The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 135

Coban’s POV

The corridors felt narrower than usual and everyone seemed to be in a pissy mood after the meeting earlier – including myself.

Every turn, every steel door, every flicker of the overhead lights drummed against my skull like a clock ticking its way down to nightfall.

I didn’t have much fucking time left…

I needed to find the two suited bastards before the swap began, before Margot got thrown out to some other inmate’s mercy. The thought alone made my blood simmer.

My boots hit the floor in quick, heavy steps as I took the back route toward the security exit. If the suits weren’t hovering near the admin offices, maybe they were coordinating something down by the gates.

That was usually where any high–level visitors came through government, investors, anyone who wanted to keep their shoes clean of the cell blocks.

By the time I hit the bottom level, the air changed. It always did down here. It was warmer, thicker, filled with the faint echo of the outside world. Beyond the reinforced glass and razor fencing was freedom… just out of reach but getting closer each passing day…

Two guards stood near the metal detector, both armed and both already eyeing me the second I appeared.

“Yo, Santorelli,” one called out. “Where you think you’re going down here? This might be the dumbest escape attempt I’ve seen yet!”

I slowed, rolled my shoulders back, forcing an easy look across my face even as my pulse started to climb. “Got word from one of your guys upstairs. Said my father’s down here to see me.”

The taller guard straightened immediately, sharing a look with his partner. I caught the flicker of uncertainty flash between them.

Everyone here knew my father’s name what kind of man he was.

“You’re saying he’s here?” the taller one asked carefully.

“Yeah,” I lied without hesitation. “So, I’m gonna go find out what the hell he wants before you two end up explaining why you kept me waiting.”

They both shifted their stance. Cautious now. One even looked down the hallway toward the exterior gate, like he expected to see the devil himself walking up.

“The guard was sending you on a wild goose chase, it seems,” the taller one said finally, tone careful. “Nobody’s here to see you, Coban. Where’s your girl

anyhow? Abandoned her already?”

The smirk that followed made something inside me snap.

I stepped forward slowly. The kind of slow that made men tense.

The guard’s hand hovered near his belt, but he didn’t move it fast enough to matter.

“Watch your tone,” I said quietly, my voice low enough that only the two of them could hear. “Or I’ll have my father go on a wild goose chase for your family on the outside. How’d you like that idea?”

The words hung between us, sharp and real.

He froze, eyes wide, throat bobbing. His partner muttered something under his breath, but neither of them said another word.

I gave a sharp, humorless grin and stepped back. “Didn’t think so.”

Then I turned and walked away, muttering a curse under my breath.

Nothing. Not a single fucking suit near the gates. Just guards doing their useless routines.

By the time I reached the stairs again, my patience was shot. My mind was spinning too fast to focus, thoughts colliding like punches.

I needed to think smarter. Quicker.

If I couldn’t find them, I’d have to make them find me.

Halfway up the stairwell, an idea struck hard enough to stop me mid–step. I froze, chest heaving, before a slow grin began to curl across my face.

It was reckless. Stupid, even. But it would get me exactly where I needed to be…

The impact cracked across my nose like thunder.

My head snapped back, stars bursting behind my eyes as a sharp, hot pain spread through my face. I stumbled, one hand catching the edge of the treadmill as I tasted blood.

“Shit,” Leo muttered, shaking his hand out. “What’s your nose made of? Damn steel?!”

The metallic tang filled my mouth instantly, warm and slick as it ran down over my lips. My ears rang. I ignored the rush of dizziness that followed, pressing my tongue to the roof of my mouth to keep steady.

“Coban oh my god!” Margot’s voice cut through the static in my head, panicked, too close. “Are you alright?!”

Then Cara’s came next, sharp and accusing. “Leo, why the hell would you do that to him?!”

I straightened slowly, wiping the blood from under my nose with the back of my hand. “I’m fine,” I rasped, shrugging off Margot’s hands on my arm. “I asked him to.”

They both froze.

“What?” Cara frowned. “You asked him to punch you?”

“I won’t be long,” I said instead, already turning toward the door.

Leo started laughing again, shaking his head. “You’re fucking insane, you know that?” He yelled after me, before the door slammed shut behind me as I broke into a brisk stride down the corridor again, blood dripping freely now.

Pain throbbed through my skull with every step, but I didn’t care.

Let the guards see me. Let the doctor see me.

If that’s what it took to get close enough to find the suits – then so be it – I’d bleed my way straight through to the medical wing…

Desperate men do stupid things…

But I knew I had somebody in the medical wing dumb enough to help me get exactly what I wanted…