Page 27 of Blackout: Book Two

Of course I did.

It’s what I do.

It doesn’t matter how good my intentions may be, I’m always making a mess of my life and to make matters worse I take everyone I love down with me until we’re all burning in Hell.

“They were part of Javier’s hit squad.”

“Who?”

“The men that did this to me. I don’t remember all the details, but they wanted retribution because Jack didn’t give them a piece of his territory. They put those drugs in my hand after they showed me the pictures of Lacey and told me they’d kill her if I didn’t push them on the cell block.”

“And you, being the noble soldier, ingested them yourself,” he deadpans, rolling his eyes. “I don’t know if you got a death wish or what, man, but that girl of yours is close to losing her shit so if you give a fuck about her, you’re going to have to cooperate.”

“No, don’t say that,” I hiss, balling my fists. My knuckles whiten and the cuffs bite my skin as I try to break out of them. “She can’t lose it. I’m not there. I promised I’d be there for her and I’m not there.”

“Yeah, well that’s your own fucking fault. Now, she wants to see you and the only way I can make that happen is if you’re transferred to a hospital. She mentioned this isn’t your first overdose, and that you suffered a heart attack before.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Ignoring my question, he cocks his head to the side and stares at my mangled face.

“I spoke with your cellmate,” he starts, rising from his chair. “He mentioned a correctional officer pulled you from your cell and that he didn’t see you after that, that true?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

He bites the inside of his cheek and pushes his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

“Right, so here’s how we’re going to play this. You don’t speak to anyone without me present. We’re going public with this shit. Fuck with me one more time, Blackie, and I won’t give a damn how much money you people throw at me.”

“I just want to get home to my wife.”

“You could’ve fooled me.”

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