"I'M TIRED FROM WORK," Jared said breathily before Lily pushed him on the bed.

The bed belongs to The Org. Kanina pa sila nakarating sa sex club. Kapwa nakaligo at nakapagbihis na kaya maroon na roba na lang ang natatanging mga saplot sa katawan.

"But you came here with me, subby," ikot ng babae papunta sa gilid ng kama. His eyes followed her and saw her bend over to pick up something from the side of the black leather bed. "So it means, it doesn't matter if you're tired from work. You want to be here."

Jared heard a clank as Lily pulled up a black strap. Sa dulo niyon, may makapal at mabalahibong wrist cuff na kulay itim din.

"I am already telling you," he sighed as he watched Lily cuff his left wrist. Maingat na hinatak-hatak pa iyon ng babae para sipatin ang higpit niyon. "Pagod ako."

She leaned over the bed, drew her face close to his'. "I don't care," dominanteng hablot nito sa kanyang pangahan. "What have I told you about doing what you want? Doing what you want instead of doing what others tell you to do? All just because you can't say no."

Jared looked into her eyes. He really tried to focus on the lesson she was trying to teach him. But damn, how could he concentrate? Sa pagkakayuko kasi ng babae para malapit ang mukha sa kanya, lumaylay ang kwelyuhan ng suot nitong roba. He had a glimpse of her breasts hanging down, how glossy her skin looked. He lifted his head a little. He wanted to see those nipples.

Lily scoffed and moved away. Sumama ang loob niya dahil pinagkaitan ng pagkakataong masilipan pa ito. Pumuwesto ang dalaga sa paanan niya. This time, she restrained his left ankle with another cuff.

"This is what I've been trying to say all along, Jared," litanya ng babae habang abala sa pagkumpleto sa pagkakatali sa kanya sa kama. "Say no while you still can. It's harder to get out when you're already in."

"Are you talking about your pussy, Ma'am?"

Tumuwid ng pagkakatayo si Lily. There was surprise in her eyes and it filled him with pride. Halatang naapektuhan ang babae sa binitawan niyang banat. Pero mabilis ding naglaho ang gulat. Humalili ang pilyang ngisi sa mapula nitong mga labi.

"I'm talking about you getting into situations you don't like, getting in just because you can't say no."

"Well, guess what? I can't say no to you. I already got inside you, it's so hard to stop having sex with you now."

He watched the skirt of her robe gently rub the back of her thighs, the space under her butt when she turned on her back. Then she sashayed away from the bed.

Sly woman. She effortlessly hid her reaction from the words he just said.

Gusto niyang humabol dito, pero hinila lang siya pabalik ng mahigpit na pagkakaposas sa kama.

Natanaw niya si Lily, abala sa isang built-in drawer. Pinadulas nito ang isang kamay sa hanay ng mga gamit na naroon.

"For tonight's session, subby," she clearly explained, "you can't cum unless I say so."

"Lagi naman," bulong niya.

"And," Lily glanced at him over her shoulder, "the lesser chance you'll get to cum if you don't answer my questions."

Nahigit niya ang paghinga dahil lumapit na sa kama ang dalaga.

He saw her holding a black BDSM crop. It was long and sleek with a shiny, flat, tag-shaped leather at the tip. Lily slightly parted her legs as she stood at the foot of the bed. Mata lang ng babae ang bumaba para mainit siyang titigan. She laid out her palm. Sinalo ng palad na iyon ang isang lumalagitik na palo mula sa hawak nitong crop. Lily was unfazed while drawing in a sharp inhale between her teeth. Then, she smiled in satisfaction.

May gumaan na ang pagpalo-palo ng babae sa sariling palad gamit nang crop. Jared watched its metal shaft bend as she slapped her hand faster. And for demonstration, Lily waved the crop in the mid-air, right over his body.

It swooshed over him, like a sweeping storm wind.

Napalunok siya sa hagupit na pinakita ng crop na iyon. Hagupit na kaya nitong idulot kapag nasa kamay ni Lily Celeste Marlon.

