Chapter 66 – We Kissed

Margot’s POV

The cafeteria was busy with the usual muted chaos of lunch hour, but today felt… different.

The group ahead of us in the line was unfamiliar – not the mint-green duo from last night or anyone else that I immediately recognised. This was Cara and Leo’s lunch turn. Different couples. New faces.

That alone eased the tightness in my chest by about ten percent. No glares, no lingering tension in the air. It felt almost normal… as normal as prison dining could get.

“Your group seems a lot more chill,” I murmured to Cara as we moved through the crowd, trying to keep our heads low and steps quick.

She shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Not really. There was a fight on the very first day. Tables flipped, women screaming – all because one guy tried it on with another guy’s girl. Pure chaos.” She shook her head with a dry laugh.

I blinked, glancing toward Leo, who was walking beside us, scanning the room like a sentry. “Sounds about right…”

“Go grab the table,” he told Cara, his tone casual, but it carried authority. “I’ll bring over food for the both of you.”

Without question, she nodded and led the way, like it was second nature to her now.

I followed a few steps behind, observing the strange but effortless rhythm between them. The table she chose was the only empty one in the room, which felt too convenient – like it had been waiting just for them.

Or maybe more for Leo.

If his reputation around here was anything like Coban’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone left a bubble of space around him, just out of sheer survival instinct.

I slid down onto the bench across from her, the plastic seat groaning softly beneath me. She rested her elbows on the table, her expression shifting to something gentler now that we were seated, the noise of the room becoming background static.

“So…” she began, voice low, but teasing. “How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you since your little flashing incident in the gym yesterday. I’m just glad to see you in one piece still.”

I let out a breath, zipping my hoodie up higher on instinct. “Ugh, don’t remind me,” I groaned. “He dragged me straight back to the cell after that and didn’t say a single word to me either. Just locked me in and disappeared for the entire day.”

Cara raised a brow. “Seriously? Well that’s probably the best outcome you could’ve gotten, right?”

“I mean… It wasn’t really…” I shrugged, running a hand through my hair. “But when he came back, he didn’t yell. Didn’t even mention it. I was bracing for war, full of anxiety the whole time, but it never came.”

Cara leaned in slightly. “So… he basically took space to calm down? That’s… oddly mature of him.”

“I guess so?” I said, still trying to process it myself. “It was quiet between us after that, before dinner happened – the slap that filled the entire cafeteria.”

At the memory, Cara’s eyes lit up again with disbelief. “Girl, I still can’t believe he actually hit her for you, though.”

Just then, Leo arrived, balancing two trays like a waiter at a five-star restaurant. He set them down with a dramatic flair.

“Here we go, ladies. A gourmet feast for the finest women.” He grinned before adding, “Be right back – gotta grab my own tower of carbs to bulk up.”

Bulk up?! He was already huge!

We both thanked him as he sauntered off again. My eyes dropped to the tray: grilled cheese and fries. My stomach actually made a sound of joy.

If I hadn’t come today, I would’ve missed this heavenly miracle…

I bit into the sandwich with an audible crunch and nearly melted right there in my seat. “Oh my god,” I muttered with my mouth full. “This might be the best thing I’ve eaten since arriving.”

Cara giggled, digging into her own tray. “I can’t believe you almost missed this.”

I swallowed, the warmth from the food briefly settling the nerves that had been rattling all morning.

“I know…” I agreed with a smile, before carrying on my story…

“You know, I shouldn’t have been happy about the slap,” I said, brushing a fry through the little pool of ketchup. “But it felt… good. Like he’d defended me.”

Cara nodded slowly. “I get it. It’s primal. Wrong, but primal. And in here, that means something.”

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. My heart thudded suddenly, the confession on my lips burning to get out before Leo returned.

“But there’s… something else I haven’t told you,” I said, leaning forward, dropping my voice to a whisper.

Cara’s brows drew together. “Oh no, what is it?”

I inhaled sharply, the words getting stuck in my throat like I was choking on them. I wasn’t ready. But I had to tell someone.

“We sort of… ended up making out last night,” I blurted out.

Cara’s eyes widened so fast I thought they’d fall out of her head. “Wait… you what?!”

“I know, I know,” I hissed, peeking toward the food line to make sure Leo wasn’t on his way back yet. “It just… happened.”

“He kissed you?” Cara deadpanned, a grin spreading across her entire face.

“And I kissed him back…” I confirmed, as she shrieked and began to clap her hands.

I hissed for her to keep it down, suddenly mortified by her reaction.

“Hey, look, if it makes you feel better… I think I’m going to have sex with Leo…” Cara shrugged as though it were nothing, as my own jaw slackened in disbelief.

“CARA!” I yelled, as though I hadn’t heard her right.

Shrugging, she smiled and laughed; “He’s hot… and I’m sick of being a virgin, aren’t you?” She admitted, as I blinked back at her honesty.

“Okay, wow,” I said, finally setting my fry down. “I mean, this went from zero to prison fanfiction in like a week.” I stated, before we both suddenly exploded into fits of laughter.

We’d so quickly forgotten ourselves… forgotten the entire purpose of being here… each falling head over heels for a pair of dangerous gangsters!

“I hate myself,” I whispered with a nervous laugh. “I swore I wouldn’t fall into any of this – that I’d keep my head down…”

“But now you’re out here blushing because you kissed a crazy man,” Cara said with a half smile.

“Exactly!” I laughed. “What is wrong with us?!”

Before she could answer, Leo returned with his tray piled with enough food to feed a small village.

“You two look like you’re having a therapy session,” he said as he dropped down beside Cara and I immediately blushed.

We basically were…

“Just catching up,” she replied smoothly, throwing me a subtle glance that promised more interrogation later.

I smiled at Leo. “Thanks again… for today. I really needed to get out of that cell.”

He gave me a grin. “Anytime. Especially since your own guard dog isn’t around.”

We all laughed, but deep down I knew it was fact…