spanng="EN"Charlie’s POV

    spanng="EN"These trials have been frustrating for me. I’m a man of action. I’m a problem solver, but with this, my hands are tied. I feel like I can’t protect my wife, not as much as I want to. She had Tiffany to deal with, but here we go again to court to see Joyce and Sasha. I knew that Roger was there to help her, but I couldn’t stand to look at him. I can sense his interest in Ana. I watched as she got dressed today. Although I know our baby is there, you can’t even see a baby bump yet. I can’t wait until the proof of our love is evident for all to see.

    spanng="EN"I would ensure that I had at least three of us there for the remainder of this trial. When we start Tiffany’s trial again. I n on sitting next to my wife. Rodney is already helping me with that as we speak. Tiffany assaulted me when I kept her from getting to Ana. Which thank God I did, or else Tiffany would have a many more charges against her. The judge allowed those charges to be include.

    spanng="EN"He was very upset that she would try to attack Ana inside his courtroom. Rodney pushed the fact that Ana was pregnant, which could have terminated the pregnancy. Just thinking about that infuriated me. Tiffany needs to go to prison and leave Ana alone.

    “Time flies when you’re living with a psychopath,” Leo joked, motioning between himself and Coban, Coban didn’tugh.

    He just stared ahead, unreadable. Thinking. Always thinking.

    Leo raised an eyebrow. “I’m kidding, Santo. Don’t go stabbing me with your mind now…”

    Finally, Coban spoke. His voice was low. Measured. Dangerous.

    “If I could stab you with an actual object, then I’d prefer that.” Coban retorts dryly, announcing his mood to the rest of us.

    Leo whistled under his breath and turned to Cara. “See? Always so charming…”

    She giggled nervously, unsure of what to do or say, but I didn’t dare tough.

    I stayed entirely silent, the bottle now slick in my hands from my sweaty grip.

    I didn’t know what Coban was thinking or what he nned for me next.

    That was the worst part.

    After everything that had happened in thest twenty–four hours, I thought we might’ve been making progress. But clearly, one unsure word from my mouth could still flip a switch in him.

    I nced up again, cautiously. His eyes met mine this time. Steady. Direct.

    He didn’t blink.

    I offered a small smile as a peace offering, weak, but genuine, hoping to soften whatever storm might be stirring behind that stare.

    After a moment, he finally looked away, exhaling out through his nose.

    But he didn’t let go of me, not yet.

    In fact, his hand moved slightly, fingers spreading across the small of my back now, pressing firmer, like he wanted to remind me he was still in control of me. Like he wanted everyone else to see that too.

    I shifted subtly, leaning a little more into him. Not because I wanted to. But because I needed to, needed him to believe I understood the line I was walking on. That I didn’t mean to upset or offend him all of the time.

    Because I really didn’t.

    He was tricky to navigate, and I had tried my best all week, despite being a major fail at it so far.

    I was trying.

    Leo and Cara continued chatting, their conversation drifting toward something lighter, music, I think, or some artist Cara used to like growing up as Leo mocked her for it.

    I didn’t follow much of it…

    I was too busy watching the shadows shift across Coban’s face. Waiting to see if he’d speak to me again. Waiting to see what version of him I’d be walking back to the cell with.

    Waiting to see if tomorrow’s report would be our first step toward peace…

    “Come on, let’s go back in.” He suddenly announced, his cheeks slightly rosy now from the sun.

    I was grateful, just as I was beginning to feel my own shoulders burn, before he stood, turning to stop me from standing up with him…

    “Jumper.” He snapped out one word, as I sighed and reluctantly pulled the thick material back on top of my sweat coated skin all the while he shielded me from view.

    The way it stuck to me turned my stomach, as I felt like the world’s biggest idiot…

    Next time, I’ll wear the damn tee!

    I had no idea what time it was anymore. There were no clocks in the cell, no sunlight slipping through windows to measure the day. Just the same dim, artificial glow from the ceiling panel that buzzed faintly when the silence dragged too long.

    And God, it dragged.

    I hadn’t heard a single sound from the corridor since I sat back down on the bed. No voices. No footsteps. Not even the distant ng of a door mming. It was like I’d been dropped into some vacuum – sealed bubble where time stretched into infinity and I was the only one left breathing.

    The only one left in the entirepound!

    My stomach growled again – louder this time. A deep, aching twist that folded me over where I sat.

    Just when I was getting used to the three meals a day routine…

    I pressed my hand t against it, as if that would quiet the sound, but the hollowness only seemed to deepen. I hadn’t eaten all day – not a bite or a sip.

    I’d skipped breakfast due to sleeping in with Coban – the memory seeming humorous now amongst what was currently going on between us.

    Lunch had also most definitely been missed entirely too, swallowed up by the gym disaster and everything that followed.

