Reno

After my stunned protest, I could only sit there as Elliot recovered first and whirled on Leon. "What the fuck did I do?"

"Should I point out how you immediately tried to goad him into fighting you?" Leon asked, and I could see his nerves running thin. I'd already made his day harder with my stunt from earlier, and now he had to deal with this. More importantly, something was brewing between him and Mona, but I couldn't put my finger on what. She was applying pressure, which was obvious by not letting anyone address her as if she were the authority. Whatever was going on, she was pushing him to handle it, but I couldn't see why. It was perfectly within her jurisdiction to handle.

"And how is that the same as cheap shotting some guy who doesn't deserve it?" Elliot demanded, face going red.

It took everything in me not to wince. The last thing I needed was Elliot, of all people, to realize his words were affecting me. The little fucker had been right from the minute he'd tried to start a fight with me. He continued to be on the nose, driving me crazy. The last thing I wanted was for him to figure out he was right. That would only make him rub salt in the wound.

"Trying to start a fight is also punishable," Leon told him, quickly adding, "But this isn't a punishment. For either of you."

"Could have fooled me," I muttered, deciding I was no longer hungry enough to nibble the food.

"And me!" Elliot barked, agreeing with me for the first time.

Leon leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "This is a way for both of you to avoid the punishment that fits what you both did. So we can go that route, or you two can deal with this."

I glanced at Elliot, who did the same to me as we looked at one another. I didn't dare guess what was going on in that chipmunk brain of his, but it was probably firing a mile a minute. Knowing why he was like…well, the way he was wasn't all that helpful. He was as unpredictable as he was energetic, and I couldn't afford to waste time figuring him out.

What bothered me the most was how he managed to get right to the heart of my entire problem. A heart I hadn't even named yet? I really had been playing the back-and-forth game, gritting my teeth in the embrace of the inevitable that I had caused to happen in the first place.

It had stung when he'd all but yelled at me, but not because he was pissed and being dickish. Not even that he was right, though there was still plenty of sting left in that tail. No, it was the fact that he genuinely believed everything he'd said, from the fact that I was being a coward to Riley not deserving what I'd done to him, and even that Leon was trying to look out for my best interests even if I'd basically thrown it away.

So here I was, being given a second chance, and I had to wonder…did I want one? Did I deserve one? And would Elliot and I be able to get through this whole thing without wanting to tear each other apart after a week or two? Because it was clear there were plenty of teeth and claws under that energetic exterior. He was no Riley. There was fire and fury in him, more than enough to butt his head against mine at the right provocation.

"And let me take that back," Leon said before either of us answered. "This isn't about dealing. Because this is supposed to help, it's supposed to be a good thing."

"Then why the hell would you pair us up?" I asked, flabbergasted. This buddy thing was supposed to support a sense of camaraderie, friendship, whatever. Elliot and I had as much chance of becoming good friends as we did of sprouting wings and learning to fly.

Leon chewed his bottom lip before letting out a sigh. "Because I've crunched the numbers, I've thought it over. And it's the best fit that I've come up with."

"Fuck me, that doesn't say a lot about my chances," I muttered, rubbing my face. "If it's that bad."

"Dick," Elliot muttered, and I swore I heard a twinge of hurt in his voice.

I glared at him. "Seriously? His best assessment for my ‘buddy' is you? You and me? Because you and I have done so well together this past week, and even today."

Elliot opened his mouth and then grunted. "Fine, he has a point. I'm avoiding being in trouble because I was ready to fight, remember?"

"All too well," Leon said, opening his palms and showing them to us. "But those are your options and the only ones you're getting. You either go into this and try to succeed or take your respective punishments. There are no alternatives."

There was nothing like being put between a rock and a hard place. It occurred to me then that I was the only one really in a pinch. I doubted they would severely punish Elliot for trying to start a fight with me after he'd been provoked, where I had been unprovoked and gone after someone who'd been absolutely zero threat to me. My punishment was clearly worse. I would be back in prison for the rest of my sentence, while Elliot would probably get some form of work probationary period.

Elliot clicked his tongue. "He gets fucked harder than I do if we don't do this, doesn't he?"

