Page 103 of Rat

“Being in prison won’t help.”

“Yeah, it will, and I’m sure Hamish won’t protest.”

“This isn’t a good idea.”

Rory shifted, no longer leaning against the wall. He kneeled in front of Morris. “Please. You kept this from me, both of you. The least you can do is allow me this small piece of happiness. Take me back.”

Morris cast him worried looks the whole drive back to the prison. He snorted at the window. If she was worried about him, he must have looked bad. It was dark, and the streetlights flickered like they did in horror movies, but strangely, it didn’t bother him.

If a monster burst from the darkness and took his life, he’d thank it.

It would be a mercy.

The car came to a stop. Morris turned to him. “Rory, you don’t have to—”

He got out of the car before she could finish, and she hurried after him. She grabbed his biceps and walked him to the door to reception.

“What do they know?” Rory asked.

“You were granted a compassionate visit to pay your respects. I’m your escort from another prison.”

Rory nodded, then slipped through the first gate. Morris didn’t leave his side, and he hissed at her to go.

“Wait…”

She took him aside by the gate that led to the hospital wing. “This is crazy. You are in shock. You need—”

“What I need is to be back inside,” Rory replied. He gestured to the corridor and the metal bars at the end. “This is home. It’s the only one I’ve got left, and I know you don’t understand that, but please don’t take it away. Don’t take them away.”

“Them?”

“The people in here. I’m not ready.”

“You are not a criminal, you are not in here for drug charges. You’re here to spy on Sebastian. You’re a police officer.”

“I’m not really one of them, am I? I’m a cheat, a liar, a deceptive arsehole, and I need to be in there, with the other cheats, liars, and arseholes.” He managed to smile, but it was brief and didn’t reach his eyes.

A prison officer strode around the corner. He paused, eyeing them. “Do you need some help, Miss?” he asked.

Morris shook her head. “No, I—”

“I’m supposed to go back onto the wing,” Rory said.

The officer nodded. “I’ll take him from here. He needs to be searched before he goes back.” Rory didn’t glance back at Morris, and she didn’t try to stop him from going.

The officer took hold of his arm and pulled him deeper into the prison, down corridors, through gates. He was strip-searched, then redressed to go back on the wing. Rory was numb to it but did as he was told.

The inmates were already in their cells, and the lights were off. It seemed like in the space of a blink, he was outside his and Sebastian’s cell door.

He was home.

The key clunked in the lock, and the door swung open. Rory couldn’t see anything when he stepped inside. The floodlight shone on his bed and the corner of Sebastian’s pillow. The door locked behind him, but he didn’t hop onto his bed. He waited.

Sebastian stood up slowly, then came closer. His eyes were wide and searching.

“Rory?”

That was the moment Rory allowed himself to cry. The concern in Sebastian’s voice, whether real or fake, was enough to break the dam on Rory’s emotions. He brought his hands up, slapping them into his face as he caught his tears.

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