Page 158 of Toxic Kiss

“Thanks, man. You have no idea what this means to me. The stuff is in my locker. It’s the only way to make sure she never finds her gifts, you know?”

“Whatever you want.” Cy smiles like a snake oil salesman.

The bars close with a bang, locking into place.

“You’re the best. I’ll bring you a coffee when I return,” Officer Grimes says, walking away.

Yes, he’s so wonderful.

My nervous energy diverts into my feet as I start pacing again.

“Wow, you must be someone special if Grimey is bringing ya coffee,” the old man in Cy’s cell pipes up and says.

“Do you want it,” Cy asks the old man.

If given a robe, the guy could double for Jesus in any movie.

“Really?”

“Sure. It’s yours,” Cy says, then walks over and sits down with his back to the wall and his arm pressing against the bars.

Cy’s eyes cut in my direction. I don’t acknowledge him, and he opens his mouth to speak, but stops when we hear the door open again. Two sets of footsteps approach, and then a different officer and Charles come into view.

Shit.

Cy is on his feet, gripping the bars in two seconds flat.

“Look who it is…the pretty boy who’s no longer pretty. I kind of like your face better this way, it will warn all the women you are currently using to avoid your ass.”

Charles gives Cy his typical leer, the one he uses on anyone he thinks is lesser than him.

“Yes, and you are certainly a paragon of virtue, aren’t you? Don’t cast stones when you live in a fishbowl.”

“The saying is glass house,” Intoxicated Jesus says, and we all stare at him. “Just sayin’ you should get it right.”

He looks away like he hasn’t been eavesdropping.

“What the fuck are you doing here anyway? Don’t even try to press charges against me. Nothing good will come from poking that hornet’s nest, trust me,” Cy says, his tone leaves no doubt that the bars are keeping Charles safe.

I have to admit that I really enjoyed watching Charles get the shit beat out of him. At least until Cy being arrested for murder became a possibility.

“At the moment, I’m not here for you. I’m here to see⁠—”

“Don’t you fucking say fiancée again,” Cy growls.

“Pipe down in there, don’t make me put you in solitary. I only have one, but I’ll happily use it on you if you keep it up,” the new officer says. That does the trick. Cy stomps away from the bars and sits down, but his face is still dark and murderous.

Charles steps up to my cell, and the officer goes to unlock the door.

“Don’t,” I order, and he stops and looks at me. “Don’t open the door. I don’t want him in here…” My eyes land on the name tag. “Officer Davidson.”

He looks genuinely confused. “But he says he’s your lawyer.”

My eyes narrow into slits.

“He’s not my lawyer. He’s my ex-fiancé. And I don’t want him here,” I say, putting my hands on my hips.

“Haven…Teddy Bear, please don’t be like this. I’m only here to help and fix us. I miss us. Besides, you need a good lawyer, and I’m amazing,” Charles says with a smug smirk.