Binawi ni Lily ang crop kaya bumalik ang mga mata niya sa mga mata nito. The glow in her eyes were like fireflies, dancing in amusement in the midst of the dim pale yellow lighting of the red-walled room.

Lily climbed on the bed, her careful feet threading between his parted thighs.

Yumuko ang dalaga, pinailalim ang dulo ng crop sa palda ng kanyang roba.

Then, she gently lifted the skirt of his robe with her BDSM crop. The crop parted his robe open like Moses to the Red sea. One strong upward tug, and the crop has also loosened the knot around his waists. Maingat na binuklat ni Lily ang roba para tuluyang ilantad ang hubad niyang katawan.

And Jared just could not explain it, but he was already starting to get a hard on just seeing Lily so pleased with how his body looked. Lily gazed into his eyes, showed in her stare how excited she was feeling. Hindi na rin nito napigilan ang mapangisi.

Kinaladkad ni Lily ang dulo ng crop sa gitna ng kanyang dibdib. Halos pigil niya ang paghinga nang maramdaman ang tigas at kinis ng leather niyon habang kumikiskis sa kanyang balat. As soon as the crop's flat base reached the middle of his collar bone, she flicked it up, patting underneath his chin. Sunud-sunuran siya sa paitaas na tulad ng crop, napatingala siya ng dalaga gamit iyon.

He took another deep breath as the base began trailing down to trace his throat.

"Jared baby," Lily began, "bakit harap-harapan kang nakikipag-flirt sa akin kanina?"

"What—" tumahimik siya nang tumapik sa ilalim ng kanyang baba ang pamalo nito.

"Ako lang ang magtatanong rito, Jared. Sagot lang ang sasabihin mo," mahigpit nitong saad, malamig na titig ang pinukol sa kanya. "Bakit?"

"Because I want to."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I know you, Jared. You aim to be as professional as possible in the workplace. You can't fool me, so just say the damn truth."

If I say the truth, she will still punish me. Because she made me do something that I don't really want to do. Ayokong sabihin sa kanya na nagsisimula na akong maging sweet sa kanya sa harap ng mga tao sa Variant. Na ginagawa ko iyon para walang magtaka kung bakit lagi akong nakadikit kay Lily. Na kailangan ko namang dalasan ang pagdikit sa kanya dahil inutos ni Basil.

Dahil siya naman ang gusto ni Basil na i-evaluate ko.

And if I wanted to be as non-biased as possible, Lily shouldn't know that.

"I know you want to. Pero 'yong ipahalata 'yon sa mga katrabaho natin? Suspicious," lipat ng pamalo nito sa kanyang pisngi. Halatang eksperto na sa paggamit ng pamalong iyon si Lily. Kontrolado nito ang lakas ng pagpalo sa kanya. The crop's base tapped his cheek gently. "Come on. Tell."

Jared stared into her waiting eyes before bravely saying.

"Ayoko sabihin ang totoong dahilan."

Namilog ang mga mata ng babae. Tulad ng inaasahan ni Jared, hindi nito inakalang harap-harapan siyang tatangging sagutin ang tanong nito.

"Getting brave now, huh? Subby? Why?" bawi nito sa pamalo at dahan-dahang lumuhod. Tinukod nito ang mga tuhod sa magkabilang gilid ng kanyang bewang. "Para maka-graduate ka na agad sa akin? You think, you can easily convince me that you've already changed? That you're not afraid to say no anymore?"

Nilakasan niya ang loob. "Ayokong sabihin. What are you going to do about it?"

Lily turned icy. "Are you sure about that?" she questioned while untying the knot of her robe. And before Jared coud reply, Lily already pushed back the sleeves. Pinanood niya ang swabeng pagdulas ng manggas ng roba ng dalaga mula sa mga balikat pababa

And there she was, stark naked in front of him. Her flawlessness and smoothness were glossy like honey glaze against the room's soft dim lighting.

