Seeing the tears in his eyes tore at me. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”
Mythic’s gaze dropped to the blood on my lips. With the gentlest touch, he caressed my cheek. His thumb brushed over my skin where I had been hit.
As a tear slid down his face, his torn voice croaked, “I should’ve never let this happen.”
Before I could say anything, he scooped me up effortlessly, holding me tight against him as he carried me up the stairs. I pressed my face into his neck, feeling the strength in him, the protectiveness. And for the first time since this nightmare started, I felt like I could finally breathe again.
DAMAR SCOTT
I had arrived at the supermax prison in southern Illinois. The gates were tall and intimidating. Razor wire glistened under the dull sunlight. It was like a fortress, built to keep people like me locked up for good. The types of people in this place weren’t getting out. This wasn’t county jail where people were waiting to see the judge. This was where they put you when they were done with you—murderers, gang leaders, and hustlers who’d been in the game so long they didn’t know anything else but this life. And now, I was one of them.
I got thirty years for Mia, and another thirty for Jeremy. Luckily, I had gotten away with Marlene’s murder, but I was still facing sixty years.Sixty years. I would most likely die in this place. There was no way around it.
The correctional officer walking me through the joint was barely paying me any mind. He just did his job, leading me down the cold halls with his keys jangling with every step. We passed a few cells, and I caught glimpses of the guys inside. All of them had hard faces and dead eyes. Some of them didn’t even look up. They were already ghosts, just waiting for their bodies to catch up.
As we got closer to my cell, the officer slowed down and gave a slight nod to the dude inside. Dude was massive—built like a linebacker. He was sitting on his bunk, arms crossed, looking like he didn’t want to be bothered.
As he unlocked the cell, the correctional officer casually greeted him like they were homies. “What’s good, Bear?”
Bear just grunted, barely acknowledging him, but I noticed the way the officer wasn’t even trippin’, as if he had been dealing with him for years and probably even liked him.
Bear didn’t even stand up. He just glanced at me real quick, sizing me up. I was half his size. He could snap me like a twig if he wanted to. The man had a hard, unforgiving look in his eyes—the kind of look that told me he wasn’t about to make room for anybody.
“Inside,” the officer barked, giving me a little push. The door clanged shut behind me. That metal-on-metal sound hit my ears like a death sentence.
After a few moments of silence, Bear finally turned to look at me. His eyes were cold and calculating. He stayed seated on his bunk, arms still crossed over his massive chest, like he owned the place—and I already knew he did. I was just a visitor.
“Listen up.” His voice was deep and rough like gravel. “You’re new here, so let me break it down for you.”
I nodded slightly, trying not to look too eager, but I was terrified. Bear didn’t miss it. He could probably smell fear like a damn shark smelling blood.
“First off, don’t touch nothin’ that ain’t yours,” he barked as he gestured around the small cell. “That bunk up there? That’s yours. You don’t sit on mine, you don’t lay on mine, and don’t even think about putting your shit near mine.”
I glanced up at the top bunk, giving a quick nod. “Got it.”
“And don’t be in my space, either. Stay on your side of the cell. You step into my area for any reason, we’re gonna have problems.”
I could tell he was eagerly anticipating me fucking up, to break one of these ridiculous rules so that he could have some fun.
“Ah ight,” I replied quietly. “I got you.”
Bear leaned forward slightly, his eyes locking on mine for the first time since I got in here. “Good. ’Cause I ain’t the type to warn twice. You talk when I say it’s cool to talk. You sleep when I say it’s time to sleep. You get that?”
I swallowed hard, nodding again. “Yeah. I get it.”
“And another thing,” he added, pointing to the small toilet in the corner. “You don’t take a dump while I’m in here. You hold it until I’m out. Understood?”
I blinked, trying to process the insanity of what he’d just said. “You serious?”
Bear’s face darkened, and he leaned in. His massive frame filled up even more space. “I’m real fucking serious. If you don’t like it, go tell the CO and get yourself moved. But you’ll learn real quick that they don’t give a fuck about you in here, and the next cell might be worse.”
I nodded, swallowing down the frustration. “I got it.”
He stared at me for a few long seconds, then leaned back, seemingly satisfied. “Good. Don’t test me. Understand?”
I nodded again, keeping my voice low. “I understand.”
Bear stood up slowly, towering over me like a giant. “Just do what the fuck I say. The minute you forget that, we got a problem.”
