Chapter 6
The storage room door clicks shut behind the guard. The sound is small, but in the sudden quiet it feels huge. Shelves tower around us, stacked with boxes of bleach, detergent drums, spare rolls of toilet paper. The air is cooler here than in the main laundry, but still thick with the ghost of steam. A single bulb hangs overhead, swinging gently, throwing shadows that dance across the guard's face. He's breathing harder already. His name tag says OFFICER HALE. I remember it from intake. Hale. Like the storm he thinks he's about to unleash.
I don't move toward him. I lean back against a shelf instead, arms loose at my sides, letting the jumpsuit pull tight across my chest. The zipper is still low from last night's private moment. I don't fix it. His eyes drop there immediately. Good.
"You really want water?" he asks. His voice cracks on the last word.
I tilt my head. "Among other things."
He steps closer. One step. Two. Close enough that I can smell the cheap cologne he splashed on this morning, mixed with the sour edge of nervous sweat. He reaches for my arm. I catch his wrist before he touches me. Not hard. Just firm. His pulse jumps under my fingers like a trapped bird.
"Slow," I whisper. "I like to be asked."
He blinks. Swallows. "Can I… touch you?"
I smile. Slow. Sweet. "That's better." I release his wrist. Guide his hand to my waist. Let him feel the heat of my skin through the thin fabric. His fingers tremble. I press closer, just enough that my breasts brush his chest. He makes a low sound in his throat.
Outside the door, I hear footsteps. Soft. Hesitant. Then a whisper. Jax's voice. "She went in there with Hale." Rico answers, low and sharp. "That bitch is playing all of us."
I don't flinch. I lean in to Hale's ear. "They're jealous already. Isn't that fun?"
His eyes widen. "You want them to hear?"
"I want them to know." I slide my hand up his chest, fingers curling around his collar. "I want them to fight for the next turn."
Hale groans. His free hand finds my hip. Squeezes. I let him. For now. Then I push him back gently until his shoulders hit the opposite shelf. I step between his legs, pressing my thigh against him. He's hard already. Desperate. I rock once, slow, teasing. His head falls back against the metal with a soft thud.
A knock on the door. Sharp. Jax's voice again. "Zara? You okay in there?"
I laugh softly against Hale's neck. "See? They care."
Hale's hands tighten. "Tell them to fuck off."
"No," I murmur. "Tell them to wait their turn."
I pull back just enough to meet his eyes. "You want to be first, Officer Hale?"
He nods fast. Too fast.
"Then bring me something tomorrow. Extra water. A candy bar. Whatever you can sneak. Prove you're worth my time."
He stares. Confused. Hungry. "And then?"
"Then maybe I let you kiss me. Maybe more." I step away completely. Smooth my jumpsuit. Zip it up halfway. "But only if you're good."
He looks dazed. Like I just rewired his brain. I turn toward the door, open it slow. Jax and Rico are right there, faces flushed, eyes blazing. They see Hale behind me, breathing heavy, hair mussed. They see me, calm, smiling, untouched.
Jax speaks first. "What the hell was that?"
I shrug one shoulder. "A conversation."
Rico steps forward. "You playing us, girl?"
I look between them. Then back at Hale. "I'm collecting. Gifts. Loyalty. Attention." I reach out, trail a finger down Jax's chest. He shivers. Then I do the same to Rico. He tenses, but doesn't pull away. "You want in? Bring me something tomorrow too. Something small. Something sweet. Show me you can be useful."
They stare. Silent. Processing.
I walk past them, hips swaying, back into the main laundry room. The heat hits me again, but I feel cooler than ever. Behind me, I hear Hale mutter, "She's fucking insane." Jax answers, "She's fucking perfect."
I don't look back.
I return to the folding table. Lena is there, arms crossed, watching me like I grew a second head.
"You just started a war in under ten minutes," she says.
I pick up a towel. Fold it neat. "Wars are only fun if you win them."
She shakes her head. "You're going to get yourself hurt."
I smile at her. Wide. Bright. "Or I'm going to get everything I want."
The buzzer rings again. Break over. Men shuffle back to their posts. Eyes follow me everywhere now. Whispers ripple like wind through dry grass.
Jax slips past my table a minute later. He presses a small pack of gum into my hand under the stack of sheets. "For tomorrow," he mutters. Then he's gone.
Rico follows right after. He drops a shiny red apple on the cart beside me. Doesn't say a word. Just winks.
Hale waits until the room is busy again. He walks by, pretending to inspect the machines. When no one's looking, he sets a bottle of cold water next to my pile. His fingers brush mine. Lingering.
Three gifts.
Three men.
Three steps closer to the throne I'm building.
I crack the water open. Take a long, slow sip. The cold slides down my throat like victory.
Tomorrow they'll bring more.
Tomorrow they'll want more.
And tomorrow?
I'll decide exactly how much they get to taste.