5. Chapter 5

5

R ory had been nervous the first time he stepped onto the wing, but walking onto it again a day after he’d been injured was ten times worse. His stomach fizzled , and the pain in his side pulsed with each step he took. The man who had sliced him open was still on the wing and still unknown from what the officer escorting Rory told him. They’d found the weapon, most likely discarded immediately after it had been used, and that was enough for the officers to deem the wing safe again.

It was anything but safe, and a part of Rory wanted to spin around, run back down the corridor and burst into the office where he’d last seen Hamish and Morris.

He wasn’t cut out for undercover work.

He didn’t have aspirations to work undercover or to become a detective; he just wanted to be a police officer on the streets, arresting lowlifes, but he owed Hamish.

“Here we are.” The officer sighed, unlocking the gate.

A few inmates were still eating breakfast and lifted their heads at Rory’s approach. A heavy silence descended over the wing, only broken when Pauly blew Rory a kiss from his table.

“I missed you, sweetheart.”

“Shut it,” Captain growled as he climbed to his feet and headed over. He paused, gave Rory a visual once-over, then smacked a heavy hand down on Rory’s shoulder.

“Did the doctor fix you up?”

“Yeah, it was only a scratch.”

Rory raised his voice so the inmates on the closest few tables heard. The wound wasn’t life-threatening, but it did pull and ache with every step, twist and turn. Ollie poked his head out of his cell, gasped, then rushed over with a big smile on his face.

“Thank God!”

He took three big strides across the wing, then wrapped his arms around Rory in a firm hug. Rory gingerly returned the embrace with one arm.

“You had me worried.”

Over Ollie’s shoulder, Rory spotted Teddy coming closer.

“Are you all right?” he whispered in Ollie’s ear.

“Yeah.” Ollie let go. “I’m not the one that got stabbed.”

“He wasn’t stabbed ,” Captain mumbled. “More like sliced, and if I find out who did it…” He turned his glare on the wing, and a few prisoners lowered their heads. “I’ll return the favour.”

“Did you have breakfast?” Ollie asked.

Rory shook his head. “I’m not really that hungry.”

“You have to eat something,” Captain said. “Or else you’ll waste away.”

“Come on,” Ollie said, leading Rory over to a table. Captain strode over to the servery and grabbed a tray.

Rory clutched his side as he sat down. Ollie took the seat opposite. Teddy hovered at the end of the table until Ollie pulled out the seat beside him with a bright smile.

“You can sit with us.”

Teddy bowed his head, then sat beside Ollie.

“Let’s see it then,” Ollie said.

Rory scrunched his brow. “See what?”

“The wound.”

“It’s wrapped up.”

Ollie pouted in disappointment. Captain returned with toast on his tray and placed it in front of Rory.

“It’s only toast. You should be able to manage it.”

Rory shot him a weak smile. “Thank you—”

“Don’t,” Captain interrupted. “It’s the least I can do.”

“How did you work that out?”

“If I hadn’t taken so long coming back to the wing, it wouldn’t have happened.”

Rory slumped. “You can’t look out for us all of the time.”

“Watch me.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“Rory,” Captain growled.

Rory slumped. “Where were you yesterday anyway?”

“I was speaking to the governor.” Captain rubbed his chin. “He’s given me a cell of my own on the second floor, next to yours actually. No more terrifying my cellmate every night. And I begrudgingly agreed to see a therapist.”

“That’s great.”

Captain hissed through his teeth. “I cancelled this morning.”

“Why?”

“I left the wing for thirty minutes yesterday, and someone knifed you.”

Rory blinked. “But…you have to speak to someone.”

“No, I don’t. No one can make me do anything.”

“Please—”

“Stop.” Captain held up his hand. “This isn’t up for discussion.”

“Are you pulling rank on me?”

“Yeah, I am.” He snorted, and some of the anger the conversation had spawned left him. “You’re a fresh-faced private, and I’m an experienced captain.”

“Hey,” Ollie whispered over the table. “Look who’s coming…”

Sebastian strolled over, then crossed his arms. His expression was unreadable when he said, “You’re back.”

Rory glanced at him. “Looks that way.”

“A word…” He tilted his head to the side, trying to get Rory to follow as he took a step away.

“No,” Rory said firmly.

