Chapter fifteen
Callisto
I glance down at the list of felonies in my hand, then up at the man responsible for committing them. Forty-eight-year-old Keith Alhedy holds my gaze fearlessly—clearly an alpha who doesn’t back down. His arm muscles strain his orange shirt fabric, giving him a somewhat bloated look.
Looks like he’s planning to make me speak first, but my patience is paper thin. I’ve barely slept since things ended badly with Ricky. Why did I have to flip out like that? Sure, it’s dangerous, but if I had stayed calm and listened, he would’ve given me his reasons. Instead, I lashed out, burdening him with my own insecurities about Zack.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized Rickon’s the only alpha who can handle Zack, bond and all. The damn feral turns to putty in his hands.
Zack, who he’s accepted without reservation, hasn’t hurt Rickon like I have. Some people consider me a genius inthe courtroom, so why do I always manage to fuck up my relationships?
I want to go and apologize properly, not sit here bandying words with a felon.
Keith Alhedy rattles his handcuffs lightly, toying with the noise. And my nerves.
“You wanted to see me?” I begin, pinning my attention on the man seated across from me. Lifting the page of criminal history, I add, “For the record, these aren’t the sort of crimes I represent, Mr Alhedy.”
He smirks. “Just Al is fine. I got a new cellmate last week, and that’s what he calls me.” He laces his hands together, making his cuffs clink. “I hear you two know each other pretty well.”
“Get to the point,” I snap.
“Sure.” He nods, unbothered by my temper. “I’m sharing a cell with one feral by the name of Zack, and I think he’s going to need help surviving in this place. He hasn’t quite got the smarts for this joint, if ya read me?” Alhedy leans his head down near his chained hands on the table and knocks one fist to his skull.
I lift my brows. “Well, you certainly have some experience behind bars. What is this, your seventh year?”
“Eighth,” he says with a grin, like that’s a better number.
“Let me guess, you want me to get you out on good behavior in exchange for protecting Zack?”
Al leans back in his chair and shrugs. “Well, sure, if that’s on offer. But I’ll settle for you getting me transferred back to Darinian, where I’m supposed to be.”
I drop the paper on the table. He has my full attention now. “Your trial was in Darinian State?”
“Yep.”
“Then how did you wind up here?”
He snorts and spreads his hands as far as the chains allow. “Your guess is as good as mine, but not sure any of it’s legal,my friend. They don’t like to share too many details with us prisoners.” His expression turns dark as he leans forward. “See, you put people in prison for a living, but I don’t think you realize how political these holes are. Each prison is like its own kingdom, a law unto itself.”
I fold my arms across my chest and stare at him. Knowing what goes on in prisons never mattered before.
Al walks tattooed fingers across the table. “Now, somebody playing God—or, you know, wiping his ass with a fat wad of cash—transferred me here away frommycastle, and my protests don’t seem to reach any listening ears. My family’s back in Darinian, and everybody knows it. But here? Ain’t nobody got smiles for me here.”
Despite his playful words, I detect a ferocious undercurrent, enhanced by the faintest hint of alpha rumble in his chest. He’s in real trouble, and, if I’m to believe his words, danger.
But that’s not my problem. I drum my fingers on the paperwork. “Tell me exactly what got Zack thrown in solitary.”
Al sniffs in amusement. “Why, so you can decide to take my case or not?”
I shake my head. “So I can decide if you’re close enough for him to listen to, and so I can decide if you’re the biggest danger to him.”
The prisoner lifts his fingers in a peace sign. “I got no reason to harm your boy. Plus, he and I already made a deal not to challenge over this territory. Although, full disclosure because I’m sure you’ll sniff it out once you look, I did break his arm back in Darinian, way before he even met you, if I’m guessing right. But he and I put that behind us.”
The sudden urge to punch him in the face has me clenching my fists.
Alhedy sees it and tenses, watching me intently. My instincts say he’ll fend me off, even with his hands restrained, andslugging him won’t help Zack any, especially if the feral didn’t kill him on sight. I count to ten and wet my lips. If nothing else, this man understands Zack’s language enough to bargain with him.
“So, you taught him the worddeal?” I ask.
