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“I’m not hungry,” she says, her eyes still hovering on Lulu. I reach over and take Lace’s hand in mine, squeezing. She glances in my direction for a brief moment and smiles, but it’s short lived.
“Do you think they know?” she whispers. “Do you think they know it was me who lagged?”
“It doesn’t matter. They won’t hurt you.”
I can tell Lace doesn’t believe this, but she pretends to smile again for my sake. I’m not sure I believe it either.
“Hey Taylor,” a voice says behind us. It’s Deadeye. Following behind her is Bull.
“Piss off,” I say.
“Ronnie wants to see us all.” She stops behind me and drops her head down, sour breath right in my ear. “For a … team meeting, of sorts.”
“I said fuck off, Siv.”
“Eh, I’m just the messenger. Five minutes. Women’s bathroom.” She starts to walk away and then stops, peering over her shoulder. “No fucking screws, either. She’ll know.”
Deadeye and Bull walk away, snickering. I look back to the table where Lulu had been sitting with them. She’s gone too.
“This is it,” Lace says beside me, looking terrified. “They know, Joey, they fucking know and they’re going to bash me.”
“No.”
“Yes. That’s how it works in here!”
I squeeze her hand again to ease the shaking, then glance across the cafeteria at Jaxon, who is standing at the door overlooking the women. I desperately want to tell him, to run to him and ask for protection.
But I don’t.
Because I can’t.
“Come with me,” I say instead to Lace. She’s white as snow now, blue eyes hazy and wide, but she doesn’t fight me as I pull her up and walk with her out of the cafeteria. Jaxon catches my eyes as we pass, and I know this is my chance, but I don’t risk it. Instead, I smile at him, nodding to Lace who I have against my hip. “Cramps,” I say, and Jaxon nods, scanning her face. I don’t know if he believes it, but he lets us go anyway. And he doesn’t follow.
“We can’t do this,” Lace says as we make our way to the women’s bathroom. “They’ll kill me, Joey, they’ll fucking kill me.” We stop right outside the bathroom door, and I bring her to a stop, placing my hands on her shoulders.
“Deep breath,” I instruct.
Lace inhales. She’s nearly crying now, and I need her to stay calm.
“Just stay behind me, okay?”
Lace nods and I take her hand, then we step into the bathroom.
Many women are already there, Ronnie included. Lulu is leaning against the far wall. So are Deadeye and Bull and a few others I don’t recognize from the other blocks. Many of them look strung out; junkies.
“Great you both could join us,” Ronnie says. She’s leaning up against the edge of the shower stall, arms folded over her chest. As she stares, Deadeye steps in behind us, effectively blocking the door to keep us from running. I stand my ground, keeping Lace close.
“What do you want, Ronnie?”
“What do I want?” She smiles, that very smile I hate so much. Full of hate and loathing, that smile. “You know, Joey, I didn’t really have any issues with my girls until you came along.”
“No?”
“No. No one here found the need to lag to a screw about my business, you know? Or even better, rat to the warden herself.”
“What makes you think I had anything to do with it?” My voice is steady, as are my hands. Someone has to be, because next to me Lace is shaking.
“If you’re denying it, that means someone else is responsible, right?” Ronnie’s eyes waver from mine, making their way to Lace, who drops her chin, unable to hold her gaze. Then she looks at Bull, who nods and steps behind us. In a flash, she has Lace in a grip, dragging her back and away from me. I watch Lace open her mouth to scream, but before she can, I turn back to Ronnie and catch her eyes. Now, they seem to be burning fire.
