Inside

“You’ve been in a fight. That’s obvious. But you were only inside for a few hours!”

“I had to clear the first hurdle.” His chest rose as he drew a breath. “Once I settle in, we’ll have a better chance of not meeting up in here.”

The new gauze was as saturated as the old one. Since he had to struggle to do even simple things, she jerked the bandage away from him and held it in place herself.

“I told you not to touch—”

She blocked him so he couldn’t stop her. “I’ve got it. Just relax.”

When his eyes closed, she was afraid he was in worse shape than he wanted her to know. Talking cost him a great deal of energy, but as long as he was alert, she felt reassured—and that prompted her to keep the conversation going. “You jumped them?” she asked.

“Four men?” He tried to laugh, but couldn’t. “They…jumped me. I just…issued the invitation.”

“Big of you to get things started.”

“Calm down. I’m fine.”

“You’re fine, huh? For how long?”

“For now.”

Had he done enough to impress the Hells Fury? Or would the job require more? “Please tell me you did what you were hoping to do.”

“Too early to tell.”

“So this could happen again. And again.”

“Maybe. Depends.”

She examined his wound and frowned at the blood that continued to pour from the jagged opening. What had they knifed him with? A sharpened toothbrush? A piece of metal they’d brought from the industry yard and sharpened for days on end? She twisted around to stare into the hall. Where was the damn doctor? “God, tell me this isn’t deep.”

“I have no idea. I didn’t…expect anyone to have a…weapon. No one did…at first. Buzz must’ve…slipped one to his friends.”

“Buzz was involved in this?” The man she’d carefully vetted as his cell mate?

“He backed off once the fighting got serious. He’s dead set…on getting out of here…didn’t want to screw that…up. But, yeah…he was the instigator…and the only one who…didn’t get hurt.”

“Then we’ll move you to a different cell.”

Virgil shook his head.

“It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

“No.”

“If you won’t move, then I want you out.”

“Absolutely not.”

“But—”

“Peyton, stop.”

She glanced behind her to make sure they were still alone. “I can’t stop.”

His hand covered hers. “Yes, you can. This…is my only shot.”

Tears stung her eyes. “We’ll figure out something else.”

“It’s too late. Wallace won’t let me off the hook. He’ll leave Laurel unprotected if I do anything except what I agreed to. He’s looking for any excuse.”

She sniffed. “I shouldn’t have told him. I don’t want you to be here.”

His fingers slid between hers as he tried to comfort her. “But I can’t leave.”

She wiped her tears with her free hand. “You think Wallace would let Laurel get hurt? He’s that vengeful?”

“I know he is. Any man is vengeful, given enough motivation.”

“I’m not enough motivation for Wallace. I don’t even understand why he’s suddenly so interested.”

“Because he knows I want you, too. It’s the competition, the fact that he feels he should have first dibs.”

“So get out of here and protect Laurel yourself!”

The pain seemed to be getting to him. “How can I do that if they…charge me with another crime? If they… put me away for good?”

“Could they really do that?”

“They could try.”

She knew a little about it but had to ask, had to hear his version. “What happened when you killed those men, Virgil?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Pretty much…what happened here.”

“They jumped you when you were in USP Tucson?”

He nodded. “That’s why they moved me…to Florence, because of…what happened. But…they weren’t just looking for a fight. It all happened so fast. I…did what I could to survive.”

She believed him. “That’s self-defense.”

His mouth twisted in a wry grin. “It’s only self-defense if you can prove it.”

“Why can’t you prove it?”

“The two other men involved…tell a different story.”

“So? It’s your word against theirs. They’ll never get the charges to stick.”

“If I could be sure I’d get a fair trial, maybe I’d risk it. But…I don’t have much faith in the system. Besides, they have my reputation for fighting and my gang affiliation. I don’t even want…to go that route. We’ve come this far. I have…to finish. Let me finish.”

“You’re not giving me any choice.”

His fingers tightened on hers. “I need you, your support.”

“What if this kills you?” she whispered.

“Then it kills me. I have to…do it.”

“You’re kidding, right? That’s reckless! I was afraid of this.”

“And you…made your reservations plain to…everyone. Your conscience…is clear.”

“It’s not my conscience that’s bothering me!”

He raised his eyelids and those blue eyes drilled into hers. “Careful…”

More tears welled up. She’d known she was rattled, but she hadn’t realized just how rattled until this moment. Frustrated by her own reaction, she snapped, “Careful of what?”

He grinned at her. “You’re acting like you care.”

“I do!”

“About me,” he clarified, sobering.

Those two words were more of a question than anything else. He was asking her about her concern, wanting to know if it went any deeper than what she might feel for anyone else in this situation. Did it? She was fairly sure it did. But how much deeper? And how should she respond?

“All I know is that I can’t stop thinking about you,” she said. “Every time I close my eyes you’re there.”

She hadn’t expected to make this admission. But now that she had, she thought he’d be pleased. Instead, he frowned as if he’d just changed his mind. “We can’t do this. It’ll only make everything harder on both of us.” The nurse must’ve given him some painkiller because speaking suddenly seemed less difficult, but he was beginning to slur his words. “I have to do what I have to do, Peyton. I can’t change that. And even if I could, even if I already had a fresh start, I don’t have anything to offer a woman like you.”

She checked for the nurse again. The hall was still empty. “Like me? What do you think you need to offer? I’m not looking for a meal ticket.”

“Then what are you looking for? A guy who’s been in prison for fourteen years?”

“You have no control over what your mother and uncle—”

He refused to let her interrupt. “Or is it my gang connections you find appealing? What if I can’t break free of The Crew, Peyton? What if, because of your association with me, they come after you?