Rory followed Captain up the first set of steps. Captain’s cellmate quivered like a leaf and darted help-me glances to his group of friends. Sebastian hung his arms over the top landing, watching everyone scurry back to the cell. His gaze lingered on Rory, then he rubbed his chin and smirked.

One of the guards pointed to him. “Even you, Sebastian.”

“I’m going, I’m going.”

The door shut on Rory and Sebastian, and he immediately bolted to his bed. Sebastian moved to the mirror and re-wetted his hair. A stray strand at the back stuck straight up, and Sebastian cursed, cupping more water to flatten it down

“You think he finished?”

Rory blinked. “What?”

“That your favorite word, huh? Anything actually going on between your ears? I said do you think he finished, it was a joke.”

Rory forced a laugh, and Sebastian flung his hands up in the air. “Forget it. I’m disappointed, I thought there’d be more to you.”

“More to me?”

Sebastian stopped pacing and pressed his chest to the bunk. He stared up at Rory, and although he was higher, the intensity of the glare shrunk him, and pinned him to the wall behind. Sebastian took a long time to reply, and Rory resisted the urge to tug his knees up to his chest.

“Eight years, right?”

“Right.”

“Thought there would be more to you. No one will start on that Captain—he’d surely finish it. That Ollie kid has won the instant affections of Teddy, so he’ll be well protected, but you, there’s nothing, you’re in trouble. You have victim written all over you.”

“I’m not a victim.”

“Give it a week.”

“This is my first time inside. I’m—I’m trying to get a grip of things.”

“A grip of things? Don’t go saying that in front of Pauly, he’ll see that as a solid invitation.”

“I wanna keep my head down, do my time.”

Sebastian tipped his head back and barked a laugh. “Don’t go saying that outside this cell either. If you’re still here on Friday, I’ll be surprised, really surprised.”

“Where else can I go?”

“The morgue.” Sebastian smirked, “Now there’s an idea.”

Chapter Three

Rory had been inside for four days, and he knew one thing for certain.

Sebastian Claw hated him.

He tried to strike up safe conversation, but Sebastian always argued against him. He jokingly complained about the sausages being rubbery, and Sebastian called him ungrateful, told him he’d get the inmates serving to spit in his food.

When he complimented the sun in the sky, Sebastian growled that it was too hot for him and held his towel over Rory’s face until he was gasping for breath, each inhale bitter with Sebastian’s sweat.