No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 11- Another woman

I smirked, tilting my head. "I am busy. Pero hindi ako pwedeng lumabas?"

Sheena crossed her arms, eyeing me like she was trying to read between the lines. "Hindi ka lang lumabas, Aiah. You just had Mikha against a wall, looking like you wanted to eat her alive."

I chuckled. "Exaggerated ka na naman."

"Tangina, hindi," she shot back, laughing. "And don't even try to deny it. You're playing a dangerous game."

I shrugged. "It's a game I know how to win."

Sheena sighed, shaking her head. "Are you sure? Kasi sa nakikita ko, hindi lang si Mikha ang natatali dito, Aiah."

I stilled for a fraction of a second, but my smirk never wavered. "I know what I'm doing, Sheena."

She looked at me for a long moment before sighing. "Okay, fine. Just don't come crying to me when shit blows up in your face."

I chuckled, throwing an arm around her shoulders as we started walking. "Oh, please. When have you ever seen me cry?"

Sheena laughed. "True. Pero let's see kung kaya mong panindigan 'yan."

I said nothing.

Because deep down, a part of me wondered the same thing.

I slid into the driver's seat, the scent of leather and faint traces of my perfume filling the space. My fingers curled around the steering wheel, knuckles tightening as I exhaled slowly.

Tangina.

I shouldn't have gone to that bar. I shouldn't have let Mikha get under my skin like that. But seeing her, hearing her voice-her anger, her frustration-it was addicting. A dangerous kind of high I knew I shouldn't crave.

The engine purred as I pulled out onto the road, the city lights flickering past in a blur. Manila at night was alive-chaotic, unpredictable. Just like my thoughts.

I was lost in them when I noticed it.

A car pulling up beside me.

A sleek, dark coupe, its headlights casting a teasing glow. The driver revved the engine once-twice.

A challenge.

I arched a brow, glancing to the side.

A woman.

I didn't recognize her, but the way she smirked, the way her red lipstick curved around the ghost of a smile-it was like she knew me. Like she was waiting for me.

I smirked back, my fingers flexing over the gear shift.

Fine.

Let's play.

With a flick of my wrist, I pushed down on the accelerator.

The roar of engines filled the night air as I pushed my car faster, the city lights blurring past me. The woman in the dark coupe kept up effortlessly, matching my speed like she'd done this a hundred times before.

She was good.

I smirked, shifting gears, testing her. But every time I tried to gain the upper hand, she was right there beside me-taunting, challenging, refusing to back down.

Who the hell was she?

The road stretched ahead, open and empty, the city fading behind us. I pushed harder, my heart racing in sync with the pulse of the engine.

Then, just as we neared the end of the road-

Her car swerved sharply.

"Tangina!" I hissed, slamming the brakes as her coupe cut right in front of me, blocking my path. My tires screeched against the asphalt, the sharp scent of burning rubber filling the air.