I release a deep sigh of relief, shoulders slumping a little. “Alright. How tight is the security on him?”
“Very tight,’’ Casper explains. “He’s pissed that he can’t reach you.’’
“Is… is there a way I can see him? Even if it’s for a single minute.’’
I hate how desperate I sound. This man is still someone I don’t know, and I’m not sure if he’s telling the truth about being James’ friend, but right now, I can’t afford to care about that. If there’s a possibility of me seeing James, even for a second, I’m taking it, even if it means trusting the Devil himself.
Casper is looking at me as if he’s trying to gauge my reaction. His eyes don’t leave me, and while he’s staring, I can’t help the sense of familiarity I’m feeling, like I’d met or seen him before, but I just can’t place it.
“There might be a way,’’ he draws out, slowly, eyes glued on mine. “But it could go very wrong very quickly, and if it does, I don’t know how you’d be able to get out, and I could definitely lose my job.’’
“Are you willing to risk it?”
“Are you?” He shoots back.
“Yes,’’ I say, not missing a beat. “If there’s a way, I’m in. I don’t care what it costs or what I need to do.’’
“Good,’’ he leans in. “Then listen carefully.’’
He starts describing the plan and the way to get me in, and my eyes widen in shock. Out of all the things that I expected him to say, this wasn’t it. It’s a plan that could backfire terribly, and at best, we’re risking serious prison time.
But I don’t care.
I need to see James, and I need to see him as soon as possible.
22
Rose
This is absolute insanity.
I don’t even want to think about how Hudson or Noelle would react if they knew I was doing this. It’s not smart, and the closer we are to the goal of seeing James, the more scared I’m becoming.
Casper is walking in front of me, and I’m trying my best not to tremble like a leaf. Not only is it too cold outside, but I’m also scared shitless. I keep up with his quick pace as we reach the entrance of the prison, and I swallow thickly, shivers running down my body.
I’m wearing a prison guard uniform. I don’t know where Casper managed to get one in my size, and I don’t want to know. All I know is that one good look at me from the actual guards, and we’ll be discovered.
I keep my head up, trying to act as if I belong here. Casper leads me into the prison, and I don’t know what he says to one ofthe main guards, but the man simply nods, hands him a key, and we walk further inside.
There are cameras everywhere, following my every movement. It feels like some sort of a sick joke, and no matter how much I want to see James, I’m starting to doubt this whole thing.
“Are you alright?” Casper slows down his pacing, matching mine instead, his voice a low whisper.
“Yes,’’ I whisper back, lying through my teeth. He casts a sidelong glance at me, then continues walking into the prison. It’s late at night, when the guard’s shift is switching, and we don’t have much time to spare.
“James got into an altercation today,’’ he says. “He’s now in solitary confinement.’’
“Is he okay?”
Casper nods. “He is. The other guy isn’t.’’
He leads me up to the third floor, and it’s less chaotic than the previous parts of the prison we’d seen. It’s my first time in a prison, and it feels weird. I try to remember as many details as possible, just in case I ever need them, but it’s all new, all unlike what I’d expect a prison to look like.
“He got into a fight?”
“Yes,’’ he leans in, whispering so no one else overhears. “And it was bad. He managed to break the guy’s wrists and ankles alone.’’
I wince at the thought, not daring to imagine what could’ve caused James to lash out so severely. Then again, does he ever need a reason? He seems like the type of person not to thinkabout the consequences and just let his impulses win, which isn’t surprising, considering how we ended up being entangled.