330 A New Member or a New Leader? 4

Damien went rigid upon hearing the man's voice. He only heard his voice once in a phone call but he knew it so well already. His coal-black eyes darkened as he stared at the device on the wall at the same time that Katherine's hand trembled when she reached out to turn on the camera. 

She didn't need to see him to know that it was really him because she was one hundred percent sure that it was—rather, she had to see to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. And judging by how Damien's fingers and arm muscles flexed around her, she knew that he was also angry.

As soon as Katherine pressed on a button, there was a movement on the screen and the camera from the lobby showed the man that she expected to see. "Chris…" she muttered under gritted teeth, her voice dipping low.

"Hello, Katherine," Chris responded with a nonchalant attitude and even gave her a smile through the lens when he saw the LED lit up.

She pressed the press-to-talk mic to speak to him through the intercom. "What are you doing here?"

"Why don't you let me up so we can talk." He said it like a statement instead of a request — as if it was an order.

His bold command felt very familiar to her. It was the voice that gave her orders back when she was still an agent in Shadow. The effect it had on her made her slightly shiver. She clenched her hands into fists and the rage within her flared up. And yet without realizing, her finger was already hovering over the green button to give him access.

Damien instantly pulled her hand and snapped, "What are you doing? Why would you give him access?"

She didn't know what to say and all she could do was stare at Damien who had a baffled expression.

"Come on, Katherine. It's just me. I'm alone. I promise," Chris reassured.

The tone of his voice was all too familiar for her that she immediately knew he was telling the truth. But the reason behind his sudden arrival was still alarming.

"Styles!" she shouted and in a few seconds, Styles came out of his room with a huge smile on his face and a tablet in his hand. He was glued to the screen on his tablet as he listed down tons of things that he wanted for Christmas—well, for noon—like what King Charming told him earlier.

"Yo, I gotta say… Christmas came early for me. I can finally get that—"

"Tic toc, Katherine." Chris's voice sounding from the intercom halted Styles and he almost dropped his tablet. 

"Holy sh—what the hell is he doing here?" Styles's eyes were wide as he came up to them and watched the intercom. "Who's with him? And what does he want?"

"I don't know. He says he's alone. Call Amelia and tell her not to come back," she ordered. "And Styles, don't come out of your room."

Styles disappeared and he was on his phone as soon as he reached his bedroom.

While he was on his phone giving orders to his men, Katherine went to the sofa and dug underneath to grab hidden handguns with silencers. She heard him finish his call and she tossed him one as she huffed, "You know how to use that, right?" It wasn't really a question, she already knew that he was capable.

"I hate guns," Damien growled, checking if the Smith \u0026 Wesson handgun was loaded. It had 14 rounds. He slammed the magazine back into its place and pointed it downward, gripping it with both of his hands.

Katherine and Damien took cover from the wall behind the foyer, waiting for Chris to arrive through the elevator. When the two heard the elevator's bell, they looked at each other and silently conversed with their eyes.

Light footsteps resounded through the hall. Chris was very used to walking so light that there was almost no sound when he reached the foyer. He took in the empty place, his eyes and ears always vigilant.

"I already told you… I came alone. I'm unarmed." He raised his hands to unbutton his coat and heard the clicking of a gun, indicating that the safety was unlocked.

"Stop. Hands up." Katherine appeared from behind the foyer's wall with her gun pointing at Chris. Her eyes were fierce and her nostrils flared upon seeing the man she used to look up to.

A cocky smile broke onto Chris's face and he stopped his hands from moving. However, he took a step forward in her direction. "Always so feisty, my Queen."

"Don't move." Damien came into sight and stood next to Katherine, his gun also pointing at Chris's head.

Chris did not expect Damien's presence and his smug expression slipped from his face. He noticed that the two were still in their loungewear and his eyes tightened. Seeing the two lovebirds pointing their guns to him, he knew he was in deep shît. But his confidence never wavered. "I see…" he chuckled.

"What are you doing here, Chris?!" Katherine bit out angrily.

"Lower your gun and I will tell you."

"Not gonna happen," Damien hissed.

"Alright. I'll just show you that I'm telling the truth. I don't have anything on me." Chris lowered his arms and started unbuttoning his coat.

"Slowly," Katherine commanded.

An amused look crossed Chris's face and he couldn't help but beam, "My… I didn't know you like a striptease, Katherine."

"Shut up." Damien released the safety on his gun, catching Chris's attention as he took off his coat. The former detested Chris's attitude.

Chris shrugged, tossing the coat onto the floor and he turned around for them to see that he wasn't hiding anything on his waist. Damien wasn't sold and so he walked over and patted him down to make sure he didn't hide anything on his legs.

"You didn't tell me your sweetheart likes to cop a feel too…" Chris taunted, his knowing smile plastered on his face while his arms were raised. 

Irritated, Damien stepped back from Chris when he was done. He was standing behind Chris at the moment and without second thoughts, he swiftly slammed the base of his gun in a light, controlled strike to the bastard's back of the head—just under the round bone, knocking him out.

"Seriously? You liked this guy back then?" Damien huffed, staring at Chris who was out cold on the floor. 

Katherine was stunned to see what just happened. Damien hit Chris so fast, she didn't even realize that he did until Chris dropped. "What?"