‘Feisty.’
‘No one owns me. Get that through your thick head.’
Bear held the slightest grin. ‘But I’ve already booked family time for us,Scars.’
She stuck up two fingers at him and stormed off.
‘Bear,’ Wynter warned.
‘What? She wound me up. I’m doing her a favour, and she’s all …’ He cursed under his breath as he dismissively waved a hand her way.
Scarlen plonkedherself next to Dionne. ‘What is family time?’
‘An hour on Sunday for family members to sit together in a room for a chat, give each other a cuddle, that sort of thing. We’re not allowed visitors in here, but if you have family here, even in Red, you can hang out like they do with visitors in the adult prisons.’ She waggled her eyebrows. ‘And if you happened to be married, engaged, or in a serious relationship, you’re allowed to go into one of the side rooms for sex.’
Scarlen quickly looked over at Amber yard, but Bear was gone from the fence. ‘Sex?’
‘Yep. Lucky bastards.’
‘Bear told me he booked family time for us.’
‘That’s because he claimed you. In his eyes, you’re his girlfriend now.’
Scarlen glared once more at Amber yard, her mouth gaping at the audacity while her heart beat erratically and a streak of sweat lined her neck. She had never been so grateful that the general’s daughter had taught her how to fight, because Bearkidnapper Vyer was about to meet his match if he thought for one second she would fuck him.
3
After an uneventful lunch, due to Miss Binnow being on duty, Scarlen went to the classroom for her first lesson, which she was pleased about, as she had never studied in a group before and had always wanted to know what school would be like. If this was the closest she would get, she’d take it. Reading, writing, and maths were fun, and anything beat turning that stupid wheel.
Professor Tibark introduced himself as he entered the room, his long black cloak in stark contrast to his mop of paper-white hair. He had no lightning rod, but something about his persona said he didn’t need one.
Scarlen found herself sitting between Dionne and Temple in the back rows, but only because Temple had shoved her along the bench seat so he could squeeze on the end.
‘If you ever need anything in our block, I’m the one to ask. I got chocolate in last week.’
Dionne curled around Scarlen to speak to him. ‘You did not.’
‘Did too. My brother is on the mainland, does deals with the screws. Costs though. Just remember me once you start earning.’
‘No talking, Temple.’ Professor Tibark shook his head disapprovingly as he turned to the chalkboard. ‘Why is it always you?’
‘I have a lot going on in my head, professor. Best to get it out, I say.’
Some sniggers filled the stuffy room, and Temple gave everyone a broad smile.
‘Well, now your head is clear, you can fill it with some writing.’ Tibark’s peach eyes scanned his students. ‘Shall we write a page on crime? It appears to be your favourite subject.’
‘Yeah, can we write about why Smithson is in here, and why she bagged herself a Rebel straight away?’
Scarlen shot around to the saccharine voice directly behind her to see Kylar smirking.
Elbar only moved her head a touch. ‘Have you turned the same shade as our uniforms again, Ky?’
Kylar scrunched her button nose in disgust. ‘It’s not right, that’s all.’
‘My brother’s decision, not yours.’ Wynter snarled from the second row.
‘Enough, ladies.’ Tibark slapped the board with the palm of his hand, right where his name had been written in chalk, causing the white dust to cloud over his dark-brown skin.
