“Sutt—”
“Please, Grady. I never ask for anything from you.” I scoot forward until my legs bump the mattress.
With a resigned sigh, he opens his arms. “All right, fine. Five minutes, then you’re going home. C’mere.”
I nod and quickly cuddle into his side. He smells of a hardworking man, that familiar mix of motor oil and fresh hay. I snuggle deeper while inhaling the scent of my dreams. “Remember the first happy something I gave you?”
Grady nods, his chin ghosting across my forehead. He doesn’t protest while I tug us along some pleasant highlights. I fill the chilly silence with sunny chatter. Grady doesn’t add to the conversation, keeping it one-sided. It’s probably for the best. Nothing he shares lately is good.
My five minutes loop several times before I run out of steam. We’re stuck at a fork in the road. Sad as it might be, I find myself turning in the direction that leads away from him. “I’ll miss you, Gray.”
A rumble rises off his chest. “Yeah? Try forgetting me while you’re at it. You’ll be better off.”
I don’t bother responding. With that final blow, a gate slams shut between us. The clang ripples through me, solidifying what I’ve been trying to deny. This is the end of us. But this has always been the story of a girl desperately in love with a boy. Irrevocably and unrequited.
I’m ready to leave these well-worn pages behind.
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“All right, tell me what happens next in this grand scheme of yours.”
Paul averts his gaze, and my stomach sinks into a deeper pit. “Well, uh, you need to attend a hearing.”
The initial prickling of wariness eases slightly. “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
He steeples his fingers in front of his lips, hiding the tension building there. “Listen to me before blowing a gasket, okay?”
I let a scoff loose. “You act as if I’m so unreasonable.”
A single brow arches my way. “They’ll expect you to own up to the crimes you’ve been convicted of. Explain to them how you’ve seen the light and are turning over a new leaf. You’re a changed man and all that. The whole reformed criminal speech. I can write it down for you.”
I blink at him while trying to calm the raging thunder in my veins. “You’re asking me to apologize? Grovel?”
His features pinch further. “I’m advising you to take this bargain and get the fuck outta prison.”
It’s hard to argue when he puts it that way. “When?”
“Could be tomorrow or the next day. Definitely before the weekend. The paperwork is already being processed. All you really have to do is show up and keep that temper in check. Mouthing off won’t grant you any favors. But don’t worry, I’ll be there with you.”
A muscle pops in my cheek. “To make sure my muzzle is in place?”
“Just as your counsel. You’re the one claiming to be reasonable.”
“And then what? I just walk free?”
Paul’s laugh is rusty, grit from rare use evident in the harsh tone. “You’ll be assigned a probation officer. They’ll meet with you on a near-constant basis to ensure you’re on a straight road to rehabilitation. There will probably be others hovering nearby on your return to civilization.”
“Like a social worker?” I have no business getting a jolt at the idea, but it comes just the same.
“Potentially. They’re usually a vital part of any supportive recovery team. Are you interested in a certain one?” He grins in a way that clearly states I’m not hiding a damn thing.
There’s no reason to expose myself completely. I give him a limp shrug. “Not necessarily.”
His smile stretches wider. “Do you want me to see if Blakely has availability in her schedule?”
Just her name gets blood pumping south at an alarming rate. “Is that a role she would typically take?”
“For you? Of course. Any decent person who has heard your story wants to lend a helping hand.”
Any heat I’d been feeling fizzles out with a hiss. “I don’t want charity. Especially from her.”
Paul’s chuckle has a bit more girth this round. “Oh, she’ll be more than adequately compensated. Don’t worry.”
“And this wouldn’t be a weird request?” Why I’m even considering this proves how detached from women I’ve become. The possibility of getting another hit off her, however small, is enough to send me straining against my leash.
“I’m not sure about Blakely’s specialty. You can always ask her.”
“Maybe I will.”
His jaw almost drops to the chipped tabletop. “No shit. Does this mean you’re actually going to grow a pair and speak with her?”
A semblance of a twinge tips one side of my lips. “I’ll consider that as one of my options.”
He gestures at my mandated jumpsuit. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate seeing you in a different shade. Normal clothes will do wonders for your complexion.”
“Maybe she’s a fan of orange.”
Paul’s grunt bounces off the concrete walls. “The prison hue isn’t a turn on. No matter what she says.”
Yeah, I’m not fooling anyone with my faux bout of confidence. “I’ll have a better chance at appearing human once my innocence is proven. Speaking of, what’s the latest on those assholes responsible for putting me in here?”
“As of now, there’s nothing new to report.”
“How is that possible? They’re dirtier than any man in this joint.”
His exhale is long-winded, gaining strength to let me down. “The system is complicated. I have no doubt Stefano and his right hands are being watched around the clock. But effectively taking down a complex operation is no easy task.”
This comes as no surprise, yet disappointment sinks heavier than a boulder. My previous employer is a very dangerous and motivated man. There is a bank of knowledge and secrets that I hold the key to. Stefano made sure those secrets will never be leaked. But the questions remain. “Why didn’t the authorities question me further on my involvement?”
“The
