The CEO's Painted Skin

He turned his head into the direction of the toilet and saw the driver getting out of the restroom. He released a deep sigh of frustration!

Damn stupid driver!

The driver slid into the driver's seat and starts the engine and soon enough they were speeding back in the highway. They stopped at the first drive-thru motel that they passed by...unfortunately the guard on duty said that the motel was full.

They drive ahead looking for a vacant motel...

The driver saw that his taxi was running out of fuel. "Dang! I'm running out of gas! We need to refuel!"

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Jerome swore again, he was now throwing daggers at the driver, if he had a knife he already murdered the stupid driver! Next time he should bring a weapon with him!

The taxi driver parked at the nearest gasoline station and the service boy pumped fuel into the gas tank.

That was also the moment another taxi stopped by beside their taxi to refuel their tank and he saw Grace on the front seat! What the fuck!? Of all people! It's Grace! Fuck! He was about to duck out from her line of vision but their eyes already met.

Jerome was about to instruct the diver to drive the taxi fast!

But too late...

The service boy hasn't come back yet to return the driver's change!

Damn!

Grace dropped her fare into the driver's palm and got out of the taxi in a hurry and walked towards them, Jerome sighed deeply, he shut his eyes tight, exhaled and groaned in defeat! He needs to be calm.

"Jerome! Have you seen Catherine!?"

"She is with me here, am about to bring her home," he muttered in a casual manner.

Grace felt relieved to see her cousin safe in Jerome's care. She gets inside the taxi and slid into the front seat next to the driver who looked at her wide-eyed.

Jerome instructed the puzzled driver to drive along Morales Avenue towards the direction of Catherine's rented house. The driver just nodded his head and followed his instruction.

"I was about to go to Zenith Disco Bar to fetch Catherine! Didn't know you are about to bring her home. I was calling her cell phone but it's out of coverage area."

"She had fallen asleep," he said.

Jerome continues looking at Grace's back with a murderous look in his eyes.

Grace fished out her mobile device from her shoulder bag and called someone.

"John...I got Catherine with me. Jerome was about to bring her back home, I saw the taxi they were riding in the gasoline station on the way to Catherine's house."

The taxi driver was listening silently to Grace conversation and sneaked glances at Jerome through the rearview mirror dash cam. Jerome threw him a dark look. The driver focuses his attention back to his driving.

"Y-you want to speak to her, John?" asked Grace in the phone.

"She falls asleep, Grace," Jerome said in a calmer voice. He tightened his hold on her pressing her to his body.

"She's asleep John. I will call you back after we bring her home and she finally awakens. Bye!" Grace put her cell phone back inside her shoulder bag.

Jerome continues throwing daggers at Grace's back. When she turns around to see him, he suddenly dropped his gaze. His eyes landed on Catherine's beautiful face. Fuck! He loses the chance again! Out of frustration comes the insurmountable urge to cry! Right now he wants to bawl over like a baby. He almost owned her tonight! Why it's so damn hard to get her? Why? Why he failed again this time!? He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs!

Why!?

Dammit!

Why!?

A single tear fell down from his eye, a tear of frustration.

Ten minutes later...

The taxi finally parked in front of Catherine's rented home. Jerome instructed the driver to wait for him, he will pay his services after he brings Catherine inside her room.

Jerome gently carried Catherine's sleeping form inside the house and into her room. He lay her down in the tiny bed and wrapped his jacket around her body. He took out Catherine's shoulder bag from the inside of his backpack. He was about to kiss Catherine's lips but Grace and Thelma were around so he exited the room and bid goodbye to them.

Thelma walks after him and catches him at the door.

"What happened, Jerome?" she asked.

"Grace and John destroyed my plan tonight. I almost succeeded, Auntie! I'm so close to fulfilling my plan but I guess tonight is not my night. I will visit the next day. I have to go home now, bye Auntie."

"Bye Jerome," said Thelma.

Jerome entered the waiting taxi and instructed the driver to bring him to his rented house. He paid the driver a hefty amount of money to silence his mouth.

Once inside his rented house, Jerome threw his backpack into his bed. He punched his bed a dozen times! He was truly pissed tonight! He needs to vent his anger on someone!

Suddenly his cell phone rings, it's Mark calling...

"Bro, wazzup? Where are you?"

Jerome runs his hands through his messy hair. "I'm home bro," he answered.

"Huh? What happened?"

He sighed. "It's a long story, I will tell you everything after we see each other."

"So, you and Catherine didn't end in a motel?" asked Mark puzzled.

"Yeah, I ended bringing her home instead. It's a very infuriating night for me. Anyways, where is Sherry? Did you bring her home safely?"

Mark laughed. "No. We are inside a motel room right now. Sherry is fun to be with. We got carried away, so yeah, were are having fun here inside the hotel and the poor girl fall asleep soundly after I banged her from her behind many times. She likes it, she wants more, she can't get enough of me." Mark chuckled heartily, truly delighted with himself for being laid tonight.

The more Jerome was pissed with himself due to his failure of bedding Catherine! He envied Mark immensely!

"Okay, enjoy some more, Bro! You're lucky!" said Jerome.

"Sorry for your loss bro! But on the brighter side I think it's a good thing that your evil intentions didn't push through, maybe God wants you to remain a good person not like me that is already a sinner waiting to be roasted in hell," said Mark.

Jerome was silent for a moment.

"Are you still there, bro?" asked Mark.

"Yeah, am still here. Let see each other when you're not busy, enjoy!" he said in a sarcastic voice.

"Okay see yeah," replied Mark laughing.

Jerome sighed and ended the call. What a night! he planned to get laid tonight and with the twist of destiny, it's his friend Mark who got laid instead of him! He exited his room, went to the kitchen opened the fridge and took a beer and got himself drunk the whole night.