I had really been hoping he wouldn't figure it out, but the timing of his understanding was uncanny. Thankfully, Leon only gave him a neutral expression. "The punishments are not up for discussion as a group. If you want to go that route, then we'll go that route. But this is a mutual decision."

Great, so my fate was in Elliot's hands? I could only imagine the sheer yearning to give the entire situation the middle finger and take his punishment. He'd get to stay here, and I'd be out of everyone's hair. Leon had already placed the first roadblock in front of me.

Elliot gave a disgusted grunt, flopping back in his seat and eyeing me. "Can you do this?"

"Can you?" I shot back, clearly not learning any sense or caution, even knowing he was literally one-half of this choice and could decide it all with a simple no.

He rolled his eyes. "If he can make the effort to try, then I can too. I'm not going to anyone saying I wasn't willing to try."

Which meant the ball was now officially in my court, which surprised me. That was twice in fifteen minutes I thought my fate was in the hands of someone else and was already writing myself off. And that was now twice that that same fate holder turned around and surprised me with a gesture of trust and…kindness.

The thought just pissed me off further. I didn't need Leon's pity in helping me, and I didn't need Elliot's pity in trying to save me. We all had our issues, and there was no point pretending that wasn't our main focus when it came down to it. It seemed incredibly hypocritical to pretend anything else.

But I could see Grandma T, her brow wrinkling in confusion and disappointment if she saw into my head right now. She had always wanted me to strive for better, and here I was, being given repeated chances. This was one final chance for me to try to make things better, and again, I was ready to throw it all back in the face of the people trying to help because I was pissed off and didn't want their goddamn pity.

"Fine," I said between gritted teeth. "What does that mean?"

Leon's head tilted back in surprise and then looked at Mona. "Remind me to stop doubting you."

"I'll have to remind you again in a couple of weeks," she said. "Prisoner's Dilemma, though?"

Leon's brow furrowed. "Didn't think of the naming."

"What the fuck is that?" I growled, irritated at the sudden, mysterious conversation.

"Put two people in separate rooms, accused of the same crime and given a choice. If they rat out the other person, they can go free and the other person does the time. If they rat each other out, they both do time, just less than the one person," Elliot said, glaring at Leon. "That's really fucking low, Leon."

"You played us against each other," I accused and then looked at Elliot, wrinkling my nose. "How the fuck did you know that?"

"I went through a philosophy obsession for like two months when I was behind bars," he shrugged. "I'm allowed to know things."

"I didn't play anyone," Leon said with a roll of his eyes.

"You kind of did," Mona chuckled. "Call me right again."

"Absolutely not," Leon grunted. "I gave you both a perfectly fair opportunity to back out. I wanted you to take this option, and I can only hope you both stick with it."

"Which is why you stacked the deck to get us to choose it," Elliot grunted. "And look, we did what you wanted."

"Fine, then be mad at me, but do it after you figure out whether or not this was a terrible idea," Leon said with a roll of his eyes.

As irritated as I was, I had to admit we had both been neatly trapped. I didn't know whether to call Leon a hypocrite for using underhanded methods for a good cause or to commend him for not being so noble he wasn't willing to do what it took. Then again, people had been arguing about what version of doing good was the best kind for centuries and would probably continue doing it for as long as two human beings were left to argue about it.

For one shining moment, the thought actually exhausted me. I had been arguing and fighting with people most of my life, and I just…what did it count for? All it got me was a lifetime of misery. Sure, that misery had fueled the anger, but the anger just…that's all it was, just a fueled fire that kept burning and burning. I'd probably burn out completely, ending up a husk or a bitter man who couldn't find enjoyment in anything.

And shit, if Elliot was right, I was already almost there.

"It's done," I said, sounding as tired as I felt. "At this point, just…tell us what we need to do, what comes next."

I ignored the look of surprise Elliot shot me, probably because of my quiet acceptance of the whole situation. The fact was, I probably owed him for at least being willing to try this entire mess of an arrangement because it benefited me. But that didn't mean I owed him an explanation for why I chose to do anything. My thoughts and feelings were my own, and he clearly didn't care much about understanding me.

Hard to blame him, really.

Leon shot me a curious look before clearing his throat. "The two of you will be given a cabin where it's just the two of you. No more having to share with three other people."

