“Stay close to me.”
I took the shower next to my cellmate. I should probably ask him his name, but my voice didn’t work, and I was trying to keep a low profile. Taking off my clothes was a challenge, but I relied on the two guards in the background to make sure nothing would happen.
“Bitch got ’em nice slim curves.” Someone wolf-whistled, and raucous laughter followed. I kept my head down and washed up as quickly and best I could. I was getting better at cleaning myself.A slap landed on my ass so hard I stumbled forward and hit my face in the wall.
“The fuck, man,” my cellmate snapped.
“Hey, hey, break it up.” The guards rushed forward, and the two men separated. I clutched a hand to my cheek, which throbbed, barely holding in tears. They already thought me weak and pathetic. The last thing I needed was to give them more ammunition by crying.
I showered without further incident, and I whispered a thank-you to my cellmate for keeping his word.
“Of course I’m gonna need a little more than a sloppy blow job for protecting you.”
His words played over and over on a loop throughout breakfast. I sat beside him, as close as I could so the others would see I was under his protection. He liked it just a little too much, and I had to endure his fondling while I pushed the food around my plate without touching it.
I missed Hunter feeding me.
But Hunter had lied to me. He’d told me he would be back. He’d acted like he cared and he would lobby for me not to be charged with any crime, but as soon as I’d told him the information he needed, he’d vanished. Where was he this morning when they’d woken me up and forced me from the room? How I longed to be back with all the toys Hunter had brought me.
We were ushered back to our cells, where I had to clean up, making both my and my cellmate’s bed while he watched me. When the guard announced I had a visitor, I almost cried in relief to be away from him, even for just a few minutes. I wouldn’t be safe with him for much longer. Maybe if I complied and just let him have his way, he would do it gently.
I followed the guard to the visitation room, where a few other prisoners were talking to visitors. I glanced around, expecting to see my public defender.
Hunter. He hadn’t forgotten me.
I forgot how to breathe for a second, then rushed forward, a sob breaking free. He jerked to his feet and caught me against his chest.
“Cosmo, I’m so sorry,” he whispered into my ear. “I wish I could hold you a little longer, but any minute now, the guard will insist that we stop touching. I need you to be brave for me and stop crying. Can you do that?”
I didn’t want to be brave. “I thought you let them take me.”
“They didn’t tell me what they were planning, Cosmo. I swear to you I had no idea.”
“That’s enough hugging,” the guard called. “Hands where I can see them at all times.”
Hunter squeezed me tight, then let me go. He walked me over to the table where we sat opposite each other. He removed a handkerchief and wiped the tears from my face. Oh god, I’d missed this. I’d missed the way he took care of me without me having to ask. Wouldn’t he be the perfect Daddy?
“How are you holding up? What happened to your face?”
I inhaled deeply and let out a shuddering breath. “I fell in the shower.”
He swallowed hard. “Are you being harassed?”
I nodded. “I don’t know how to stop it. My cellmate offered his protection for…” I dropped my gaze to the table, where he clasped my hands tightly in his.
“Oh my god, Cosmo. I’m so sorry. I’ve spoken with an attorney to work on your case. It’s unethical for me to get involved, but I can’t help thinking this is my fault.”
“How? Did you know they were going to charge me? Did they tell you they would move me from the facility?”
He shook his head. “I swear I didn’t know. I wanted to keep my promise to you, and now I have no idea how I’m going to do that. Or if I’ll have time to come up with something before…”
Calmness descended over me like a warm blanket. The turbulent emotions swirling inside me settled, and I stared knowingly at Hunter.
“Will you get into trouble for visiting me?”
“I might if they found out my true purpose.”
“What true purpose?”