Mason leaves me to my own thoughts for a couple of minutes while I muster up a coherent thought about the information I have now been shown to. Strangely enough I've not felt myself fall into the first steps of insanity, or feel rage coursing through my veins which is the normal outcome of me hearing something that I didn't want to. Responsibility however is what I now feel. Mason has visited me for a reason. He's scared even if he won't admit it. And hell I am petrified. Even the thought of Ray being on this planet makes me want to throw up, but I knew that seeing my brother again was too good to be true. I'm forever being faced with punishment after punishment. Every time I begin to step forward there will always be something to pull me back. A continuous hell.
Still the guards and Rachel watch me, their gawking glances beginning to make me feel uncomfortable. Thankfully Tyler has kept his distance because my calmness is too unlike me. The smallest thing could set me off and I most certainly do not have the time now to worry about him. Rachel on the other hand is grating on me. She's studying me shamelessly, prying for my reaction. That makes too of us.
For a second I worry about them figuring out about my brother's escape from the people who were watching him. Without a doubt they would have no choice but to send him back and if it is true, and one of the monsters that I should have killed were alive and hoping for revenge, he isn't safe anywhere.
There's one thing that keeps bugging me. Why now? Why not find this Wade guy straight after my trail. Why not go straight to me? It would be easy enough paying off an officer to do his dirty work. Nothings new in my life to demand all of this happening now.
My head snaps us and my heart begins pumping at an alarming rate as unwelcome thoughts run through my head. Mason senses somethings wrong and tries to catch my eye. Something new in my life. It wasn't obvious until now.
"How could I have been so stupid?!" I whisper bitterly to myself, now angry at my foolishness. The rage that was lingering elsewhere has now made a beeline and it has a target in mind.
"Can you come back tomorrow?" I ask Mason breathlessly, not wanting him to be here when I erupt. The time apart could also give me time to think of my new discovery, and to plan my actions on it. Being with him is clouding my thoughts. Gratefully he nods and stands up with a sheepish grin.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't come with good news. Do you think that we can hug or something?" He murmurs and I don't take a breath before wrapping my arms around his, both of us squeezing hard enough to break a rib if we wanted to. His hold feels comfortable and like home.
Swiftly I kiss him on the forehead before watching him leave, admiring the confident stroll that he has. Not feeling like leaving I resume to sit back in the waiting chair, knowing that they won't tell me to move just yet. People all still have their eyes on me, not wanting to risk an outburst by interrupting my time, so I'm cautious of staying calm for as long as I can manage. Two children sit facing me, being too young to understand of where their father is, oblivious to the danger of the world around them. Catching my eye the young child grins, her wide brown eyes weighing me up. She's very pretty, tan like the man in front of her, who talks to her sibling. She points and her dad quickly registers her wandering eyes, glancing at me before whispering a warning to his child. It's risky taking a child into here, of course you'd miss your children but would you risk it with the freaks in here? Like me I guess.
After a couple minutes it becomes apparent that I'm stalling. As soon as I leave this room I'm back to reality, and what reality now means for me to protect my brother. Putting on a meaningless expression I stand, walking past Merrick who seems more stunned then me, and Rachel who quickly follows closely behind me.
"What do you want?" I harshly ask and watch as she practically cowers under my tone.
"Do you want to talk, Kat?" The way she pauses before saying my name gives me the idea she was listening in to my conversation. A thought that both irritates and worries me.
"Nah. I'm good. Tired actually," grinning at her I pass off the best bored look I can. "It was good speaking to you, Rachel."
Thankfully she leaves me alone. However being the paranoid bitch I am I follow the route to my cell, only carrying on when I pass it, knowing the exact cell that I'm looking for. As I get further into the prison I notice the convicts looking less groomed and more threatening. Lucky for me you could say I have a little bit of a reputation. It was easy enough as words spreads quickly around here. Plus if you don't have someone looking out for you in your first weeks here you'll be tested. A visit from either a guard or inmate begging for a fight. You either back down or stand up. That determines how respected you are in here. I learnt how to take a hit or a two so after getting my hands on a knife it was easy...like cutting through butter and the best thing is that it's all put down to self-defence. Not fighting back would have been a death sentence, if I've learnt anything useful in this place it's that cowardice is not accepted.
"Not seen you down this end in a while, pretty," a man that I vaguely recognize calls after me, attempting to be seductive with a charming arch of his eyebrow. It's only when he lights a cigarette do I familiarize my cell with him.
"Trey?" A genuine grin overtakes my face as he passes me his poor roll up, giving himself a free ticket to wrap an arm around my waist. An action I allow but will not let him take further.
"The one and only," he smirks. "So what brings you down here?"
"I'm looking for Colton. He around?" I turn serious, knowing if Trey decides to mess me about I'd be wasting valuable time that could be spent doing more important things.
"He's been a bad boy. Got caught selling to one of the meth heads, can't trust no brother in here." Trey shakes his head, showing disappointment at his friend's mistake. "You're in look, Kitty Kat. I got you. Follow me."
