Page 49 of Rat

“Are you going to tell me what the red bandanas are about yet?” Rory asked.

“He’s getting a gang together.”

“To do what?”

Sebastian grinned, but it was crazed, and Rory leaned away.

“To beat the shit out of me.”

“What?”

“Relax, he’s got seven guys, I’ve got the rest of the prison on my side. It’s all about the majority in here. He starts on me, he’ll lose.”

“It only takes one guy to stab you,” Rory mumbled.

Sebastian gave him a considering look, then tilted his head. “True, but think of the positives—if someone sticks a knife in me, you get the cell all to yourself.”

“That’s not funny.”

“You could even wear my clothes.”

Rory looked at Sebastian’s overly tight T-shirt. His hard nipples poking through. His mouth went dry, and he muttered, “No, thanks.”

“Chess.”

Ollie groaned. “Again?”

Sebastian started setting up the board. “Me and Rory get pleasure from it.”

Rory’s neck prickled at the word pleasure, and he shook his head at the odd reaction.

Ollie looked at Sebastian. “I get why you play it; you’re ancient, but Rory…”

Sebastian slammed the pieces down with more force than necessary, and Ollie shot back in his chair.

“I meant no offense,” he blurted.

Rory gestured to himself, then Sebastian. “To me or him?”

“Him, obviously. I’m getting a drink.”

“You could stay and watch.”

“No thanks, it’s far too intimate.”

Rory couldn’t even deny it. Over the past few days, chess had gone from breaking the boredom to intense and exciting.He’d played with his grandad and his dad, but it felt completely different playing against Sebastian.

There were no words. It was all facial expressions, lingering eye contact and fingertips caressing chess pieces before making a move.

The prison was full of inmates, but when they played, it felt like just the two of them, and Rory relished having Sebastian all to himself.

The way Sebastian stroked his pawns as he anticipated his moves heated the blood in Rory’s veins. When he claimed one of Rory’s pieces and smiled possessively, Rory’s heart started thumping, and when Rory finally won the match, relief rushed through him at the triumph, and it made him light-headed.

It was addictive.

“You go first,” Sebastian murmured.

Rory shivered at his low voice and closed his fingers around the top of a pawn.

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