The Fall Guy (Eastward Prison Story)

8. Rio

CHAPTER 8

RIO

Obsession is an emotion I thrive on. It’s my passion to know my target, walk in their shoes, and learn their ticks. It’s mesmerising. Jono should be fulfilling all my thoughts, but it’s Kaden preoccupying my mind.

I wet my bottom lip as my hand traces his peaceful face. His sleep pattern has become as familiar as my own—three hours deep snoring followed by a couple of hours of quieter, lighter sleep.

I’m a creeper. Sick and twisted. But it’s hard to respect boundaries when confined to a cell.

My length hardens behind my pyjama bottoms, but I’m not perverted enough to wank over a sleeping body. I adjust my pants, willing my erection away. When I look back at Kaden’s face, his eyes are open and homed in on me.

Maybe I’m not as sneaky as I thought. I didn’t notice the difference in his breathing or realise he was awake.

“Are you going to try and kill me again?” Kaden asks. His muscles don’t tense, suggesting he isn’t preparing for an attack.

“No,” I say, shaking my head ever so slightly.

He swallows, drawing my gaze to his throat. “Then what are you doing?”

“Watching you.”

“Creeping on me, you mean?” he whispers back.

“Sure.” I raise my brow just a little. The room is poorly lit by the moon’s glow, yet I know he can see the gesture.

“Go to bed, Rio.” He lets out a low dismissive groan.

“Or what?” I challenge, not wanting to break our connection just yet.

He crooks his neck to get a better look at me. “Or I’ll put you down.”

His voice is quiet and deadly. It sends a shiver through my body down to my toes. Excitement dances through my veins while my nerve endings tingle.

“I’d like to see you try.” Amusement tickles the corner of my mouth.

He runs his hands over his brows. “What’s the game here?”

I can’t hold back from smiling. “What do you want it to be?”

He sighs heavily. Does he feel the crackle between us like I do, or is it just in my head?

“Why did you put your pillowcase round my neck?”

“I wanted to give you a proper greeting.”

It’s hard not to show my emotions, especially when I’m enjoying being playful. The money my anonymous source offered was tempting, but only for a split second. Having Kaden this close is the most fun I’ve had in a while.

“And you couldn’t think of anything better?” He realises his mistake as soon as he says the words.

My smile widens. “I can think of something better now.” Moving around the bed, I put my arm on the mattress and slowly push it under the covers. He grabs my hand, stopping it from reaching its destination.

“That’s not what I meant.” He pants his words out, making them sound shaky.

“No, but can you admit you’re curious to see how it would end?” I raise my eyebrow, daring him to give in. Let me in, I dare you.

“This isn’t happening.” He shakes his head.

“Are you not brave enough to see if you’d like it?”

Kaden moves onto his side so he’s fully facing me. “Let’s get one thing right, I’m in control of my destiny. Nothing you can do will take away my choices. Now back the fuck away.” He bares his teeth, which makes his words stronger than before.

“Okay, Kaden, you win this round, I’ll back off.” I slide into my bunk, disappearing from view. Anyone who says they’re in control of their own life and is in prison is probably more deluded than me, and that’s saying something.

He lets out a few more huffs of breath before turning over. I smile when he starts to toss and turn. I’m under his skin, which is a great consolation prize.

The following morning Kaden is less shy in the shower room. With confidence he drops his towel on the bench, letting it all hang out before walking into a cubicle on the other side of the room. All inhibitions seem to have vanished, which is good if he wants to survive inside Eastward. He washes down his sides with a small bar of soap.

Jono enters the bathroom, so I tear my eyes away from Kaden in favour of stalking my victim. Instead of heading straight into the washroom, he diverts into the toilet area. I give him a few minutes’ head start before calmly going to find him.

He’s bent over a urinal with his arm resting against the tiles. The area is empty except for the two of us, yet the sound from next door echoes off the walls giving the illusion we’re surrounded by many. I come up behind him while loosening my towel from around my waist.

His hand slips from the wall and he slumps forward hitting his head. As his neck turns his pale blue lips come into view. His Adam’s apple bobs as he gasps for air, but it’s no use fighting. Whatever poison he’s taken has already guaranteed his demise.

“Sorry, Jono, your time is up.”

He doesn’t speak, or probably can’t speak is more likely. The light fades from his eyes, and he goes down.

“Sleep tight.”

Once he’s taken his last breath, I quickly get into the shower. Call it paranoia or just being cautious, but I take the towel with me to wash away any possible evidence of my close proximity to him. I ring it out, soap it up, and rinse. After hanging it over the water pipe, I clean myself.

Being a hitman is my job, and I don’t take pleasure in what I do, but Jono deserved to meet his maker, even if I wasn’t the one to send him there. He was a bad man of the highest degree. He murdered his wife after she tried to leave him instead of walking away with some dignity. When I take an assignment, I always do my homework before I accept. Usually, I don’t have to dig deep to find the ugliness my target wears.

It isn’t long before someone raises the alarm. Whistles ring out just like the other day, but I take my time instead of trying to escape. With a dead body laid out on the tiles it’s obvious we’re going to be in lockdown for quite some time and I’m not ready to give up the little freedom I have just yet.

Abandoning my towel in the laundry basket, I take a dry one from the bench. It’s probably already been wrapped around someone else’s sweaty balls, but it doesn’t matter.

Angry shouts and fist fights break out between inmates. Every time these idiots are given a chance to riot, they take it with both hands. Luckily, it helps cover my tracks. No one needs to know I watched Jono die.

I’m accidentally caught by an inmate’s right hook that pounds straight into my jaw, knocking me off balance. I go down to the floor like a sack of potatoes while the pain spreads over my cheek.

I’m hauled up by two of the prison guards who escort me back to my cell. I don’t resist their help, although it’s not without pain. Both officers grip my underarm with force that’s going to leave bruises. Getting out of the shower block is essential and I’ll take the escorts without quarrel.

The towel loosens from around my waist, eventually falling to the ground as the door to our cell closes. Kaden is already inside, lying on his bunk bed. He watches as I grab some boxer shorts and pull them on. Without any words passing between us, I climb onto my bed.

Adrenaline is still pumping through my body like a natural high. Jono is gone. Luckily, I didn’t get caught with the dead body. Trying to minimise movement on the bed, I dig out my phone, fire it up and send a message.

The assignment is complete, not by my hand.

I heard

The reply says.

Did someone claim ownership for the kill? Who else has a direct connection to my man on the outside?

The springs in the mattress above squeak as my cellmate moves. Dread fills the pit of my stomach. If I’m not the only one with the informant’s number then someone else might also be getting the same job opportunities.

The other hit isn’t going to happen. Kaden is mine to play with.

A few minutes pass before I get a reply.

Fine. I’ll call off the dogs.

Although the message took time to come through, the client who ordered the mark on Kaden mustn’t be that important, as my informer didn’t put up any kind of fight when I ask to call off the hit.