Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
KASH
“Well, look at what we have here, boys!” A large, bald man, covered in tattoos, roughly slammed his tray of food down on the table. Two other inmates stood behind him like shadows. “It’s the lead singer of The Broken Muse!” The three men all laughed like hyenas. Great.
It had been almost two weeks since I called the police and confessed, followed by my rather dramatic arrest during our performance.
I had been taken back to the local jail near the campsite and was stuck here ever since, awaiting trial for third degree manslaughter, among a list of other charges, all relating to Guy’s death.
“I heard that your arrest started a nationwide riot. Your fans have been fighting the police and demanding your release. It’s been fucking chaos out there.
” He sucked his teeth. “Impressive, for a gay man.” Real fucking classy.
The man grabbed a handful of the mush from my tray and laughed.
“Is it true you left that pretty little blonde pussy of yours for some side dick? What was that fucking dude’s name?
Oh yeah, Motley.” Something snapped inside me as I heard his name come from that prick’s mouth.
The men all laughed at his offensive words.
I kept my head low and tried to control my anger, but it was useless. This man crossed a fucking line.
My body trembled, and I scoffed to myself.
The inmate noticed. “What’s so funny, pretty boy?” he snapped. “Huh?” He slammed his fist onto the table and food splattered from the impact. “What’s so fucking funny?”
My eyes raised and I grinned. “You are.” His eyes widened. “You think you’re so big and bad, but really, underneath all your toxic masculinity, you’re just a scared little bitch.”
The man shot to his feet. “The fuck did you just say to me?”
“Hey!” a guard shouted in our direction. “Settle down!”
I laughed as he and his friends eyed me with rage.
“How insecure do you need to be to feel so threatened by a man like me? Tell me, what is it that bothers you so much? The fact that I’m famous?
Better looking than you? That even though I like dick, I can get more pussy than you?
Or that I have hair?” I winked, and he flared his nostrils.
“You little?—”
My hands slammed against the table, and I stood.
“You think you’re ignorant homophobic shit scares me?
” My head tilted. “I don’t give a fuck how you feel.
You know why? Because you’re nothing to me.
” The guard began to walk in our direction, and unlike them, I didn’t care.
“Nothing! But don’t you ever fucking say his name again! ”
“On the ground, inmate!” I didn’t listen.
The guard grabbed my arms, and I struggled with him as my face burned. “Don’t you ever say it!” My eyes burned into his.
“I said on the ground!” I spun and headbutted the guard with a loud grunt.
He groaned and stumbled back as blood began to drip from his nose.
“Jesus fuck!” He ran to the wall and hit a button.
An alarm immediately began to blare all throughout the jail.
The inmates all panicked and hit the floor.
They lay on their stomachs and placed their hands on the back of their heads while numerous other armed guards joined.
A cluster of them rushed me, and I fought against them, focused on the one inmate.
“Don’t you ever say his name! If you do, I’ll fucking kill you! You hear me? I’ll kill you!”
The guard, whose nose I broke, yanked me back. “Enough!” I turned to face him when another guard appeared. He raised his gun and slammed the butt of it into my face, and everything went black.
My head ached and throbbed as pain ran through my skull. “Oh fuck,” I groaned. My body rolled around in agony.
“Took a real beating there, didn’t you?”
My body rose to find my roommate. He was sitting in his bunk sharpening a toothbrush with a dull razor blade he had probably swiped from someone. “Hey, Juke.” He tilted his chin at me. I groaned and hung my legs over my bunk opposite him. “How long have I been out?”
Juke shrugged his shoulders. “If I had to guess, I’d say a couple hours. They got you good this time.” I rolled my eyes.
I had become known for my temper in this place. Earned a reputation for it. I couldn't help it. Without Motley here to keep me in check, it was like my anger had become uncontrollable. It turned into a fucking monster.
“What was it this time, hothead?” Juke eyed me. “Another one of your pointless fights?”
I sighed. “Nah. Just some little bitch talking shit, that’s all.” I watched him continue with the toothbrush. “The fuck are you doing with that?” I pointed.
Juke looked around to make sure no guards were near before he shuffled over to my bunk. He then held the sharpened toothbrush out for me to see and spoke in a whisper. “I’m making a weapon.”
“A weapon?” He’s going to get himself killed.
He nodded. “I’m not like you, Kash. I can’t protect myself in here.
” He wasn’t wrong. Juke was a tall and scrawny man.
