I thought I would feel something else when he gave me the news—triumph or a sense of retribution—but that’s not what I felt. I only felt a vast emptiness. Frank stretched his fingers back, giving me a look over.
“Okay. I got something else I need to be looked into. What do you know about Hector Atwood?”
“Ah. That kid. Word on the street is Las Balas got beef with him. All right kid. Nothing to say. He ain’t brought trouble our way. Why?” Frank quizzed.
I lowered my tone as the clouds got a little grayer. I felt the chill on my skin and goosebumps starting to rise. “A friend of mine is his sister. He’s out now. I just wanted to know if the kid is legit. He’s got a hit out on him. Two hundred thousand down.”
Austin popped out his bottom lip and got up from the bench. “Looks like rain. He’s a good kid. I talked to him a few times. He got into a few brawls, and I told the guys to back off him.”
“I got an idea to get Las Balas off his back. The kid’s sister is my social worker. I owe her in a way. She’s taken care of my daughter. I need to make sure everything is good.”
Frank’s cold eyes crinkled from a smile. “Ah. That nice piece that comes around every month to talk about prison reform. I would want to make sure about that, too.” Frank slapped Austin on the arm, and they shared a laugh.
“She’s really sweet. I think I can get the Russians involved.” I ignored their innuendos, eyeing the sky again.
Frank squinted as the raindrops began to fall. “You mean Vlad’s guys?” He spat to the side as the other pussies started heading undercover to shield themselves from a few droplets of rain.
“Yeah.”
“Might work. The way I see it, you did the team a solid, so he has to meet you halfway.”
“Exactly,” I agreed.
The splattering of rain turned to heavier drops, and it coated the yard. Prisoners in their sandy uniforms started moving from the yard and ran to the entrance. I found the rain refreshing, and I wished it would wash all my sins away.
An announcement came, and then the bell. “All prisoners, please return to your cells. If the weather changes, we will run another half-hour later in the afternoon. All prisoners back to your cell blocks.”
“Stay tuned, brother. Keep your head up. Be careful. You have minimal time to go. Raymond’s been on the warpath. He sent two already on the south ward to the hole,” Frank spoke out the side of his mouth as we marched back to our cell dens.
“I’ve been warned,” I responded with a somber tone.
“See you on the next merry-go-round, brother,” Austin said as his rangy frame departed down the prison hallway. If I had a magic wand to take these guys out of prison with me, I would.
Once back inside the cell, I called Vlad from a burner phone that was delivered to me inside of a library book. “Hey, brother.”
“Brother. Good to hear from you. You all right in there? See Frank yet?”
“Yep. I’ve seen him. We’ve talked. Everything’s good.” I put my hand behind my head. “I need a favor.”
Vlad, with his thick Russian accent, responded, “Anything. You know that. What do you need?”
“I need access to the Russians.”
Vlad scoffed. “Okay. No problem. I’ll have Mikakov call you. Have your phone ready.”
“Done.”
“Bye, brother.”
Errol’s soft snore was a noise I’d become accustomed to. It sounded similar to my horse’s snore. That shit made me laugh, and not too much was comedy in this godforsaken pit. I drifted off to sleep and dreamt about Amber.
We were riding bareback on the golden curves of my Palominos deep into an emerald forest. We stopped midway and got off. She shook her champagne-colored hair at me as I chased her around. I caught her and laid her down in a bed of leaves. I stripped her down and devoured every inch of her voluptuous body.
I must have moaned in my sleep, as Errol’s voice cut through my dream.
“Yo, farmboy. I don’t know what you’re doing down there, but I’d appreciate it if you stop it.”
Disabled, I wiped the slobber from my mouth and adjusted the hard-on in my pants. The phone vibrating under my pillow dazed me. I punched underneath the top bunk in response to Errol’s comment.
I picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Colt. It’s Mikakov. You need something?”
I woke up a little. “Yep. I need to organize something for when I get out.”
“Go ahead. What is it, brother?”
“Can you cover a debt? A guy I have dealings with has a hit out on account of Las Balas.”
I heard Mikakov crack his knuckles on the other end of the line.
“Las Balas, you say? I’m always happy to oblige. Anything to make their life a living hell is fine by me. Say the word and what’s next. We’ll be in touch when you get out.”
“Good.” I shut down the phone. Two problems solved. Now the last one.
Amber and me.
Eight
Amber
There were only three months left before Colt got out of prison. Every visit, I was more and more turned on by him. Every footstep on his property, my heart became more invested in Bella and his mother. Now he was firmly intertwined with my family affairs.
Today was my third visit out to Colt, minus the collect calls. It was a standard monthly arrangement for a mental health check and to confirm everything was okay on the inside. As I got ready in my bathroom, I added a lick of mascara to enhance my cinnamon-colored eyes. I didn’t have to straighten my long, thick blond hair. It had its own set of waves going on. As I couldn’t wear anything revealing to prison, I chose a form-fitting white bodysuit top covered with a blazer, long, tailored trousers, and heels. I added some fresh lip gloss to enhance my bow-shaped lips.
The rain was coming down like bullets in Merced, but inside my car, I felt like sunshine. I wanted to keep this secret crush deep inside. If anybody at work found out, I would be either fired or suspended. I was not willing for that to happen because of a crush. I had to keep my mouth shut. First, I had to drop by the Department of Human Services. I pulled up into the parking lot. I was not staying long. I just had a few things to take care of, and then I was off to see Colt.
Lucy greeted me on the walk in. “Oh. Aren’t we looking fresh and dainty this morning.” The slant in her eyes gave away her jealousy. Her jokes were becoming less and less funny.
“Morning, Lucy. How are you?”
She had a coffee cup in her hand, and her fingers were drumming on it. She smirked naughtily. “Not as good as you, apparently.”
I shook my blond hair at her. “What are you talking about? Don’t you have enough cases on your plate? What’s happening with those two Mendez twins? Did you have to separate them?” I dropped my bags at my desk and diverted her attention back to work. The manila folder with Colt’s information in it dropped to the ground.
“Ugh. That case is dragging and keeping me up at night. Their father is on drugs again, and he tried to show up to the mother’s house, demanding to see them. He was out of his mind on coke.”
“Sounds crazy.” I was distracted and about to pick up the paperwork.