Page 25 of Capturing Hearts

Rita yells at the top of her lungs, a mixture of shrill and deep bass, “Fuck you, white boy! We don’t want to suck your little white boy cock, pendejo! Get away from us!”

“What?!” I cry out, standing up, looking around me as the mess hall goes silent except for the running footsteps of three guards headed this way. My humiliation is on full display and there’s nowhere to turn. “Alright! Alright! Cut it out! I’m going! What the fuck?!”

Hamilton, Lorenzo and Beady Eyes, Antonio’s spy, all show up asking us what the problem is. The blondes are all speaking in their native tongues at high-pitched, ear-splitting levels. Rita scowls at me with contempt, surrounded by her loyal crazies.

“Okay ladies, that’s enough. Calm down! CALM DOWN!” Beady Eyes yells.

The blondes don’t stop. One of them lunges for me, but the shorter, fatter guard, Lorenzo, blocks him by standing between us and pulling out his taser gun.

“Do I have to use this?”

They cower, but all six pairs of brown eyes are trained on me, not the gun.

Beady Eyes smiles. “Looks like you made some enemies, Pretty Boy.”

I huff, flicking slop off my chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.” What else am I gonna say?

The guards are all ready to fight the gang or me, but the fight is over, so the short one shoves me toward the exit. “Go to laundry and get cleaned up.”

Lazarus, the oldest convict in here, stands up at the table next to this one to take his tray to the bin. He’s been in here over fifty years and nobody bothers him because he’s ancient. They may have when he first came in, because he’s also small and slight. But nowadays he comes and goes as he pleases because he’s not going anywhere and everyone knows it, including him. He’s trusted now.

Lazy Beady Eyes calls over to him, “Lazarus! Take this fairy to laundry.”

The guy’s wrinkly neck twists as he looks over with tired surprise. Since no other option is given him, his face shifts to resignation and he sighs and shakes his head, shuffling to the bin.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Hamilton says. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him talk. Apparently he wants to impress his buddies.

Without another word, I scowl at Rita and turn away, following my reluctant guide out the exit.

Lazarus shuffles along for a bit. When we’re about twenty paces away, he mutters, “That went well.”

I shake my head a little. “Like clockwork.”

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