Page 23 of Claim Me
"I would prefer to discuss this matter in private."
Gessler, completely ignored, just stands there staring awkwardly while Storm practically folds in half and says,
"Of course, please, my office."
What just happened?
As the two of them leave the room with the four bodyguards, I stand up because I literally can’t sit still anymore.
Gessler glances at me, but there’s no answer on his face either. He just shrugs and goes back to his seat, resuming his conversation with the police officer.
I feel like I’m sitting on needles. I can’t stay in one place, shifting, fidgeting, running my fingers through my hair. I have no idea what the hell is going on, and I desperately want to know.
About fifteen minutes later, one of the bodyguards who was with that omega comes back and says something quietly to Gessler and the officer.
Unfortunately, they’re too far from the microphone by the information board, and I can’t hear anything through the glass.
Gessler gives me a brief, assessing look, then opens the booth door.
I clear my throat before he speaks.
"There’s a situation. The gentleman who was here earlier would like to speak with you, but not in the booth, in Storm Nolan’s office. Would that arrangement work for you? Would you like to talk to him?"
For some reason I feel even more stupid than when I was turning down the other candidates. Really, I don’t even understand myself sometimes.
Probably red as hell, I answer, "Yeah… I’d like that."
What am I even doing? I didn’t really get a good look at the guy.
What if he’s some kind of kinky freak, hiding behind that mask like that?
Gessler nods toward the officer, and now comes the less pleasant part. The cop puts the cuffs back on me, along with the ankle restraints.
It’s humiliating as hell to walk across the entire hall like this, chained up and exposed to everyone’s stares. They might as well slap a label on my forehead that says criminal… and loser.
Under all those eyes, I’m escorted out of the alpha hall. We pass the omega and beta halls, but we don’t stop even for a second.
We head into a side corridor where the case handlers’ offices are.
There are three alphas standing outside one of the doors, the same masked bodyguards as before, which means he’s inside alone with Storm.
Gessler knocks lightly, and Storm calls us in.
We enter, the officer, Gessler, and I.
In Storm’s small, dimly lit office, the unfamiliar omega is sitting on the couch. He doesn’t bother getting up when we walk in.
Obviously, he has no intention of shaking hands with either of us.
He’s still wearing the mask.
He looks in our direction, but with only his eyes visible behind those blue-tinted glasses, it’s impossible to read anything from his expression.
Storm walks up to us with that wide, salesman’s grin of his, the kind that belongs to someone who knows exactly how to sell people things.
"Unfortunately, we only have two chairs. Mr. Gessler, please sit. Gabriel, you too."
The officer stays by the wall. I sit down uncertainly and glance at the omega again.
