The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 138

Coban’s POV

Her hand moved across my groin before I could think, before I could pull away, before I could get the words fuck off past the tightening in my throat.

I tensed instantly.

Every muscle.

Every thought.

Every damn part of me recoiled…

Except one.

My cock twitched beneath her palm. stiffening under a touch I didn’t want. Didn’t invite. Didn’t even enjoy.

Addison hummed low in her throat, misreading everything. “See?” she whispered like she’d won something. “Your body remembers me. baby…”

I shut my eyes.

Because if I looked at her – if I let myself see her glossy-lipped smirk, the hungry way she pressed

close – Id lose it.

Not sexually.

Not even remotely.

I’d shove her away too hard and draw far too much attention to this.

Id blow it all, my entire plan…

And I couldn’t afford that.

Not tonight.

Not with Margot on the line.

But fuck… my body was betraying me heavily.

It wasn’t because of Addison.

It wasn’t even because of her touch.

It was because I’d been too tightly wound all day, too keyed up, too pissed off. too fucking desperate.

And she knew it.

She fed off it.

Her thumb dragged in a slow circle and my jaw locked, breath shuddering out of me.

Disgust and guilt warred in my gut at how good it felt…

Margot’s face flashed behind my eyes again – the softness, the innocence. the way she’d pressed-hor lips together when she whispered my name earlier like she actually worried about me.

She trusted me.

Wanted better for me.

And here 1 was letting some desperate nurse palm me off because I needed intel. Needed access.

Needed the damn suits attention.

Addison’s breath hitched as she shifted closer. “You still want me.” she murmured.

No. I don’t.

Not even a little.

Not even for a second.

But I couldn’t say that.

Not if I wanted her help.

* “Mhm…” Was all I gave, as she moved faster, a small joyful giggle escaping her.

“You’ll always come back to me, won’t you baby?” She hummed, hand tightening again and again…

And then-

A sharp knock slammed down against the door.

I jerked upright so fast her hand fell away like it’d been burned. She staggered back, wide-eyed and breathless herself – eyes darting between me and the door.

I sucked in air. chest rising hard, relief punching through me like a shot of adrenaling that she was

finally gone.

“Everything all good in there?” the guard called out, voice deep and suspicious.

Addison froze. then scrambled – actually scrambled – trying to fix her hair. pulling her scrub top

straight, wiping at her reddening cheeks like the guard could smell the desperation on her.

Hell, maybe he could…

It was written all over the poor whore..

She opened the door just enough for the guard to poke his head inside.

Tve – eh – I’ve just patched the inmate up as best I can,” she stammered, voice too high and too suspicious already. “He’s just waiting for x-ray now before the doctor will see him.”

The guard’s eyes swept over me.

My newly plugged nose.

My flushed skin.

The blood smudged under my jaw.

And worst of all… his eyes fell back on Addison’s face.

My last lever.My last fucking card to play….

“Remember our deal first.” I whispered back, Voice gravel. “I need the suits to come here. and fast. I’m relying on you.” I spoke quick, watching as her breath caught.

“I trust you, baby.” | added, forcing the pet word past my lips.

I didn’t mean for it to be anything more than a word. Not even a little. But her pupils dilated like T d just whispered a love confession. A thrill darted through her eyes as her eyes searched mine:..

“Til do what I can…”-she eventually breathed a confirmation, steadier now, picking up and clutching the edges of a clipboard like she finally remembered she was supposed-to-be professional here all along.

She stepped away from me. smoothing down her scrubs again before she hurried toward the waiting guard.

His gaze swept in over the both of us one last time – a brow raised before he eventually moved

aside and let her pass.

The door clicked shut behind her.

And I was left alone with my thoughts once again.

A botched up nose.

Head throbbing.

Heart pounding.

Nerves rattled.

My fate – Margot’s fate – was now in the hands of a woman who terrified me more than half the

inmates in this place.

She was a crazy, needy little bitch at the best of times, but she was all I had right now…

But for her own sake, Addison better stick to her damn word…

Because if she doesn t?

Id burn this whole infirmary to the ground just to get to the suits myself.

But It was all just a waiting game now…The pent up guilt rested heavily on my shoulders from how far things could’ve gone with Addison

just to get what I needed, but I shook it off.

Bella won’t know

She doesn’t need to know …

It was for the best…

I was fixing a problem to protect her… to keep her close.

But why the fuck does it still have to feel so wrong?