Chapter Sixteen
Roman took a few heavy breaths before he walked back into his cell. His towel show from the showers back to his room definitely caught more attention than he expected, but he hoped to smooth things over before going into the details. Ditching his clothes wasn’t exactly the plan.
After catching his breath, Roman stepped inside with a red-faced smile and a playful strut he hoped would be enough to turn the conversation. Ezra quirked a brow, studying Roman from his chair.
“And where are your clothes?”
“I’m just really excited,” Roman said, forcing a smile.
He knew he needed to explain, needed to tell Ezra about the altercation, but he’d already caused a minor scene at the syndicate meeting today and would basically be ruining Ezra’s friendship or alliance or whatever with Jake. Roman wanted to ease Ezra into the news. He wanted to help him relax, remind him why he liked Roman to begin with.
“So, you ran here in just a towel?”
Roman stepped closer to Ezra’s chair and dropped his towel.
“What can I say? You really get me worked up.”
“Yeah, and you really get everyone else worked up.” Ezra’s expression fell flat; only the anger in his eyes remained. “You think I didn’t hear about that scuffle?”
How? Roman had literally just left the showers, escaped Jake. How had Ezra already heard about the near incident? An incident, but Roman couldn’t call it that. Nothing happened. Nothing.
“I have eyes everywhere.” Ezra spun a hand around, gesturing. “You were gonna let Finnegan treat you that way and say nothing?”
“No, I was.” Roman paused, embarrassed, ashamed, regretting his silence. “I just didn’t wanna make a big deal out of it. I didn’t wanna ruin your night.”
“Embarrassing me was better?”
“What? No. Never.” Roman shook his head. “I was fine. I handled it.”
“Oh, you handled it. Did he apologize? Did he regret his choices?” Ezra stomped toward the door. “I’m finding him and handling this.”
“Wait—”
“Stay here until I’m back.”
Roman stood alone and naked, awaiting Ezra’s return.
Dinner time had come and gone, and lights out would follow in another two hours. Roman had redressed while he waited. His stomach gurgled, and he rifled through the desk drawers, grabbing a couple snack goods. He considered all the prep work he put into getting himself ready for a passionate evening with Ezra and figured that was probably off the table.
Part of him anxiously awaited Ezra’s return, worried what Jake might do, what his crew would do. Another part of him buried that concern with sweets and the knowledge that Ezra was no fool. He didn’t do reckless; he didn’t do foolish. Everything about Ezra was calculating. The problem was that so was everything about Jake “the Snake” Finnegan.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite boy in the whole wide world.” Jake breezed into the cell, whistling as he took in Roman.
He dropped his snack, eyed up Jake, and tried to prepare for the worst.
Jake’s eyes were swollen, dark rings from the bruising that spread across his face like a blotchy painting. Roman didn’t see any rage in his eyes, any aggravation at the massive bandage that covered Jake’s nose. The man appeared as carefree and dangerous as he always did.
“Here I thought I was your favorite boy in the whole wide world.” Ezra slapped a hand on Jake’s back as he trudged on in after.
What the hell was happening? They were smiling, laughing, acting buddy-buddy like nothing had happened between them.
“Favorite man,” Jake corrected, turning to wink at Roman to ensure he caught the distinct difference. He did.
“What’s going on?”
“We worked out our differences,” Ezra said, arm flung over Jake’s shoulder. “Come here.”
Roman anxiously obeyed.
“We realized it was just a big misunderstanding.”
Misunderstanding? Roman nearly boiled over at that, but when Ezra swung an arm around Roman too, he worked to settle his emotions for Ezra’s sake. Roman couldn’t stand this hold Jake had over Ezra. Since saving his life during an arena event, Ezra continued giving this psychopath the benefit of the doubt. Jake had attempted to assault Roman, and all Ezra could manage was that it was a misunderstanding.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Absolutely.” Ezra smiled, tightening his hold around Jake’s neck.
“Alone.”
“Well, we can’t talk and be alone because then you’d be alone and unable to talk to me,” Ezra stated with a perplexed expression. “Unless by talk, you really mean communicate, in which case you could most certainly communicate alone in the form of a letter and then pass it along to me when you are no longer alone.”
“Can I talk to you without Jake here?” Roman snapped, a bit more aggressive than he intended, a bit more aggressive than Ezra liked. Taking a calming breath, Roman let the rage fizzle away because he wasn’t mad at Ezra.
Jake raised his arms in surrender and stepped away until he reached the door where he stood watch, clearly not offering real privacy.
Not that anyone expected it in Marlow Penitentiary.
