not wanting to kill someone was a minefield of surprises, and untapped emotions. He felt happy, relieved, and all he wanted to do was reach for Chad and tug him into a bruising kiss, back him up to the wall and touch him everywhere.
He was getting hard just thinking about it.
“I met Holly Stevenson.” Chad said, stopping Romeo’s fantasy.
“Yeah?”
“Well, I say met … she was waiting in the carpark when I arrived.”
“What?”
“I have the distinct feeling she hates my guts.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She told me so. Warned me off you.”
Romeo gawped. “What?”
“Yeah…”
“I’ll have a word with her.”
“And I’m pretty sure I saw her car parked outside my apartment a few days ago...”
“You sure?”
Chad nodded. “Yeah. You said she was in love with you—”
“I said she thinks she is.”
“It’s a bit obsessive waiting for me in the carpark, following me home. It’s stalkerish.”
“I’ll have a word with her, tell her to back off. Did she say anything else?”
“She said that I’m tormenting you.”
“I guess you do in some ways.”
Chad recoiled. “What?”
“You’re right there, but I can’t touch you. I can’t even hear you properly—your voice fuzzes as it comes through the speaker. I can’t smell you. The only sense of mine that’s satisfied is my sight, but even that is compromised by the smudges on the barrier, and the hazy light behind you.”
“That’s not me tormenting you, but this room.”
“Whose fault is it I’m in here?”
Chad took a sharp inhale, and Romeo inwardly cursed himself. There was so much confliction in Chad’s face, a battle of rights and wrongs behind his eyes. Sometimes it was fascinating to watch, but not when Chad was already suffering.
“My fault.” Romeo smirked. “It’s my fault I’m here.”
Chad nodded solemnly.
“But one day, I’ll get out of here…”
Romeo waited for the glint in Chad’s eyes, the sparkle of hope and longing, and he wasn’t disappointed. It was there, treasure that only Romeo’s words could reveal, then Chad’s expression hardened, and the detective was back.
“You’re in here for life.”
He scrunched and released his hand several times, then took notice of his fidgeting and stopped.
“We’ll see.” Romeo whispered.
“I’ve—I’ve asked about visits next door.”
“The room without the barrier.”
“But they said it’s too risky.”
“This is for your own protection.” Paul said. “He might have manipulated you to a point that you’ve forgotten he’s dangerous, you’ve forgotten he tried to kill you, but he hasn’t manipulated the rest of us.”
“Thank you for your insight, Paul.” Romeo said, “It won’t be needed again.”
“Fuck you.”
“Anyway,” Romeo said, rolling his eyes. “Tell me what you’ve been doing, the parts you’re allowed to tell me?”
“I made paella last week.”
“Without the prawns?”
“Of course. And I watch Quiz Master every day. I’d easily beat your scores now.”
“That’s not fair, you’ve been practicing. All I’ve got to watch is the news and kids’ cartoons.”
“Some of those cartoons are good.”
“Maybe when you’re on antibiotics and morphine.”
Chad closed his eyes, laughing. “And I watched Aliens Attack last night. I remember how much you loved it.”
“I hated it.”
“Looked to me like you enjoyed it.”
“The worst film I’ve ever seen.”
“And… I’ve been thinking about getting a dog.”
The conversation not-really about Toby was still fresh in his mind. Romeo needed to be certain when Chad said dog, he actually meant dog.
“With floppy ears, a waggy tail, and a shrill bark?”
Chad scrunched his nose. “Yeah … that kinda dog.”
“Just checking. I think that’s a great idea.”
****
Chad talked about him as if he were a drug, some addiction he couldn’t end, but it was the opposite way around. Romeo was still buzzing days after Chad’s visit, he found himself smiling for no reason whatsoever.
His mind didn’t stutter on the past, or stew in the present, it went to the future.
His fantasy future.
It started with him standing in front of Chad’s apartment door, waiting for him to open up. He was wearing his orange jumpsuit, heaving for breath. Impatience grew and he thumped the door again.
“I’m coming!” Chad shouted, making Romeo smile. Not yet you’re not, he thought.
The door opened, Chad’s eyes bugged from his head, and Romeo struggled to hold back his laugh. Chad in his detective suit, all smart and ordered, and looking completely incorruptible. Romeo would win Chad over, and the detective would have no choice but to look the other way.
“What the fuck?”
“I said I’d get out…”
“How?”
Romeo blinked. Trust Chad’s detective mind to stall Romeo’s sex dream.
He didn’t know how, the how wasn’t important. Not in that moment.
“I just did.”
“But ho—”
Romeo put his mouth on Chad’s to shut him up and stop