Page 9 of The Freshman

But Nate was a criminal, and althoughAlfie wasn’t ready to read the details of his crime, he felt theenergy freeze in the prison guards when he was mentioned. Therewere other murderers on the wing, but whatever Nate did stuck inthe mind of all that read his file. They were afraid of him for theright reasons, not Alfie’s messed up ones.

Nate’s blue eyes pierced the cameralens, and his lips were pressed in a serious line. The hair on hishead was a few shades brighter than the stubble of his face, andeven though it was a head and shoulders shot, the muscles of hisneck highlighted just how huge the man was.

“Ah, you finally read itthen. Evil, through and through,” Henry mumbled.

Alfie didn’t answer. He glared at thescreen into the suffocating eyes of Nate.

The gates opened and closed in thedistance, and footsteps came close, but Alfie continued his staringcontest with the photo.

“Not my bestshot.”

Alfie flew from his chair at thevoice, whipping around with his hands up, balled intofists.

Nate stood with his arms behind hisback and a huge smile on his lips. The t-shirt he wore clung to hispectorals, and the black color deepened the intensity of his eyes.The image on the computer had nothing on the real Nate. Two prisonguards stood either side of him, both shifting and breathingerratically.

“Come on, Nate. Let’s getyou back on the wing.”

He didn’t move, and the guards didn’ttry to lead him away from the office. Without taking his eyes offAlfie, Nate spoke to them in his gravelly slow voice.

“You’ve both had a longshift. Why don’t you clock off now, get these two to take meup?”

The two guards flanking Nateimmediately nodded, and Alfie turned to Henry who shrugged. Marieand Glen had sneaked off, and it wasn’t Henry’s job to help withH-wing, but he nodded anyway.

“Yeah okay. Me and thefish can handle him.”

Nate’s eyes left Alfie for thebriefest of seconds and attached to Henry. The old man’s throatbobbed with a dry swallow, and he immediately glancedaway.

The two officers rushed away, and thegates clunked behind them.

Alfie heard laughs of relief as theyfaded down the corridor to freedom.

Henry flicked his chin out for Alfieto go out first. Nate didn’t move to allow him passage, so he wasforced to squeeze through the doorway, and Nate snorted inamusement.

As soon as the gate was open toH-wing, Nate rushed through, marching with a fierce pace up to thetop walkway.

“Hey, slow down,” Alfiegrowled.

Nate ignored him and continued hisfast stride. Alfie half-jogged behind, matching his brisk pace. Itwas only when they were outside the cell door that Alfie realizedthe mistake he had made. He glanced over the railing to findHenry.

He huffed and puffed on the first setof stairs, too far away to help if something happened.

“You know it’s unfair,”Nate said slowly.

“What is?”

A devouring smile spread across Nate’sface. “You get to keep a picture of me, but I don’t get one ofyou.”

Nate took a step closer, and Alfiebacked up until the railing pressed into his spine. Nate lookeddown at him, smile still on his face, but softer than before. Hisattention dropped to Alfie’s lips, and he felt them stir like Natehad brushed them.

Nate didn’t touch him; their bodieswere still apart, but there wasn’t enough air between them. Alfiewanted to gulp for it, pant, but he didn’t want to show Nate anyweakness. Alfie flicked his chin out toward the cell, but no wordsformed in his head or flowed from his mouth.

“The way you dress, itdrives me crazy.”

Alfie frowned. He dressed the same aseveryone else, standard white shirt and black trousers. Nate seemedto read the confusion on his face and laughed softly.

“The way you have yourtie, the fact your top button’s done up, and your shirts tucked in.The tightness of your trousers around your arse, and then there’syour face.” Nate trailed off and sunk his teeth into his bottom lipbefore releasing the flesh with a hum. “You have such a prettyface, pretty eyes, pretty lips, and a smile to killfor…”

Alfie couldn’t speak, but he couldshake his head.

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