Page 27 of Two for Joy

“You’ve just told me some woman you’ve been talking to loves you … tell me how I should be feeling.”

“You should feel nothing. It doesn’t matter what she thinks, or how she feels—”

“But she gets to talk to you, no limit, no restriction, what if … what if…”

“What?”

Chad threw his hands up. “I dunno. What if you start to prefer her company to mine?”

“Not gonna happen.”

Romeo couldn’t stop his lips lifting into a smile.

Chad narrowed his eyes at him. “What?”

“You’re cute when your jealous.”

“Fuck you.”

“If only…”

“You’re an asshole.”

Romeo looked down at his prison uniform. “A bright orange asshole.”

It had the desired effect, Chad started to laugh. He groaned, shaking his head.

“Why do you always do that?”

“What?”

“Defuse the situation by making me laugh.”

Romeo shrugged. “I dunno. Point is, you have nothing to worry about with Holly.”

“Then why bring her up?”

Romeo shrugged. “You asked how my week went, and I find it interesting watching you react to things … you’re fascinating to watch.”

“I’m jealous … I’m insecure.”

“Insecure?”

“Carry on telling me more about your week.”

Romeo stared at Chad for a few seconds, then continued. “I got mail, I ate in my cell, I exercised in my cell, I jerked off—”

“Romeo.” Fred said. “Not appropriate.”

“What do you mean. It was part of my week, the best part actually.”

“Me and Fred don’t wanna hear about it.” Paul said.

“But Chad does, Chad featured in it.”

Romeo didn’t think it was possible for someone to turn red so fast, but Chad’s face burned brighter than his jumpsuit.

Paul made a disgusted sound. “Let me guess, were you strangling him to death, did that get you going?”