Cain's Darkness(5)

She wouldn’t cry at his harsh words, and even if she knew he was only doing this, pushing her away, because he wanted her safe, she had to believe that he felt something more for her, something as monumental as she did for him. Violet stared at him, watched as he rose to his huge height, and then he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Violet closed her eyes, clenched her jaw at her emotions, and breathed out when he pulled back. He stared at her for a moment, then left her alone in that sterile, lonely room.

****

Violet had left the prison hours ago, and Cain found himself in his cell, with his metal trunk open, and staring at the stacks of letters she’d written to him over the years. The truth was he didn’t want her to back off and leave him alone. He cared about her, more than a man like him should, and he wanted her in his life. She was a woman now, smart and mature, making something with her life, but all he thought about was the fact he wanted to fucking tear out that rapist bastard’s throat. If Carl had been in the joint his molesting, raping ass would have gotten it hard and good by the other inmates. Men in here were violent murderers, arsonists, rapists, and burglars, but hell, bring in a man that hurt a child and everyone joined together to make sure the offender was taught a hard lesson and paid for his crime with his life.

“Hey, man.” Goon, the man he shared this piece of shithole in the wall with, stepped inside the cell, a towel in hand, and the standard issue jumpsuit open at the collar. “You coming to work out in the yard?”

“Yeah.” Cain shut the metal trunk and moved out of the cell with Goon leading. They had an hour for activities, outside in the yard, as it was called. The outdoor, barbwire fenced and bricked-in courtyard was on the south end of the building, and it was only because Cain had been on good behavior that he was given some leniency. They entered the caged-in outside square of space. Some prisoners were leaning against the chain-link fence that separated the courtyard into two sections, while others played basketball using the several hoops in the far corner. A row of workout equipment, aged by the sun and worn by the weather, was being used by a group of white supremacists. There were guards stationed all around the courtyard, some even in the towers above them with their guns trained at the prisoners. The barbed wire atop the fencing that kept them all housed in was harsh in appearance. It was meant to keep others from getting out, but also from anyone getting in.

He walked over to the set of bench-presses that were on the left hand side, currently not in use because half of the men were being ushered back inside because their hour was up. Cain set his towel down, took off his shirt, and Goon went behind him to be the spotter while he lifted. For the next twenty minutes Cain pumped the bar up and down, felt sweat cover his body, his muscles burn from the power he was wielding, and finally had Goon set the bar back on the arms. He sat up, grabbed the towel, and as he wiped the sweat off of his face and chest he glanced around the courtyard. A small gang known as Aullies had formed while inside the prison. It wasn’t as large as the other already formed groups, but they tended to start shit with people they thought disrespected them. That particular group stared at him, three of them huddling in a corner as the rest of their men were ushered inside. Cain knew the leader of this particular gang had it out for him. This was the first time they had been in the same area after their last altercation three months before, when the little asshole had tried to say Cain had to give up an extra set of his uniform. Cain wasn’t having that shit, didn’t bow down for anyone, and after a scuffle, and being called a pussy because he wasn’t about to ruin his good behavior record, he backed off. It wasn’t something Cain ever did, because he always stood his ground and fucked up an asshole that came up to him, but he needed to be out and with his girls.

“You think they’ll have the balls to come over here and start shit?” Goon asked and went over to the bench to start his workout.

Cain gave one more swipe over his chest with the towel, stood and went over to spot Goon. He glanced at the group of bikers that he associated with while in here, and because there were no Brothers of Menace inside at the moment, he still had to rely on back-up from other groups. It was a necessary evil, and because a person couldn’t be on their own while inside it was important to form alliances.

“I think he’s going to try, but I can’t risk my record getting fucked up.” Cain looked over at the guards currently standing the closest to them. “But if I don’t show this bastard up he won’t stop.”

“I got cha’,” Goon said and walked over to the bikers. Cain kept his focus on the punk staring him down, and then looked over at the group of men Goon spoke with. The leader of that particular group of bikers nodded over to Cain, and sent a couple of his guys over to where some others were playing basketball. Then all hell broke loose as a fight broke out between the bikers and players. That was Cain’s chance and cue to get this done while the guards were occupied. The little bastard across the courtyard realized that, too, then came charging toward Cain. The other bikers moved forward, not to help in the fight, because Cain didn’t want that, but to block the sight so the guards wouldn’t be able to see what was happening.