He accidentally yanked on his cuffs again. Fuck. He wanted to hold her body so bad. He wanted to run his hands all over, wander every scape of her flesh and skin.

Damn! Damn! Damn!

"Ayaw mo talagang sabihin?"

Nagtitimping nagtiis siya. "Hindi ko sasabihin."

She grinned at him. So wicked. Lily reclaimed her BDSM crop and slapped his cheek with it. Napailing siya sa paglagitik niyon.

Fuck. That stings!

"Tell me."

"Ayoko," mariin niyang wika nang lingunin ito.

"Say," tampal ulit nito.

Napapikit siya. His eyes returned to hers with defiance. "I won't fucking tell."

"Stubborn," tampal ulit nito.

The pain magnified. She always slap him the same stinging damned spot! Damn it!

"Tell me, Jared baby," tampal na naman nito.

"I'm not telling!"

"You'll regret not telling," alis ng babae sa ibabaw niya.

Pumuwesto na naman si Lily sa paanan ng kama. His breathing stopped when he saw her crop's base caressing his hardening cock. The flat leather stroked him from the base to the tip, following his curve shape draped on top of his balls.

Lily cocked her head to the side, threw him a challenging underlook.

"This will hurt you, I'm telling you."

"I'm still not telling," he hissed between his teeth.

Siyang tampal nito sa kanyang paninigas.

"Damn it!" he groaned.

"Hindi pa 'yan ang pinakamalakas kong palo, Jared baby," salo ni Lily sa nagbabaga niyang tingin.

She will definitely pay for causing him this pain. She would see. She would pay...

He would murder her pussy so hard once he get to have the chance.

"Oh, look. Your cock likes it," she smiled.

Fuck, his cock was already starting to erect. Nanigas ito ng tuluyan dahil sa balak na gantihan ang babae. Medyo umangat na ito mula sa pagkakapatong sa ibabaw ng kanyang...

Another slap from the crop made him groan. At doon na nagtuloy-tuloy ang pagtampal ng crop ni Lily sa katawan ng kanyang ari.

"L-Lily!" he was breathless as the leather spanked him.

"Come on, Jared baby. I'm waiting," she looked at him coldly now. "Tell me what that is for. And after that, you tell me kung ano na ang pinagagawa sa'yo ng magaling kong kapatid."

She wanted to know Basil's plans?

Napalunok siya. Umuusbong sa kanyang balat ang mga ugat sa kamay, braso at binti dahil sa iniinda niyang sakit. He had to keep clenching his fists for having nothing else to hold on to. Walang-wala na siyang mapagbalingan ng sakit na nararamdaman.

Even if her slaps were as gentle as they could, his cock was just so sensitive.

Lily spat on his cock, making him jolt at the coolness that touched his heated skin. He shook before another wave of slap landed on the top of his shaft.

"Don't make me lose my patience, Jared."

Nanigas siya at nangalit lalo. Nakakabingi ang pagbundol sa kanyang dibdib, ang pagpiksi ng buhay na buhay niyang dugo. How dare she hurt him like this? He wanted relief from this pain so bad.

And fucking her nonsense would do it. It was the only relief he could see.

Another slap and he felt himself throbbing.

I can't cum, I can't fucking cum...

It was a mistake to lift his head. Now he saw Lily— her drop-dead sexiness and nakedness. Her cruel amber eyes and soft lips. Her blonde-dyed hair that he wanted to clutch so bad...

Then a slap! It was followed by a recurring, impatient tap against his shaft!

Fuck it was so good, he felt his flesh tingle. Arousal brimmed from his balls and belly then began spreading along his shaft to the tip. Lalo siyang nangalit. Lalong nag-ugat. Lalong kumalat ang pamumula mula sa kanyang leeg hanggang sa mukha.

He could feel it. He could just feel it. Her spanks were like triggers pulled repeatedly for his massive gun to begin shooting.

Hirap na hirap na siyang labanan. He wanted to cum already.

