Page 17 of Jackson

I’d somehow managed to convince his CO to take them off before bringing him to my cabin after I’d gotten the medic station opened up—another thing that I was surprised they went along with. I had a good track record with them, though, and technically, this wasmyprogram. So my rules typically superseded whatever they had bickered about amongst themselves.

SAC got a good tax write off by working with my program—inmate rehabilitation was all the rage and made for goodbragging rights when it came time for the Warden to be schmoozing it up with the governor about how well their programs were running and raking in the grant money when the fiscal new year rolled around.

Mine had one of the better success rates, so pissing me off and cutting SAC loose would be detrimental.

Which was probably why I got my way tonight.

“You can take the bed.” I nodded to the door that was closed just down the hallway. “I’m fine with the couch.”

Ayen whipped around with wide eyes. “I can’ttake your bed. I thought you had a spare?”

“I lied.” I grinned. “I promise, I don’t have cooties.”

His cheeks visibly flushed a cute light pink in the soft lighting of my cabin.

It was a nice place, with a full sized bedroom, kitchen, living room, and small dining room. There was a reason I didn’t mind staying here during the entire program. Compared to pretty much everyone else on the property, I was living it large.

“I—that’s...” he stuttered. “That’s not what I meant.”

I walked over to him slowly, my dick stirring as I watched him track my movements. I hated seeing him so afraid back in his cabin while that fight was happening. Thankfully, by the time we’d come gotten here, he’d perked up a bit. I never wanted to see him like that again; not on my watch at least.

How bad had prison been for him to have that kind of reaction?

I didn’t want to think about it—if I did, it was only going to make me mad.

Instead, I grabbed his wrist and pulled it from where he’d been stroking it with his hand. I ran my thumb lightly over the irritated skin, the ridges of where the cuff had been digging into him instantly annoying me.

The COs that came in here with their aggression barely in check were always the ones that pissed me off the most. Not because they were particularly more of an asshole than the rest, but because they took all those pent-up feelings out on the inmates who were only trying to learn, and hopefully, make something of themselves when they finally got out.

“I think I’m going to have to wrap you up in bubble wrap from now on,” I murmured.

He huffed out a laugh. “I don’t think that’s the take-away from all of this.”

“Let me at least put some ointment on this. Should heal you right up.” I couldn’t help the need to care for him. It was a burning desire that was blooming in my chest and only seemed to get worse the longer I stayed in his presence.

Touching him in any capacity was beginning to become addicting—so much so that I was trying to make up any little excuse to justify myself.

“No, it’s okay.” He stayed rooted to his spot, even as I tugged at him to follow me to the bathroom. “You’ve done enough as it is.”

“Are you sure?” I didn’t want him to say yes. I wanted him to let me take care of him.

But, of course, he merely shook his head and slipped his wrist out of my grip.

I wanted to argue but he’d already been involved in enough tonight. My pressing him to do what I wanted him to do was only going to create a weird dynamic between us that I didn’t want to happen. I already had him out of his element and inmyspace. There was no sense in pushing his boundaries while I was trying to make him feel more comfortable.

“You want water or anything?” I stepped away from him and headed into the kitchen. I flexed my fingers together at my sides while I mourned the loss of having them wrapped around him in some capacity.

Right now, I was really starting to regret not taking that cute blond home and fucking his brains out because this was getting to be ridiculous.

How was it that an inmate that I hardly knew could render me into such a goddamn needy mess?

I heard him follow me by the sound of the old and worn floorboards creaking slightly under his feet. “I’m okay.”

Even with his refusal, he still was seeking out my company. That had me smiling a little bit to myself.

Jesus, I needed to get it together.

Turning back around, I fixed him with a look over my fridge door as I pulled it open. “Not even if it’s ice cold?”

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