Page 47 of The Freshman

Nate tutted. “Spoil sport. Hear yalater.”

The phone went dead, and Alfie glaredat it, wondering what to do.

Alfie forced food into his stomachwhile staring into space, and he took his time as he walked towork. He knew he had to report the phone, tell Ryan about Nate’scall, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He stayed quietduring the briefing, and at roll call he stared at Nate’scell.

“Hand it over now and noone gets in trouble,” he whispered.

“Okay, just open the hatchand I’ll pass it through.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes. “You mustthink I’m stupid.”

Nate laughed. “You’re the one thatsuggested handing it over, Freshman, not me.”

Alfie huffed and shifted foot to foot.“Whatever, you can’t call me, and I’ll get your cellsearched—”

“It would’ve been searchedas soon as you got in if you grassed on me.”

“I was giving you achance, a chance to be good.”

Nate groaned. “I’m bad, that’s why I’min here, and I wanna do bad things to you.”

Alfie swallowed uncomfortably.“Bad?”

“Well, not bad—naughty. Iwant to do naughty things to you. I want to make you moan and gaspmy name. I want your body to shiver and shudder under my touch, andyou to lose yourself being owned by me.”

Alfie released a slow breath throughhis lips. He forced himself to take another deep breath, as quietlyas possible, then released it like a gentle wind.

“Turns you on, doesn’t it?Drives me crazy too.”

Alfie looked down at the clipboard inhis hand, then ticked off Nate’s name. “Just because you call thatdoesn’t mean I’ll pick up.”

“But the option is there.That’s all I want, you to consider.”

Alfie hugged the clipboard to hischest and left Nate in the dark corner of the prison. He promisedhimself he wouldn’t answer the phone if Nate called, but he madesure it had full charge and was at its highest volume beforefalling to sleep.

It didn’t ring, and Alfie hated thesting of disappointment that followed him all the way to work. Eachday Alfie waited for Nate to call, but it never happened, and byFriday he was angry with himself for caring.

****

“We got a new inmatecoming in on G-wing. Gary Austin, twenty-five, assault.” Henrymumbled, “Ben and Dan are bringing him in. Mouthy littleshit.”

“Can’t wait.” Alfiesighed.

“He’s still at the stagewhere he’s playing the big man, hasn’t accepted he’s been lockedup…”

Just as Henry’s voice trailed off, abarrage of swearing flowed from the corridor.

Marie and Glen’s eyes both widened,and they looked to each other before shaking their heads. “That’s acolorful range of curse words, and curse word combos,” Glensaid.

Ben and Dan had a tough time draggingthe man into the lobby. He looked older than his twenty-five years.His teeth were yellow and crooked, and his hair was threadbare andsee through. He leaned back and spat toward one of the twins,narrowly missing his face. Even with his hands cuffed at his back,he still lashed out. Henry stood to help, but Alfie rushed in frontof him. He couldn’t sit in the office and watch Henry get knockedto the ground.

Alfie grabbed on to Gary’s forearm andtried to get the bucking man under control. Dan tripped, Ben losthis grip, and the next thing Alfie knew, his ears were ringing, andthere was warmth flooding out his nose. He tasted metal, and whenthe buzzing in his ears faded, the pain to his face grew, and hiseyes watered.

He kept a firm grip on Gary, and Benrecovered and gripped his other arm. Dan opened the gate, and theydragged Larkwood’s latest inmate spitting and swearing into hiscell.

They kept the cuffs on and promised toremove them once he had calmed down. Gary growled and kicked at hiscell door in reply.

Dan grimaced when he saw the bloodiedmess of Alfie’s nose. “We’ve all had one of them here. You’re inthe club now, Alfie.”

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