"If you ever wanted to have babies, I swear you, Lily! Mahihirapan ka dahil sa pamamalo mo sa ari ko!" he growled and flinched as he threw his head back to endure the pain.

It hurts holding back. It hurts more trying to ignore it. His legs and wrists were already yanking the straps in his limited ways possible. Jared was already heaving in deep breaths.

She was right. This is really a punishment.

Jared knew it. Whether he tell her the truth or not, there's no other way to go but pain.

He wanted to scream already.

The silence made him stop.

In that silence, he had a realization. Pwede siyang mamili sa dalawa— ang sumunod sa gusto ng ibang tao dahil takot siyang tumanggi, o ang tumanggi at laging piliin kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin sa buhay. Alinman kasi ang piliin niya sa dalawa, masasaktan pa rin siya. Mapaparusahan. Magdudusa.

But his rational mind was there to make things hard for him again.

That realization was so easy when you think about it. Pero mahirap, mahirap gawin iyon.

He opened his eyes.

Masyado nang napapatagal ang pananahimik ni Lily. Tumigil na rin ang pagpalo nito sa kanya.

Nang mag-angat si Jared ng ulo, nasalubong niya ang mulagat na mga mata ng babae. It was as if she woke up from a spell.

That look on her face... it awakened this desire in him. He wanted to wipe away that somberness brewing within her. He wanted to pleasure her to take away that look in her eyes. Nalungkot ba ang babae dahil hindi na sila magkakaanak? Does she want to have kids with him too? Natakot ba ang babae tungkol sa mga baby dahil ayaw pa nitong magkaanak?

Fuck. Why did he even say that? It was so out of the blue! He wasn't even planning to have babies with Lily yet— Fuck. Is that his unconscious desire? Was he being the fucking old fashioned hopeless romantic that Lily was claiming him to be?

"Lily..."

Humugot ang babae ng malalim na paghinga. She was trying her best to remain composed. Pero hindi yata nito kinaya ito. Tumalikod si Lily, nabitawan ang BDSM crop at dumiretso sa banyo.

"Lily—" he was about to get up and follow her. Hinila na naman siya pabalik sa pagkakahiga ng mga restraints ng kama. "Lily, I don't know what I was saying. Nadala ako— I—"

The bathroom door clicked close.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath as his worried eyes landed on the closed bathroom door.

Sumayad muli sa kama ang likod ng kanyang ulo. Blangkong tumitig sa kisame si Jared. He was worried as hell until he remembered something.

Damn. Nakatali pa rin ako. And his belly began aching. This itch bothered him so bad. It was hot and pressuring. Hindi siya mapakali. He wanted to cum and yet he couldn't. Nabitin siya.

Hindi pwede...

"Lily!" tawag niya sa babae. "Lily!"

.

.

.

***

.

.

.

"MASYADO MO RIN NAMAN YATANG PINAG-IINITAN ANG KAPATID MO. Have you ever tried to reconsider her?"

"Reconsider? Why would I do that? I already did that before and you know what, Mr. Guillermo? My sister never changed."

"But she has to care for something. If not, how can a person keep on living like that? Caring for no one or nothing? The best thing we can hope for is... she cares for the company."

Basil was already seated in front of his study table when he remembered that conversation with Mr. Guillermo. Kanina pa siya nakatanga sa harap ng bukas na laptop. The monitor was filled with letters and graphs illustrating the movements of the stocks he currently invested in.

Sa kanilang magkakapatid, si Basil ang masyadong absorbed sa trabaho. He has more ambitions than their eldest sibling, Daisy. Kaya hanggang sa bahay, dala niya pa rin ang trabaho mula sa Variant man iyon o sa iba pa niyang mga investments.

The only reason why he wanted to work on many things is money.

He wanted to collect money and soon, leave the shadows of their family's legacy.

He wanted to make his own legacy. His own company.