“What happened to taking care of things?” Roman asked in a not-so-hushed whisper as his glare fell on Jake.
Jake, who’d gone to playing with the door and shooting the men a minxy grin, much like a devilish cat about to pounce.
“I did take care of things,” Ezra insisted, stealing Roman’s attention.
“By bringing him back here?”
“By smoothing things over.” Ezra brushed Roman’s face, gentle but controlling. “It’s important not to make enemies of everyone for any little reason.”
Roman scoffed, drowning in his thoughts, his resentments, his little reasons for not wanting to be around Jake Finnegan.
“I’m uncomfortable around him,” Roman said as nicely as he could possibly fathom when, in reality, he wanted to finish what he’d started in the showers.
It was a level of fury Roman had long since learned to bury, and despite the discomfort of Jake’s proximity, Roman did secretly relish the feelings of anger. It wasn’t quite palpable but the closest to finding himself in a long time. He wanted to punch Jake again and again until he broke every bone in his body; he wanted to punch Jake for every bottled-up resentment he held over the last several months; he wanted to punch Jake for everything wrong in the world. And then he wanted to punch Jake a few more times for good measure.
“I know he’s not your favorite person,” Ezra said with a yawn. “But I think you just need to relax a little. He’s actually not too terrible.”
“And how are you suddenly so relaxed?” Roman asked since the last time he spoke to Ezra, he wanted to slaughter Jake too. “Are you okay?”
“High,” Ezra said.
“Hello?”
“No,” Ezra said with a laugh that he buried in Roman’s neck, kissing and licking and giggling the entire time. “I’m high.”
Roman raised his brows in concern and confusion. At least that explained the bizarre behavior. “And why are you high exactly?”
“It was to help discuss matters,” Ezra said as he wrapped a hand around Roman’s neck, waving Jake back over to them.
“Did you really need to discuss things high?” Roman asked, giving Ezra a pleading expression.
“I find it’s the best way to smooth out an argument,” Jake said.
“You know what I think the best solution to smooth out problems is?” Ezra asked.
“Don’t attack people in the showers, maybe?” Roman shrugged as if stating the simplest of details to a life of proper etiquette.
“Easier said than done when you’re strutting around all cute and kissable.” Jake winked, much to Roman’s disgust.
“I think we should all just kiss and make up,” Ezra professed, quite loudly and clearly lost on his high. “It’s the best way to resolve a resolution. Solve a solution. Revolve a solve?”
Roman glared at Jake’s grinning face.
Ezra gave Jake a peck. Ezra gave Roman a peck. “Come on now.”
Roman rolled his eyes and gave Jake a peck.
“I don’t feel like we really made up,” Jake said, phony disappointment in his tone.
Ezra kissed Jake again, a bit more fire in his touch, a bit more primal, even growling a bit as he turned back to Roman and kissed his lips with a passionate force and just a touch of a bite.
“Now, that is how you mend fences.” Jake laughed.
“ Fuck it, ” Roman thought, snatching Jake by the back of his hair and locking his gaze.
“Look at you, all aggressive and such.” Jake chomped at the air. “Rawr. I like it.”
“Just don’t have any more misunderstandings,” Roman said firmly.
“Oh, definitely.” Ezra waved a finger. “I don’t fuck around about choices, Jake. Don’t mess with him again without making sure he’s okay with it, or I’ll have to kill you.”
As if Roman would ever be okay with Jake’s advances.
“Defending your little princess’ honor?” Jake batted his eyes.
Ezra glared, green eyes furious before he blinked away the rage in a way he often did around Roman. “It’ll just be such a hassle to have to find someone else with your connections, Jakie Jake.”
“All righty.” Jake held up his hand like taking an oath. “No more funny stuff.”
Roman rolled his eyes, over this whole thing and hoping when Ezra’s high wore off, so would his patience for Jake.
Jake leaned in, gently kissing Roman and parting his lips with his tongue. Roman nearly retched, but his tongue slipped out as quickly as it slipped in, and Jake backed off.
“Kiss over. Total gentleman.”
Roman almost felt relieved until the chalky grain of a small pill moved along his tongue. Roman went to spit the pill, but Jake slapped a hand over his mouth.
“Relax,” Jake hissed. “It’s my way of saying sorry, saying all’s well that ends well.”
Roman fumed, nostrils flaring. He looked at Ezra, who smiled.
“Come on,” Jake insisted, bandaged face on full display. “Don’t offend me twice in one day.”
“We could roll together,” Ezra insisted, nuzzling his head against Roman’s. “It’s such a mellow rush.”
