The Prison Project

Chapter 115

Coban’s POV

“Just give it five minutes to cool off,” I told them, leaning into the table so my words hit sharp. “Let the guards drag them out of here, then we’ll go…”

Margot’s wide eyes locked on mine, brimming with questions and worry that she wouldn’t voice here, not with everyone watching.

Cara looked the same—tense, restless, like she was two seconds from bolting despite Leo’s hand wrapped firm around her wrist to stop her.

I hated that look. That panic. Neither of them deserved to be in a place like this, to feel like this. But this is what they each chose. What they signed up for—willingly.

But right now, bolting out into chaos would only make things worse.

The fight escalated in flashes across the canteen. Newman roared again, spit flying, his fists swinging wild until three guards barreled in at once. He was obviously past the point of being upset, his temper flaring like a madman at this point.

More guards followed, a whole pack of uniforms storming through the mess like they’d been waiting for it to go down. Chairs toppled, trays scattered, girls shrieked and scrambled out of the way as those bastards were pulled apart. One guard took a fist to the jaw, another a knee to the ribs before they finally managed to get the men cuffed, twisting their arms behind them until they snarled in pain.

It was chaos. Predictable, loud chaos. Chaos that Leo and I had both seen, and been involved in many times before.

I sat back in my chair and watched, jaw tight, silent.

Leo was the same—casual, though his eyes stayed fixed on the action like he was mapping out the whole damn thing. Calculating. Filing it away.

The guards dragged them out eventually, Newman included, his face red and twisted, eyes wild. He spit curses all the way out the door, promising death, promising vengeance.

Typical.

And then it was over. Just like that.

Silence, except for the ringing in the air and the mutters spreading like wildfire through the room—some men laughing at the free entertainment for the night. The men involved were now gone, no doubt headed for solitary confinement for the night.

Good, what did they expect to happen?

But now?

Now we had a different problem to explore…

I didn’t even need to glance at the girls to know what was coming. I felt it in the way Margot shifted in her seat, restless. The way Cara’s chest rose fast, her jaw tight as her hand hovered above her tray like she couldn’t sit still a second longer.

They wanted to check on their little friend.

Sarah.

The laundry girl.

I’d seen their faces when Leo reminded them what Newman was locked up for—murdering his ex-wife for cheating on him, so they say.

That landed heavy, and I didn’t blame them for being worried about Sarah after that. No doubt the girl would be alone, back in her cell, probably waiting, probably scared out of her skin, not knowing now that he wouldn’t be returning to her tonight…

Maybe Newman was mad at her? Punishing her by not letting her eat with him?

I’d done it before to Margot… Although I felt like shit for it…

But it was more than possible that maybe he locked her in or told her to stay put for the night?

I wasn’t sure.

But I was sure of one thing…

I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Margot if I didn’t let them check in on her.

“Can we go now?” she asked, her voice cutting through my thoughts as I glanced at her wide eyes.

She was already on her feet, Cara following her lead, both their trays abandoned. Their eyes were set, unflinching.

I dragged in a long breath, the muscle in my jaw ticking as I glanced at Leo. He looked about as thrilled as I felt, but we both knew there was no stopping them once their minds were made up.

“Okay,” he sighed heavily, pushing up to his feet with a stretch like the weight of the world hung off his shoulders. “C’mon then…”

I stood too, bench scraping loud against the floor. My height cast a shadow over Margot as she shifted closer to me, like her body couldn’t help but pull to mine even when she was trying to play stubborn…

“Stay close,” I muttered, low enough for just her to hear, but she already knew the drill.

She nodded quickly, her braid brushing her shoulder as she looked up at me.

The walk out of the canteen was tense, only because it always was after a fight had broke… You always had to be prepared. Sometimes fights would start in a place like this as a distraction for something far darker… far more sinister… and so it was never time to ‘relax‘ or ‘move on‘.

I felt the eyes on us, the guards watching us leave, inmates muttering, some smirking like they knew where this was heading. I kept my body between Margot and anyone that stared too long, my glare sharp enough to cut through them until they looked away.

Leo did the same with Cara, his hand brushing the small of her back, guiding her forward while she threw nervous glances over her shoulder.

Once we cleared the doors, the air was different. Cooler. Quieter.

But the tension clung, thick in the silence that hung between us as we crossed the corridors towards Block F.

Our block.

Margot finally spoke, her voice softer, but shaking. “What if she’s not there?”

“She should be,” I said instantly, sharper than I meant to, but I didn’t want her to worry. At least not yet.

Her head snapped toward me, eyes flashing. “You don’t know that.”

I slowed, enough to pin her on the spot with my stare. “No, I don’t. But panicking about it before we even get there isn’t gonna help her. So stop. If she isn’t, I’ll figure it out,” I explained, as she sighed drastically.

Her lips pressed together, like she wanted to argue. But she didn’t. She just gave a small nod, dropping her gaze to the floor—knowing I was right.

I hated shutting her down like that, but I needed her steady, not crumbling before we even reached the block.

Leo broke the silence, his voice low but edged. “If Newman’s got a hand on her, if he’s been pulling his usual shit, then the guards should’ve known by now. Somebody would’ve seen it.”

Cara snorted, “Like the guards care in here.”

“True.” Leo shrugged. “But if that’s the case, if she’s really alone tonight, then she’s better off than being with him.”

Margot flinched at that, but I couldn’t deny he was right.

Newman was a bastard.

We reached the block, feet echoing on the concrete floor, the doors lined like steel coffins down the hall.

Margot slowed, her head swiveling toward Sarah’s door…

I stepped closer, my body a wall at her side, my eyes fixed on the door too.

Time to find out…