He resembled a skeleton and was serving time for drug possession.
He had no connections in here and no reputation to save his ass from the abuse he’d endured.
“Soon, I’ll be able to show them I’m not weak. ”
“Show who?” I asked.
Juke looked straight at me. “Xavier and his whole fucking gang.” My body stiffened at the name.
Xavier? The very man who had Motley terrified and running his whole life? The man who hired Guy to follow us? It couldn’t be the same Xavier. Could it?
“Did you say Xavier?” He nodded. “Xavier is here ? In this jail?”
Juke tucked the toothbrush into his shirt as a guard walked by on patrol.
He waited until the man left before turning back to me.
“Who do you think sent those men to your table earlier today? Xavier always sends his three little goons to rough up the newbies.” He scuttled back to his bunk and continued sharpening his toothbrush.
“He’s the king of this jail. Nothing happens without him knowing. ”
It wasn’t possible. There was no way the same man was here with me.
“Juke?” He lifted his head. “How do I find Xavier?”
He stopped what he was doing. “You don’t want to find him, hothead.”
“Oh, but I do.” He watched me closely. “If this Xavier is who I think he is, then I do. I need to see him.”
Juke made a face. “Why?” I huffed. “Uh-uh. If I’m going to stick my neck out for you, I deserve to know why.” He crossed his arms. “It’s only fair.”
Fucking stubborn ass.
“If you must know, Xavier and I have a… friend in common. And some unfinished business.” Juke raised an eyebrow. “Please, Juke.”
He blew a raspberry. “Fine! But it’s going to cost you.” He held his hand out.
“Seriously?” He didn’t budge. “Fine.” I rolled my eyes and searched the pockets of my orange jumpsuit before I pulled out my only pack of cigarettes.
Fuck, I’m going to miss these.
I placed the nearly full pack into Juke’s hand.
“There. We good?” Juke counted the cigarettes and stuffed the pack under his mattress.
He then stood and walked over to the toilet in our cell.
“Juke?” He shushed me and fell to his knees as he gripped the edge of the filthy bowl.
“Ayo, Flint!” He leaned halfway down the bowl and listened.
What the fuck is he doing?
“Flint!” he repeated. Within seconds, a distant and faint voice shouted back up to him.
It was fucking astonishing. Somehow, Juke and this other person were able to speak through the pipes of the toilets.
It was fucking impressive. I couldn’t make out what Flint was saying but Juke could.
“I got a biter!” he shouted back. Juke listened for a bit, nodding along to the muffled and distant voice.
“What are they saying?” I asked.
Juke shooshed me and leaned further in. “Uh-huh. Okay.” He then smacked the side of the bowl twice and flushed before returning to his bunk.
I watched him carelessly sit there and pick at his nails. “Well?”
Juke’s eyes raised to me. “Patience, hothead. Good things come to those who wait.”
What the fuck is that supposed to mean?
Within a good ten minutes, a guard had suddenly appeared at our cell. He unlocked the door and huffed. “Let’s go.” I looked at him, completely confused.
Juke motioned to the guard with his eyes. “Your ride’s here.”
A guard? A guard was taking me to Xavier?
I stood and approached the guard.
“Hey, hothead?” I spun to see Juke standing close. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly. “Be smart.” Juke nodded, and I nodded back as I kept my hand clutched tight.
“Let’s go.” The guard shoved me into the hallway. “This way.” I cautiously followed him and tried to process Juke’s words.
The two of us ventured a ways until we finally reached the laundry room. The guard opened the laundry room door and motioned for me to step inside. You could hear the washers and dryers running from inside. The overwhelming smell of bleach and detergent filled the air. It almost choked me.
“Move.” The guard roughly shoved me inside while he remained at the door.
“Well, well, well. If it’s the infamous Kash.
” I looked straight ahead to see an older man with dark hard and a darker olive skin tone.
He was wearing the typical orange jumpsuit all inmates wore as he sat at a desk and smoked a cigar.
His sleeves were rolled, and I could see his muscles and tattoos.
He looked to be oddly in shape in spite of his older age.
The man had piles of cash and drugs stacked neatly around the desk, as if he had been interrupted in some underground drug dealing business.
The three little goons from earlier were all sitting behind him, smoking cigarettes and playing cards, while a few random inmates were doing the laundry.
“Welcome to my little kingdom.” The man stretched his arms out.
He looked past me and waved the guard away. “Now, to what do I have this honor?”