"I thought that only happened with Tier Twos," Elliot said with a frown.

"It doesn't have to," Leon said, arching a brow.

That was news to me, but I was newer to the program than Elliot. I wasn't going to call anything out, but if I had to guess, I would say this buddy program offered to us was new. Not just new, but brand spanking new and drummed up by Leon to try to help me. Was that why Mona was involved, or was her participation about something else entirely?

"Ugh," Elliot groaned, throwing himself back in his chair like a little kid. "Fine! We'll apparently be roommates. Great."

"It'll be no different than before, except it will be just the two of you. We might as well get all of that out of the way and have you move in today, then we'll have a jump start on everything, and you two can get settled in," Leon said, looking between us. "From this point, you'll do everything together."

"I might be wrong, but I sense there might be a theme," I said. Only to arch my brow when Elliot gave a soft snort. He looked horrified, probably at the idea that anything I had to say was amusing and covering it up with a cough.

"Cute," Leon said. "Should I remind you both that if this goes badly?—"

"We'll get our punishments, I know," Elliot sighed.

"No," I said with a grunt. "We'll both be out on our asses if it goes badly."

"What?" Elliot barked, eyes wide with panic.

I shrugged. "Think about it. It's one thing if it fails, but if it goes badly? That's us fighting each other. Which is a second mark against me and a big one on you."

"I…well, that's only if we're stupid," Elliot said, but from his discomfort, he wasn't all that sold on the idea that we wouldn't be stupid. Despite both of us meaning what we said about trying, or at least I thought Elliot meant it, he could be…erratic at times. He might mean it now, but in the future, his mind could shift in a moment. Then again, I didn't have room to talk. If I were pissed off enough?—

Shit, I knew this ‘bettering yourself' thing wasn't meant to be easy, but this was going to be rough.

"Yes," Mona said, her voice light, but her eyes were sharp as they switched between Elliot and me. "If Leon or I hear one word about the two of you fighting, then you're both out, you got me? And that also means no more participating in those impromptu wrestling matches…neither of you."

"Hey!" Elliot protested. "That's not fair, I didn't?—"

"Elliot," Leon grunted. "Let it go."

He did, but not without a disgruntled sigh as he sank into his chair, looking grumpier than ever. I actually wondered if that was what I looked like to other people. It was strange seeing such an unhappy expression on his face. It wasn't like he looked ‘boyish,' but the energy about him definitely gave that impression. How weird was it that his angry look made him seem adult to me?

"What about other friends?" Elliot finally asked. "I still want to spend time with Dom and, like, get to know Riley." The last was said with a glare shot my way, which I ignored if only because I deserved that one. "Do I still get to spend time with them, or are we going to have to be up each other ass all the time?"

"As far as we're concerned, you two need to spend your time together. Obviously, I don't expect you to share a shower, a toilet, or a bed for that matter," Leon said, which was just unnecessary, but I kept my mouth shut. "But if you spend time with other people, the other person needs to be there."

It was odd phrasing, but I pushed it away for the moment. "Fine, anything else?"

"Yeah, I'll emphasize again that you two are a partnership now. So, be there for each other, try to work with each other, and understand each other. Maybe you won't get along or become friends, but there's something to be said about learning to get to know another person, especially if that's someone you don't necessarily like right away," Leon told us, glancing between. "Got it?"

I didn't really see what he meant, but I wasn't going to argue. As far as I was concerned, it was better for two people who didn't like one another to avoid each other. Doing the opposite would just lead to the same shit I grew up with, drama and chaos. If you kept your distance, at least you didn't have to see and hear all the things that set you off and inevitably led to the kind of shit that caused ugly fighting.

"Sure," I said, knowing there was no point trying to fight it, the wheels were already in motion.

"Good, then get moving. I want you two moved in within the hour," Leon said. "I'll leave it up to you to explain the situation. We'll follow suit."

I looked between him and Mona and found no answer on either of their faces. It was officially what Elliot and I were stuck doing, and there were no other options. Perhaps at the end of the day, that was what Mona wanted, for Leon to find it in himself to draw a hard and fast line.

