Chapter Eleven

Alfie stretched out his limbs with a groan. He showered, shoved on his jeans and a t-shirt, and plodded down the stairs. The pizza box caught his eyes, and he sighed, scratching the back of his head. He shouldn’t have eaten it. He should have thrown it in the bin and called the prison and reported it. Half asleep and seduced by the smell, he had given in and ate the entire lot.

Alfie plucked the post it from the lid and ran his finger over the word ‘Freshman’. Not Nate’s handwriting, but when he read the word he heard the purring voice and shivered at its effect. He went back upstairs and shoved it in his bedside drawer, on top of the sketched picture of himself.

It was Sunday, a much-needed day away from the prison. He stepped out his front door, and instead of turning left and following the signs to Larkwood, he turned right and walked with his hands shoved in his coat pockets. Each step away felt like a shackle was loosening, and when he finally pushed into his usual coffee shop, he realized the smell of freedom was rich and thick in the air.

Tia waved at him and gestured him closer. There was a queue of people, but she ignored them and moved along the counter straight to Alfie.

“What can I get you?”

Alfie flicked his chin at the disgruntled customers. “You wanna do them first?”

She sighed dramatically and flicked her hair. “If I have to.”

“Your customer service skills are amazing.”

Tia smiled brightly. “Thanks, Alfie.”

He frowned and shook his head.

She joined him at her break, and her bright smile diminished any lingering anxiety. Their conversation stayed on safe territory, mainly the weather, rubbish TV, and the hot gossip she read in her magazines, but it was inevitable it would turn to men.

“I had such a good date Friday night, if you know what I mean…”

Alfie frowned. “I’m not sure I do.”

“I went back to his place. It was … it was good, really good.”

Alfie raised his eyebrows. “That was more information than I needed.”

“You’ve got to put yourself out there. When was the last time you hooked up with someone?”

Not including his hand on Nate’s cock? He shrugged. “Months. Half a year maybe.”

“You’ve got to stop being so choosy.”

Alfie frowned and flicked his cup. “I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are. You’ve got your walls so high it’s a castle around you. Drop the draw bridge, open the gate, and let someone in. It might be … really enjoyable.”

Alfie shuddered. “We’re not talking about me, but you and Chris.”

She tapped her finger to her chin. “Chris?”

“The guy that wrote his number on the cup.”

“As I told you last Sunday, and the Sunday before that, it didn’t go anywhere.”

Alfie dropped his gaze. “Oh, sorry, who did you go out with Friday?”

“Are you broken?”

“Not broken…”

“Then what is it?” Tia sighed. “You’re not your normal self, haven’t been for weeks. I was hoping you’d just open up, but looks like I’m gonna have to force it out of you.”

“And what’s my normal self?”

“You normally listen, and you’re slightly happier than this. Only slightly, but stop stalling and spill.”

Alfie snorted. “Just, things are a bit complicated.”

Tia narrowed her eyes. “Complicated how?”

He sucked his straw instead of answering.

“Okay, what is it, work or men?”

Alfie choked on his iced coffee and thumped his chest.

Tia drew her eyebrows together and glared at him. “Come on, Alfie, telling me might help.”

He looked at her pleading blue eyes, brighter than Nate’s and not as suffocating. If anything, they were freeing, and he gave in. “This guy’s doing my head in at work.”

Tia narrowed her eyes. “What’s he doing? He giving you a hard time?”

“Kind of, but not. I don’t know. I’m not sure how to handle the situation. He’s—he’s a flirt with a touch of psychotic.” He mumbled the last word, and Tia didn’t seem to hear it.

She studied him for a few seconds then clapped her hands. “Work place romance. Thank the lord. I thought you’d never get a boyfriend, that you’d live and die alone.”

Alfie flashed looks at the tables nearby then leaned forward. “What the hell, you wanna just shout it from the rooftop.”

“Can if you want.”

She went to stand, but he grabbed her hand. “Okay, just, quieter.”

Tia sunk back down and nodded. “So, what’s his name?”

Alfie’s mouth popped open. “I—I don’t think—”

“You don’t know? Jesus, Alfie, have you got it that bad you haven’t even asked for his name?”

Alfie snorted and stabbed the coffee with his straw. “It’s just a mess.”

“Is he hot?”

Alfie felt his cheeks start to redden. He thought about Nate away from the prison. If they had just met in a club. “Yes. Yes, he’s hot.”

“Does your stomach go all tingly when he talks to you?”

Alfie shivered and nodded. His club version of Nate smiled in his head, the predatory smile that said he was ready to pounce, and Alfie wanted him to, would bare his throat in the hope Nate would kiss it.

“When you see him does your heart speed up, feel like it’s trying to escape your chest?”

Just talking about Nate made it drum faster, and Alfie shut his eyes and released a torturous groan. “Just talking about it has made it worse. It’s made it real.”

