All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan Page B

was, it had been too long since he felt a woman’s hands on him. He didn’t trust himself not to react.
    â€œWe’ll need him back in a week to remove the sutures,” she instructed.
    â€œYeah, sure,” Chester said, grabbing hold of his arm.
    â€œAnd if the ribs worsen, Mr. Callaghan, be sure to alert one of the guards that you need to return.”
    Chester laughed. “ Mister Callaghan. Ain’t that nice. Like you’re a real gentleman.”
    Yeah. A piece of scum like him didn’t deserve such a courtesy title.
    Knox gazed coldly at the guard, not rising to the bait. He’d long since learned to feign deafness. To react would land him in trouble and prolong his sentence. In six months he would have another parole hearing. North was due for another hearing around then, too, and given the comments made from the board during his last hearing, North might be getting out this time around. Who knew? Maybe he had a shot, too. He sure didn’t need to mouth off and jeopardize his chances.
    Nurse Davis’s face flushed and it gave him some satisfaction knowing she didn’t care for the guard any more than he did. The idiot didn’t realize he was insulting her as much as Knox by laughing at how she chose to address him.
    As he was led from the room, he looked once over his shoulder.
    She was still standing beside the bed he had occupied. This time she had no trouble staring at him. A frown marred her smooth features, probably left over from her displeasure with the guard.
    â€œC’mon, Callaghan. Move it.” As soon as they were out in the hall and the door to the HSU shut behind them, Chester pushed him against the wall and elbowed him in his bandaged ribs.
    He bowed over from the force of the blow, the air leaving him in a great whoosh as fiery pain burst in his side. He lifted his head slowly to gaze at his abuser, smiling because he knew that would only piss him off more.
    The bull pushed his red sweaty face closer, hissing at Knox in a stink of stale coffee breath. “You think a nice girl like that cares about a piece of shit like you?”
    Knox trained his expression into blankness.
    The guard grinned then and stepped closer. He spoke, the words puffing against Knox’s cheek. “I think I might take her out this weekend. You see, sweet pussy like that isn’t for the likes of you. You’re stuck in here, sucking cock with the rest of them.”
    Knox’s hands curled into fists at his sides. He clenched his jaw so hard his teeth ached.
    Chester laughed once in a heavy breath. “Huh. Don’t like that?” His gaze raked him up and down. “What are you going to do about it?”
    The cocky son of a bitch grinned, waiting. Knox would love to see this guy on the outside, without his uniform to protect him. Or better yet, on the inside without his uniform to protect him. Let him know what it felt like.
    â€œNothing, boss ,” he said, treating the title to heavy disdain.
    A muscle ticked near the corner of Chester’s eye. “That’s right, prick. Nothing . Now let’s go.” Chester pushed him forward. The two guards fell into step behind him, following him back into hell.

 
    SIX
    A FTER FRIDAY, BRIAR’S life resumed its familiar routine. She breathed a little easier knowing she had almost an entire week before she had to return to Devil’s Rock.
    She spent her Saturday doing laundry and grocery shopping. Sunday morning she went to church and then drove to her sister’s place for an early dinner. Laurel lived forty minutes away in the slightly bigger town of Fort Stockton. Briar enjoyed playing with her nieces and nephew. And she loved her sister even if she didn’t love her prying.
    â€œI don’t understand. Why you ? Can’t anyone else go with him?” Laurel bounced the baby on her lap as her other two kids played loudly on the play set a few yards away. Her husband Caleb stood