The lights in the corridor dimmed one by one, the only indication that it was nighttime. I lay down on the bed carefully, the cold metal pressing against my back, and covered myself with the blanket. It was a mistake to come to Court in the first place. Yes, I had wanted to satisfy my curiosity—but at what cost? I closed my eyes briefly, feeling overwhelmed by everything. I had let myself develop feelings for Carlo. I had believed his empty words and I had decided to come here. Now I had to face the consequences.

I tried to gather my thoughts, figure out my next move. But soon, I drifted to sleep.

Chapter Nine

I could only tell that it was daylight by the slim shaft of light penetrating the air vent. My whole body ached after sleeping on the metal bed, but I forced myself to sit up, ignoring my muscles as they throbbed in protest. For a brief moment, confusion spread through me as I processed my surroundings, until the realization hit me hard. Cheesy macaroni, I really was in jail. A feeling of hopelessness sank in, and I tried to shake it off as I stretched my arms above my head and then reluctantly got up.

The drowsiness still had not left me, so I stumbled my way to the sink. As I was splashing my face with water, I heard the door open followed by an upbeat voice.

“Are you enjoying your new digs?” It was the young Court Guard who had been with Hudson when they’d arrested me. “Remember me? I’m Officer Brad Warwick.” He winked as one corner of his mouth stretched up into an asymmetrical smile that showed off his flawless white teeth.

Even though I remembered him, his cocky behavior made me refuse to admit it. “No.”

“That’s too bad. Because I certainly can’t forget a pretty redhead like you.”

“Is this what they pay you to do—harass prisoners?”

“Feisty.” Raising one hand, he tapped on the panel and pressed several buttons all at once, so I had no chance of catching the passcode. One side of the door opened, and he leaned against it. “You have visitors.”

Kris?

After the loneliness I suffered last night, I walked toward the door with newfound excitement. The feeling quickly plummeted back down when Officer Warwick added, “It’s your parents.”

I had to face them sooner or later. It was best to rip the bandage off and get it over with. And at least I would be out of my cell for the next little while. Officer Warwick brought me into a room with one metal chair facing a partition of glass that separated an inmate from their visitors. My parents waited on the other side of the glass. They looked as pissed off as I expected. I sat opposite them.