Bysolid,he means looking the other way when he stabbed an inmate from a rival gang. And bysolid, he also means the drugs I found in one of the cars I was fixing. According to Rico, that is thanks to one of theothercartels in the prison—one he’s not part of.
I inadvertently started a turf war with Rico’s guys ten points ahead, and half a million dollars richer. Needless to say, the Vargas men areupsetby the whole shipment mishap.
Oh, and I also backed him in a fight. He just thinks I did it for him, but the guy looked at me wrong, and gymming as the only time my fists were clenched wasn’t cutting it anymore.
Rico and I are not friends, but I don’t hate him completely. He has his uses.
Do Rico and Damien—the Reyes brothers—owe me?
Fuck yeah.
Could I ask Damien to check on Bella for me?
Absolutely.
Will I?
Absolutely…not. I’d break out of prison and kill him myself if he went anywhere near her.
“What will you do with your girl when you see her?” From the corner of my eye, I catch Rico leaning on his knees. “What if she’s got another man?”
I snap my head in his direction, and his face splits into a wild smirk.Asshole.
I keep picturing getting out of here to track Bella down, only to find she has a boyfriend. And then the imagination plays out the same every time: I kill him, then and there.
It wouldn’t be the first time I killed for her, either. Mitchell took her away from me for a year, and she got bullied. He should have known better than to do that.
Fortunately, the cops aren’t smart enough to catch a murderer who crosses state lines to kill his childhood best friend’s foster dad.
“She probably does have a boyfriend,” Tao adds.
No one asked for your opinion, Yang.
Because Joel always has to put in his two cents, he says, “Beauts like her don't stay single.”
“Three hundred says she does.” If Tao doesn’t stop talking, he can kiss his Rubix cube goodbye.
Joel doesn’t hesitate. “Deal.”
“You’re going to win for once,” I say to the old man. “If she does, I might be seeing you real soon.”
“Don’t forget what I told you,” Rico starts with his shit-eating grin firmly intact. I justknowthat the next words out of his mouth are going to piss me off. “Tie her up, then use your fingers to get Bella’s pussy nice and wet before you take that tight little cunt.”
White-hot fury flashes throughout my body.
I’m out of bed and on my feet in under a second. He meets me on the floor, in the small space between the two bunks. Red burns in my vision as I stare him down. “You don’t fucking talk about her.” My fingers twitch and curl into fists.
I could beat him right now. He might have been here longer, but I’m the one with the experience.
Our chests brush as we square off. He juts his chin out in a challenge. “Maybe she and I should meet up.” He licks his lips. “I could have her coming on my cock in two minutes flat.”
I’m going to–
“Hey, hey, hey.” Joel is off the bed, holding me back before I can land my first punch. As usual, Tao is useless in his bed, fiddling with his Rubix cube like nothing is going on. Asshole better be putting money on me to win.
“Shut the fuck up,” I growl.
“I’ll leave a mark on her just like I left my handiwork on your chest.” He’s goading me. I know he is, but if he doesn’t stop talking in the next two seconds, I will bash his teeth out. “Isabella,” he sings her name.
