Page 74 of Rat

“Another scumbag that makes money out of death and destruction,” Hamish muttered.

“Do you have anything else for us, anything at all?” Morris asked. “Even if it seems insignificant, it could help.”

“There’s a gang forming in the prison.”

“A gang? Sebastian’s getting a gang together?” Hamish asked.

“No. It’s a gang against Sebastian. It’s growing in numbers. I don’t know what they’re planning, but I know it’s not good.”

“Good?” Morris laughed, “Surely, it’s bloody great. Maybe this gang will sort out Sebastian before he has a chance to step out the gate.”

“I don’t want him dead,” Rory snapped.

“It’ll solve all our problems.” Morris shrugged and turned to Hamish.

Hamish sighed. “I actually agree with Rory. I don’t want Sebastian Claw to die. I want him to take ten paces out of this prison, then get arrested by me and taken straight to the station. Whatever happens once he goes back inside, that’s not my problem, but I want that moment. I want him to know I’ve beaten him when he thinks he has finally got back his freedom.”

Rory tapped his finger on the table and opened his mouth to speak, but the words stuck in his throat.

“What is it?” Hamish asked.

Rory shook his head. “I can’t stay in here much longer.”

“Why not?”

His first thoughts were of Sebastian by his bed and the line he’d crossed in letting Sebastian touch him and talk him through his orgasms.

It had happened a few times.

Sebastian didn’t linger by the bed for long, and afterwards, besides the smirk and a ‘Night, Rory’, they didn’t talk about it. It didn’t matter that those nights were the hardest Rory had ever come; it shouldn’t have been happening, but it felt too good to deny himself. He couldn’t tell Hamish and Morris about his dirty midnight sessions, instead, he focused on the other reason he couldn’t stay inside for much longer.

“I’m going to end up hurting people, people that don’t deserve to be hurt.”

“Like who?”

“Ollie.” Rory’s throat tightened. “The young guy I came in with.”

Hamish scratched his moustache. “Ah, yes. He murdered his father in a frenzied attack if I remember correctly.”

“He’s come to rely on me. The longer I’m here, the more it’ll hurt when I go.”

“Push him away then.”

Rory scrunched his face. “I can’t do that.”

“You are not here to make friends. You’re here to spy on Sebastian.”

“And I have. I’ve given you information. I’ve told you what I’ve overheard, but…”

“But what?”

“I’m not—” Rory took a deep breath. “I’m not cut out for this. This…this is not the kind of police officer I wanted to be.”

Hamish crouched and placed a hand on Rory’s knee. “Think of your dad, yeah? You’d want him to be proud of you. Think of Erica too.”

Rory pressed his lips together as he avoided Hamish’s eyes.

“You owe me.” Hamish curled his fingers into Rory’s knee. “ThatfavourI did you.”

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