Renegade Path

She rolled her eyes, knowing where my thoughts had gone. “Get over it, Roman. That was weeks ago. He has a girlfriend now.”

“Get over it? Get over it?” I reached over and pulled her into my lap. I tickled my hands over her ribs and kissed her neck. “A man doesn’t get over another man hittin’ on his woman. He gets even.”

“You’ve terrorized him enough.”

I reached down and squeezed her butt through the tiny denim cutoff shorts she was wearing. She placed a finger over my lips. “You’re the only man I want.” Her eyes narrowed. “And don’t think I didn’t notice Jessica flirting with you the other night.”

I buried my face against her neck. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. But I do enjoy your jealousy.”

She lightly smacked my shoulder while I shook with laughter.

We teased and joked around with each other all the way home. I hated saying goodnight, but I did it.

Eyes on the prize, I kept reminding myself. I had a good nest egg saved up. More than enough for first and last month’s rent on an apartment near the college Juliet was thinking of attending. My eighteenth birthday was a few months away, but I wouldn’t graduate until next June. I was hoping that as long as I stayed in school, I could move into my own place and still be eligible for the scholarship Ms. Simpson had told me about.

She hadn’t checked in with me in weeks. That wasn’t unusual. I hadn’t noticed because I’d been too wrapped up in work and Juliet. But I should probably call her soon.

A counselor I didn’t recognize met me at the front door.

“You’re late.”

I bit back the Who the fuck are you I wanted to say and glanced at the clock. It was exactly five minutes after midnight. As long as I made it home within fifteen minutes of midnight, Mike and Judy never had a problem.

“Sorry, my shift ran a little late.”

“Don’t let it happen again,” he barked.

I sized him up. Short but bulky. Probably in his twenties. Could already tell he had a complex and would use what power he held over me to make him feel like a bigger man.

Just what I needed.

“Yes, sir,” I said. I mentally patted myself on the back for keeping the sarcasm out of my voice. “I’m Roman by the way.”

“I know who you are,” he sneered.

Okay. “And you are…?”

“Jason. The new weekend counselor.”

Great. So I’d be seeing more of this asshole.

He jerked his head toward the stairs. “Get to bed. You need to be up early tomorrow. It’s chore day.”

“I have to work at noon.”

“Not my problem.”

Fuck him. I wasn’t missing a shift. My schedule had already been approved by the counselors and my caseworker. But I bit my tongue. No sense getting this jackass riled up now. I’d deal with it tomorrow.

“Look, it’s golden boy,” Squire taunted at the top of the stairs.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime, Squire?” I shot back.

“Was waiting up to see if the new guy reamed you out.”

I glanced behind me, sure I’d find Jason hot on my tail. He wasn’t. “What a dick. Where’d he come from?”

For a minute Squire dropped the attitude and we were allies. Two inmates vs. the warden. “Don’t know. But he’s a prick for sure. Came down hard on everyone at dinner. Sent us upstairs at nine. On a weekend.”

“What bullshit,” I growled. “Who’d he replace?”

“Ozzie failed a drug test. So I guess whoever is higher up on the food chain is taking a harder look at this house now. That’s why Officer Time Clock was sent here.”

“Fuck.” Not what I needed just when I had managed to carve out such a sweet setup for myself. I wanted to stay off this guy’s radar.

To thank him for the information, I handed over one of the two packs of Twizzlers I’d brought home for Pip and said good night.

“You awake, Pip?” I whispered as I stepped into our room.

He flicked on his flashlight, the light nearly blinding me. I shut the door behind me quickly.

“Heard it was an exciting night.”

A few sad sniffles were his only response.

“You okay, Pip?”

“Yeah,” he answered.

“Brought you something.” I walked closer to his bed and waved the candy at him.

He snatched it out of my hand, immediately tearing into the wrapper.

“Don’t you want to wait until tomorrow?”

“No. Officer Hard-Ass will probably confiscate it.”

“True.”

All night long I tossed and turned, worrying over what trouble this new change would bring to my life.

Chapter Thirty-One

Juliet

I couldn’t miss the tension in Roman’s shoulders when he finally showed up for work the next day.

“What happened?”

“Don’t ask,” he grumbled, walking past me. Roman had never brushed me off. Something was wrong.

“Hey.” I grabbed his arm and tried to turn him to face me, but he might as well have been made of stone.