The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 200

Coban’s POV

Maybe sending my father to see her was extreme, but so far, she seemed to have handled it…

Later, I would figure out exactly what he’d said to her, but for now… we had to move on.

My turn again.

I could feel what I wanted to say next sitting in my chest before I even opened my mouth – restless, practically clawing its way out of me. My fingers flexed slightly against my thigh, trying to ground myself.

This was it.

No more dodging.

No more hiding behind bullshit.

“Do you think…” My voice came out rougher than I intended, forcing me to pause, to steady it. “Do you think you can give me the chance to fix this because…”

My jaw tightened as I dragged in a breath, my gaze dropping for a second.

Say it….

Just fucking say it…

“Because I’ve thought about it,” I continued, slower now. “More than I ever have about anything in my life and…”

I hesitated.

Fuck.

Why was this harder than anything I’d ever done?

Threatening people? Easy.

Fighting? Easy.

Killing? Easy.

But this?

This felt like stepping off a ledge without knowing if there was anything there to catch me.

I forced myself to look at her.

“And I want a life with you outside of this place,” I said finally, the words landing heavier than anything else I’d said to her before. “When it’s all over – me and you.”

No taking it back now…

“I haven’t felt this way about anybody,” I added, my voice quieter, more honest than I liked. “And I fucking hate that I almost let you go… all because I was scared to commit to something real.”

My throat felt tight after that.

Too tight.

So I looked away again.

Just for a second.

Just long enough to breathe.

Then I looked back.

Expecting… something.

Anything.

But…

She wasn’t even looking at me.

Her gaze was down.

Fixed on her lap.

Her fingers twisting together slightly.

Something was wrong…

I stayed quiet.

Watched her.

Waited.

Because whatever it was… I knew she needed to say it.

And eventually, her lips parted.

“I would love nothing more than to fix this…” she said softly.

Relief flickered in my chest but it didn’t last.

“But Coban…” There it was.

The fucking but I had dreaded…

My jaw clenched instantly.

“Something else has been bothering me,” she continued, her voice quieter now. “And until I know the whole truth… I don’t think I could work towards making a life with you on the outside.”

A mix of irritation and something worse – something tighter – ripped through me.

“What is it?” I pushed quickly, leaning forward slightly. “What’s bothering you?”

I couldn’t help it.

My fingers twitched.

My pulse picked up.

Because suddenly, this didn’t feel easy anymore.

She had me.

Completely.

Whatever it took to have her, I knew I’d do…

Which meant that she was in full control…

“Yesterday morning…” she started, her voice careful, “I woke up to a nurse clattering around in my hospital room…”

And just like that, everything inside me went cold.

Fuck…

“She didn’t seem too fond of me…” she continued, and I could already feel it building, the dread settling heavy in my gut. “And I soon learned that she had good

reason to hate me…”

My jaw tightened.

I already knew where this was going.

“No!” I snapped back, sitting forward. “No, that’s not what happened!” I defended, but her eyes were already glassy.

Tears threatening.

“I haven’t fucked her since I met you,” I said, more controlled now. “I swear to you, Bella.”

I paused, but she didn’t reply…

“But yeah, I told her what she wanted to hear,” I admitted. “I had to. To get what I needed to protect you…”

My jaw clenched, knowing how backwards it all sounded.

Silence fell again.

She didn’t know what to say.

And honestly?

I didn’t blame her.

This was a fucking mess…

“I know how this looks,” I muttered. “I know it sounds like I’ve been up to some shady shit… but she means nothing to me.”

I exhaled sharply, crumbling under her silence.

“Bella…” I said, softer now, reaching across to take her hand.

She didn’t pull away.

Thank fuck.

“She seriously means nothing to me,” I said firmly. “Nothing! You need to know that!”

I needed her to understand that.

To believe it.

But then…

“She threatened to kill me over it, Coban.”

And just like that, everything stopped.

My grip on her hand tightened instantly.

“She what?!” I snapped, my tone low.

“She said she could end me right there and no one would question it,” Margot continued, her voice shaking.

And with that, my temper snapped.

A dark, violent heat surged through me so fast it made my vision sharpen.

“I’ll kill that little fucking bitch just for breathing near you,” I growled, already pushing myself off the bed-

Because nobody-

NOBODY-

Threatens what’s mine.