“You okay?” I ask, stepping closer. “You look?—”
She shakes her head, pressing a hand to her mouth. “I—I need a minute. Sorry.” She rushes away from me, nearly stumbling as she heads to the restroom just down the hall.
I watch the door swing behind her, my heart racing. Something’s not right, and I have a feeling it’s more than just what happened to Jace. I hover by the door, listening, ready to go in if she needs me.
A minute later she comes out, looking even paler. Her skin’s clammy, eyes red and haunted. She’s barely keeping it together.
“Carrie—what’s going on?” I start to ask, but before she can answer, a guard’s voice cuts through the corridor.
“Maren! Rec’s over. Let’s go.”
I bristle, wanting to argue, but Carrie just shakes her head, silent plea in her eyes. I hold back, swallowing the urge to push past the guard.
“Take care of yourself, Carrie,” I say softly.
The guard hustles me out before I can do anything else. As I walk away, every instinct screams at me that something’s wrong—and I’m not leaving it alone.
Back in the cell, the walls feel even closer than usual. Levi is stretched out on his bunk, reading a battered paperback. He glances up as I step in, studying my face like he already knows something’s wrong.
I don’t waste time. “Something’s up with Carrie,” I say, voice low.
Levi closes his book, sits up, watching me. “What happened?”
I scrub a hand over my face, restless. “Saw her after that stupid rec event. She looked like hell, man. Said she barely slept last night. I asked about Jace—she started crying, then damn near ran to the bathroom. When she came out, she looked even worse. Guards pulled me out before I could get anything else out of her.”
Levi’s jaw tightens. “She say anything about what happened with Jace?”
I shake my head. “Not really. Only that he was trying to protect her and now he’s in solitary. But it’s more than that. She’s scared, Levi. I know that look.”
He’s silent for a second, eyes darting to the door like someone might be listening. He sets his book down, then leans forward, elbows on his knees.
“You really that worried?” Levi asks, keeping his voice low.
I nod. “Yeah, I am. She looked like she was about to fall apart, and she wouldn’t tell me why. Something’s not right. I can feel it.”
Levi sighs. “She’s tough. You know she doesn’t want anyone fighting her battles.”
“That’s not the point,” I say, frustration rising. “If Jace is in solitary because of her, if something happened with one of the other guys, she could be next. Nobody’s looking out for her but us.”
He doesn’t answer right away, and that silence makes my skin itch. I study him, noticing the tension in his jaw, the way he can’t quite meet my eyes.
He rubs his hands together, looking at the floor. “Just don’t go stirring shit up if you don’t have to, alright? Maybe she needs space.”
I stare at him. “Since when do you care about giving anyone space?”
He looks up, and there’s something raw in his eyes. “Because sometimes people don’t want to talk. Sometimes they just…want something else. Something that feels good, even if it’s just for a minute.”
My pulse kicks up, suspicion rising. “What happened, Levi? Did you two?—”
He cuts me off, jaw tight. “Yeah. We hooked up. In the library. It just…happened.”
A flush of jealousy and shock runs through me, but mostly, I’m pissed that he didn’t tell me sooner. I drag a hand through my hair, trying to keep my cool.
“For fuck’s sake, Levi,” I mutter. I have no idea why I’m so pissed, especially when he all but gloated about it a few days ago. I should have known exactly what he meant when he said they had a moment. But I have to say I’m surprised at my brother. This isn’t like him. “When were you going to say something?”
He shrugs, a bitter smile on his lips. “Didn’t think it would help. We’re all on edge. She was hurting. So was I.”
The library isquiet when I get there, too quiet. I spot Carrie behind the main desk, trying to shelve a stack of books, but she moves like she’s underwater. Her skin is pale, almost gray under the harsh lights. Eyes heavy, lips pressed tight. She keeps rubbing her forehead like she can’t clear the fog.