He opened his eyes and watched Tia suck on her straw with a gleeful expression. She flexed her eyebrow, and Alfie began to wish he hadn’t said anything.

“So, what was it? You bonded over banging up prisoners?”

Alfie scrunched his face. He couldn’t tell her it wasn’t a colleague, but a prisoner. That would pique her curiosity and lead to more difficult questions.

“We don’t work in the same area. We just talk … sometimes.”

“So that’s why you’re confused, you’re not sure if he’s interested that way,” Tia said, staring off into space.

“He’s interested that way, tells me so, but—”

“But what? Go for it, maybe ask for his name first though.”

Alfie shook his head. “He’s just messing with me. I don’t know why I’m letting him, but I am. Besides, it can’t ever happen. I’d quit if anything went further.”

Tia pressed her lips together in a tight smile. “You’re always so serious. There’s a ban on staff dating staff here too, or there was, but my boss might have lifted it. I know you like doing everything the honest way, but don’t ya think it might be fun, exciting, doing what you’re not supposed to, breaking the rules?”

“I think—it would get me in a lot of trouble, if not lead to my death.”

Tia waved her hand. “Only if you get caught. Stop being so sensible, live a little.”

Alfie narrowed his eyes. “I am living, I’ve got a good job, a house, a future. This could screw that up. That’s if I don’t die.”

Tia laughed. “Stop being dramatic. Added risk, added excitement.”

Alfie groaned and dropped his head into his hands. He wished he could take back their conversation and keep his interest in Nate buried.

The club version of Nate faded each step closer to home, and Alfie thought of the reality. Nate with his arms cuffed at his back and the officers around him edgy with fear.

****

Monday night arrived, and after a long-winded hand-over by Ryan, Alfie sat in the office, fidgeting as he waited for the hours to tick down for roll call.

He stomped up the stairs to tick names off on his list, thinking about what Tia said. Away from the prison, the idea of a forbidden romance was fun, but inside the thick walls of concrete and the metal bars, it wasn’t. Indulging in anything with Nate was stupid, and he needed to rid himself of the temptation. The means of doing so were in the office, but he couldn’t bring himself to read the file.

“So how was it?” Nate asked.

Alfie scrunched his face and tapped his pen to the clipboard. He knew Nate was asking about the pizza, but he wasn’t going to make it easy for him.

“No idea what you’re talking out.”

“Yeah you do. Hope you saved me half.”

Alfie smiled. “Can’t just accept random food, can I? It all went in the bin.”

Nate laughed. “I doubt that.”

Alfie darted a look behind then moved closer to the door. “How did you get my address?”

“Easy,” Nate murmured. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna share it.”

“Are you watching my house?”

Nate sighed. “No, I’m watching my cell door.”

Alfie hugged the clipboard to his chest and waited for Nate to speak again.

“Look, Queenie got it for me. He cleans Ryan’s offices sometimes. Your file was on his desk a couple of weeks back and he wrote your address on the back of his hand.”

“You’ve known where I live for weeks?”

“Yep, and nothing’s happened, has it? So, relax, you’re being a picky date.”

Alfie shook his head. “I’m not your date.”

Nate laughed. “You ate the pizza. That was you accepting the date.”

“How do you know I ate it?”

Nate smirked. “Stop it. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“I hate you,” Alfie hissed.

“No, you don’t. Pepperoni your favorite?”

“Prefer meat feast, and garlic bread.”

Nate laughed. “I’ll remember for next time, but your turn to pay. You can deliver it to my cell, serve it through the hatch.”

“Not happening.”

“Open the hatch, Freshman.”

Alfie smiled, then pushed off from the door and walked back to the lobby, shaking his head.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t kicked off more,” Henry mumbled.

“Who?” Alfie asked.

“Nate. You punched him in the face. I thought he’d at least yell some, kick his cell, and get the others to start mouthing off, but nothing.”

Alfie shrugged. “I barely made a mark.”

“You split his lip,” Henry said, and Alfie winced.

“I’m sure he’s had worse in here. That’s what the other guys said.”

Henry shook his head.

“No, he hasn’t. They were just trying to make you feel better, but I’m not gonna lie to you. Nate’s top dog on that wing. Surely, you’ve realized that? No one dares to cross him. It’s suicide. No officer, no prisoner. Then you come along and wallop him one. A fish, fresh out of the water. He’s planning something, mark my words. Never find yourself alone with him, and if you do, there’s no point praying for mercy.”

Henry marked the end of their conversation by shoving his glasses on and flopping into his chair.

Alfie stared out of the office at the dark corner of the prison.

He wondered whether Henry was right and Nate was reeling him in for revenge. He had said himself he lured young men in and broke their necks. Alfie had assumed Nate was toying with him, coaxing him into reading the file, but it could’ve been the truth. Nate could be dragging it out for entertainment, for fun, and he was allowing it, because he couldn’t handle the thought of hating him.