The Princess and Her Knight (WHIPPED SERIES #1) (Completed)

Chapter 8

Password

Catalina

The election came without bloodshed and I stood in front of Dante who was all ready in his three-piece suit while I wore a tight red dress. His eyes glimmer under the moonlight as he stare back at me.

"Does that mean my family is safe?"

Tiningnan niya  ako at hindi makapagsalita. My hopeful eyes reaching out to him like always. Nakita ko kung paano maglaro ang iba't-ibang emosyon sa kaniyang mga mata bago iyon mawala.

"That is not an assurance, Ina," said he and opened the car door as he helped me slip in carefully.

"But they're letting me out!" I exclaimed.

Ngumiti siya saka mahinang sinara ang pinto. Umikot ito at sumakay sa driver's seat. Nang paganahin niya ang makina ay nakita ko ang itim na sasakyan sa harap at likod na pinagana rin ang sariling makina. Dante almost looked contented as his eyes followed the men-in-black in their cars. He maneuvered his car next to the one that was already exiting the perimeter of the mansion.

"That's because your family set a tight security for the safety of everyone."

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako saka tiningnan ang mga puno na nakapalibot sa amin. Nakita ko kung paano niya sinundan ng tingin ang dalawa pang sasakyan na nakaabang sa labas ng gate. I guess it was his men.

"That's very assuring."

The side of his lips turned upward and said, "very."

Napairap na lamang ako. Nang maramdaman ang nakakairitang ingay ng katahimikan ay nilingon ko siya.

"Maganda ba ako? I mean, do I look presentable?"

Tiningnan niya ako mula sa rear view mirror saka umiling. Bumuka ang bibig niya na para bang sasagot na sana ngunit mabilis iyong isinara. Ang kaniyang noo ay nakakunot habang nakatingin sa rear view mirror bago iyon ipinokus sa daan. The screeching sound of a wrecked wheels surrounded the dark and silent night of the road. Lumingon ako sa gilid upang tingnan ang nangyayari sa likod at nagulat ako sa nakita. I saw men with their masks on, they're riding on a motorcycle with a loud booming of its engine.

Oh, God.

Hindi ko magawang kumilos kahit na naririnig ko ang boses ni Dante. Yes, I could probably hear him but I couldn't understand it. It was like he was talking but my mind wouldn't process it. Until he growled on my side. I turned to look at him, his brows furrowed in annoyance. "Ina."

Nanginginig ang kamay ko habang hawak ang bibig. Hindi ako makasagot ngunit ramdam ko ang ginagawang pagpapakalma ni Dante sa sarili.

"Get my phone and open it."

"Pero.."

"Listen, Catalina. Walang mangyayaring masama sa iyo--"

My hands fell to my side as my breathing hitched. "Paano sila? Iyong.." mga tauhan mo.

"We have no more time for that, Ina. You need to listen to me and to me only." When I didn't respond, he hissed and grabbed something in his pocket. He handed me his phone. "Ngayon, nakikiusap ako, buksan mo iyan."

Napatanga ako. Hindi makagalaw hanggang sa makarinig ako ng putok ng baril na nakapagpagising sa akin. The more I act like this, the more people will be injured.. or worse, dead.

"Password." I stated as soon as I saw his phone popped its keyboard.

Hindi siya agad nakasagot at tiningnan muna ang nasa harapan niya. Ang dalawang kotse ay hininaan ang pagtakbo habang ang isa ay natira sa harapan, as if protecting us is their first priority.

"Your name," he murmured but I heard it. My brows furrowed and shook my head. Ang weird ng password niya.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang hindi iyon bumukas. Sinubukan ko na ang all capital letters at lahat ngunit hindi ito mabukas bukas.

"Hindi naman, ah. I entered it on caps lock and all pero hindi naman nabubukas."

"Your name, Ina."

Nanliit ang mga mata ko saka mahinang tumango. "Yes, your name. Oh, God Dante. Akala ko ba nagmamadali tayo?"

I saw how his eyes glimmer in amusement but that only annoyed me more. Goodness, this man knows nothing but his amusement towards whatever I don't know what is but this whole damn situation.

"Catalina Suarez-Alfonso. Small letters."

"What?" I asked, my jaw dropped.

"I told you, your name. Type it before we lose all the time in the world."

I went back into entering the password in his phone and when it opened, I asked him what to do. Tiningnan niya muna ang daan bago ako binalingan ng tingin.

"Search for Cain in my contacts at tawagan mo siya." He said as he gripped the steering wheel in his hands, his knuckles turning white.

Nang marinig ko ang boses ng kapatid niya sa kabilang linya ay nagbuga ako ng hininga, handa na sanang magsalita nang sumigaw si Dante sa gilid ko. "Back-up, Cain. Now!"

Napasigaw ako sa gulat nang may bumangga sa gilid ko. Nang tingnan ko kung ano iyon ay napasinghap ako. Isa sa mga motor ay nasa gilid ng kotse habang ang baril ay nakatutok sa akin. Oh, God. Can he see me through this tinted window? I almost fainted in surprise until I felt Dante's hand on mine.

"Kumapit ka, Ina dahil paliliparin ko ang kotse."

"What?"

Inagaw niya ang telepono sa kamay ko saka tinapon iyon sa ibabaw ng dashboard.

"Stay low. The car is bulletproof but I still need you to follow orders, Ina. So stay low and don't open your eyes until I say so."

Mabilis kong sinunod ang utos niya at tinakpan na lamang ang aking mga tenga ngunit rinig ko pa rin ang bawat galaw ni Dante sa aking gilid. Even if I was slipped down my chair, I could still feel the cold breeze kissing my skin. My hands trembled in fear and I shivered with the intensity of my heartbeats. Narinig ko kung paano kinasa ni Dante ang baril at ipinutok iyon sa gilid ko. Napasigaw na lamang ako sa gulat at binuksan ang mata. Sarado na ang bintana ngunit nanlaki ang mata ko sa nakita. Before my very eyes was the crossing street that has lights in each side and in front. Nasisiguro kong hindi iyon sibilyan dahil mga armado ito, nakatayo sa gitna ng kalsada habang ang iba ay nasa loob ng sasakyan, handa ng iputok ang mga baril na nakalabas sa bintana.

This is not good. I heard Dante cussed beside me.

"Mamà." I cried in silence as I prayed for a miracle.

Mamamatay na ba ako? Hindi pa ako handa.

"I need you to trust me, Catalina."

Tiningnan ko si Dante na kalmado lang sa gilid ko. Nakahinto na pala ang kotse at ang tatlo pang kasama namin ay nakapalibot sa amin. Sa pagkakaalam ko ay apat lang sa bawat isang sasakyan ang nasa loob at nasisiguro kong ang iba ay may sugat na. They are even outnumbered but that didn't stop them from protecting us. It was as if they have vowed their lives just to protect Dante. Protect me.

Napaiyak ako saka umiling kay Dante. "No, Dante. I heard that from movies and all pero wala tayo sa movies," I sobbed. "This is reality and I don't wanna die... I don't want you hurt."

He hardly even understood me because he just laughed at me. "This is not a movie and yet you are confessing to me at this very moment."

"Oh, God. This is not a confession!"

He smiled and I was sitting there, stunned and hyperventilating at his breathtaking smile. It was so genuine even at this kind of situation. And I never expected this side of him. Nagulat ako nang kunin niya ang kamay ko at nilagay ang baril roon.

"What.."

"I need you to protect yourself, Ina. Trust me and everything will be alright."