INNOCENT (Gabe's Trials)

Captive

Storming out of the huge dining room and leaving an arrogant Mei and a confused Maria behind I headed for the stairs, decided on confronting the bastard that was Gabriel Shaffer on the matter at hand. He had no fucking right to make me his damn property. Especially not behind my back, the fucking bastard.

From the top of the stairs I could see Mathew being posted in front of the office' door, the look on his face, a frightening one. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I willed my feet to take me there, stopping right in front of Gabe's wingman and raising defiant eyes at him.

"I need to see him." I said, my hand automatically reaching for the knob just to be pushed away by the mountain of a man standing in front of me. "Mathew, I said I need to see your boss. Now let me pass." He slowly shook his head, refusing to budge from his spot.

"I'm sorry, judge, but not even you can go in there right now. He's not alone." I hoped to God that 'not alone' didn't mean that he was with another woman in there. That would've been too much and I was afraid for my already frail nerves not to snap.

"I'm sure that he'll see me, Mathew. What I have to say to him is really important." His face remained impassive, his arms folding over his chest.

"And I'm sure he won't see you at the moment. In fact, he can't see anyone at the moment since he's in the middle of a meeting and therefore not alone in the office. You can't just barge in there." He said, keeping a perfectly calm tone of voice. I have no idea if what happened next was only a coincidence or the fate finally deciding it was the time to lend me a hand, but I could only be thankful for it. Angelique -Mathew's fiance- appeared in the hallway, heading for us and that was all it took for the huge man to get distracted. Knowing too damn well that it was my only chance to see Gabriel, I pushed past him and through the door he was guarding, entering the office and interrupting the man currently speaking mid-sentence.

All eyes turned to me, Gabriel's shocked hazels getting my entire attention. Seemingly keeping his composure and without breaking eye contact, he addressed the other people in the room.

"Gentlemen, I'm afraid the meeting is suspended for now. I'll have to ask you to excuse us for a moment. Mathew will take you downstairs where you can have a coffee or something to eat. I'll see you again in half an hour." Without making a sound, the men started heading out, Mathew waiting by the door for them, his eyes throwing daggers at me.

Waiting for all of them to exit, I could feel my barely contained fury bubbling up to the surface. The fact that Gabriel was watching me carefully, probably trying to understand my behavior and the innocent look on his face while doing so were of no help to me. If anything, he was making me want to jump at his throat and apply him the same treatment his protege had applied me the night of the ball. Don't get me wrong though. What I felt was not only furry -it was pain and anger and even a little bit of fear for what his reaction to what I had to say would be. Slowly letting out the air in my lungs I tried to regain my composure and clear my mind of all thoughts.

I could feel Mathew looming somewhere behind me, waiting for just a signal from his boss to pick me up and carry me out of the room. Well, that was not going to happen. I was going to stay and say what I had to say to Gabriel with or without his wing man being present for it.

"Gabe, I'm really sorry. I told her you weren't alone. I only took my eyes off of her for a second..." Lifting his hand in a silencing gesture, Gabriel shook his head.

"First of all, I think there are some men in the hallway waiting for you to take them downstairs. Second of all, I only have half an hour so we'll talk about this later." There was no place for arguments on Mathew's side. I almost felt sorry for the poor man, but then I remembered his lack of cooperation and the pity turned into simmering anger, directed at him this time.