Page 197 of Claim Me
"All right, but make it quick. We’re running short on time. We have a flight to Japan coming up."
They split up immediately, moving across the deck with the coordination of a typical VIP security team, speaking into comms, checking angles, securing the space. Exactly how it should look. It almost feels deliberate, like they’re putting on a show for the one "unprofessional" in the room.
By the time we board the ferry, my tension has only gotten worse.
Blue takes a seat in the passenger area, still talking with Pip. Simon stands nearby, making notes on his tablet. I position myself slightly behind and to the side, with a clear view of the entrance and the movement on deck.
At first, everything seems normal. Then I start noticing something off. Several crew members pass by without a second glance, but one of them keeps looking back.
An older, overweight omega. He circles back, pretending to clean part of the railing. He comes and goes a little too often, shifts position without a clear reason, and his attention returns to Blue too many times. It’s subtle, but it makes me uneasy.
And I feel it again, that pressure at the back of my mind, dull but fairly intense.
"Hector!" My voice cuts through the sound of the water around the ferry. "Move him somewhere else. He doesn’t need to be hovering here." I add a pointed gesture toward the crew member, not exactly discreetly. There are probably someprofessional signals security teams use in situations like this, but I have no idea what they are.
He glances in that direction, following my line of sight, then looks back at me with amusement.
"That’s a crew member doing his job," he says. "We’re not clearing the deck just because you’re nervous, kid."
"Get him out of here," I repeat with a sharper tone, a growl almost breaking loose from my chest, though I rein it in, trying to be professional, for their sake.
Blue lifts his head from the tablet and looks over at us, picking up on the tension in my voice.
Hector gives a slight shake of his head, his gaze openly challenging.
"We’re not going to harass an older omega for doing routine work."
A brief silence settles. By all appearances, this is where I should back off. The rest of the security team is already looking at me like I’m an irrational jerk.
But I don’t let it go. I know my instincts too well, I recognize this pressure building at the back of my head. Instead of continuing the standoff with Hector, I shift my focus inward and activate my five-second ability, keeping it running continuously, even if it costs me more energy and brings on a faint headache.
Minutes pass. The man keeps circling, wiping down nearby tables on the open deck with a rag, carrying trays of drinks back and forth.
Hector’s team ignores him completely.
And then it happens. The next five seconds unfold in my mind with perfect clarity. The crew member finally turns toward us with determination, holding a cup in his hand. His face is tense, then twists into something furious. I hear the shout, followed by the movement of his arm.
The heavy glass mug arcs through the air, filled with dirty mop water, flying straight for Blue’s head.
Now I have to act a split second ahead of it. If I move too soon, I’ll tip him off, and he’ll adjust the trajectory into something harder to intercept.
I ready myself to step directly into the line between them at the exact moment the man’s voice tears through the air, as he draws back and…
"This is your fault!" he shouts. "One of your drugs did this to my son! It damaged his glands, you bastard!"
The mug leaves his hand, aimed true, but I already know its path. I raise my arm at the right angle and strike it mid-flight, just enough to alter its trajectory so that it veers off, the water splashing across the deck and hitting… Hector, but missing Blue entirely.
For half a second, everything freezes. Then motion snaps back as my five-second window of precognition ends. Ruben and Lionel are on the man immediately, slamming him to the ground in a brutal takedown as he howls and struggles.
Rolf secures the area, pushing back the other crew members who start gathering. Voices rise around us, confusion spreading, but I’m only looking at Hector, my eyes narrowed in triumph.
Mop water drips from his perfectly styled hair and tailored jacket, and for the first time he doesn’t look so composed or arrogant. I point straight at him.
"You, kid. From now on, you follow my orders," I say loudly and clearly. "No delays, no arguments. You missed that. That’s a security breach."
His jaw sets, something flashes in his eyes, but before he can respond, Blue stands.
"Please, gentlemen," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Hector. From now on, you report to Gabriel. This decision is not up for discussion."