Wala siyang interes sa pagpo-proseso o printa ng mga papel— lahat ng kinakatawan ng Variant. Ang interes niya talaga ay nasa pagkain— sa kape. Noon, hindi pa ganoon kasikat ang mga coffee shops. That's why his parents managed to convince him to focus on Variant. Ngayong, pumatok ang mga café, labis ang pagsisisi niyang nakinig siya sa mga ito.

But, he couldn't just leave Variant now. Lalo na at ang CEO niyon ay si Daisy.

Daisy was dealing with her own inner turmoils. She was already in her fifties and bored with her life. The only fuel that kept her going was the desire for revenge against a man who annulled their marriage years ago. She was functioning like a robot— heartless and cold— and being aware of that made Basil cautious. Kahit hindi niya gusto ang field ng Variant, may respeto siya sa kompanyang pinaghirapan ng naunang henerasyon ng kanilang pamilya. Hindi niya kayang hayaang mapunta sa wala ang kompanya at magdusa sa personal na kapintasan nilang mga may-ari ang mga empleyadong nagtatrabaho ng marangal.

He could have left Variant years ago to pursue his coffee business if only Lily could be trusted.

Napasandal si Basil sa kinauupuan. Napamasahe sa kanang sentido habang nakatukod ang siko sa arm rest ng upuan.

He decided to take a breather from checking the stocks and thinking of his fucked up siblings. Basil mindlessly scrolled around Facebook. Napadpad na lang siya sa Memories— ang feature ng website na nagpapakita ng lumang mga post.

Isa sa mga nakita niya roon ay ang litrato nilang magkakapatid kasama si Lily.

It was a late celebration of Lily's birthday six years ago. Kasama pa nila sa litratong iyon ang ex nitong si Oliver. Upon seeing the big smile on Lily's face while holding out a chocolate cake, he could help feeling a clench in his heart. That feeling could not be seen on his flat, serious face though.

Basil had to admit it to himself, he missed that kind of Lily. That big smile of her. That positive energy. That child-like wonder in her sparkling eyes.

At ang out-of-this-world na kulay ng buhok.

She tried red and green before. Sa litratong tinitingnan ni Basil, kulay light blue naman ang buhok ni Lily. While she was holding out a candle lit round chocolate cake in the photo, Oliver was hugging her from the back. Nakapatong sa balikat ni Lily ang baba nito habang tipid at conscious ang ngiti. Magkatabi naman sa bandang likuran ni Oliver si Daisy at ang kanilang nanay na si Flora— kapwa masaya ang mga ngiti. Sa tabi ni Lily, naroon ang kanilang ama na si Oswaldo. Their father's eyes were smiling but his lips only formed a straight line. Lahat sila magkakasama sa salas na iyon.

Basil was not in the picture because he was the one who took it.

At dahil nasa cellphone niya ang litrato, siya rin ang mismong nag-upload niyon.

Naka-tag sa litrato ang mga kasama nila roon.

Narinig niya na naman ang boses ni Jared na parang kanyang konsensya.

"Have you ever tried to reconsider her?"

"Bwisit. Oo na, ire-reconsider ko na ulit," bulong niya sabay click sa pangalan ni Lily na naka-tag sa picture.

But as soon as the Facebook profile appeared, he was shocked that he wasn't on Lily's friend list anymore. To double that shock, Basil didn't see Lily's name.

Kahit Lily Celeste Marlon ang lumalabas na pangalang naka-tag sa picture, kapag binuksan na ang mismong profile nito sa Facebook, ibang pangalan na ang lumabas. Tiyak na nagpalit ito ng pangalan sa profile kamakailan lang kaya ganoon ang nangyari.

Ang lumantad na pangalan ng profile ay Rebellacion Trinidad.

At hinding-hindi malilimutan ni Basil ang pangalang iyon.

Dahil iyon ang pangalan ng nag-publish online ng mapanirang post tungkol sa Variant.

He controlled himself, decided to not react. He scrolled past the blank profile picture and blank cover photo. Nakatago ang friendlist ng profile na 'yon.

Ang unang post na nabasa niya ay ang tungkol saVariant.