The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 105

* Margot’s POV*

“He just blacked out. I didn’t think he was going to stop. Thought he had lost his mind and had decided to just kill me… But after I managed to hit him a few times, he eventually let me go. It was only then that he realised where he was and what he had done…”

“Holy shit…” Cara breathed out, as I nodded.

Holy shit indeed…

Cara shook her head slowly, like she couldn’t quite process it, her hand gripping my wrist so tightly it almost hurt.

“Margot… that’s not just some bad dream. That’s dangerous. You could’ve… he could’ve…” Her voice broke off, the horror of it sinking into her features. “You could’ve died!”

The words lodged in my chest like glass splinters.

Hearing them out loud made them real in a way l’d been avoiding this entire day.

My throat throbbed as if to remind me of its fragility, of how close I’d come.

“I know,” I whispered. My eyes darted again, pulled like magnets across the gym floor until they landed on him.

Coban.

Even now, deep in conversation with Leo, he hadn’t stopped keeping tabs on me.

His head tilted just slightly, chin lowered, eyes fixed like he could hear every single word that passed between Cara and me.

Like he was daring me to keep talking about it.

Cara followed my gaze, her lips tightening into a thin line. “He’s watching you again,” she muttered, low enough only for me.

“He always is,” I admitted, the confession spilling out before I could catch it.

“Why does he always have to be so damn intimidating?!” Cara puffed out next, as I wished she would stop scowling at him – for my sake.

“If you keep looking at him like that then he’ll eventually come back over here!” | warn, as she sighs dramatically.

“Let him!” She snapped, testing, but a wave of dread ran through me at the mere thought of them both having it out…

What would Leo do? Whose side would he take? Would he be mad at Cara for

getting involved or annoyed at Coban for finding out what he actually done?

“Please don’t get involved, it will just make things worse…” I breathe out slowly, hoping she’d listed, but Cara’s expression softened for only half a second, a flicker of sympathy flashing through amongst all the fury before she straightened again, her tone turning sharp.

“Listen to yourself! He’s intimidating you, and you’re letting him. You’re letting him scare you, letting him control how you sit, how you act, who you talk to, how you talk, how you cover up your own bruises, Margot… this just isn’t normal now.”

Her words hit harder than I wanted them to.

“Normal? What did you expect here, Cara? We are bunking with dangerous criminals, not sleeping over at some summer camp! These men aren’t exactly sane, are they?!” I groan, rolling my eyes.

Cara hummed at that, her brows pulling inward, knowing I had a point…

“Well what can we do about it? Maybe we should talk to the guards? Get you switched with someone else? Surely if it’s life threatening now they will swap you?

” Cara suddenly leans in to whisper, and I couldn’t help the way I immediately resented the idea.

“No!” I snapped firmly, shaking my head; “I would hate that! As fucked up as it sounds, I actually like being paired with Coban.” I swallowed thickly, knowing that I sounded like the world’s biggest idiot.

“Yeah, I liked him at first too, thought he was great for you… but he’s totally out of control now Margot, you could have died this time!” Cara suddenly reached out her hands to shake my shoulders gently in a weak attempt to make me see sense in her words.

Coban. He was no longer across the room. He was cutting through the bodies

between us, each step slow, deliberate, predatory.

Leo trailed behind, smirking like he could already sense the drama brewing.

My heart slammed against my ribs, panic rising like bile.

Cara noticed him too, her grip tightening on my wrist in defiance, her jaw locking as though she was preparing for war.

“Don’t let him think he owns you,” she whispered fiercely. “Don’t give him that.”

But when his shadow fell over me, my body betrayed me. My shoulders stiffened, my spine straightened, and my pulse raced.

“Why are you upset? Are you in pain? Do you want to leave?” His quick words shocked me, as I glanced to Cara who was drawing him daggers – but he didn’t seem fazed by it – at least not right now.

Cara whipped her head toward me, worry flashing in her eyes. “Margot?” She ushered me to speak up as I blinked quickly through the flood of tears now…

“I’m… I’m… just overwhelmed, okay?!” I snapped, my tone rising as I flailed my hands around like a crazy person.

“I know that he fucked up, you know that yourself, don’t you Coban? But please tell her you didn’t mean it?” I find myself rambling on, unable to stop the word vomit…

Coban’s eyes widened, as he looked taken aback, but I didn’t regret putting him on the spot like this.

I needed Cara to know that beneath his exterior, there was still a human worth saving..