Page 10 of Rat

“No, thanks—”

“Hey,” Pauly snapped before Rory could turn around. “You need the specifics. I want you…your body, and in exchange, you get my protection.”

Captain tensed. “He doesn’t need your protection.”

“You’re a big guy.” Pauly eyed Captain appreciatively. “But you can’t watch your girls all the time…”

Captain snorted. “My girls?”

“Yeah, let me take one off your hands. He’ll be safe, and all he’s got to do is get down on his knees once a day.”

“Not going to happen,” Rory mumbled, turning away, putting an end to their conversation.

“If you know what’s good for you,” Pauly said. “It will.”

Rory spotted Teddy coming towards them. He wore joggers and a vest, both the same colour as his black beard. He held a tray of breakfast in each hand and placed one on the table in front of Ollie. Rory widened his eyes at his porridge serving, a mountain in comparison to his own, and also something on top that looked like brown sugar.

Ollie gaped, blinking comically, “You…you didn’t have to do that.”

He grinned, but Teddy didn’t return it, he grunted instead. Rory looked at the tray Teddy held and could see where he’d sacrificed half of his own porridge to give Ollie more, then remembered what Sebastian had told him.

Teddy felt responsible for his cellmates. He got attached.

Teddy moved towards his empty table and ate his breakfast while staring at one of the many gates. He looked at the bars like they were his enemy, not the justice system or the officers dotted about, but the metal bars of restraint.

“You don’t think he’s done anything to the porridge, do you?” Ollie asked.

Rory frowned. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. It looks like sugar, but what if it’s not?”

Captain reached across the table with his spoon and tried some.

“It’s sugar.”

The whole prison went deadly silent, and Rory darted looks around for the source. Their table had attracted everyone’s attention, even Sebastian’s, who looked over with amusement clear to see on his face.

Rory heard growling; it sounded like a revving engine, getting louder and louder. Teddy was making the sound, and his furious expression was targeting Captain. He remembered what else Sebastian had said; Teddy got protective over his cellmates.

“Guess I shouldn’t have tried your sugar,” Captain muttered.

He got to his feet and puffed out his chest. He no longer looked defeated but stood like a gladiator ready for a fight, proud and certain of his ability. The officers got twitchy, waiting for the atmosphere to explode. Rory saw one remove his baton from his belt and another clutch his radio.

Something was about to go down—

“Teddy,” Sebastian said from his table, holding up a placating hand. “Ease up, yeah?”

The growling died off. Teddy looked at Sebastian, then huffed, and went back to eating his porridge as if nothing had happened. The prison resumed breakfast, and the officers sagged in relief.

Captain sat back down, but straighter than before, alert to danger. Ollie hesitated, then started on his porridge. He hummed in pleasure, and Rory looked over at Teddy. He was stealing secret glances at Ollie, and his lips twitched—not a smile, but closer to a smile than a grimace or a snarl.

“That was interesting,” Rory mumbled.

He could smell the sweetness of Ollie’s porridge, and his gut whined with jealousy. It was worse trying to eat his when Ollie’s smelled so good in front of him. Ollie offered him a spoonful, then snorted when Rory narrowed his eyes.

“Do you want me to get pummelled?”

“Not yet, but after a thousand days, I might change my mind.”

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