Page 63 of Rat

“Okay… I can’t stand you sounding so sad.” He bent down, tugged up his pants, and retrieved the phone from his sock. “Don’t worry, they’re a clean pair.”

Rory snorted and took the phone. “Thank you.”

Sebastian tilted his head, then reached out and cupped Rory’s face.

He traced Rory’s cheekbone with his thumb, swiping away a stray tear, then mumbled, “No problem. I’ll stand watch outside. When I start coughing in a hysterical manner, it means you should hang up, hang up and come perform the Heimlich on me.”

Rory laughed, and Sebastian backed away. He pulled the door shut as he left, and Rory turned his attention to the phone.

No contact numbers, no messages, no call log. There was nothing left on it; Sebastian had covered his tracks. Rory huffed, tapping the phone on his chin. Sebastian was expecting him to talk to someone, and he thought about faking a conversation, but he needed to callsomeone.

He pressed in a number he knew by heart and bit his lip as he waited for it to connect. One day it wouldn’t, but he gasped when he heard his dad’s voice, telling him he couldn’t get to the phone right now and to leave a message.

The phone beeped.

“Hey,” Rory said, then scrunched his face up. “I really fucking miss you.” He slapped a hand to his mouth and, as if on instinct, blurted, “I’m sorry for swearing. I know you hate it. I just… I wanted to make you proud of me, and…I don’t think what I’m doing right now would. I’m sorry for not being who youwant me to be.” He left a pause, not knowing why, then cleared his throat. “I love you, Dad.”

He ended the call and dropped the phone on the bed.

Sebastian started coughing outside the cell, and it got progressively louder. Rory snatched up the phone and hid it inside his pillowcase.

The door swung open on a stern-faced officer.

Rory placed his hand on his stomach. “Feeling rough.”

“You keep this door open.”

“I’m sorry.”

The officer glared at him, then backed away. Sebastian walked in a minute later, folded his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. “Done?”

Rory handed the phone over, and Sebastian promptly crouched and slipped it down his sock.

“Feeling any better?” Sebastian asked.

“Not really.”

“Who did you call?”

Rory averted his gaze. “My uncle, but it just went to voicemail.”

“Next time maybe.”

“Do you…do you have people on the outside?”

“A few close friends that are eager to see me but no family as such.”

“What were you like on the outside?”

Sebastian snorted. “I wanted to make as much money as I could as quickly as possible.”

“And did you?”

“Oh, yeah.” Sebastian winked. “I’m sorted for money.”

“Dirty money?” Rory whispered.

Sebastian leaned closer. “Absolutely filthy. Now come on, you missed lunch, but I had Vince save you a few bits. You’dbetter go down and eat them before we’re locked back in our cells.”

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