Utos Niya

38 DEADLINE

Noleen began to explain. "I was on my way home—"

"Alone?" putol agad ng binata.

She glared at him.

"Did you see your husband?"

"I left the party."

"I asked you a question. Did you see your husband? Did you talk to him?"

Before Noleen could respond, Cruz grabbed her and inspected the angry bruises on her neck and arms. His eyes, she noticed, seemed cold with the promise of murder.

To her dismay, Cruz bent over to examine her injured knee. Swearing loudly, hinawakan niya ang tuhod nito. Puno ito ng gasgas. Ang sugat ay tila ba natamo sa pagkakasubsob.

Agad binawi ni Noleen ang binti at umatras mula sa mapanuring mga mata ng binata.

He narrowed his gaze at her. "Who were you running from?" His tone was blood chilling. "Was it him?"

Kung may bagay na kinamumuhian si Cruz, ito ay ang pisikal na pananakit ng mga babae. Hindi ito magagawa ni Xander, hindi ganoon ang kaibigan. Ngunit ngayon, hindi niya na alam ang paniniwalaan.

When it came to women, Cruz didn't always think. All logic and reasoning was clouded by the force to defend them. He would march head on and demand for a fight. But when he saw Xander with one woman after another, he couldn't do it. Hindi ito dahil magkaibigan sila. Senri was one of his closest friends as well and that didn't stop him from thrashing the cold bastard.

The thought of Noleen prevented him.

"Siya ba ang nanakit sa 'yo?"

Noleen regarded him in disbelief. "How could you?"

"'Wag mo siyang pagtakpan, Miss!" Ang kalmado at inosenteng mukha ng binata ay nalukot ng galit. "Ilang beses ko na siyang nakitang kasama ang ibang babae. Ilang kwarto na na pagmamay-ari ng Starcross ang ginamit ng hayop na 'yon para saktan ka. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at nagawa ka niyang pagbuhatan ng kamay?" Ipinagdiinan ni Cruz ang bawat salita. "Bakit kailangan mong tanggapin ang mga kagaguhang pinaggagagawa niya sa 'yo?"

Isang malutong na sampal ang sinagot ni Noleen.

"Ang lalaking 'yon ay asawa ko!" Nanlilisik ang mga matang depensa ni Noleen. "At wala kang alam sa mga pinagsasasabi mo. Kaibigan ka niya—"

"Hindi ko na siya kilala!" Cruz bellowed, ignoring the sting on his cheek. Itinaas muli ni Noleen ang kamay ngunit pinigilan na ito ni Cruz. "Hindi ko kilala ang hayop na handang iwan ang sariling asawa para sa iba!"

"You—!"

Without thinking clearly, Cruz leaned in and forced his lips on Noleen's, shutting her up. The kiss was rough and unfeeling, angry and punishing. Bakit kailangan magustuhan ng babaeng ito ang lalaking nagagawang saktan siya?

Unknowingly, Cruz's hold on Noleen's wrist tightened. She struggled against him, pushing him away, but he wouldn't allow it. The man groaned in protest because he wanted more.

He wanted her.

SHIT!

Biglang natauhan ang binata. Dahan-dahang inilayo ni Cruz ang mukha sa babae, he was breathing hard. Anong kagaguhan ang ginawa niya?

His shocked gaze met hers. "Miss . . ."

Dinuraan siya ni Noleen. Cruz tightly shut his eyes and wiped his jaw with the back of his fist, keeping quiet as Noleen hissed obscenities at him.

Feeling remorseful, he was unable to meet her stare. Ngunit pinagpatuloy niya ang nais sabihin. "Niloloko ka niya, ginagago, at lahat na. Miss, buksan mo ang mga mata mo."