Walter, the operations manager at Last Rites, steps cautiously into the office. “Sir, did you want Alice out in the yard today?”
My stomach snaps into a twisted knot. “What!?”
The yard. Men.Danger.
“Yeah, she was taken out for physical exercise ten minutes ago. I thought since you placed her in solitary—”
Before he can finish, I’m out the door, my hands burning with rage as blood boils through my veins.
This can’t be happening. I told them! Solitary confinement untilI say so. Whoever is responsible for this is losing their job today.
I burst into the yard and scour the crowd of inmates going about their routines. Some are lifting weights, others are shooting hoops, but in the north corner is the calisthenics crew. They’ve formed a circle, and at the center of that circle is Alice.
I’m sprinting forward before my heart beats its next beat.
Where are the guards?
I spot two of them standing by the wall, laughing about something to themselves. Another two are watching the basketball, twirling their batons.
They’ll be punished later. Right now, I must save her.
As I close in on the circle, I hear her cries, helpless and pleading. “No! Please, don’t! I–I’m not supposed to be here!”
“Back!” I roar, raising my punishment rod in the air as I reach the crowd. The inmates see me and instantly make way. They might give the guards trouble, but they know better than to screw with me. I’m the one who can turn tean years into a life sentence.
I’m steaming inside, but I must remain stone-faced in front of the men. They’re like animals. If they detect weakness, they’ll strike.
Alice is on her knees in the dirt, her jumpsuit torn at the sleeve, the top two buttons missing. A quick glance shows me the men responsible. Tony, Marty, and Lester. Lester has been a problem since his arrival last year.
Alice crawls toward my feet, tears streaking her snow-white cheeks.
“Causing trouble again?” I ask, looking down at her. My heart stings as her eyes go wide and she slumps forward, letting her hair obscure her face.
No choice. I must maintain my authority in front of the men.
A guard rushes up behind me, and I snap my fingers at the three aggressors. “Write them up. Extra work duty and two weeks cell confinement.”
Lester opens his mouth to protest, but Tony, the smart one out of these three idiots, smacks him and shuts him up.
I point to Alice, who is trembling at my feet. “Bring her to the infirmary. Make sure she’s okay.”
“Yes, sir,” the guard replies, taking Alice by the hand and leading her away from the crowd of animals.
I’m seething. I want blood. Looking around at these savage creatures makes me want to tear off my uniform and rip through them. And I could too. One by one, I’d beat them all into theground with my fists. Show them the consequences of laying a single fucking finger on her.
She’s mine!
But I can’t. I’m the warden. It’s my duty to maintain order, not create chaos. And that’s what Brian and Chad want. Chaos.
They want to topple me out of some kind of ill-conceived desire for revenge.
They’re the reason I’m in this position. Tormenting this poor girl with my unrelenting sexual desires. She didn’t ask for this, but those eyes, those hips, those curves, that sweet pink slit between her legs—they’ve conquered me, and it’s all I can do to stay standing.
The men responsible for this, they will burn.
But right now, I have to protect Alice. By whatever means necessary.
6
