Page 39 of From Best To Bested

“And I prefer you get a little sunlight, stretch your legs, go do something.”

Roman skittishly looked at the door, the one he almost never stepped through without trailing Ezra from place to place. Being paraded around used to be a punishment, but now it ensured his safety.

“I got eyes everywhere,” Ezra said, gripping Roman’s chin and pulling his gaze up to meet Ezra’s. “You’ll be fine. Wherever you go, someone will follow. They won’t bother you. You won’t notice them. Just have fun, okay? As much fun as you can have in a cellblock.”

“I’ll do that.”

“That’s my good boy.” Ezra pulled Roman up until he stood to meet him and then gave him a kiss.

It was hot and heavy and came with hands running under Roman’s clothes. He half expected to get undressed to satisfy Ezra one more time before he left, but without prompting, he pushed Roman off and left to go hang out with his new friend, Jake.

Roman lingered in the cell for a while, considering a nap, but since Ezra had eyes everywhere and he wanted Roman togo exploring, he reluctantly decided to make a day of it. His first stop was the gym. Roman hesitated at first, knowing this was their thing, something they did together, but everything was really their thing. Roman focused on cardio and glutes, then left without a second thought. He spent some time in the library, flipping through a few books, but didn’t have the energy to read. He pretended until the seat got too uncomfortable and made his way to the cafeteria for lunch.

With three stops accomplished, Roman figured it’d be safe to return to the cell and wait out the rest of the day.

Roman went to the usual table he and Ezra claimed. When he noticed a few inmates already there, he turned to walk away, but their eyes met him, met something behind him, and without prompting, all ten got up and left without a word.

As he took his seat, Roman turned to see who or what frightened them off, but he only saw a crowd of inmates. The threat could’ve come from any of them. Ezra had friends everywhere, after all.

Roman enjoyed the peace of eating by himself, really doing his best to savor this time. No one would disturb him. No one expected anything of him. It was actually a decent afternoon.

“What he’s doing to you,” Levi said through gritted teeth. “It’s not okay.”

Levi’s immediate anger and curt comment perplexed Roman. They hadn’t spoken, really spoken, in months, and this was the first thing he said. It didn’t stop Levi from tossing his tray across from Roman and inviting himself to the table. His gaze cut to something—someone—behind them, then Levi scowled dismissively and turned his attention back to Roman.

“What are you talking about?”

“Ezra.” Levi glared. “You shouldn’t let him do this to you.”

“I’m fine,” Roman replied. “It’s more of a show for other people, but he’s really nice when we’re alone.”

“Why not make the show about treating you well?” Levi asked. “Use his sway as champion to make people back the fuck off. Then, treat you how you deserve to be treated, which, if it’s not clear, is nothing like how you’re currently being treated.”

Levi gestured to Roman’s pink hair, Roman’s tattoos, Roman’s bruised body. The bruises Levi could see. There were so many more. But that wasn’t an act of cruelty. That was sparring, that was helping Ezra train. It wasn’t what Levi suspected. It wasn’t what anyone assumed.

“You don’t have to put up with this,” Levi said. “You’re Roman Grayson.”

Roman didn’t have an answer. He didn’t know how to pivot, how to explain this was the best he deserved, how to explain Ezra really was being nice considering he could just as well abandon Roman.

“Champion doesn’t work like that,” Roman said unconvincingly. “There’s so much to account for.”

“It did when you were champion,” Levi said flatly, eyes locked onto Roman. “You looked out for me every day; you kept people off me, too. You didn’t parade me around. You didn’t bitch me out. You didn’t mistreat me. I was your friend. I still am your friend.”

Levi went on to mention Roman’s many futile accolades as champion, the others he helped, the subtle reforms he pushed for, the bullshit he wouldn’t tolerate. None of that mattered to Roman anymore. It never really mattered. Nothing Roman did mattered except for ensuring Ezra was happy.

“Ezra’s my friend, too,” Roman snapped. “He looks out for me, too.”

Levi tsked. “Yeah, while making you debase yourself.”

“He doesn’t make me do anything.” Roman felt the heat in his chest, the anger that Levi would look down on him, turn thisinto something it wasn’t, and after everything he’d done to help him. “I have a choice. I make this choice. I like my life.”

“You like your life?” Levi asked. “You like the way Ezra has turned you out, treated you? Changed you.”

“Yes,” Roman said. “I’m fine with the arrangement. I wouldn’t change it, and I wouldn’t go back and change it.”

Even Roman didn’t believe those words, but he’d be damned if he was going to take pity from Levi.

“You only think that because he’s fucked with your head,” Levi insisted. “You can’t see from where you’re at, but it’s like he’s taken every layer of you, of Roman Grayson, and warped them into this obedient puppy that will do anything he says. He’s forced you—”

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