Page 66 of Shattered Pieces

Everyone except Caden and Skeeter, but there was nothing I could do about that.

I headed back to my cell, poking my head into Lexi’s room to find her lying on her bed with an arm behind her head and a book in hand.

“I didn’t know strippers could read,” I joked, and she tossed the book at me.

“If Heights trash like you can get a rich kid education, anything is possible.”

She shuffled over so I could drop down beside her, and I let out a sigh.

“Hunter says hi. I spoke to him on the phone. He didn’t know Diesel was coming.”

“Did you tell him he kissed you?”

“No, that’s none of his business,” I said dryly. “Has Archer come to visit you? Does he call?”

She went quiet for a minute before replying, and I could hear the hurt in her voice despite her trying to cover it up. “He calls sometimes. He’s busy.”

“You’re his wife, Lexi. He should make his schedule around you,” I pointed out, and she looked deep in thought before replying.

“Can I tell you a secret? You can’t tell anyone.”

“Of course.”

“The wedding was fake,” she admitted, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “The Demons were making moves, and the only way to grant me full protection was if I was Archer’s wife. It was also supposed to be bait to flush Lopez out, but he showed up before we were ready and saw the ring. It was a fucking bloodbath, Donovan. Hunter wanted to take me with him to get me out of there, but Archer refused. He’d rather risk me getting arrested than letting me get on the back of Hunter’s bike.”

“Why do you keep running back to him?”

“When I had no one, I still had Archer. He’s not always an asshole, a lot of it’s an act. Below the surface, he’s a really sweet man. He was a kid raising me, and I owe him for that.”

“That means you thank him and bake him cookies some times. You don’t give him your life to toy with,” I grumbled, making her snort.

“I guarantee you and Skeet have a similar thing. Everyone thinks he’s a monster, but I’d bet money on you seeing a different side of him.”

“I do get that,” I sighed, jerking when she shuffled closer to snuggle me. “Lexi, I already told you⁠—”

“I’m not trying to fuck you, Donovan,” she muttered when I tried to push her off, but I frowned when I looked at her face to see desperation in her eyes. She kind of looked like she needed to cry but forgot how. “Just let me. For five minutes.”

I had a feeling Lexi’s confidence about everyone getting lonely in here was more personal experience, and I vowed to punch Archer in the face when I got out, even if she hated me for it when she found out.

“Five minutes,” I repeated, putting an arm out for her to curl into me properly. She melted against me, pressing her cheek to my shoulder as she got comfortable.

It was definitely longer than five minutes, but I found myself appreciating the cuddle too. It was actually kind of nice to just exist with someone who wanted nothing else from you. I knew the guys were more than happy to just cuddle, but I’d never really had a lot of friends before.

Mule and Zeena would punch me if I offered to cuddle them, and I was just as bad when I cuddled with the guys because I wanted to get them naked too.

We laid there until Kat poked her head in and frowned at us with confusion before letting us know the guards were coming around for head count.

Lexi sighed before sitting up, and we made our way outside our rooms to be counted before the gate was locked and we were allowed to get back to what we were doing.

“Hey,” Lexi murmured, giving me a small smile. “Thanks.”

I nodded, and she went back to her room with Kat giving us curious glances as she followed, so I joined Tilly on the couch to watch TV.

Jamie wandered out of her room after twenty minutes with some snacks, and we sat there until lights out, just enjoying the silent company.

Caden

“You’re tense,” I observed as I watched Skeeter shoot his target. Well, he completely missed it, which was how I knew he was tense.