Page 58 of He's the One

“Christ! You do know your relationship’s doomed, right? His family aren’t going to accept you as a partner, not with my history.”

“They won’t accept Theo as gay anyway, so I think you’d be the least of their problems.”

Dominic huffed.

“So why did you want to come back here?” Col had lowered his voice.

“I wasn’t safe in Oakhurst.”

Col hoped for more detail than that but when he gave his brother a questioning look, Dominic shook his head and glanced over Col’s shoulder towards the guard.

“You were close to getting released!” Col whispered.

“I wouldn’t have made it to release there.”

“Fuck! Can’t you talk to someone? Ask to go into the vulnerable prisoners’ unit?”

“Nowhere is safe. If you snitch, you’re as good as dead. I didn’t snitch, but I was accused of snitching… Someone is out to get me. I need to be here.”

Col kept his voice very low before he next spoke. “But when the doctors realise you’re not crazy, they’ll send you back.”

“Then I have to stay crazy. It isn’t as if I really have to do much pretending.”

Col chewed his fingernail and Dominic pulled his finger from his mouth.

“No touching,” the guard called.

“Sorry,” Col said.

They chatted about books they’d both read until the guard’s attention had moved off them.

“I need to get released from here and not from Oakhurst or any other prison.”

“Can that happen?”

“Yes. If I can convince my offender manager.”

“How much longer do you think it will take before they let you out?”

“A year maybe.”

“You can live with me,” Col blurted.

“And share your bed? What would Merlene and Livingston have to say about that?”

“I’ll find us a place.”

Dominic smiled.

“How are you going to convince them to let you stay here without them pumping you full of drugs?”

“I’m going to be good, do as I’m told and behave in therapy.”

“But you’ve always done that, haven’t you?”

Dominic stood and held out his arms. “You should go now.”

Col pushed to his feet and let Dominic hold him.

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