Page 50 of The Freshman

“I will if you open thehatch.”

“You know I can’t dothat,” Alfie hissed.

“If you don’t, I’ll trashmy cell. I’ll get the rest of this lot to drum their doors. I’llget them to shout across to G wing. The bastard that hit you willleave in a body bag, mark my words.”

Alfie crouched, slotted his key in thelock, and lowered the hatch.

Nate dropped down to the floor on theother side. His eyes were huge and manically tracking Alfie’s face.The fury in his face froze Alfie to the spot. “That bastard,” hehissed. “He didn’t try anything else, did he?”

Alfie was too stunned to reply, andNate’s anger morphed into horror. His jaw dropped open, and hislips twitched like he wanted to speak but no words cameout.

“Freshman?” he saidfinally, then swallowed. “He didn’t try to touch you, didhe?”

If Alfie wasn’t so frozen, he would’vefrowned. Of course Gary touched him. He nutted him in theface.

Nate blew a breath out slowly. “Talkto me. Did he grope you … Alfie?”

It was Nate saying his name thatlifted Alfie’s paralysis. Never had Nate sounded so soft, socoaxing and gentle. Alfie’s stomach flipped, then his brain kickedinto gear and he realized what Nate had been asking.

“No, it wasn’t like that.He was just kicking off. He wasn’t trying to—do anything likethat.”

Nate closed his eyes and releasedanother slow breath. “Jesus, I thought…” He opened his eyes, andhis gaze softened.

“Just a few bruises,”Alfie mumbled. “Eyes always bruise when the nose isstruck—”

“I know that, Freshman. Meof all people knows that.”

Alfie frowned, poised to ask what, butthen Nate’s hand was reaching through the hatch. Nate cuppedAlfie’s face and ran his thumb underneath his puffy eye.

Alfie hissed, and Nate sunk his teethinto his lip. He released the skin with a wet pop and agroan.

“That sound shouldn’t havebeen sexy, but it was.”

Nate brushed the skin lightly again,and Alfie breathed in sharply through his teeth.

“Now you did that onpurpose.”

Alfie snorted and shook his head.“Maybe. It calmed you down.”

“I still want to kill him,and the thought of someone trying to touch you, trying to—I can’tbear it.”

“It wasn’t personal,”Alfie whispered. “My face just happened to be closest.”

“What’s the prisoner’sname?”

Alfie rubbed his face into Nate’spalm. “Not gonna tell you that.”

“I’ll find out who it was.You know I will.”

Nate moved his hand lower, underAlfie’s chin. His fingertips pressed lightly into Alfie’sthroat.

Alfie gasped, leaning his neck backfor Nate to touch more. He bared his throat, knowing Nate couldeasily crush his windpipe with one pulse of his hand.

Nate held him, not applying anypressure, but the contact still made Alfie dizzy. He trusted Natenot to squeeze. His eyes slid shut of their own accord, and heslowed his breathing.

“Don’t expose yourselflike this with anyone else. In these walls or outsidethem.”

Alfie snorted. “I don’t. I won’t. Justyou.”

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