Page 43 of Two for Joy

Romeo scrunched up his face. “I don’t.”

“You said so yourself. I help with the boredom.”

“You did at first, but now you just annoy me.”

“Annoy you? See, I’m helping you unlock your emotions. The ones you claim not to have.”

“I have emotions, just not the ones you’re looking for. I don’t regret what I did. That’s your ending.”

“I can keep our visits going.”

“No. You crossed the line when you confronted Chad.” Romeo got to his feet and looked over to Fred. “I want to go back to my cell.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Wait … don’t.”

Fred opened the door for him, and he began the march down the corridor. He passed Justin cracking his knuckles and gave him a smile. His growl of anger drowned out Holly’s panicked begging spinning in his head.

“Why did you do that?” Paul asked.

Romeo looked over his shoulder at him. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“You’ve upset her, why would that make me happy?”

“You got a soft spot for her, haven’t you?”

“Shut up. All you had to do is sit there and answer her questions.”

“I was answering, she wasn’t listening. The same questions over and over. She’s obsessed.”

“No, she’s not. She’s professional.”

“She’s no more a professional than Justin’s a professional boxer.”

Justin rattled his bars. “Come closer an’ say that.”

“Next time maybe.”

Fred pushed Romeo further up the corridor. “Don’t get him started.”

They waited for the sound of the bolt, then passed through the door to the next corridor.

“She was being thorough,” Paul said adamantly, “giving people like you a voice. A chance to explain your actions.”

“No, she was looking for an answer, the answershewanted. The answer that just isn’t there. She won’t accept the truth, but you see it, I know you do.”

“You’re a monster, some messed up part of you got pleasure from strangling those people.”

“Exactly. You get it. You get me.”

Fred unlocked Romeo’s cell, and Paul shoved him in the back. He stumbled inside, knocking his knee on the edge of the bed. He grimaced at the pain, but didn’t turn enough for Paul to see his face. The gate clunked behind him, then Fred told him to back up to the bars.

“No,” Paul said. “Leave him in the cuffs.”

“It’s against protocol.”

“I don’t care, he deserves it.”

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