Page 21 of Jackson

I was in such deep shit.

“Yeah, about two hours ago.”

If there wasn’t solid ground under my feet, I had no doubt I would’ve melted into the damn Earth.

Fuck, I was insomuch trouble.

Why the hell didn’t the COs come looking for me when the bus had come?

Could they not find me?

It wasn’t like they had a giant headcount to keep track of. There were only four of us! As soon as SAC found out I was still here, I was going to be thrown in the hole the second I got back.

Anxiety spiked inside of my chest at the thought.

I’d only been there once and it had been the worst three days of my life. I never knew that I was the kind of person who needed human interaction in order to survive but I sure learned that weekend.

“Ayen…” Jackson’s voice jerked me out of my thoughts. “You’re all right. The bus already left.”

“That’s theproblem.” I could hear the shaking in my voice. “I was supposed to be on it.”

He shook his head. “No you weren’t, honey. You’re staying here at the program.”

Wait, what?

I stared at him, trying to find the hidden joke that he was trying to tell.

Was this some kind of prank?

A test?

To see if I’d go along with it and not correct him, therefore making it seem like I was taking his word over my COs?

They’d be the type to do that fucked up shit.

Especially Stinner.

Oh fuck.

Roxy whined at me, her nails tippy-tapping against the hardwood floor as she shifted foot-to-foot.

Jackson set down the wooden spoon he’d been using to move around whatever was in the pan and then turned the burner off. When he faced me, he cupped his hand around my face, tilting it up to look at him.

“You didn’t get left behind by accident, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

I blinked at him again.

Wait, what?

He smiled a little. “I talked with the Warden this morning when he called and explained what I saw last night. He agreed that it wouldn’t be in the program’s best interest to punish you when you had nothing to do with the fight.”

My mouth fell open.

What?

He went out of his way to talk to theWarden?

His thumb trailed along my cheek gently, sending a shiver up my spine. His touch was so gentle that it made me want to lean into it more. “You wanted to stay here, right?”

---