Page 50 of Shattered Pieces

“I’m already in prison, I might as well stab you,” I mumbled, making him huff out quiet laughter.

“Move over.”

“Why?”

“You want a cuddle? I’ll allow it without cock sucking being involved,” he joked, and I rolled my eyes.

“No, I don’t want a fucking cuddle.” I really did, but I wasn’t going to admit that to him.

He knew I was full of shit, and I winced as he gently manhandled me over on the bed enough to make room for himself before lying beside me.

We didn’t talk as he eased an arm under my head and carefully drew me a little closer, the motion being more expected from someone like Hunter, not him.

I tried really hard not to cry, I didn’t want him to see me as weak, but he must have sensed my emotions because he shuffled even closer and pressed a kiss to my head.

Tears fell as I fought sobs, not wanting the guards to hear me.

A couple of weeks in and I was already breaking. How the fuck would I last months or potential years?

“Good girl. Let it out now before you go back,” he practically crooned, holding me until I finally cried myself to sleep.

CHAPTER NINE

RORY

Marco was gone when I was woken to be discharged in the morning. He must have stayed most of the night though because the spot he’d been lying on was still warm.

I felt a little disoriented, most likely from the pain relief, and the guards were in a zero nonsense mood from the way they practically frog marched me out to the van for transport.

We weren’t far from the prison, so Marco must have hit the road to see me the second Hunter got the phone call.

The male guard kept glancing back at me, and I wondered if he’d been working all night and was the one that knew Marco had been with me, or if he’d changed shifts. Miss Jarvis was gone, so maybe this was another guy.

The warden was waiting for me when I arrived, and I carefully stepped out of the van, trying not to wince when my stitches pulled.

“A welcome home party? For me?” I joked, and she gave me a flat look.

“Just making sure you don’t run into trouble. I’ll escort you to my office. The police are here for your statement.”

“I don’t remember what happened, Warden. I know Lexi saved me,” I replied, her eyes narrowing.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

She hummed like she didn’t believe me as one of the guards uncuffed me, then they all escorted me into the building to the warden’s office.

The cops weren’t happy with my amnesia claim, getting tired of it after half an hour and telling the guards they could take me back to my cell.

A few people clapped as I walked, Marco seeming correct about the whole respect thing, and I struggled to keep the discomfort off my face from my wounds. Every step pulled on them, and I’d never been so happy to see my cell block before.

Everyone must have been in the laundry room, so I made myself comfortable on my bed to rest since I couldn’t do much else. At least I got to be lazy for a week or two, doctor’s orders.

I read for a while then did a little bit of school work, but it was hard to write without bending my middle, so I gave up and decided to wait to do that until I was in the library.

I went on alert when footsteps drew closer, but I relaxed when Lexi appeared.

“I see you’re alive then,” she said lightly, her eyes drawn to my shirt that hid the damage. I lifted it slightly with a grin.