I frown and my horrified eyes flick to Nicholas’s.
“I don’t even know these fucking guys!” Ross yells.
“Oh, so you ordered the hit on him.” Jesten smiles. “I can’t wait to watch this.” He smiles sarcastically.
“What?” I stammer.
Ben punches him again three times in succession. “Stop it!” I yell.
“Adrian, let’s leave them to it, Nicholas says nervously as he grabs my hand to drag me out of the room.
“Somebody tell me what the hell is going on!” I snap.
“Old mate here has had the red dreadlock dude at his house. I watched him on his driveway through his security vision pay him $1000,” Ben sneers. “What did you pay him for?” he yells again.
My eyes glare at Ross. “Are you kidding?” I scream. “Are you kidding me? They could have killed him!”
Ross shakes his head. “I swear to you, Adrian. I never meant it to go that far. They were just supposed to rough him about. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he pleads.
I don’t believe this. Ross the weasel is behind the attempted hit. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Ben grabs Ross by his hair and pulls his head back. “You are going to pay pretty boy,” he sneers.
“Ben, stop!” Bridget’s voice snaps out.
Ben’s mortified eyes meet Bridget’s. “Who the hell are you?” she screams at him.
The room falls silent and time seemingly stands still. Ben’s chest rises and falls with deep regretful breaths.
“Who are you?” she whispers through tears. “Is this the real you? Is this who you are Ben?”
I shake my head and hold my hand out for her as sympathy fills me. “Let’s go, baby,” I murmur. This is abysmal. I lead Bridget out of the room as I myself try to reconcile a side to Ben that I have never seen before.
I don’t even know where to start with this one.
Joshua
I lie in the bed in the cell as I think of my beautiful Natasha. Even the memory of her lifts me from my darkened place. Her soft hair, her beautiful smile and dimples, the way she loved me and how much she hated horses. I smile at her hate of horses and then my face falls—my horses. I need to let Jasper go to a person who will love him as much as I do. It’s not fair that he be forgotten in all of this. My eyes flick around the depressing small cell, my new home. How do you adjust to this? I can’t. I can’t live here for the next thirty-one years. I’m supposed to be in Willowvale with Natasha and our children and my horses. It’s not meant to be like this—this was never how it was meant to end.
“Hey, are you awake Fuck Off?” I hear the young kid across the hall call out.
“No,” I reply flatly.
“Are you going to get out of bed today?” he asks.
“No,” I reply. Why bother?
“Come on. Why don’t you come to the gym?”
My eyes flick to him. “You saw what happened last time I went to the gym,” I reply. I got into a fight with three other men over nothing. I don’t even know how it started.
“Come on. It’s nearly the end of May. It’s been a week since your court case, and you need to start leaving your cell.”
I frown as I sit up in realisation. I was supposed to be getting married in three days. A deep sadness overtakes me as I remember Natasha‘s wedding dress. She would have been such a beautiful bride. All I have ever wanted for as long as I can remember is to be with Natasha on our wedding day. I sit on the side of the bed and put my elbows on my knees and my head into my hands deep in thought. I want to see you again baby. How can I see you again? My dark eyes flick around the empty cement room I am in—this isn’t living. I would rather be in hell than here… or in heaven with my beautiful girl. My mind drifts off into a dark place where I imagine myself meeting up with Natasha. I need to be with her and there is only one way to do that.
I will be completely yours, Natasha, on our wedding day, in death as I was in life. I won’t let you be alone anymore… see you soon, presh… I’m coming, my love.
I stand and move to the bars of my cell. “Hey,” I call.