Page 38 of Blood We Steal

“As long as the men get fed, shouldn’t be a problem,” Arben said. “And as for the guards, they are still holed up in D block. We should gather up the dead ones and let them take care of the problem for us.”

“We’re not animals, Arben.”

He shrugged. “But they are.”

I couldn’t argue the point, and I looked away from the group to where Aaron and Simone sat. They were playing cards, both of them smiling softly, and I couldn’t help but remember the time we’d played dominoes. There had been a storm, so I’d insisted she stay put until the rain stopped. I’d offered to teach her dominoes to pass the time. She’d smiled shyly but said she hoped I didn’t fire her when I lost.

I hadn’t lost, though I still wasn’t sure if Simone had taken the fall. But I had gotten my first glimpse of relaxed Simone and the blade-sharp wit she could wield.

Even though she was smiling now, I noticed the tension around Simone’s eyes, the way her shoulders were nearly at her earlobes. She could feel me watching her. She always could, even when she pretended otherwise. She was worried about Aaron, or more specifically, what I might do to him. She had every right to be. It was Aaron who’d brought Simone to me, so he was culpable.

Good, let her worry. Worry kept her on edge, exactly where I wanted her to be. I forced myself to look away.

“Okay, next we⁠—”

I cut off at a clamoring sound. Arben and Besnik were on their feet and rushing toward it.

“Weapons,” I said, taking a moment to glance at Simone before moving toward the door.

“It could be the dead,” Besnik whispered.

“If we’re lucky,” Arben responded, his weapon raised high. “I’ll handle this, krye.”

He rounded the corner and went into the darkness. The narrow hallway led to the utility and auxiliary areas where pressure valves, pipes, and wiring were located. There was a low thud, and murmuring and I looked at Simone again, tightening my own grip on my knife.

Relaxed a fraction at Arben’s chuckle. I couldn’t make out his words, but he was alive. A man I didn’t recognize stumbled out of the darkness, Besnik a step behind him.

He was young, twenty-five or so, and his brown skin glistened with sweat, his CO uniform stained with blood.

Next came a woman I recognized, though I’d never seen her quite like this. She was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans that were much too long for her short, curvy figure. She also held a thin piece of metal that dripped blood onto my newly pristine floors.

I looked at Arben. “What do we have here?”

Arben smiled. “Well, you know Veronica Shaw. I’m not familiar with this gentleman, but we’ll get to know him. But in broad terms, I think they are what we like to call leverage.”

“Leverage,” the woman muttered under her breath, loud enough that we could all hear her, but it didn’t look like she cared.

“How exactly are they leverage, Arben?” I asked.

Arben smirked. “Aren’t cops supposed to look after each other?”

The man narrowed his eyes but wisely chose to stay quiet.

“And her,” he gestured toward Veronica, who rolled her eyes, “She’s a civilian. Cops are supposed to protect them, right?”

“You really are as dense as you seem. You think those cops give a fuck about me?” Veronica looked at Arben like she was daring him to answer.

Arben glared at her before looking back at me. “She’s right. We should just get rid of her.”

“No!” Simone said, stepping up quickly and stopping at my side.

“Are you interfering in my business, Simone?” I couldn’t risk looking at her.

“They’re useful. Especially him,” she said.

Veronica scowled and Simone glanced at her apologetically. Then she looked at the guard. “He knows the prison. You’re a guard, right?”

He nodded.