    Now it had to be nearing dinner time, if it hadn’t already passed…

    I was being starved again, which I realised quickly…

    Was it intended as a new punishment from him? For revealing too much skin in a male dominated zone? For not listening to him? For not understanding most of this ce yet?

    Starvation as a punishment was something I was ustomed to living back with my father. I figured it would mostly be down to poverty and not having money, but even when there was food, he never shared it…

    The thought made my stomach churn in a different way now, an array of fresh tears rising to my eyes…

    I stood up quickly, unable to sit still a second longer trapped in my thoughts of the past and how they linked with my present.

    My legs were stiff from how long I’d been curled on the bed, but pacing felt better than just waiting for him.

    Back and forth.

    From the edge of the bed to the locked cell door.

    Back again.

    Each step was deliberate, but frantic.

    I chewed the edge of my thumbnail until it bled, forcing myself to stop only when I tasted copper.

    I couldn’t read. The book I’d started yesterday sat unopened on the desk, the corner of the page still folded neatly from when Ist dog–eared it.

    A fantasy novel twisted with a romance – a vampire love story.

    I’d been so eager to escape into it before, to let myself believe in some other world beyond this one. But now?

    Now it felt too cruel to allow myself the pleasure…

    I kept ncing at the door like it might swing open any second and reveal him standing there – Coban. With that unreadable look in his eyes. That brooding, predatory stillness in his body.

    The memory of the gym kept shing behind my eyes. The way he grabbed me. The sound of my own breath catching in my throat as he dragged me away. The sharp m of the cell door behind me like a cage snapping shut.

    He hadn’te back since.

    And that wasn’t like him.

    Coban didn’t leave me alone often.

    He loomed. Hovered. Controlled me.

    He always needed to be watching.

    So where was he now?

    The silence pressed in harder now. I paused at the door again, straining to hear anything – any sign of life beyond these four concrete walls.

    The second nonded like an extra p. An additional punishment for yesterday’s incident.

    I sat there, stunned for a moment, the heat feeling ten times worse now that I’d been denied escape from it. I swallowed hard, feeling sweat drip down my spine.

    “You okay?” Cara whispered softly beside me, concern on her face as she leaned closer. “You’re turning purple girl.”

    Iughed nervously, but even my chuckle sounded weak. “I feel like I’m physically melting.”

    She nodded toward the shaded side of the yard. “Try him again, or ask if we can go back inside. It’s brutal out here, I don’t know how you’ve evensted so long in that.”

    I hesitated, but I couldn’t take it anymore. My heart was thudding too fast, the heat making me dizzy and my mouth turning dry.

    “Coban,” I tried again, louder this time, stepping forward until he had no choice but to acknowledge me. “I can’t cope with this. Can I please take it off or can we go back inside?”

    He didn’t look up from the conversation he was having with Leo. Not right away. But I saw the way his jaw clenched at hearing me speak. The way his knuckles flexed.

    Then, without warning, he turned and snapped, “Fucking take the damn thing off then we will discuss thister!”

    I nearly flinched at the venom in his tone, but my hands were already moving, too desperate to care.

    I yanked the zipper down and peeled the sweatshirt off with shaking fingers, the cool air instantly kissing my damp skin. The cotton of my vest top clung to me, thin and light, and maybe too tight in ces I knew he didn’t like but I couldn’t care less. I could finally breathe.

    “Thank God,” I muttered, exhaling a shaky breath as I looked to Cara, who fanned herself in sympathy.

    “Why is it so warm today?” I groaned, tugging the cor of my vest to let more air in.

    Cara chuckled. “They’ve got bottled water over there.” She pointed toward a cooler positioned near the fence. “Leo told me earlier if I wanted one…”

    My eyes lit up. I’d kill for water right now – especially ice cold.

    “Leo, mind if we go grab some water real quick?” Cara asked, turning to her inmate sweetly and pointing at what she meant.

    Leo nced back from his story about the gym brawl and nodded. “Go ahead.”

    But before I could move, Coban’s voice cracked through the air like thunder. “You ain’t moving.”

    I turned, surprised, just as his arm snaked around my waist and yanked me in close – holding me there. My side collided with his, solid and hot from the sun, and I sucked in a breath.

    “Come on then, I’ll go with you,” Leo told Cara,pletely unfazed, and the two of them peeled off toward the cooler together, Cara tossing me an apologetic nce over her shoulder.

    Coban’s arm didn’t budge from around me. If anything, it tightened.

    I sat there, tense, unsure what to say, unsure what this was.

    Possessiveness? Punishment? Protection?

    Or all three?

    Leo nced back at us and smirked. “Under the thumb, Santo…” he called out.

    Coban scowled. “Look at you, bro. You ain’t any better.”

    Leo shrugged, not at all offended. “I never imed to be.”

    I couldn’t help but let out a small breath of amusement. It felt weird tough around Coban, but it happened asionally anyway. Maybe the heat had melted a few of my brain cells along with it.