Chapter 1 #2
“Just welcoming Donovan into the fold,” she grinned, showing off her rotten teeth. “Right, Donovan?”
“Absolutely. Thanks for the warm welcome,” I muttered, eating my toast while staring at her.
She growled and stalked off, and Jamie caught my eye.
“That’s Tina Grovers. She thinks she’s a big name in here, but she’s not. She got her ass beat last month by Kat for running her mouth. She hasn’t been happy since Bryant showed up either. You’ll get more shit from her, she’s like a rabid dog.”
“Fantastic,” I replied dryly, finishing my food without another issue.
I had no idea how people stayed locked up for years, let alone their whole lives. I was bored as hell and it was only day one. I kept reaching for my phone, forgetting I didn’t have it on me, and I deflated a little at not being able to call one of the guys.
All I knew was Hunter had gotten Josie to contact a criminal lawyer and that was it. I couldn’t speak to anyone other than the lawyer, who turned out to be Jensen’s dad’s business partner and Lukas’ mom’s boyfriend, Kirk Jennings.
Bet Karen loved that.
Who the fuck was the witness? No one else had been there.
I really needed to speak to Skeeter, he’d probably know from inside intel. It was going to be a long week until I could call him to set up visitation.
Jamie didn’t hang out with me for the afternoon, but she joined me again for dinner. It was nice not sitting alone, a little less intimidating. I just needed to make some friends until Josie got me out of this mess and I’d be fine.
“Hey,” someone called out as Jamie and I made our way back to our cell block, and I glanced at Jamie, who gave me a nod to let me know this person was fine.
I looked on my other side, finding a brunette woman with hazel eyes beside me. She looked to be my age, and seemed way too sweet to be in here, but even the nicest people could snap and be murderers.
“Hey,” I said carefully, earning a bright smile.
“Donovan, right? I’m Matilda Garwood, but everyone calls me Tilly. You know my friend, Zeena.”
I had no idea how this nice girl was friends with that fighting machine, but I relaxed a little and nodded.
“Yeah, I do.”
“We grew up together. She’s talked about you on the phone before. All good things, I promise,” she chuckled, walking with us towards our block. “Just wanted to introduce myself. You can always sit with me in the cafeteria. Friends are kind of important in here.”
“I’ve noticed,” I grimaced, looking over at Jamie. “It’s safe to sleep, right?”
“Depends if you piss anyone off,” she replied with a shrug.
“Is Lexi likely to strangle me in my sleep?” I joked, but also kind of serious though.
“Bryant would rather you saw her coming. I don’t think she’s got it out for you, she was just making a point that she’s not your friend. I need to go and see the warden, you’ll be alright with Tilly. She’s in our pod,” she said with a nod, nerves filling me as she walked off.
“I don’t bite unless asked,” Tilly snickered, linking her arm with mine.
“C’mon, you can hang out in my room until lights out.
They’ll do a head count before locking our common area gate for the night, so as long as you’re standing outside your bedroom door for that, you’re fine.
Don’t go into anyone’s rooms without asking though.
A girl did that six months ago and got her head stomped in. It wasn’t pretty.”
She pulled me along happily, and as much as she was a little pushy, she seemed harmless enough.
“Can I ask how long you’ve been here for? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” I said quickly, but she smiled.
“Eight months so far. About two years left. Carjacking. In my defense, the guy tried to kidnap me. He kept following me around the grocery store parking lot and tried to force me into the back of his car. I bashed him over the head with a can of beans and dove into the driver’s seat of his car, locked the door, and floored it.
He got away with it, while I got punished, thanks to the cameras not reaching that end,” she said like it was funny. “I heard you’re in here for murder.”
“Allegedly,” I pointed out, making her laugh.
“Of course. We’re all innocent in here, babe.”
The common area was quiet when we arrived, other than the distinct sounds of moaning coming from one of the back rooms.
“You get used to that shit in here,” Tilly said casually as she ushered me into her room that was opposite mine, closing the door behind her. We sat on her bed with our backs to the wall, and she gave me the rundown on a bunch of inmates.
The more I knew about people, the better. She also said the girls snuck plastic piercing jewelry in and she’d get me some before bed. Apparently, most of the women put them in at night then took them out through the day to go unnoticed.
We were laughing as she told me a story about her and Zeena getting drunk at school, when the door opened and Lexi leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, eyeing me with annoyance before looking at Tilly.
“Just telling her a story about a mutual friend of ours. What’s up?” she asked, and Lexi turned her attention back to me.
