The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 181

Margot’s POV

The gym smelled like rubber mats, sweat, and ignorance.

I sat slouched against the same sofa pushed up against the wall, beside the full length windows in the corner, with my elbows resting on my knees as Cara rambled on beside me for what felt like the tenth minute straight.

“And then he had the nerve to tell me that the floor builds character,” she continued angrily, throwing her hands up in the air. “Character, Margot! Like It’s just some sort of training exercise!”

I barely heard half of it, gathering only the main point that Coban had been an ass to her last night too by returning her to the hard floor to sleep.

But as she continued, my eyes were solely fixed on the other side of the gym.

On him.

On that manipulative, Coban Santorelli.

He was across the room near the weight racks, shirt clinging slightly to his back from sweat as he lifted another heavy set like the metal bars weighed nothing at all. His movements were sharp. Controlled. Aggressive.

Like he was punishing the equipment for his own problems.

Leo stood nearby, spotting him through the set, though even from across the room I could see the irritation written all over Leo’s face now too.

He kept throwing his hands up every few seconds like he was arguing with a brick wall.

Which, knowing Coban lately…

He probably was.

But Coban still hadn’t looked at me once.

Not when they walked in.

Not when I sat down.

Not even accidentally.

Which was what irritated me the most…

He was acting as though I suddenly blended in with the air.

Like I didn’t exist anymore at all.

The weight dropped down against the rack with a loud clank, as the other men in the room glanced his way before quickly carrying on…

Leo said something to him again, clearly more annoyed now as he shoved at his shoulder, but Coban simply grabbed a towel and wiped his face, completely uninterested in whatever he was saying.

My jaw tightened.

“Did you hear me? Marg?” Cara nudged my arm sharply, as I blinked, pulling my gaze away from Coban as I turned toward her for the first time.

“Sorry, w-what?” I stammer, as Cara groaned loudly and rolled her eyes.

“I said why the hell is he being such an ass all over again?” she repeated dramatically. “Hadn’t you two made progress before all of this?”

I leaned further back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before answering her.

“Yeah, we had…” The words felt bitter in my mouth before I continued them…

“…until he got scared of commitment!” I spat, evidently pissed off with how he had acted only days ago now when he couldn’t keep his hands or lips off me! I felt used.

Cara’s brows furrowed. “Why is making everything so difficult now? It was clear to anyone with eyes that he liked you!”

My lips pressed together as the memory burned through my chest again.

“Liked me until he suddenly bribed me to leave the project yesterday.” I finally say it, watching Cara still.

Then her jaw dropped.

“HE WHAT?!” she shrieked.

Her voice echoed across the entire gym.

Heads turned.

But for once…

I didn’t care.

“Yeah,” I said through clenched teeth. “With that big wad of cash you saw on the desk.”

My hands curled slightly into fists.

“Tossed it down in front of me like I was some hooker he’d hired to spend time with him for two weeks and suddenly got bored of.” The words came out sharper than I expected.

Angrier.

More hurt.

I turned my head again, back toward the weight racks…

And that’s when the breath caught up in my throat.

Coban wasn’t lifting anymore.

He wasn’t moving at all.

He had stopped dead.

And he was staring straight at me…

His dark eyes burned across the gym floor, locked onto mine like a sniper’s scope.

The air between us suddenly felt electric.

So now you want to look at me?!

Something inside me snapped then.

I didn’t even think.

Didn’t even hesitate.

My hand lifted…

My middle finger shot up into the air.

And I shoved it straight in his direction.

“Fuck you.” I mouthed clearly.

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