Epilogue - Two
“Parole is denied. The prisoner, Cody Crenshaw, will continue serving his sentence at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.”
Sloane sucked in a deep breath. One, then another. Her heart thudded in her chest, and it was all she could do not to jump to her feet and start shouting with sheer joy.
She’d been allowed in the parole hearing. She’d been waiting in the back. She’d watched Cody come in. Seen his confident grin. Those flashing dimples.
It had taken all of her self-control not to attack him then and there.
Denied.
His family hadn’t won. Their power hadn’t won. Cody had not won.
But he turned to look at her. His bright blue eyes came straight to her.
Her chin lifted. Her shoulders straightened. Her spine stiffened.
She smiled at him. The biggest, brightest smile she could manage. Because he hadn’t won.
She had.
The prison door clanged shut.
The man in the orange uniform shuffled toward the table in the middle of the room. A very slow shuffle because his ankles were shackled. His wrists, too. Slowly, slowly, step by shuffling step, he advanced.
Then the guard shoved him into the chair that waited at the narrow table.
The prisoner squinted, tilted his blond head, and locked his blue eyes on his visitor. “Who the hell are you?” Anger roughened Cody Crenshaw’s voice.
It was an anger that Preston could understand. After all, the man had just been denied parole. Soon, Cody would be returning to his cell. To his confinement, forever. Not that the parole board had said forever, but that was Preston’s plan.
Preston waited for the guard to step back. Once the guard was in a position near the door, Preston quirked a brow at Cody. One guard at the door. Another near the right wall. Two witnesses. “I’m the man,” Preston explained with a smile, “who is marrying Sloane Armstrong.”
A growl built in Cody’s throat.
“I am the man who will be by her side, every day and every night, for the rest of her life.”
Cody’s blue eyes had narrowed to slits.
“I am also the man…” Preston leaned forward. His voice dropped. This part was just for Cody’s ears. No need for the guards to pick up this part. “I’m the man who influenced the right people so that you would not get that parole.”
Cody’s chest rose and fell. Hard. Harder.
“I am the man who will make sure that you never hurt Sloane again.” Because you will not get out of here. He nodded. “Good talking to you.” Preston rose. He rounded the table. Deliberately put himself a bit too close to Cody.
Cody erupted. He jumped from his chair. He brought his arms pounding down on Preston. He drove his cuffed hands into Preston’s back. Preston hit the floor.
The guards had to haul Cody off him. They slammed Cody back into his seat.
Preston rose. He turned slowly to his prey. Shook his head. “Is that the way…to be a model prisoner?”
Cody’s lips parted.
“That was all recorded wasn’t it, Officer Trenton?” Preston asked the guard who’d returned to his position near the door.
“Yes, sir.”
Great. That had been the plan, after all. Preston straightened his suit coat. “Hard to ever get parole,” he mused, “when you have a documented history of violent attacks on innocent individuals.”
“You bastard!” Cody yelled.
Preston nodded to Officer Trenton. The guard opened the door. Stepped out.
A wave of Preston’s hand had the other prison officer following suit.
The door clanged closed once again. Such a loud, stark sound.
Preston waited a beat. A camera rested near the ceiling, in the upper right corner of the little room. He waited for the green light on that camera to turn off.
It did.
No more recording.
Cody stared at him, eyes wide. “What is happening?”
“I’m giving you a chance to attack me again,” Preston told him. “Only this time, be warned, I will fight back.”
Cody did not get out of the chair.
Preston stalked toward him. “I’m not some sleeping mother in her bed. Not some dozing father who will never have the chance to reach for a weapon so that I can defend my family.”
Cody’s shoulders hunched.
“I am not some dumbass, good guy who will just let a violent thug beat him while he does nothing but cower on the floor.” Preston stopped right beside Cody.
Cody barely met his eyes.
“I am not some poor sonofabitch who will let you destroy his life because you come after his wife.” Sloane would be his wife. Soon. They were already planning the wedding. “Let me tell you who I am.” His hands flew out. Curled around Cody’s neck. Not tightening. Not yet. “I am your nightmare.”
“G-guards!” Cody tried to call, but his voice was just a whisper.
“I am the man who can get to you, at any time, at any place. Bars won’t keep me out. They will not keep me away.”
“G-guards…” But Cody’s voice was even weaker.
“I am the man who will make you suffer before you die.” Preston could feel the frantic racing of Cody’s pulse beneath his touch.
“I am the man who will show you hell on earth long before I let you take your last breath. I have killed before, and I will do it again, in an instant, before you ever touch Sloane again.”
Cody pissed himself.
Preston let him go. He shook his head in disgust.
“G-guards…” Cody whimpered.
“Have fun serving out your time. Plus, the time you’ll get for, you know, assaulting me on camera.”
“Guards…”
Preston headed for the door. Deliberately, he turned his back on the prisoner. If Cody wanted to attack again, Preston would enjoy the fight. He wouldn’t hold back. He’d be swinging brutal punches of his own. After all, he already had the footage he needed in order to prove that he was a victim.
But there was no second attack. Nothing but what could have been sobs from Cody.
Officer Trenton opened the door for Preston, but Preston didn’t exit. Not yet. Preston snapped his fingers together. “Almost forgot.” He looked back at Cody. Hunched shoulders. Craned neck. Bowed head. “You’ll be in general population now.”
Cody’s head whipped up and toward Preston. His eyes turned saucer-wide.
“It was weird, but for some reason, you were being given preferential treatment. I think because your family was bribing the warden? Probably, but well, anyway, I have more money than they do so…” He smiled.
“I think general pop is going to suit you so much better. You will make so many great, new friends.”
“G-guards…”
“Good luck with all of that.”
When Preston left the prison moments later, he was whistling. The sun was incredibly bright outside. He popped on his sunglasses and felt the warmth of that light on his skin.
THE END