The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 184

Coban’s POV

My knuckles stung.

The kind of deep, throbbing burn that came from hitting something too many times in a row.

The punching bag still swayed slightly in front of me, creaking on its chain as it rocked back and forth from the last blow I’d driven into it.

Thud.

The dull echo of it settling filled the gym.

I stood there for another second, chest rising and falling heavily, sweat dripping down my spine. My hands were wrapped but that didn’t stop the ache biting into the bones of my fingers.

Good.

Pain kept my head quiet.

And right now I needed my head quiet.

Because if it wasn’t…

All I’d see was Margot’s face!

The look in her eyes when I’d said those words in the bathroom. The deep sadness. The disappointment.

I exhaled hard through my nose and finally stepped away from the bag, dragging the towel from around my neck and wiping the sweat from my face.

My temper still buzzed under my skin like electricity. Like I hadn’t burned enough of it off yet. But I had hit that damn thing for what felt like hours already until I finally realised that nothing would help ease this…

My shoulders rolled once as I unwrapped my hands, stretching my fingers out until they cracked, before I finally moved toward the seats in the corner, dropping down onto it with an agitated groan.

The leather creaked under my weight, as I stretched my arms out along the back of it, welcoming the cool air from the nearby ceiling fan.

Across from me, Leo and Cara were still sitting together on the opposite couch, with Leo leaving me to fight the punch bag on my own some time ago now…

But I could already feel the agitation starting to simmer all over again, as I eyed the pair of them…

Leo was sitting, jaw tight…

And Cara? Well she was very clearly not in the mood to exist near any of us right now…

She sat beside him with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, staring straight ahead with a look that could peel paint off the walls.

She hadn’t said a single word to me since I’d dragged Margot out of here earlier.

Not one.

Then when she had asked to go check on her friend as soon as I’d came back without her, Leo had told her no.

Even I was surprised by the decision, but he claimed that all of us could do with some space alone.

But since this, every now and then, Cara would shoot me a harsh glare, the look sharp and distasteful.

The kind of glare that could kill a man if looks were used as weapons.

But I caught the latest one.

And my jaw ticked.

“Got something you want to fucking say?” I snapped, my voice low and rough. “Then say it.”

But Cara didn’t even flinch.

Leo did though…

His eyes immediately slid toward me, narrowing as his arms folded tightly across his chest.

“Don’t start on her just because you’re having a shit day, quit being a fucking asshole!” he said sharply, his tone testing.

I scoffed. A humourless sound.

“Yeah?” I muttered. “Then rein her in and tell her to stop fucking staring at me like she’s planning my damn funeral!” I grit, but Cara still didn’t respond.

Didn’t even look at me this time.

Instead, she simply turned her whole body away from the both of us completely, curling toward the wall like she had zero interest in sharing oxygen with either of us.

The message was loud and clear.

I exhaled out through my nose and leaned forward, resting my forearms on my knees.

Fine.

Whatever.

My patience with everyone in this place was wearing dangerously thin anyway…

The gym had gone mostly quiet again after the earlier scene.

A few inmates moved around the equipment but most of them were keeping their distance.

Probably smart, sensing that I was pissed about something, since I wasn’t exactly radiating approachable energy today.

My mind was still chewing on what happened in the bathroom.

With Margot.

On the way she’d looked up at me from the floor.

The way she’d told me not to call her Bella.

My jaw tightened again.

Good.

Let her hate me.

That was the point.

That was the whole fucking point.

Then…

Noise?

My head turned immediately.

The gym doors swung open and a burst of commotion spilled inside.

Boots.

Voices.

Urgent.

Hurt.

Someone touching her.

Someone putting their hands on her.

My fists clenched automatically.

I felt Leo shift beside me.

I turned my head slightly and saw the expression on his face.

Wide eyes, mouth parted.

The same realisation had hit him too.

Something terrible had happened…

Behind us Cara was already on her feet.

“I’m coming too,” she said instantly, her tone seconds away from breaking.

The guards didn’t argue.

They simply nodded and stepped aside.

My chest felt like it had been hollowed out.

Because suddenly the bathroom scene replayed in my head again…

The way I’d left her on the floor.

Crying.

Alone!

My jaw tightened so hard it hurt.

I had fucked this up.

Bad.

If someone had touched her…

Hurt her…

Then I’d kill them!

Because no one…

No one…

Would harm my Bella and get away with it!

Not while I was still breathing!

She was mine.