He takes me along the endless rows of cells, mostly abandoned with the occasional group here and there. People who are present quickly avert their eyes as we pass, knowing that if an outsider comes down this area of the prison, it's because they want something that everyone knows about but is not discussed.
I'm cautious to stay close to the door when we arrive at Trey's cell, not wanting to be in a position that I can't quickly leave from if I must. "You want something small, quick to hide if you run into trouble," he murmurs as he fumbles under his bed.
The thought of my suspicions being false comes to mind but I urge myself to stick to what I know. The opportunity for Ray has appeared recently for some reason that didn't become clear to me until I thought it through. He's got his opportunity from someone else, someone close that's got under my skin. Now I'm going to get under his.
Trey emerges with the object in his hand, pressing it down into my palm so I feel the bite of the razor sharp piece of metal. "Now I don't have to tell you about if you're caught with this," he warns seriously. "You can have this for a favour when I need it." His hand lightly pushes down my jumpsuit, slowly putting the handmade knife in my bra before sitting back.
"Hey Kat," Trey shouts after me. "Let me know if you need any help."
Nodding I assure him that I will, lying through my teeth. Guys like him get too power happy, he'd get too excited about the game and not about the goal at hand, risking what I need to get done.
After becoming a whole new level of dangerous with this weapon I feel a strange confidence, which both exhilarates and scares me. I will not let myself get carried away. No. This needs to be done properly.
Fully aware of my surroundings I scurry to the cafeteria in hopes of who I'm looking for. He was always there, wherever I went he wouldn't be far behind. How could I have put that down as a coincidence? I guess now I know the real reason, and I won't hold back until I hear him say it. I note that I have around the two hour mark until we're sent back to our cells. Two hours should be fine.
Everything falls into place when I see his curly mop of hair picking from the food trays in front of him. He wears a small grimace, not pleased by the meal choices. I remember telling him about how he needed to suck it up, to stop being ungrateful. I watch him like a lion watches its prey. Tilting my head in amusement as he eyes up the table that we have shared, walking straight over as if he has the right to.
"Are we playing nice today, Baby." He stands up on demand after hearing my voice, squaring his shoulders in a way gives that me the clue he's angry. Tutting I pull his hair to expose his neck, giving him a predatorily kiss to the exposed part of skin.
Luke turns to me with the expression that makes me thing if he suddenly started growling on all fours, I wouldn't entirely be surprised. "You want sex, Kat?" He spits viciously. "Because that's all you want me for remember? Ok fine by me," the tray in front of him is slammed back onto the table before he turns to me, gripping my arm before dragging me away.
"The old teaching room, Love. You know which one," I say, annoyed to hear that I can't hide the anger and betrayal from my voice.
"Whatever."
Our destination doesn't come soon enough. Not a word is spoken between Luke and I, strangely enough. When he's not got the plan to backstab in sight what he has got to speak about. Upon entering the room our lips are connected, moving in sync like a dance made for only us.
He's harsh in his movements, not taking care in the way he throws me on the desk. However that's the place I want him. When he attempts taking off my boots I cease my chance and pull the draw under me open taking out the metal bracelet and altering ourselves so he is now on his back.
"This is the last time, Kat." He speaks breathlessly as I attach myself to his mouth, distracting him as I cuff his hand to the desk leg. At the click of the lock he becomes alert, giving me a chance to slither out of his touch before he realizes what's happened. He eyes the handcuff for a while, as if looking at it will magically make it fall off.
I'm surprised when he begins laughing, finally meeting my eyes. "Ok I'm cool with this. Not my usual turn on but let's give it a go."
Furrowing my eyebrows I try to understand what the hell he's talking about. Does he not see that I've found out what he's doing? How he's betrayed me.
"We're alone, Luke. You can drop the act," I start, slowly emerging the knife from my bra. He swallows hardly upon seeing the weapon in my hand.
"Too far, Kat," he giggles but I see the fear behind his eyes. "What the hell are you doing?"
"What the hell am I doing?!" I burst, waving the knife in dramatic gestures. "I'm here to ask you for answers, Luke."
"What answers? I don't have any answers," he's quick to defend himself.
"Stop lying to me!" Turning my back I try to bite back the sting of my eyes, hating how easily he's manipulated me. "You had me for a while, Luke. All the caring act. It was good, but obvious."
"I'm not lying to you!" He screams back, his chest rising up and down as I draw myself closer to him.
"How'd it go, Luke? Did he approach you? Did he get someone to give you a message or was this all planned long before you got in here?"
"Kat. I don't know anything!"
My body reacts before my mind catches up, hitting him with a clenched fist. I imagine it must hurt considering how bruised he is from his previous attack. "You crazy bitch! What's wrong with you? Fucking psycho."
"That's my boy," I grin before holding the knife up to his throat
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What do you think? Is Kat being too paranoid or has Luke got something to hide?