“It’s nothing serious.” Jake smiled. “Cross my heart and hope to fly.”
This wasn’t the first time Roman had taken a pill without a name. Though he generally trusted the person who handed him a party favor at the frat house. Roman didn’t trust Jake, but he absolutely trusted Ezra. If Ezra could handle himself with a little happy pill, then so could Roman. He reluctantly swallowed.
“See, you’re good. I’m good. We’re all good.” Jake stared Roman down before skirting around him and over to the bottom bunk. He sprawled out and took a seat. “Now that we’re flying high for a few, let’s talk business.”
“No,” Ezra said, ushering Roman to follow him as he circled the room. “Now is the worst time to talk business.”
“I find I have my best ideas with a little help from big pharma.”
Ezra led Roman all the way back around until they stopped at his bed. The pair sat down, and Roman ended up sandwiched between Ezra and Jake.
“The only business I wanna discuss is minimizing Sullivan’s hold,” Ezra said plainly.
“You fucking hate him, too.” Jake leaned forward excitedly. “Oh, I’ve wanted that prick dead for years. Say the word, friend, and I can increase our territory by…oh, fucking math. By a lot.”
“And provoke a war with his guys, no thanks.” Ezra placed a hand on Roman’s thigh, gently rubbing it. “I don’t kill what I can use. Sullivan has authority he no longer requires but skills and connections that could be beneficial.”
“What’d you have in mind?” Jake waved his fingers around, adding the tiniest flickers of light between them that caught Roman’s eye.
“Just thinking of ways to humble Sullivan.” Ezra squeezed Roman’s thigh, reminding him of how Ezra had humbled him, how he’d found a use for Roman but taught him some lessons along the way.
He doubted Ezra had the same intentions for one of the five men running this facility, but with Ezra, Roman had no clue.
“Someone’s feeling it, feeling it, feeling it.” Jake shook Roman, waking him from the fog that had struck. He wasn’t sure if Jake was repeating himself a lot or if the echo was part of the high. It could be either. Jake was fucked up, too.
When Roman looked to Ezra, he seemed completely steady, talking more firmly about business with each passing minute. In fact, the more confused Roman felt, the more stable Ezra seemed.
“Riding that wave.” Jake leaned over and slapped Roman’s chest, startling him with the rush it sent.
His body was the wave, and his skin rippled in every direction, giving him the most euphoric sensation.
“Now you know why I’m always such a chipper person.” Jake kissed Roman again, the taste chalky and a little fruity, too.
Roman laughed, lost on himself more than anything else at this point.
“I’d love to keep this party going,” Jake said, running his hand through Roman’s hair. “But it’s gonna be lights out soon.”
“I have a bit of finesse,” Ezra said.
“Oh, yeah?” Jake perked up, smiling at Roman, who smiled back. He was lost in Jake’s eyes, like he was a reflection of himself. “You up for a little partying?”
“Huh?” Roman leaned into the head scratches, finding they reached his brain. Jake’s touch made the room pop with colors Roman had forgotten about in this bland prison.
“Maybe bring a few friends.” Jake looked at Ezra expectingly.
“You know the kind of clout it takes to swing an after-hours cell party?”
“We’ll be super quiet.” Jake pressed a finger to Roman’s lips, shushing him.
Roman playfully shushed himself, uncertain what was happening.
“Fuck it.” Ezra shrugged. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Roman turned his attention to Ezra, who seemed levelheaded at this point. It eased the tension in the back of Roman’s mind, whispers of worries he didn’t need to concern himself with. Those concerns died out quickly when the next wave of his high hit. This feeling was fantastic but fleeting. He’d be steady in a few minutes. He’d be as calm as Ezra looked.
“What do you think?” Ezra asked. “It’s your choice.”
That was a comforting reminder. Roman never had to worry, to truly worry with Ezra. He always had a choice in things; even if he’d finally accepted his gilded cage, it was always left open for him to fly away whenever he wanted.
“Flapping your wings?” Jake asked, noting the sway of Roman’s hands. “If you wanna fly, all you gotta do is say pretty, pretty please.”
Everything faded away, and Roman didn’t want to surrender the high just yet. For the first time in years, he felt free, truly free, lost in a fuzzy world of possibility.
“I’m up for whatever.” Roman smiled at Ezra before collapsing back onto the bed.
“That was the plan, sweetness.” Jake continued running his hands through Roman’s hair, whispering sweet nothings he couldn’t follow, but Roman laughed when Jake laughed, and he smiled when Jake smiled, and he kissed Jake back when chalk hit his lips, and even when the kiss was just a kiss. It was a surprise Roman hadn’t expected.