Page 73

CHAPTER 72

ALEXEI

How many days? Fourteen? Twenty? I’ve lost track.

All I know is that if I kill everyone in here, I’ll be able to get out.

But who do I start with?

The Volenski gang would rip me to shreds. And there’s probably thirty of them.

Cell block D has their own little group going, I won’t start there either.

Maybe the outcasts in A wing. I can off them one at a time and hope I get lucky and get who Tatiana wanted.

I doubt that deal is real. She tricked me to get me sent away.

I can’t remember what Lara’s perfume smells like any more. The scents of body odor and shit fill my nose every day, blocking out any good memories I have.

This is where I’ll die.

I’ll never see her again. If I do, I’m not letting her go.

I’m in hell, and I want out.

Rubbing the spoon I stole against the rough concrete, I manage to whittle it down to a point.

I’ll start with that fucker Petri. He throws rocks at me outside whenever I step away from the Butcher and the twins.

Fuck, it broke.

I guess I’ll have to get creative.

The heavy door slides open signaling lunchtime. Damn.

When I step in line, the familiar back of the Butcher is missing.

This isn’t what I was expecting.

I sneak a movement forward, and see the huddled form under the blanket on his cot.

Without thinking, I rush in to him.

“Are you okay?” My palm flattens over his shoulder.

This man has protected me from day one. He’s never asked for anything in return.

Now, he’s lying here shivering under the thin cover.

“Cold.” His teeth chatter.

Instinctively, I reach down and touch his hand.

“You’re burning up with a fever.” Shit.

I jump up and nearly collide with the first of two guards striding in.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He asks.

“He’s sick. I was coming to find you.” I hold my wrists out and stand still, like I’ve been taught.

The second moves closer and drops the end of his Billy club to nail me in the gut. “No one touches him,” he growls through his face shield.

What? Are the guards protecting him too? Or is that why no one will mess with him?

“He’s fine.” The Butcher waves the uniformed man away from me.

Holy shit, that worked.

In moments, two more guys with a stretcher appear and whisk the old man away.

Sven and Ben wait for me in the main corridor.

“He wanted us to keep you safe.” Sven cracks his knuckles as his brother nods.

“Does that mean I’m the king now?” I grin at them.

We’ve become pretty good friends.

Sven is the Butcher’s enforcer, and I’ve seen him fight.

I’m glad he’s on my side. I bet he’d give Jax a run for his money.

Damn. Jax feels like a distant memory, it’s been so long stuck in here.

Lara is the only solid thing I can hope to live for.

Ben grabs my shoulder and squeezes. “There will be trouble. We may need to fight.”

I tighten my fist and my smile gets wider. “That’s what I’m hoping for.”