It didn't matter because the answer didn't help or hurt Elliot and me. Everything would have probably been the same if Mona had been in charge. Well, Elliot probably would have talked back a lot less if it had been Mona. It was amusing that he had absolutely no fear of trying to get in my face, but he seemed downright terrified of Mona. He'd probably been terrorized by a woman at some point, or the opposite, he simply hadn't had a strong female figure in his life and was thrown off by her.

I shoved the unnecessary thoughts aside as I got out of my seat, hesitating long enough to drain the glass of lemonade I wasn't going to waste. Leon and Mona stayed seated, watching us quietly, Leon looking thoughtful, while Mona still seemed vaguely amused.

"Let's go," I grumbled to Elliot, who sighed, and we walked out of the room. The Big House wasn't a labyrinth, so it was easy to find our way back to the foyer and descend the stairs toward the front doors.

"Boys?" Mona's voice called before we opened them. "Ever thought to ask what cabin you'll be in?"

Elliot and I glanced at each other. "Kinda thought you'd tell us that before we left."

"Details, details," she said airily. "It's fourteen. One of us will stop by in a few hours to ensure you've settled in."

"Lovely," I muttered, pushing through the front doors.

After we descended the stairs, Elliot glanced at me. "How the hell do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Like…talk to her like you do."

"She makes you nervous, doesn't she?"

He let out a laugh. "No, she scares the shit out of me."

I didn't know what to pay attention to first, the amusement at the very idea or the surprise he was being so candid. "Doesn't bother me a bit. She's a little intense, but she doesn't seem the type to be a bitch just because she's a bitch."

"See, I'm not so sure she'd be happy to be called that."

"Eh, my sister is a bitch too, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing…she's had to be a bitch. It's what's kept her afloat."

"Oh. I didn't know you had a sister."

"Got four siblings."

"Damn, your parents really liked having kids."

"No, they liked fucking. They hated having kids."

"Ah, umm?—"

"Don't fucking apologize," I said with a shake of my head. "Just go get your shit. I want to move before they start checking up on us."

"Fine, whatever, dick," he muttered, walking off.

For someone who seemed to understand that I didn't want Leon treating me with kid gloves, Elliot sure seemed intent on making the same mistake. I didn't get how people could see how I'd been acting and still decide that compassion and kindness were the way to go. It wasn't like I did anything to deserve that kind of treatment, and not only that, but I didn't need people to treat me like that. All too often, it came across as the most insulting pity imaginable.

It didn't take long to gather my things from the cabin. I was glad the place was empty as I gathered my clothes and a couple of books I'd taken from the on-site library. I probably wouldn't get much peace to read with Elliot as my roommate, but I might be able to squeeze in time when he was asleep.

I hadn't made friends with the guys in my cabin, so I was sure they wouldn't be all that torn up to see me gone. It wasn't like I'd antagonized them, but I'd never tried to connect either. Maybe Leon had a point. Maybe I needed to connect with people if I was going to be living here for several more months.

"Ugh," I grunted, the thought sounding as pleasant as slivers shoved under my fingernails. The last time I tried connecting, really connecting with someone, had ended up with me dating a man I had beaten half to death. Not that it hadn't been fully justified. Even the arresting officers had been sympathetic. That sympathy hadn't extended to the sentencing from the judge, however. Still, maybe she had just wanted to make the point that beating two people so severely they were hospitalized for weeks wasn't something she wanted to encourage, no matter how justified it was.

What few things I had tucked under my mattress I stowed in my pockets, save for the small, rectangular locket. It had been my grandmother's, containing a picture of my grandmother and me on one side and Mara and me on the other. I'd always used it to try to ground myself whenever my temper felt like it was getting the better of me.

The picture of Mara and me was taken at a California beach. A rare treat for us, considering how dirt poor we were. Our faces were frozen in a laugh as we toppled backward, the ocean taking our legs out from under us. Or the picture of my grandmother and me on her front porch, drinking lemonade as we chatted, me still a gangly teenager whose smile looked more like a smirk, her smile warm but always hinting that she was keeping a secret. It was usually enough, even now, but it wasn't like it was something I could carry with me while working. I was glad that, unlike in prison, I was allowed to have it with me as a personal item, but I still kept it hidden from curious eyes.

