CEO FROM HELL

CHAPTER 9

"Get in the closet."

Catherine glanced over her shoulder at Layton. His jacket had left his broad shoulders to rest on the back of his chair and a finger worked its way to loosen his tie. In any other situation she would've found it hot....and a part of her did even in this one. But the creepy screeching occupied her mind way more than any lewd thought ever could.

"Why-"

"Don't ask questions, just do it." The demand left no place for questions. Anyone at their right mind would obey without a second of hesitation. Everyone that wasn't Catherine.

"I won't get into that closet." Her nose scrunched up at the thought of being stuffed into a narrow dark place along with Layton's coats and whatever else crap he kept there. She was no box to be put away when not needed!

"Why do you have to be so damn stubborn?" Layton glanced at the stiffened figure of his assistant with a flustered look she had never seen on him before.

"Like you're one to talk. I won't get into that closet, kapeesh?!"

"You're being a nuisance."

"And you're being a butt-"

Screech!

What the fuck is out there!?

All thoughts that had been causing her a great headache with how they billowed in her head quieted down at the sound of someone stopping just outside the office door. For all she knew, it could've been anyone, but her gut feeling told her otherwise and that's one thing that had never betrayed her.

Suddenly the door flew open, slamming into the wall with enough force to create a handle size hole. It all happened in blink of an eye. The figure clad in black swished across the office, something long and shiney grasped in its one hand.

There was flash of meal directed towards her and she would've sworn there was also a set of teeth showing beneath the lips that were parted in an insane smile.

Catherine drew in a deep breath. It felt like her last one. And it would've been if a strong arm hadn't wrapped around her from behind. Her frozen body was swiveled around and her cheek ended up pressed right up against broad chest.

A familiar scent of expensive cologne hit her nose. It was all she could recognize at that moment and clung to it for her dear life. The rest was lost in chaos caused by the owner of the creepy smile. It never left her mind, even at state of panicked daze that a pained moan made her snap out of.

Catherine lifted her head from the superbly ironed dress shirt. Layton's expression was twisted in pain. But even then his pale blue eyes never left hers. He seemed almost relieved. It was a fleeting moment that the emotion lingered before disappearing back behind the veil of his cold temper.

There was not much time to dwell on it either as the next moment she was pushed away like a rag doll, nearling ending up toppling onto the floor like a clumsy toddler. She just barely managed to break the fall by grabbing onto the closest piece of furniture in her way.

Her attention didn't remain on anything for too long these days. But the intruder had all of her attention even when she was balancing on her one leg. That and the red substance that covered her hand from having to cling onto the her boss.

The sticky dark liquid coated her fingers, dribbling down her arm. The blood wasn't hers. It soaked through Layton's white shirt, oozing out of a large thin cut that had formed on his back.

Her brain registred what had just happened embarrassingly slowly. It was only when it became clear that the shiny thing in strangers hand had been a sword, it occurred to her just how dangerous the situation was in first place.

Layton stood leaning against his desk, glaring at the willowy man or woman standing in front of him. The attackers face was covered aside from the mouth that had curved into a nasty smirk.

"I am the punishment of God. He, the great Lord, knows of your sins, and has sent me to send you to your fate." The voice was twisted, higher pitched than anyone would've pictured it to be.

Catherine could only stand frozen as the attacker announced his master plan and raised his sword for yet another blow. Her entire body was tense as she prepared to jump to the gun. It was pure instinct. And perhaps she had a deathwish, but she sure as hell wouldn't be the one to stand by as somebody is stabbed to their death.

That was until an arrogant 'humph' interfered her attempt at being heroic.

"You're nothing." Layton stated, staring at the assassin like he or she was just a fly that would be crashed by a newspaper any moment. "And you will be nothing more than you are right now. Pathetic." There wasn't a hint of worry in his voice as he stood straight.

"You will pay amands,Greed!"

Catherine felt her breath glitch at the sight of blade coming down at Layton. The time moved oddly. At one second it felt like decade had passed in a second and in another it was the other way around. Now time stopped completely.

Her eyes widened as Layton's hand wrapped around the sharp edge of the metal, bringing it to an abrupt halt mere inches away from his neck. More blood begun to seethe from his palm, but he didn't even react to it.

"Whoever sent a sinner to kill a sin, was a fool to make such decision."

Layton's hand grabbed the attacker's neck in a swift movement, much like he had done with the sword.

"Gha!"

The audible crack that echoed through the office was deafening. The sound echoed through her ears over and over again as she watched the body go limp and stranger's neck tilt backwards in an odd angle.

The lash noise made by the person send shivers down her spine. He..or she...was dead. Layton Grim, the man she was forced to work for had just killed someone right in front of her eyes and didn't even care. Or at least appeared not to.

Layton simply dropped the body onto the ground, mindlessly stepping over it to wipe his hands in a clean rag.

Catherine had forgot how to breathe, not to mention talk as she watched him grumbling under his breath about weak mortals trying to kill a someone like him again. He didn't even refer to himself as a human being!!!

"Wh...what..." Her eyes were glued on the body. The word she somehow managed to force past her dry vocal cords were muffled by a loud scream. She didn't even realize that it was her screaming until Layton shot her a warning look.

"You just KILLED that man! KILLED!" She tugged on her hair in distress, making them even more messier than they were before.

"He tried to kill me." Layton responded with a shrug that only ticked her off more.

"You should've called fucking police! You just killed a man! You murdered someone! Fu- No! I'll call the police!" Her words came out in stutter and her hands shook as if she had been attached to electricity.

"No you won't."

A bloody hand stopped her before she could grab the phone off the table.

"Let go of me, you murderer!"

"Quit yelling like an idiot." Layton's grim tightened, making her shake harder. Even if she managed to look him dead in the eye, she was sure her fear was so obvious he could smell it. She almost expected him to mock her for that, but instead his expression remained one of a stone.

"Calm yourself. You won't remember anything in the morning anyway."

"What!?"

Before she could question any further, Layton rested both of his hands on her cheeks. His thumbs stroked lightly along her cheekbones in almost soothing manner.

"You won't remember what happened tonight," His voice suddenly seemed far away. The blue of his eyes begun to change their color to bright golden hue. "You will only know of the events before you entered this office."

Catherine's consciousness begun to slip away. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on grasping the last bits of control, it was as elusive as air and soon enough the battle was lost.

Her eyes dropped close and body relaxed. The last thing she knew was a pair of strong arms lifting her from the ground.