A Bullet (Ruby Rose fanfic)

NINE (RUBY POV)

"Would you like a coffee?" I shake my head absentmindedly while flopping down on the chair behind the desk, the prison governor clenches his jaw when he realizes that I'm taking his seat and, even if I did it without thinking, I don' regret it: it's a good thing he remembers who's in charge here from time to time. "I'll have one at the guards' break room if you don't mind, they have delicious Italian espresso."

I don't hear the door closing because I'm still lost in my thought waiting for Owen to call, we need to talk about serious business and our weekly conversation full of code words it's not enough to coordinate this shipment, so he decided we should talk in the governor's office. I should be focusing on the job since it's not easy to smuggle in Bayview the huge cocaine parcel my boss wants to send me, inmates do drugs in every penitentiary hiding from the officers and we're no exception, it's even easier to find a dose here than in other sweet camps, but someone made a mistake and sent less amount of blow than usual last month and we need a bigger parcel now to meet the demand. But my head isn't focused on my job but on my girlfriend although I should be used to it since she's been occupying all my thoughts for two months.

The girls' night was a success, Iselen had great fun and looked relaxed the following days, adjusting to the prison schedule and restrictions without problem or panic attacks. I kept an eye on her just in case but I couldn't see any depression symptoms and yet, I can't help monitoring her movements, fascinated by the way she moves her arms, how she tilts her head when she's drawing, how she licks her lips when we eat ice cream for dinner or the way she arches her back under my body every night. Iselen is getting under my skin and the fact that she confessed she's falling in love with me didn't scared me at all, quite the contrary instead: I'm ecstatic. What I'm feeling for the Spanish girl is getting serious, deeper, and has nothing to do with the favour I'm doing to Adara protecting her friend or because we're forced to live together in Bayview... if I didn't like her, I'd be dying to get rid of her and not thinking how to keep her by my side when we leave.

"It's time to make some changes..." I whisper remembering my conversation with my cousin about my commitment issues. The phone rings bringing me back to reality and I answer immediately. "Hello, boss."

"It'll arrive in a couple of days with the laundry supplies, we can't use the kitchen van all the time or someone could suspect... Passwords and procedure are the same as usual... You know... Be careful when running it through the penitentiary, don't deliver too much at first and..."

"Uncle Owen, I know how to do my job..." I answer amused but also a little bit offended, I'm not new in this business.

"I know, I'm sorry, but this is the biggest shipment ever and, even if Bayview is under my control, supposedly, there is always the possibility of being betrayed and you could end up sentenced to 20 years for drug trafficking or the police could stop the van even before it reaches the penitentiary, a rival gang could steal the shipment or they could start a riot in prison and stab your kidney with a shank or..."

"When did you become so paranoid? Such problems have always existed and you know it... We're all aware of the dangers of this business."

"I've already lost a niece, you're the only blood family that Adara and I have left..."

"Till little Nessa is born..." I'm socked, the truth is that family is always an important concept for an Irish guy, but I never thought my uncle was the sentimental type.

"That's the problem, in fact, I don't know if it's related to pregnancy hormones but Adara is extremely sensitive and concerned. She's sworn that the entire hell and all demons that live in there will fall over me if something bad happens to the girls, to her dear Iselen or to you... Seriously, sometimes it feels like Godzilla's spirit has possessed my daughter." Owen sounds really desperate: it must be really disturbing for a man like him, who's used to get everything he wants and whose orders are obeyed without discussion, having to deal with a temperamental and stubborn pregnant lady.