That was all I had to take, and I left the cabin. My former cabin mates were bound to see my stuff was gone, my sheets stripped from the bed and thrown in the communal laundry hamper. They would probably assume I'd been given the boot until they realized I hadn't. I wasn't going to feed the rumor mill that would start spinning once they figured out I was still around and bunking somewhere else. It would probably be Elliot who spilled the beans to anyone who would listen.

Closing the door, I made my way to the new cabin. The feel of the locket in my hand was unusually heavy when it was usually a rare source of happiness. No one knew what had happened to my grandmother. Not that I wanted anyone to know my personal business, that was mine to deal with alone. I almost wished I could use that to explain why I'd hit Riley, but even with all the pain and rage inside me, I knew better than to blame it on anyone but me.

The problem wasn't acknowledging whether or not I was the problem. That trick had been discovered when I'd been handcuffed and put into the back of a cop car. The next step that was supposed to follow? Hell, if I knew. I thought it was supposed to be learning how not to let history repeat itself, but I didn't know how. Then again, it could be something else entirely, a step after taking on the rightful blame but before fixing the problem that caused the issues.

I was glad when I finally found the cabin. Looking around, I realized it was…oddly placed. The cabins were set up in concentric rectangles, with the Tier Three cabins in the center and the Tier Ones on the outer ‘ring'. Considering this was supposed to be a Tier Two cabin, it should have been sandwiched between the Three and One cabins, but…it wasn't. It was positioned right at the edge of the property, up against the fence that divided the ranch from the broad, flat plains of Texas sunbaked land that went on for miles.

Even stranger, I realized the cabins around us weren't inhabited. It wasn't just that the curtains were drawn. That was just smart. The cabins had some air conditioning, but it was pretty weak. Smart or experienced guys close the curtains during the day to block out the sun so their pitiful AC units didn't have to work too hard.

No, it was the look of disuse, the dirt and grit piled up on the steps leading into each cabin. Even the messiest guys learned to keep the stairs clean of the grit, otherwise it got tracked into the cabin. That shit was the glitter of the natural world. It got everywhere if you let it in. It wasn't a surprise that the ranch didn't operate at full capacity. That was probably a logistical nightmare, even with someone as canny as Mona keeping things in line.

With a sigh, I tested the door to fourteen and found it unlocked. The first thing I did was open it up and sniff. The air was stale and stuffy, and they definitely hadn't run the AC, but someone had come by to unlock everything for us. I left my boots on the steps to make sure I didn't track anything in, padding in my socks to set my stuff on a bed and turn on the lights. Considering what I'd seen from the outside, I wasn't surprised to find the place covered in a thin layer of dust.

"Goddammit," I muttered, looking around. It wasn't much different from my original cabin, save for more space with only two beds, and the cabin was a bit bigger. Even the bathroom was bigger, you'd be able to take a shit without feeling cramped into a box, and the same for the shower. Sadly, the cleaning supply closet was empty, which wasn't something I'd anticipated.

A thump drew me around, and I found Elliot standing in the doorway, a bag slung over his shoulder as he looked around. "Wow. They really went all out for us, huh?"

"What did you expect? They came up with this idea at the last second," I said with a shrug. "Can't expect five-star treatment when we're basically being put in the corner for being bad."

His eyes snapped to me, and I sensed him readying to say something before he rolled his eyes. "I guess it's a good thing I thought ahead."

"Don't drag your…" I began and then stopped as he stomped in, still wearing his boots. "Like there's not enough shit in here as it is."

"Yeah, because a little bit more is gonna matter at this point," he said, dropping his stuff on the unoccupied bed. "Is this what living with you is like?"

"What? Not wanting to make our job even harder? God forbid," I grumbled at him. "You're not a little kid."

"Well, glad you realized that," he said snidely, walking to the door and dragging in a broom and a bucket full of bottles. "Because I'm actually capable of taking care of myself. So don't parent me."

We were already off to a great start, but at least I could see he wouldn't be completely useless. "Where'd that shit come from?"

He grinned. "Took it from my old cabin. Kinda figured like you did that this was a last-minute thing, and they wouldn't have a cabin ready."

