End Game

Chapter Twenty-Three

I ignored his comment and underlined another section. "We need to focus on the third-party theory more. If someone else entered that room, we have to prove it definitively."

"Seriously. You're overworking yourself. Take a break."

Wala naman na ata siyang importanteng tanong kaya hindi ko na siya ulit papansinin. Bahala siya diyan.

Ilang sandalig pinagmamasdan lang ako ni Saint. Siguro ay nahala niya na hindi ko siya kinakausap unless tungkol sa kaso kasi bigla na naman siyang nagtanong. "Did you notice that the fingerprints on the bedpost don't match mine? Forensics confirmed it."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing over at the section he was referring to. "I did see that, but the prosecution could argue that the prints belong to Alessandra. We need more."

Tahimik kaming muli.

Napahikab ako. Inantok na lang talaga ako sa kahihintay ng masaheng ipinangako niya kanina sa akin. Hmp! Nakakainis. Konti na lang talaga pack up na ko.

Saint's lips twitched slightly, though he didn't fully smile. "You know, we're getting somewhere with this. But I can't help you if you're half-asleep and too stressed to focus."

I didn't respond, choosing instead to highlight yet another piece of information that I'd already underlined twice. Kunwari lang busy at walang pakialam.

Saint put his file down, the sound of paper rustling making me pause. Huwag kang lilingon, Andrea! And so, I didn't look up, pretending to stay focused on the document in front of me. Pero tutok naman talaga ako sa bawat pagkilos niya mula sa tabi ko. His chair scraped against the floor as he pulled it closer to mine, his presence suddenly much too close.

Ito na ba 'yung massage ko? With that, I massaged the back of my neck again. Hindi ko pa rin siya pinansin kasi bakit ko naman siya papansinin kung nakalimutan niya nga 'yung massage ko.

He let out a low chuckle, and from the corner of my eye, I saw him grin wider. "Akin 'yan, huwag mong hawakan."

Before I could pull my hand away, Saint tugged my arm gently, lowering it from my neck. Ramdam kong bumilis agad ang tibok ng aking puso sa ginawa niyang iyon. Pero syempre, kunwari hindi ko alam kung anong sinasabi niya kahit pa ang totoo naman ay kanina pa ako naghihintay dito.

"Ako na," his voice dropped, almost a whisper. "Drink your tea."

Saint's hand slipped up to my neck, moving with an excruciatingly slow, deliberate touch that made it impossible to ignore. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at tumayo upang pumuwesto sa aking likuran. My body tensed under his light touch, but I didn't protest. The warmth of his hand lingered on my skin as he began massaging my neck softly, fingers working their way into the tension I'd been holding there for hours.

Sarap!

I reached for the cup of chamomile tea in front of me, trying to follow his order para naman patas lang. It was hard to drink with him standing over me like that, his large frame completely dominating the space around me, but I managed a sip.

His fingers pressed deeper into my skin, making my shoulders relax involuntarily. "Relax ka lang, hm? Akong bahala sa'yo."

I closed my eyes for a second, melting into the sensation. The stress that had been building for hours began to dissolve under his touch. His hands moved expertly over my neck and shoulders, finding every tight knot and easing it away.

When his fingers brushed the top of my chest, I felt a surge of warmth spread through me, my body reacting on its own. Hindi ko na iyon kontrolado. Para bang may sariling buhay ang aking katawan at kay Saint na lamang iyon tumutugon.