Page 14 of Jackson

Closing my eyes, I tip my head back under the warm water, letting it wash my worries away. I should know better than to trust closing my eyes in this place, because when I lift my head and open them, two women are standing in my open shower door, staring at me, their towels wrapped tightly around their bodies.

One of them is holding what looks like a fork, and I realize very quickly they are here to hurt me.

“Just because Hound can’t get to you doesn’t mean we can’t. You’re messing with the wrong people in here, girly.”

The woman with faded black hair and yellowing teeth grins at me, as if she’s telling me something I don’t already know.

“What does he give you for being his bitch?” I ask, turning the water off and jerking my towel off the hanger. “Does he tell you you’re pretty?”

The woman scowls, and her friend clenches her fists.

“You have a big mouth for a tiny girl, maybe we should show you just how quickly we can shut that mouth.”

“You’re not going to shut a damn thing.”

Mama’s voice comes from behind them and the dark-haired girl whips around, holding her fork out. Mama slaps her hand, and the fork falls from it. Stepping up toward her, Mama looks down and growls, “I’ve had about enough of you causing trouble around here, Andrea. Are we going to have a problem going forward, because you know I don’t like when the balance is disrupted.”

Andrea stares up at Mama, keeping her expression firm. “I’m not scared of you, and you don’t own this prison. I don’t work for you.”

“Then you can take my message to Hound, because he doesn’t scare me, and I’m not going to have him bringing his threats into my side of things.”

Andrea looks to her friend, then straightens her shoulders. “What are you going to do about it?”

Mama smiles, and if you were to look at her from an outsider’s point of view, you would say it looks sweet, but I know that behind that smile, Mama is more than willing to protect what she loves. Judging by the way Andrea takes a step back, she knows it too.

“Do we have a problem, Andrea? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

Andrea straightens her lips then shakes her head.

“That’s what I thought. I suggest you get the hell out of here, and if I see you near Serenity again, Hound will be the least of your problems. Tell him Mama said hi.”

Andrea and her friend leave, and when they’re gone, I look at Mama. “Thank you.”

“Andrea isn’t a problem, but child, we talked about Hound. He doesn’t scare me, but he should scare you. He’s a bad man, and bad men tend to get what they want in here.”

“I’m doing my best,” I murmur, holding my towel closer to my chest. “He is on a mission.”

Mama nods in understanding. “Hopefully someone else will deal with him.”

I’m not sure what that means, but I don’t dare ask.

Mama leaves and lets me finish up my shower, and then I join everyone to head back to my cell. When I’m inside, I sit on the edge of the bed and exhale. One more night, just one more night.

I hope this plan works.

I don’t want to stay here a second longer.

I’M JUST LYING DOWNfor bed when Xander appears at my door. Opening it, he steps inside and offers me a weary smile. There are no cameras in our cells, however the second you step outside, there are hundreds of them around. It’s the only smidgen of privacy we get, and, honestly, it’s hard to hide much in here anyway.

“I heard Andrea was trying to bail you up in the showers tonight?” Xander asks, crossing his arms.

“It’s fine, I’m used to it by now. We both know that’s not the reason you’re here.”

He presses his lips together, then exhales. “I’m going along with this plan, because what your president is offering me is too hard to pass up, but I’m going to warn you, it could go wrong. I’ll do my best to ensure it doesn’t, but I can’t promise you it won’t.”

“I know,” I tell him, nodding. “I don’t expect a miracle, but I’m sure as hell hoping for one.”

“Getting out is just one part of the challenge, it’s staying hidden that could be difficult.”

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