Page 1 of Exile and Embrace

1

FINN

Just one more week, and I’m out of this hell hole.

“Are you listening to me?” Dad scoffs through the contraband phone, his tone disapproving. “This is your one chance to prove to this family that you are capable of doing something useful with your life, Finnigan. Have you made any progress with finding a woman to be your fiancée?”

Because it’s so easy finding women from behind bars. I barely hold the snort threatening to escape.

Breathing deep, I stare up at the cement ceiling, the metal of the bunk chilling me through the thin mattress.

“I’ve talked to a few women I used to know, but they’re either married or about to be. I’ve got a couple more people to ask. I’ll find someone before I’m out.”

“You better.” His voice is a low growl. “The second you’re released, you’re on your way to Oregon. You need to have all the pieces in place before you leave. I won’t be arranging this entire thing for you.”

“I understand. I’m not going to fail you. I know the plan.”

Except I’m running out of options.

“Good. I’m not having you fuck up our family any more than you already have.”

The line goes dead as I squeeze my eyes shut and take a deep breath.

Getting inside the Oregon mob, knowing all the players, and then killing the mob leader in Oregon so my father can take over is the last thing I want to do. Besides, it won’t be a quick kill and exit. It will take time and really getting involved with the man one-on-one. Gaining his trust.

However, if it’s going to put distance between me and my dad, then I will be more than glad do it.

As much as I don’t want to be in Oregon, I want to be around him even less.

God, what I really wanted was to be out there, in the free world, preferably with a loving family. A family of my own, where I can love and be loved and maybe a few little ones running around.

But that’s a pipe dream. With my family, any chance of a family goes down the drain because they would be nothing more than weapons to be used against me.

A soft whistle echoes through the thick stone walls of the prison.

I almost miss it above the noise from the other prisoners.

Moving swiftly, I sit up and remove the small shelf off the wall to reveal the hidden hole. I turn the phone off before slipping it inside.

The shelf is barely back in place when a guard appears in front of my door.

He smacks the bars with his baton. “Get up.”

Another thing I won’t miss.

Three years of being told what to do and when to do it is enough to drive a person insane.

Maybe I would be less annoyed by it all if I had done the crime. At least then I would deserve it.

Officer Topp smacks the baton against the bars again, the metal clang a subtle reminder to hurry up. “Work detail, Finnigan. Get your ass in gear. I won’t have you wasting my time.”

I swing my legs out of bed and hop down from the top bunk.

Off to scrub floors I go. Great.

At least if Ava’s working, I get to see a friendly face. A face I see so many times in impossible dreams.

My lips press into a thin line as a loud buzz rises above the noise of the other prisoners.

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