Darren did his best to keep his voice casual even if he knew Mike was about to negotiate his cut. “Cigarettes and lollipops.”
Mike’s eyebrow shot up. “Lollipops? Who the fuck would even buy that?” he cackled. “Whatever, I don’t care. Louis, what’s your cut?”
A smirk settled on Louis’ face. “Thirty.”
Darren squeezed his fists tighter. Of course that asshole was going to screw him over a second time and claim Darren had promised him thirty percent instead of fifteen. He’d half expected it, if he was being honest, but he’d hoped his efforts in buttering up to the two guards wouldhave had a bigger payoff. Like mutual respect, even if he knew he’d still have to bend over from time to time.
Mike whistled. “Guess that’s another thirty for me, Howe, or you are not getting those boxes.”
Sixty percent. He and Nyle were getting robbed of sixty percent. But he had no choice other than agreeing. The guards had the power here, even if they had no use for the contraband unless they could have someone on the inside sell it. And Darren was their best and only choice.
Gritting teeth, he smiled. “Sounds good to me. Can we go now? I need to get the boxes to the kitchens before break is over.”
Mike leaned his back against the wall and got the gate open. “Who’s stopping you? And Howe? Save me a pack, will you?”
“Of course,” Darren said and followed Louis.
It crossed his mind to call Louis out on being an asshole, but it wasn’t worth the drama or the risk of retaliation, so he swallowed down his annoyance. Fortunately, they managed to load the trolley with the shipment and get it to the kitchens just before lunch break finished, so at least he didn’t have to worry about that.
Once he’d stowed the boxes all the way behind the ones already on the shelves, he returned to his cell. Matt was out somewhere, so he found himself alone. A single banana was on the table, courtesy of Nyle, but Darren’s appetite was gone. His stomach was in knots from earlier, and he sat on the floor with his back against the wall, simply holding his head in his hands and letting his mind wander aimlessly until the agitation and nerves eventually subsided.
He stood up then, ate the banana and emerged from his cell, joining Matt at one of the mess hall tablesso he could spend the rest of the afternoon playing cards and laughing with the other inmates until dinnertime. Then once that was over too, he set up shop by the dishwasher and, for a few hours, forgot he was in prison altogether.
Chapter 12
The rest of theweekend was a slow trickle of card games, bets and general disinterest which had more to do with Darren’s recent visit to the warden’s office than the shitty profit he’d turned. Because he was intrigued, if a little suspicious still.Excited. And also a secretary, starting today. Anticipation swirled in his stomach just at the thought of spending time alone with Aiden Kesley, of finding out what made the man tick… of getting to know him despite the protests of his own brain.
Usually, Darren didn’t care about those things, none of them necessary when all he and whoever had caught his eye wanted was a quick fuck. He liked it that way, casual and easy, and he had plenty of opportunities to keep it that way as long as he didn’t get involved with Aiden. Yet he couldn’t stop himself from doing just that, even if he knew he could get burned.
Why? Because Aiden was playing hard to get? Because he was someone Darren shouldn’t pursue? Deep down, he knew it was neither, that it had something to do with what he’d recognized in those hypnotizing eyes. He wondered briefly about it, but he didn’t know enough about Aiden to make anything other than a wild guess, so he gave up on that for now and continued getting ready for the day.
After splashing some water on his face, Darren brushed his teeth. He didn’t need to shave—he’d had his stubble treated, so it didn’t grow beyond how he liked to have it—so he moved straight onto his workout. Nyle had been very understanding of the guards situation when Darren had explained after they’d sold out on Saturday, not playing the blame game or trying to screw Darren over. He’d nodded, sighed, shoved a lollipop in his mouth and then they’d moved on with planning their next run. They couldn’t do smuggling too often though, so it wasn’t likely to happen before the end of the month, but that also gave them plenty of time to figure out what other goods would sell so they could diversify their portfolio.
By the time Darren finished his workout and changed into his spare jumpsuit, Matt was just waking up.
“Damn. Ya up already?” his friend said over a yawn, rubbing his eyes.
“Yeah. Just about to head over to the warden’s office.”
Matt grinned, a sleep-infused tear rolling down his cheek. “Gotta give it to ya, man. Haven’t lost yer edge. Can’t believe ya bullshitty trick actually worked.”
Darren snorted, sharing the sentiment. “Me, too. I was surprised he let me see him.”
“Not that one, ya dumbass. The one ya pulled to make him agree to take ya on as his assistant.”
“It was his suggestion, I told you.” He still wasn’t sure why things had turned out the way they had, but he was glad for it. He also intended to find out.
Matt waved him off, hollowing and pushing out his cheek. “And I told ya he had the hots for ya.”
To that, Darren smirked. “Maybe.”
Matt fumbled out of his bunk and smacked him on the back. “Get out!”
Darren grabbed his notebook and left his cellmate’s smug mug behind. He greeted the morning shift who had the gates opening before he’d even explained his business with the warden, telling him they’d already been notified.
Smile ghosting over his lips, Darren strode down the corridor to the warden’s office. The door was wide open, and Aiden was hunched over his desk, typing something on his keyboard with slanted eyebrows and a great deal of focus. Darren waited by the door, but after close to a minute of no acknowledgement of his presence, he decided to knock.
Hazel eyes peeked from beneath thick-framed glasses as Aiden tilted his head slightly to the right. “I was starting to wonder when you’d decide to announce yourself, Mr. Howe.”
