After a few days, however, I realized it had been a rare, short-lived fluke. Rumors about me murdering Carlos moved around the block like hot lava, pouring from the mouths of those who had no fucking clue. Because of that, it became obvious Jose was out for revenge. He sat staring at me every chance he got, his thought processes above him like grey clouds of contempt. I was sure he was mulling it over, trying to figure out how and when he wanted to go about killing me. After all, I’d supposedly killed his brother.

His gang knew the situation and they were his constant surveillance, waiting for the perfect moment to catch me off guard. For three days, they watched and waited, expecting at any moment to be able to take me down. Finally, they got their chance.

I was working laundry when I felt the similar chill pass down my spine. Ten years of paranoia had honed my sixth sense. I knew when someone was behind me. Turning quickly, I found six of his guys surrounding me, all brandishing a weapon. Two of them had socks full of paint balls. They slung them around like David about to take on Goliath. The others had paper blades lodged in their fists.

As I waited impatiently for them to attack, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. A paintball sock was swung at my head, while the two with blades moved in. I deflected the blades instinctively and tried to duck at the same time, but the paintballs caught me in the side of the head, sending an ache so extreme through my brain that I thought I’d pass out on the first hit.

My teeth rattled and then the familiar ache worked its way through my cerebrum and the headache started again. It was the same old twinge that sent me to the hospital. There was no healing from a head injury in prison when you had a big target on your back.

I ripped the sock out of his grasp and used it against him, catching him across the jaw. He fell to the ground in agony, spitting out blood and a tooth. Five moved in at once, and one sliced my arm with the blade. I wrestled another one away, but then their fists began to fly at me and I could only block so much.

I took down four of them, leaving the last two standing and ready to strike. Their blades caught the light coming into a barred window, and it reflected in my eyes. They were dangerous and tenacious, like bulldogs waiting to take down a bull.

The alarms began to ring out, alerting the staff of the fight. Within a few seconds, COs moved in to diffuse the situation. They hauled off the ones who weren’t bleeding and took them straight to the hole. The others, and myself, were taken to medical, which was a good thing considering I was already starting to feel dizzy.

The moment I entered the infirmary, I looked around for Lyla. I knew she would be angry with me for another fight, but I didn’t care. I’d learned to love the heat she displayed in a moment of anger. It was sexy, a raw reaction that made the blood pump straight to my cock and my brain swim with need.

My head throbbed in the bright lights, and I closed my eyes for a moment. Head pain was no fucking joke.

Opening them, I looked around for Lyla, but she was nowhere to be seen. I sat on the bed, waiting for Ginger or Giles to come in and see me. When the curtain came back, Giles stepped in. A familiar redhead followed him, and her eyes lit up with raw anger and excitement when they landed on me.

She was there. I’d never been happier to see her face.

Her cheeks were flushed as she gazed at me from behind him. Her features were soft, begging me to touch them, as she helped Giles get some vitals and check my pupils.

“Damn it, X, you just got out of the hospital with a head injury. Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” he asked.

But I didn’t answer him. I wasn’t paying him any attention. All I could hear was the soft slide of her scrubs as she moved around the room. I tensed when she pressed a finger to my wrist to check my pulse. I could see her counting in her head, trying not to look me in the eye for fear of losing her place.

“Douglas, I need some room. Could you back up to the curtain for a moment?” Dr. Giles asked.

Officer Douglas nodded before leaving. I saw him through the slit in the curtain as he walked around checking on other inmates before he returned to the desk. From that moment, his eyes never left my face as he stared me down through the tiny slit.

“What happened this time?” Lyla whispered when Giles left the curtained space for his suture kit.

Thankfully, he closed the curtain all the way, making it impossible for Douglas to see us.

“I needed to see you. “I didn’t bother blaming Jose and his boys. They did me a favor as far as I was concerned. My eyes penetrated hers, making her blush and look away.

“Are you okay?” Worry tugged at the corner of her sweet lips. “They could’ve killed you.”