The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 180

Margot’s POV

Morning came far too quickly.

I hadn’t slept much.

Not really at all, actually.

Most of the night had been spent staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling above Leo’s bed, my mind replaying the same conversations over and over again until the words felt permanently etched into my memory.

Take the money and go.

Don’t be an idiot, Bella.

The echo of Coban’s voice had followed me into sleep and dragged me right back out of it again.

By the time the morning light filtered in through the narrow window, I already felt exhausted. My body ached with the kind of tiredness that sleep alone couldn’t fix. It was all mental torture. All still there, stuffed up in my head.

Leo, however, was already moving around the room like he’d slept perfectly fine.

Which… knowing him… he probably had.

I sat up slowly on the edge of the mattress, rubbing my eyes as I tried to gather the energy to start the day…

The tracksuit they’d assigned me hung neatly over the back of the chair and for the first time since arriving here, I didn’t even hesitate when I reached for the sweatshirt…

Pink.

A few days ago I would’ve flinched at the colour.

But now?

I couldn’t care less about what Coban thought of it.

If Coban had decided I wasn’t worth the effort anymore, then the colour of my clothes was the least of my worries as of this morning!

I pulled the hoodie up over my head and pushed my arms through the sleeves, the soft material falling loosely around me.

Leo glanced over his shoulder at me as he tugged his shirt on.

His eyes lingered on me for a second too long before he finally sighed…

“Quit looking so sad, will you?” he said bluntly, sensing my flat mood.

I looked up at him and just stared… drained of all energy.

He had turned now, leaning back against the wall, arms folded across his chest as he watched me with a scowl.

“I’m starting to feel bad for you with all this moping… you look like somebody’s ripped your heart out.” He states next, the comment clearly intended as a joke.

But that was, in fact, how it truly felt… like my heart had been ripped out.

His mouth tilted slightly like he expected me to laugh.

So I did.

Or… at least tried to.

A small sound left my throat, but it felt hollow. Forced.

Even to my own ears.

Leo’s brows slowly pulled together.

“Come on,” he said, disappointed. “What happened yesterday with you two anyhow?”

I bent down to pull my socks on, focusing on the fabric instead.

“You usually bounce back a little better than this. What’d he do this time?” He continued, motioning toward me, as though I looked far more pathetic than usual whenever we would disagree…

Part of me had wondered if Leo already knew what Coban had said, but clearly he hadn’t mentioned it…

So I finished pulling my sock up and stared down at the floor for a moment before answering him.

“He wants me gone.”

The words came out quiet. Like they belonged to someone else…

Leo just blinked. “Gone? What do you mean gone?”

I sighed softly and pushed myself up to my feet, walking over to the small desk to grab my hairbrush.

“The cash you saw yesterday.” I said, dragging the brush through the tangles. “He said I can have all of it if I leave the project on Saturday.”

Behind me, Leo let out a loud laugh.

The sound filled the room for about half a second before it abruptly stopped when I didn’t join in…

“Oh…?” he said slowly. “You’re not even joking, are you?”

“Jesus…” he muttered, before he looked back at me. “I’ll talk to him…”

I shook my head immediately at that. “No need, he seemed pretty certain.” I shrugged, before I tossed the hairbrush back onto the desk harsher than necessary, watching it clatter.

“I think since he kept me locked in the cell yesterday without lunch or dinner…” I continue, “that I might just take him up on the offer too.”

“Come on, Bella…” Leo attempted, but I cut in again:

“The Fifteen grand will do.” I nod to myself.

But the truth was… I hadn’t decided on doing anything. But saying it out loud made something inside me feel less pathetic.

Like I wasn’t just waiting around for Coban Santorelli to still decide my fate…

Leo groaned loudly. His head tipped back toward the ceiling as he ran his hands through his hair.

“He’s a fucking idiot at the best of times,” he muttered.

Then he pushed himself away from the wall.

“Look,” he said, pointing toward the door. “Let’s just go and get you some breakfast, alright?”

I didn’t argue with that because honestly, my stomach was starting to remind me of its hunger…

“Eat something.” Leo continued. “Then just take the day as it comes – I’ll work out what’s gotten in to him but in the meantime, ignore him, he’s clearly not thinking straight!” He concludes.

Take the day as it comes…

I sighed softly, knowing I’d have no choice but to do just that.

Maybe today would actually be different?

Maybe Coban had cooled off?

Maybe he’d even regret it?

But I shook the thoughts away quickly.

No.

I wasn’t going to hope for anything today.

“Yeah, let’s just go…” I said quietly as Leo shook his head one last time before he opened the door and stepped out into the corridor with me at his back. Only time will tell…