“You fucking Rivera?”
I frowned, having no idea where she got that idea from. “No, why?”
“He’s got a major hard-on for you.”
“You spoke to him?” I asked hopefully, and she scoffed.
“Yeah, I did. If you’re not fucking him, then why were you dragged out of his bed by the cops? There’s no way Skeeter allows you to hang out with his enemy, so are you a snake?”
“Hey, I’m not the one fucking Hunter, you are. Does your husband know you’re in here fucking all the girls?” I demanded, her eyes narrowing.
“What the fuck has Hunter been telling you?”
“You’re his hot bestie and you guys fuck. I know Skeet hates you, but I have no idea why. I know you’re a stripper and you married Archer, but that’s about it. That shit at the club between the Reapers and Demons was over you, right?”
Her face hardened, and she stalked towards us, grabbing the front of my shirt to haul me closer until she was almost nose-to-nose with me.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.
” She glanced at Tilly, who was trying to look like she wasn’t listening, and then Lexi hauled me to my feet and dragged me into my room, shutting the door behind us.
She shoved me back against the wall, getting in my face again.
“What the hell do you know about the Demons?”
I shoved her back, wanting distance between us. “Hunter showed up on my doorstep that night, bleeding and needing help. Justin was obsessed with you, and he lost it when you married Archer, right?”
“That asshole talks too much.”
“I won’t argue with you on that. He’s like a nosy cockroach. He grows on you though,” I grumbled, sitting on my bed. “He was helping me the night I was arrested, that’s all.”
She studied me for a moment before giving me a single nod.
“He’s got a hero complex. I don’t fucking like you, but I owe him a lot, and he’s my best friend.
You can thank him for only getting one punch earlier.
He visited me this morning to ask me to play nice.
For the record, I’m not babying you, and I’m not helping you, but I didn’t beat the shit out of you. ”
“Kind of you,” I replied dryly, resting my forearms on my knees. “I’ll stay out of your way and you stay out of mine.”
“Deal,” she muttered before leaving, and relief hit me at knowing Hunter had been here to help me already. Hopefully, he was working with Skeeter to get me the fuck out of here.
Tilly appeared, worry flashing in her eyes. “What was that all about?”
Lexi was glaring at us from the couch, so I shrugged. “Nothing, just clearing the air.”
She hummed, not believing me, but she sat beside me and pulled a packet of candy out from her pocket.
“Tell me more about you and Zee. She’s pretty prickly until she decides she likes you.”
I accepted a piece of candy, popping it into my mouth with a chuckle.
“Very aware. She came over for Thanksgiving. She’ll be nice to me forever now, she loves Josie’s cooking. Josie’s my dad’s ex, and she took me in when my dad left.”
I didn’t want to tell everyone too much, I’d probably end up extorted in here if people thought I was loaded. How much was the news telling people? They probably already knew my connections.
I moved the subject back to Zeena, explaining all the fights we’d had, and I hoped like hell the rest of the evening went fast so I could just go to bed.
Hunter
“She’ll be fine,” Marco said with annoyance from the passenger seat as I drove towards Caden’s house. I was so fucking tired, it had been a long day with no sleep, but I felt better now that I’d spoken to Lexi.
Lexi wasn’t happy with my request to keep an eye on Rory, but she promised she wouldn’t do anything to her despite not liking her.
“I was really hoping Josie could have gotten me in to see Rory myself, but it seems they’re not budging on visitation at all. I’ll feel better when I see her myself,” I grumbled.
“Look, you topped up her commissary for Josie, you’ve spoken to Lexi, and you know Rory’s got at least one person spending time with her.
Lex said Jamie’s a good person, right? She’s fine.
Just be grateful Josie pulled strings and got you in to see Lexi last minute,” he answered, scrolling on his phone.
It didn’t make me feel any better. Rory wasn’t safe, not without Skeeter’s protection. Considering he’d blocked our numbers and wasn’t replying to Caden and his boys, it was obvious he’d gotten the wrong idea about her being at my house.
I wasn’t wasting time tracking him down if he really believed she’d fuck him over like that.
I’d barely driven through the gate when Tyler jogged down the stairs, opening the passenger door.
“Did you get to see her? How is she? Has—”
“Slow down,” Marco grunted, shooing him out of the way so he could climb out. “We told you Hunt wouldn’t get to see her today.”
He looked like fucking shit, and I was pretty sure he was going to have an anxiety attack if he didn’t calm down.