The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 155

**Chapter 155**

**Coban’s POV**

The workout should have been my escape, a way to purge the pent-up energy and frustration that had been gnawing at me.

It was supposed to ease the tightness in my chest, the noise that echoed relentlessly in my mind.

And for a fleeting moment, it did.

Leo and I fell back into our rhythm, as if the world outside had ceased to exist—spotting each other, exchanging playful jabs, laughter spilling from us like water from a broken dam, as if I hadn’t been on the verge of throttling him just moments before.

Yet, our brief sanctuary was short-lived. The gym quickly filled again, the familiar sounds of sneakers hitting the floor, voices rising and mingling, and the clatter of weights crashing against each other.

Our moment of solitude had come to an abrupt end.

Still, we both felt satisfied with the intensity of our workout; it was undoubtedly one of the best we’d had in ages, a necessary release for both of us.

As we made our way to find the girls, I noticed something peculiar.

Margot was smiling at me.

But her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

It was a subtle expression, almost too small to detect. Anyone else might have overlooked it, but I had learned to read her like a book. What was stirring that nervous energy within her today?

“Are you alright?” I asked, wiping the sweat from my brow with a towel, my gaze fixed on her.

She nodded a little too quickly. “Yeah, you?”

A lie.

But I chose not to confront her about it—not here, not with the prying eyes of others and the noise closing in once more. I simply nodded in response.

Leo stretched his arms overhead, his voice booming. “We’re heading outside for a bit, let’s go!”

Cara was already bouncing on her feet, her excitement palpable. “Fresh air sounds amazing!”

Margot stood up as Cara tugged her along, and that was when it hit me hard.

She looked… off.

Her complexion was pale, cheeks flushed, and her eyes seemed unfocused, as if she were struggling to maintain her equilibrium.

I fell into step beside her as we headed outside. “You look a bit flushed, what’s going on?”

She hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. “I just don’t really feel one hundred percent today.”

That was all it took to set off alarm bells in my mind.

Without thinking, my hand found hers.

Not a forceful grab.

Not a tug.

Just… there. Fingers weaving together.

She was startled at first, her eyes darting up to mine as if she was still adjusting to this new level of intimacy between us. But soon enough, her fingers curled around mine, a silent agreement.

Good.

We followed Leo and Cara through the compound and stepped out into the yard.

The space was alive with clusters of inmates and girls, tension still buzzing in the air, but softened by the warmth of the sun and the rhythm of our daily routine.

We gravitated towards our usual bench, nestled in the far corner, with the fence at our backs—a perfect vantage point to see everything while remaining hidden just enough.

I took my seat first and pulled Margot down beside me without uttering a word.

It was a routine we had fallen into, a comfortable silence that spoke volumes.

I fished a cigarette pack out of my pocket and tossed it onto the table, watching Leo’s eyes light up instantly.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he grinned, snatching one out eagerly.

I flicked him the lighter and then retrieved one for myself, the familiar ritual calming me slightly.

Margot’s gaze followed my every move, and then her head snapped toward me. “You smoke?!”

I shrugged, lighting up. “Why not? There’s not much else to do when you’re cooped up in a box all day.”

She scrunched her nose in distaste. “I hate the smell of it.”

She complained, but I could only smirk in response.

I took a long, slow drag, deliberately blowing the smoke in her direction.

She coughed, waving it away. “Ew Coban, don’t do that!”

I chuckled, leaning back nonchalantly, feigning indifference.

Cara snorted, watching Leo with his cigarette. “I’m not even surprised you’re smoking right now. You’ll just follow whatever he does,” she teased Leo.

He scoffed, shooting her a glare. “What, so I’m just a fucking sheep to you now?”

She shrugged, a playful grin on her face. “Yeah. Coban says jump and you say how high.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that, genuinely amused before I could stop myself. I’d admit it—Cara had her moments of humor, especially when she wasn’t driving me up the wall.

Leo swore and grabbed her in a playful headlock, ruffling her hair mercilessly. “Say that again, I dare you!”

Cara shrieked, pushing him away, both of them laughing and swearing like a couple of kids.

Margot joined in the laughter.

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