The Prison Project Chapter 126 Margot’s POV

The mattress dipped under me, the faint shuffle dragging me out from the fog of sleep.

I groaned softly, my lashes fluttering, before the warmth that pressed against me gave it away. It was him.

Coban.

But this time, instead of the iron weight of his hand at my throat, his fingers found my waist – gentle but strong, pulling me closer until I was flush against the wall of his chest. My breath hitched at the difference. No panic. No pain. Just heat. Just him.

“Morning, Bella…” His voice rumbled low, right against my hair, sending a ripple through me that felt too dangerous this early in the day. He smelled different too – of fresh soap and deodorant, the steam of a recent shower clinging faintly to his skin, with zero hints of iron blood.

My lips parted on a small, tired murmur. “Mmm…”

That earned me a chuckle, deep and rich in his chest, vibrating against my back. “Come on, I’ve been waiting for you to wake up…”

I forced my eyes open just a crack, the blur of him coming into focus slowly. His face was closer than I expected, his jaw rough with stubble, his dark eyes already watching me like he had been for a while.

“Was I asleep before you got back?” I mumbled, my voice still heavy and thick with sleep. It was only then that I noticed how tender my throat felt today… itchy and sore when I spoke. I’d need water, and soon!

“Yeah.” He gave a single nod, as I couldn’t remember.

I started to recap the whole of yesterday, and just like that, the haze of sleep was slowly being burned away by the memories. Sarah. The blood on the bathroom tiles. My scream tearing out of me. Cara’s sobs. And then Coban’s arms. His lips. My lips. Our kiss that had made me forget, for just a fleeting moment, the horror of the night.

Until that knock. Until the two men in suits came, the ones who didn’t belong in this prison, who carried themselves like they owned it… Coban left me behind with nothing but a look, his footsteps fading as they led him away to God knows where to discuss God knows what…

I blinked hard, shifting slightly to see him better. My throat scratched as I asked the question that had been gnawing at me since last night.

“What did they want, anyhow?” The words came out groggy but laced with curiosity that overpowered everything I was feeling.

His eyes stayed on mine, unreadable. Too steady. Too calm. He was always so collected on the outside, but behind his eyes, I could see the storm brewing… The kind of calm that could either put me on edge or put me at ease, because I knew him well enough already to tell that it could mean anything… He was unpredictable.

“Just business.” He brushed it off with a shrug, his hand sliding higher along my ribs, thumb grazing idly over the thin fabric of the shirt I had sneakily worn… I don’t even think he had noticed it yet either….

I frowned faintly, shifting again against him, ignoring the heat that sparked under my skin at his touch. “Business?” I pressed on, even more curious than I was before.

He smirked, leaning in closer until his nose brushed my hairline, his voice a low hum. “Nothing you need to worry about, Bella, trust me.”

‘Nothing you need to worry about’… “Trust me…”

I hated that answer.

Because if it was enough to drag him out in the middle of the night, enough to have him smelling like soap at dawn like he was scrubbing something heavier than just blood off of him, then it was something I should be worried about… But I also knew pushing him when his eyes looked like that would only get me stonewalled further.

So instead, I pressed my lips together and let the silence stretch, his fingers still idly tracing along my side as if to distract me from my own questions… But I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t work for a little while.

“We have to find out about Sarah… I really hope that she’s okay…” I breathed out heavily now, addressing the biggest elephant in the room – her name even sounding tender as it left my tongue.

“Yeah, but first you have to get more pills from the doctor today…” Coban reminds me, always working ten steps ahead of me.

I’d prefer to wait for the pills, to find out about Sarah and her condition first, but I knew Coban wouldn’t budge on that. Not when it was about the pain he had unwillingly caused for me…

“You’re right.” I nodded, as he shocked me next.

Leaning forward, he placed his soft lips against my forehead. It was tender, which was something Coban often was not. Different. But I liked it nonetheless.

“Do you know how much I really love kissing you, Bella?” His tone dropped dangerously low, hand reaching up to cup my cheek – thumb rubbing small circles back and forth.

“But why…?” I found myself questioning, it coming at him in a whisper.

I wasn’t able to understand if his feelings towards me were stemming from sheer lust, possession, or something more… Something pure…

“When I kiss you, Bella… it’s the only time I don’t feel like a fucking monster.”

The raw honesty in his voice hit me square in the chest.

“You aren’t a monster, Coban, I don’t believe that…” I remind him, truthful about it too.

He wasn’t a monster, far from it… Damaged, sure? Broken, sure? But monster? No.

His jaw flexed, his eyes closing for a long beat like he was holding something in. When they opened again, they burned hotter than before, his grip on my cheek tightening only slightly.

“Bella…” His voice was a growl now, low and dangerous. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

But maybe I did know… Maybe I wanted this just as much as he did…