"You took from your old bunkmates? You really know how to leave a good impression."

"Quit being a bitch. Dom and I were the only ones in that cabin who bothered cleaning. So if the rest of them want to complain, Dom will sort them out real quick."

"And when Dom sees what you did?"

He chuckled. "He'll get pissy and give me hell for taking things, but he'll go get more."

"So, do you just live to annoy the living shit out of people, or is it something you do by accident?"

He leaned back, grip on the broom tightening. I thought for a moment he was going to swing it at me, but he just shoved it toward me, speaking through gritted teeth. "Since you wanted to be so fussy about the dirt, you can sweep it up however you want, princess. I'm going to scrub the bathroom and pretend you still haven't learned not to be a fucker."

I took the broom and dustpan with a scowl but shut my mouth. His anger seemed to flare up and disappear at about the same speed. Considering how intensely it could show up, it was better to let him get it out of his system before trying to deal with him again. And if, in the process, he managed to do something productive, that was even better.

It turned out he was, in fact, capable of working quickly…and hard. While I carefully went around the place to get as much of the dust cleaned up as possible, and then the floor, the sound of vigorous scrubbing came out of the bathroom. The smell of cleaning solution filled the cabin, and I had to open the windows and the front door. It meant inviting insects, but it was better than being gassed out.

Even then, I was feeling a little lightheaded by the time I got the dirt and dust cleaned up. Elliot wasted no time once the bathroom was scrubbed down, immediately taking the cleaning supplies to almost every other cabin surface. There wasn't a surface that wasn't given a good scrub while I dealt with the collected dirt on the steps outside and cleaned the windows.

When I came back in, I found him glaring at the thermostat on the wall. "Do you think they'll get pissed if I fiddle with this? I mean, I know they will, but…who has to know?"

"Don't break anything," I told him. "Bad enough we're in this situation. Don't break something, so we have to sweat our way through the nights."

He gave me the finger. "I know what I'm doing…I just don't have the tools for it."

"And what the fuck do you know about this kind of thing?"

"You know," he said, turning to glare at me. "I'd answer that question if you weren't being a dick. Weird how that works."

"How was I being a dick?"

"C'mon, imagine if I talked to you like that, asking what you could possibly know about how to do something. You'd get pissed off, snarl at me, call me something insulting, and stomp off," he told me, turning back to the thermostat and pulling the cover off. "I know things, alright?"

"I didn't say you couldn't possibly know."

"Right, because it's just the exact words you use. Tone doesn't mean shit."

"So now you're putting words into my mouth?"

"Christ, just…fuck off, Reno. I haven't had someone piss me off as much as you do in ages. Just…leave me alone."

I had plenty to say to that, but it was probably better that I just left things alone. It wouldn't be a good sign for things to come if the two of us started going at each other's throats on the first day. Well, it probably wouldn't be good no matter how long into bunking together, but definitely not on the first day.

"Huh," I grunted as I looked at the shelves he'd been cleaning earlier. "We have our own coffee maker? Wow, didn't realize this was going to be an upgrade."

"Yeah, and the shower has better water pressure than the one I was in before," he said, and I heard a harsh click.

"What was that?" I demanded, turning around.

He smirked, slid the thermostat cover on, and pointed toward the ceiling vent. I waited, brow raised until I heard a familiar hum and a gust of cool air brushed over my sweat-covered face. "That."

"I thought you needed tools," I said, closing my eyes and enjoying the coolness. I hadn't realized how warm the cabin had gotten with the two of us scrubbing away. "Not that I'm complaining."

"I'd say that would be a nice change of pace, but honestly, I'm just glad I got it working. Was afraid we'd have to get someone out here and you know how long they take? Forever," he said, sighing and dropping into a chair. "Feels amazing."

It was by no means a perfect solution, it would take the tiny unit ages to make the cabin feel like it wasn't a boiling pit from hell's backyard, but it was definitely better. I took a seat as well, placing myself under the vent after closing all the windows and the door.

It wasn't the best outcome for the day, but it could have been far worse. And honestly, Elliot had proven himself to be…well, he wasn't the worst choice to live with if he was that willing to work on the cabin. He would get on my nerves like nobody's business, but at least he was useful.

It might just work out.