Page 6 of Pen Me

“You can’t go to the general population, Menace. Do you know who the fuck—?” He groaned and glanced wildly around at the corners of the cell.

“Now that every camera in here is focused on you… You were saying?” I asked, more than amused at his lack of discretion.

Vince rubbed his face with his hand, dropped his head and mumbled into his own chest, “Son, you have no idea who got dropped? Honest?”

When I didn’t answer, he filled me in, “That mother fucker was an assassin for the Double Nickel Gang, Menace. This shit is real–”

It was real fucked, that’s what it was. I tuned him out, without even meaning to, probably blinking my ass off as I tried to process shit. I had no idea how much time had passed, but the next thing I knew they were jerking me to my feet, apparently having had to come in the cell after me.

I was jerked down the hallway and shoved against the processing counter.

“Hurry the fuck up, Sergeant says he’s to go to Protective Custody.” Randy grumbled at Larissa.

“I’m not going to fucking PC.” I laughed.

He shoved me into the counter, sending an ache through my ribs.

“Shut the fuck up. You don’t get to pick. This ain’t the county fair, dipshit.”

“I ain’t got no interest in your PC.” I kept right on arguing while they printed and processed, shuffling me along for a picture update and all that happy horse shit. I wasn’t going to protective custody. No fucking way. That was where snitches and people who had reasons to hide went.

I didn’t need their protection.

I struggled all the way down the hall with Randy lecturing behind me, “It isn’t your choice. This facility has a responsibility to keep everyone in it safe. Which means you get a solo cell, bud.”

I was hefted inside and the door slammed shut.

“You can’t leave me in these cuffs!” I shouted.

“Put your hands through the bars.”

I bristled and glared, but it only earned me a shrug.

“Suit yourself,” Randy mused.

“Fuck. Fine.” I turned around and shoved my hands out. He grabbed my wrist and took his time undoing the cuffs.

Once they were free, I couldn’t help it, I turned around and gave a juvenile kick of defeat to the cage.

“Ouch,” Randy flatly returned, before walking away.

“Fuck, I hate this place,” I seethed.

I placed my head to the bars and the sound of a news anchor drifted down the hallway.

“Known Dirty Savage Associate Lennox Zade was arrested placing a spotlight on local biker and mafia disputes in the area, after a confrontation with a known associate of the infamous Double Nickel Gang resulted in one man being left with a near fatal laceration to the throat tonight. More on that at seven!”

The guard flipped the station, only for a similar clip to blare down the hallway. I paced until my legs ached. When I reluctantly surrendered to the bunk, I inwardly cursed Jessica, myself, and the Double Nickel Gang, too. Why of all the bars did they have to be in that one?

What did this mean for my future? What did it mean for my club?

A prison cell had never felt smaller.

Chapter Four

Rough landings

Sammy

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