Chapter 245 - Christopher's Resolve

When Katherine told Chris earlier that she was out for dinner, he went to her apartment and waited for her to come home so he could check up on her. Normally, she'd only be out for an hour like she usually did but it had been more than that since she left Castle and he felt something was off.

When he tried to call her again and she didn't answer, he tracked where she was and ended up in The Scarlet Hotel's bar. This was the first time that Katherine had been out of reach and he didn't think she did it on purpose. However, when he reached the seventeenth floor and found her in the balcony of the bar and restaurant, he saw her getting cozy with Damien Park.

He wanted to go to her and interfere with whatever they were doing out there but he stopped in his tracks, surprised when he saw her kissing the nephew of Frederick Park. He looked away and debated whether he should leave her be or take her away immediately. He didn't know what to do at first, distracted by the thought of seeing Katherine kissing someone else.

Chris was not aware of what this was about. How long had this been going on? Has she fallen for him? Or was she close to finding out the people involved in her parents' deaths? Whatever this was, this shouldn't happen. 

Parker has eyes everywhere. She may have been able to dodge the other times but what about this one? Parker had been lenient on Chris but if he knew about this, he would definitely order a Cancel Mission. Parker Green did not tolerate anyone who doesn't follow the rules.

When Chris got his shît together, Katherine and Damien came back inside the bar and so he hid in a corner. He had to conceal his presence first as he was still trying to think of a plan to get her out of there without attracting attention. He saw them leaving the bar and getting into the elevator and he felt enraged when he noticed it went up to the twentieth floor. The bastard even had a room in the hotel and he was taking her there.

Chris needed to do something without exposing Katherine's identity and the only way was to create a distraction whilst he takes her away. He started giving out orders to one of his trusted men and in a few minutes, the job was done. He waited for when Damien was going down the ground floor before he would break into the suite to get Katherine.

He almost couldn't wait and so he started going towards the elevator, bumping into Damien himself — the two of them briefly looked at each other and apologized before going their own ways. If only they weren't in public, Chris would have already done more than just an accidental 'bump'.

...

The effects of the wine that Katherine drunk had already caught up to her. Chris carried her from the room to his car and drove away from the hotel, all the while she was asleep. He finally let out a heavy sigh once he joined the traffic on the main road.

"Pee… I wanna pee…" she mumbled while her eyes were still closed.

Chris glanced at her and decided to bring her to his apartment instead as it was only a couple of blocks away compared to hers which was on the farther end. "We're almost there. Keep it together," he said.

Katherine was mumbling on their way to his door and Chris ushered her towards the toilet where she did her business. After which, she got out and scanned the living room, noticing that she was not in the hotel.

"Where… Where am I?" Katherine was disoriented. She was sleeping in Damien's suite, wasn't she?

"You're in my place." Chris took off his coat and tossed it to an armchair, his brows knitted thinking about what almost happened if he hadn't gotten to her in time.

"Chris?!" Her heart raced, seeing the gorgeous man who was currently staring daggers at her. She was still confused about what happened and why she was in his place where she had only been inside a couple of times in the past.

"What the hell, Katherine?! What were you up to?" he yelled at her as he stalked towards her.

She swallowed, realizing what she was just about to do with a stranger. Damien was a stranger… right? A beautiful stranger who she grew to like. She furrowed her brows and argued back, "I was just having a good time.  What is wrong with you? Can't I have some fun when I'm not working?"

Chris let out a mocking laugh, "Fun? You call that fun? You were about to sleep with the guy!"

"And so what?! What is it to you who I sleep with?" she furiously snapped.

He opened his mouth to retort but he swallowed his words back. What was really the reason? Technically, agents could do whatever they want after work as long as they still abide by the rules. Whoever they sleep with was none of their business as long as feelings were not involved. One-night stands were fine but relationships were off-limits.

But that man was from the Park Family. He was just saving her from making a mistake. He was right to do so!

Katherine was pissed. She met a man who was not afraid to make her feel good and special and Chris just blew it off for her. Damien was sweet… even though he probably only did that to get into her pants… but whatever it was, she was a consenting adult — she knew what she was getting herself into. 

She watched as Chris only looked at her but did not say anything. Was he jealous? Is that why he stopped her from hooking up with another man? But nothing could ever happen between her and Chris because he would never cross the line with her.

When he still didn't say anything, she added, "Why can't you answer? I don't stop you from whatever you do or whoever you spend the night with, why can't I do the same?"

"Because I can't let you be with someone else!" he bit out.

"And why not? It's not like there's something going on between you and me, Chris. So whoever I sleep with has nothing to do with you—"

Katherine's words were cut off when Chris closed the distance between them and kissed her. After so many times that he had stopped himself, he finally kissed her. 

He didn't know when he fell for her because without realizing, he stopped seeing her as that kid from years ago. He saw how Katherine grew to become who she was now. She was a lady in front of him. And now, he had broken his own rule never to get involved with Katherine… This time, there was no going back from here. He had already crossed the line.

"I can't let you be with someone else because I love you," he whispered.

Katherine was so conflicted. Chris… Chris who had never looked her way. Chris whom her heart had been longing for finally kissed her — even told her that he loved her. What was happening?

She was in shock as he stared at him. What do people do in this situation? Chris was making her so confused. She had told herself over and over that nothing was ever going to happen between them despite what she felt for him.

A tear fell from her eye, unsure why her heart was hurting so badly hearing what he just told her. It didn't help that she was drunk from all the wine she had because she couldn't think straight.

Seeing her reaction, Chris thought that she must be surprised. He wasn't stupid, he was definitely aware of what Katherine felt for him for a while now. He had already gone this far of confessing to her, so he couldn't take it back anymore. Therefore, he kissed her again.