Sebastian’s eyebrows shot up. “What did you say?”

“You asked for a word, and I gave you one. No. Now run along and enjoy it.”

Ollie’s mouth dropped open.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes. “Did the doctor sew your balls back on?”

“I’m eating,” Rory said, taking a bite of toast to prove his point.

Sebastian shook his head, then gave Ollie a pointed look. “He’s not interested.”

Rory paused mid-chew. “Interested?”

Ollie’s cheeks reddened, and he glanced away.

“What did you do?” Rory asked.

Sebastian placed his hands on the table and leaned into Rory’s personal space. His eyes gleamed as a slow smile spread over his lips. “Your buddy here begged me to protect you when you came back.”

“You did what?” Rory muttered, but Ollie was looking anywhere but at him.

“But the thing is, nothing in prison is free. For my protection, and your guaranteed safety, you’d need to do things for me.”

Rory shook his head. “No.”

“Hear me out. I’m not Pauly, I’m not interested in forcing my way into your holes, but I am interested in why you’re here…”

“Why I’m here?”

Sebastian smiled, then mouthed the word ‘drugs’. “I want some brought in, a farewell score for me and my closest.”

“Your release is almost nine months away.”

“I want a long and happy farewell. Think you could smuggle some in for me?”

Rory looked into Sebastian’s blue eyes. The amusement dazzled. It taunted. He knew Hamish would probably give him drugs to get Sebastian onside, to become valuable to him in the hope he’d overhear some vital information, but he didn’t want Sebastian lording his power over him.

“You asked for a word, and I gave you one.” Rory leaned in until his nose was almost touching Sebastian’s. “No.”

Sebastian lifted an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”

“Certain.”

“So be it,” he said, standing at full height again. “It’s your funeral.”

“He didn’t mean it,” Ollie blurted.

“Stay out of this, Ollie,” Captain growled.

Sebastian smirked. “You do know what Pauly’s got planned for you, right? If you think a blade across your side hurt, wait till he rams it up your ars—”

“Hey!” Captain shouted, getting to his feet. “Enough.”

Sebastian held up his hands. “Calm down. I’m not threatening, only stating facts.”

He turned around, then walked away.

“What the hell, Rory?” Ollie hissed. “You’ve got eight years in here.”

Rory shrugged. “So, he’d give me nine months protection, then what?”

A growl rumbled in Teddy’s throat, not angry, more of a considering mumble.

“Exactly,” Rory said, pointing to him. “I’m not going to be bullied to bring drugs in here.”

“Are you sure you were stabbed in the side?” Ollie asked.

“You know I was.”

“Only, I’m starting to wonder whether it went through your thick skull and cut out part of your brain instead.”

Ollie knocked his chair over as he stood up. He left the table with Teddy quick to follow.

“He’s worried about you,” Captain muttered.

“I know he is. I’m worried about me too, but I’m not going to be Sebastian’s mule.” He eyed Captain. “You’re not going to bitch at me for turning down Sebastian’s offer?”

Captain grinned. “Nope, you are your own man, own your choices, like I do.”

Rory nodded.

“Let’s just hope it was the right one,” Captain finished.

Rory spent most of the day sitting in Captain’s eyeline during association times.

In the gym, Captain taught Ollie defensive moves. The lesson seemed to be how to apprehend a man with a knife, but Captain drilled into Ollie that the first thing he should look to do in that situation was run away. Running wasn’t cowardly; it was the most practical way of staying alive.

When roll call arrived, Rory felt exhausted. He trudged after Captain and peeked a look inside his new cell. Single bed kept military tidy. Rory had expected nothing less. He had boots at the end of the bed, the ones he’d come in with, but he never wore them on the wing, he wore his prison-approved trainers instead.

“Come on.”

He jumped at Sebastian’s voice, then continued along the walkway to the last cell. As soon as he was inside, he pulled himself up onto the top bunk to allow Sebastian room.

“Have your balls shrivelled up again?” Sebastian smirked.

He yanked off his T-shirt and tossed it onto the bed. Rory looked away from Sebastian’s flat stomach and defined chest and opted to flip onto his back to stare at the ceiling.

“There’s not enough room for both of us,” he said.

“There’s plenty of room.”

