Jonah. It made me even more convinced that Jonah either had a gorgeous mother or he was a hybrid. Maybe both.
Despite my shock, I had the wherewithal to press Send on my cell that I held in my hand so that Ian would get the following message: I’m with Stenger now.
Clearing my throat, I then said, “Yes, I have a few things that Jonah would like you to know.”
Stenger’s eyes that sat in hollow sockets went to the man beside me. “Please leave us.”
The man gave a nod and closed the door to the study behind me. As he did so, there was a weird smile on Stenger’s pale lips as he took me in. He kept staring at me with that odd expression, as though he was seeing an old friend, long after the guard’s footfalls had faded in the hallway behind the closed door.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, he said, “It’s nice to finally get to meet you, Gabi. I’ve been expecting your arrival.”
I felt my eyes widen with shock; it was absolutely nothing I could do to hide what was going on inside me upon hearing those words. How did he know my name? Why had he been expecting my arrival?
Stenger chuckled softly, a charming chuckle that sounded oddly familiar, like I had heard it before. But I knew I had never before met the old man seated before me, so that was impossible.
“You… You know who I am?” was all I could manage to say, feeling stupid.
Stenger rolled his chair so that he ended up behind the wide desk. It finally made sense why I had not spotted a chair behind it now; I realized that I had subconsciously wondered about that when I had first seen the insides of the big study, laid eyes on that massive desk. If this was Stenger’s workplace and he was wheelchair bound, no chair was ever necessary behind that desk.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Stenger asked politely. “Whatever you like, I have it.”
“No, I’m fine,” I mumbled.
Stenger nodded. “Well, if you change your mind, just let me know.” He reached for a tumbler with ice that sat on the desk. It had something amber-colored in it—whiskey, most likely. He brought the drink to his lips for a sip while taking me in all the while.
“Please have a seat at least,” he said and motioned toward one of the two stuffed leather armchairs that sat kitty corner to the large desk, facing it.
Still stumped, I took a seat in the armchair closest to the door behind me.
Stenger smiled at me over his tumbler, and it was clear that he was in complete control of the situation and himself.
How did this happen? He had known that I was coming then? But how could he have known? The questions streamed through my mind, stumbling over each other they were appearing so fast.
“You’re wondering what’s going on, aren’t you, Gabi?” he asked slowly as though he could read my mind. Could he actually read my mind? It was possible. After what they’d done to Captain Brady, somehow found a way to send messages directly into his brain in the form of a talking man, nothing was out of bounds.
“I guess I am,” I replied in as cool a voice as I could muster, while at the same time I was desperately trying to figure out what the hell was going on. It would be good to know if he could read my mind. Maybe if I taunted him inside my head, he’d tell me. He might not look like the evil psychopath I had pictured, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t. And like most psychopaths, he’d be too boastful to resist my taunts.
I don’t believe for a second that you can read my mind, you pathetic, little loser, I thought while raising my chin at him as he just sat there, staring at me. You only like to make me think that you can so that I get nervous. If you actually could read my mind, you’d know that I have red panties on today. But you can’t, so I’m not sure why I bother trying to tell you that.
His tongue shot out of his mouth and he quickly licked his lips. The image of a lizard filled my head.
“Is Ian coming as well?” he finally asked,
Despite my shock, I had the wherewithal to press Send on my cell that I held in my hand so that Ian would get the following message: I’m with Stenger now.
Clearing my throat, I then said, “Yes, I have a few things that Jonah would like you to know.”
Stenger’s eyes that sat in hollow sockets went to the man beside me. “Please leave us.”
The man gave a nod and closed the door to the study behind me. As he did so, there was a weird smile on Stenger’s pale lips as he took me in. He kept staring at me with that odd expression, as though he was seeing an old friend, long after the guard’s footfalls had faded in the hallway behind the closed door.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, he said, “It’s nice to finally get to meet you, Gabi. I’ve been expecting your arrival.”
I felt my eyes widen with shock; it was absolutely nothing I could do to hide what was going on inside me upon hearing those words. How did he know my name? Why had he been expecting my arrival?
Stenger chuckled softly, a charming chuckle that sounded oddly familiar, like I had heard it before. But I knew I had never before met the old man seated before me, so that was impossible.
“You… You know who I am?” was all I could manage to say, feeling stupid.
Stenger rolled his chair so that he ended up behind the wide desk. It finally made sense why I had not spotted a chair behind it now; I realized that I had subconsciously wondered about that when I had first seen the insides of the big study, laid eyes on that massive desk. If this was Stenger’s workplace and he was wheelchair bound, no chair was ever necessary behind that desk.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Stenger asked politely. “Whatever you like, I have it.”
“No, I’m fine,” I mumbled.
Stenger nodded. “Well, if you change your mind, just let me know.” He reached for a tumbler with ice that sat on the desk. It had something amber-colored in it—whiskey, most likely. He brought the drink to his lips for a sip while taking me in all the while.
“Please have a seat at least,” he said and motioned toward one of the two stuffed leather armchairs that sat kitty corner to the large desk, facing it.
Still stumped, I took a seat in the armchair closest to the door behind me.
Stenger smiled at me over his tumbler, and it was clear that he was in complete control of the situation and himself.
How did this happen? He had known that I was coming then? But how could he have known? The questions streamed through my mind, stumbling over each other they were appearing so fast.
“You’re wondering what’s going on, aren’t you, Gabi?” he asked slowly as though he could read my mind. Could he actually read my mind? It was possible. After what they’d done to Captain Brady, somehow found a way to send messages directly into his brain in the form of a talking man, nothing was out of bounds.
“I guess I am,” I replied in as cool a voice as I could muster, while at the same time I was desperately trying to figure out what the hell was going on. It would be good to know if he could read my mind. Maybe if I taunted him inside my head, he’d tell me. He might not look like the evil psychopath I had pictured, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t. And like most psychopaths, he’d be too boastful to resist my taunts.
I don’t believe for a second that you can read my mind, you pathetic, little loser, I thought while raising my chin at him as he just sat there, staring at me. You only like to make me think that you can so that I get nervous. If you actually could read my mind, you’d know that I have red panties on today. But you can’t, so I’m not sure why I bother trying to tell you that.
His tongue shot out of his mouth and he quickly licked his lips. The image of a lizard filled my head.
“Is Ian coming as well?” he finally asked,
Similar Books
