How?"
I bit my lip. My heart is beating so loud against my chest, deafening me, drowning away all my rationale. I didn't give the courage enough time to abandon me. I tiptoed, looped my arms around Alexander's neck, and pulled him closer to me. He placed his hands on my waist, not doing anything, yet I could feel a strange heat coursing through my veins.

My lips enveloped his.

It felt good. Beyond that, even.

I kissed harder, deeper, as I ran my fingers through the strands of his thick hair.