Rory didn’t climb down from the bed, and after a long sigh from Sebastian, he began his nighttime routine of relieving himself, stripping off, washing his face and brushing his teeth. It didn’t matter how many times Rory had seen Sebastian shirtless; it still made his heart skip.

“Why are you scared of me?” Sebastian asked.

“I’m not.”

Sebastian smirked. He leaned against the bed, close to Rory’s head. “Is it because I’m a killer?”

“I’m sure there’s plenty of killers in here.”

Sebastian hummed. “There’s a few. Pauly, he’s a killer. Killed two men, and Teddy…”

Rory widened his eyes. He rolled onto his side, searching Sebastian’s eyes. “What did Teddy do?”

Sebastian held up his hand, his killing hand , and held up four fingers. “Four.”

“Four?”

“Some say five, but that’s complicated, disputed even.”

“Why?”

Sebastian looked at him for a long moment. When it didn’t look like he would answer, Rory spoke again. “Doctor Pichard…he reacted strangely when I told him Ollie was sharing with Teddy.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing. He didn’t say anything, but he couldn’t meet my eyes.”

“There was an incident with Teddy’s cellmate. Some time ago now.”

“What incident?”

Sebastian sighed. “He committed suicide. Now some prisoners say that was down to Teddy, but I don’t believe it. All you need to know is he was charged with four.”

Rory’s gut sank. “Jesus… You said Ollie was safe with him.”

Sebastian frowned. “I didn’t quite say that, but they appear to be getting along. Besides, isn’t Ollie a killer too? I heard he stabbed his own father over twenty times with a kitchen knife.”

“You know nothing about him,” Rory defended.

“He still killed someone. My point is, you’re not scared of him or Teddy, but you are of me, especially when we’re alone. You’re all…jumpy.”

“Excuse my jumpiness, I was stabbed yesterday.”

Sebastian laughed. “And you think it was me?”

“I don’t know.”

“It wasn’t me,” Sebastian murmured, “If it was me, I would’ve—”

He slapped his hand to Rory’s lips, pushing him back down onto the mattress until he was staring up at the ceiling again with panicked eyes. Sebastian pretended to stab him with his other hand, curled into a fist, coming down on Rory’s stomach repeatedly but stopping before there was any contact. It reminded Rory of the shower scene in Psycho , but he didn’t scream or struggle, he froze, heart tripping, until Sebastian finally stepped back.

Rory panted for breath, not daring to move.

“My money is on Pauly,” Sebastian said in a calm voice as if he hadn’t just pinned Rory down and mimed repeatedly knifing him in his stomach.

“M…Money?” Rory uttered.

“Oh yeah,” Sebastian replied. “A few of the guys have been placing bets. Vince on the first floor thinks it was your buddy, Ollie.”

“Ollie wouldn’t do that.”

“He’s in here for stabbing a guy.” Sebastian shrugged. “How well do you actually know him?”

Rory flared his nostrils. “It wasn’t Ollie, and I know him enough to know it wasn’t.”

“There’s your balls.” Sebastian chuckled. “I wondered where they’d gone.”

He sat down on his bed and groaned as he got comfortable.

“Your turn,” Sebastian mumbled.

Rory got down, brushed his teeth, used the toilet, then washed his hands. He tentatively lifted his T-shirt and felt Sebastian’s eyes on him. The stark white bandage was impossible to hide, and Sebastian’s gaze snapped to it.

“Whoever did it,” he said slowly, “didn’t want you dead. They would’ve gone for your throat or your heart if they did. They wanted to freak you out, scare you a little.”

“It worked,” Rory admitted.

Sebastian opened his mouth, but no words came out, and after a sigh through his nose, he pressed his lips together. Rory thought it was the end of the conversation, but Sebastian mumbled, “Who do you think it was?”

Rory shook his head. “I don’t know. There were too many prisoners coming towards me all at once, passing by. It could’ve been anyone.”

“And how does that make you feel?”

Rory bit his lip. “Unsafe.”

Sebastian rolled onto his side to face the wall of the cell, presenting Rory with his bare back and ending their conversation. Rory removed the rest of his clothes, folded them up, then eased himself onto the top bed.

“Night, Rory.”

Rory bit his lip, waited a minute, then whispered. “Night, Sebastian.”