“Have I ever let you down, Llew?” Ace asked in his careless tone. He leaned against the rough brick with one Timberland boot propped against the wall. He had on his dark jeans and a starched white t-shirt showing through an open khaki button-up shirt. If a person saw Ace in the street right now, he’d blend right in. His hair was shaved in a tight buzz cut that looked soft to the touch. His blue eyes shone with mischief and Llew had to fight the urge to turn and walk away.
“No. I’m not saying that. I just don’t feel right about this. What exactly are we doing?” Llew talked while he walked from one end of the hall to the other, checking the corners for anyone approaching. That was his job. To watch Ace’s back at all times, and he was damn good at it. Ace never required him to do anything sexual, dangerous, or illegal. He kept Llew especially close to him and didn’t let him interact with too many of the other inmates. Llew was still considered a child molester, so he would be in danger if he were left alone.
“Shit. Red light, Ace.” Llew sprinted back to where Ace was standing, and grabbed his arm, trying to yank him around the corner.
“Llew. Damn man, calm down. It’s time you knew,” Ace said, straightening his shirt back up.
“I know Captain Jessup is getting ready to turn that corner,” Llew hissed.
“Yeah, and he’s late too.”
“What?” Llew said, dumbfounded.
Jessup strolled up the hall with all the power and prestige that he possessed, his thick chest stretching the front of his dark blue suit, his dress shoes making a loud tapping sound on the dingy linoleum floor. Llew took in the man’s intimidating appearance. His jet-black hair was slicked back with god knows how much product. His green eyes glowered at them under the florescent lighting as he strolled right up to Ace and gripped the back of his neck, pulling him into a hard and hungry kiss.
Llew’s mouth dropped open as he watched Captain Jessup devour his leader… his friend.
Jessup came up for air, his eyes glazed over as he nipped and licked at Ace’s mouth. “Baby. Come on let’s eat, we’re starving,” Ace said to Jessup between nips.
After a few seconds more, Jessup finally looked in Llew’s direction. “How you doing, Gardner? Mike told me he was bringing you over today, I brought you Mexican. You like quesadillas?”
Ace walked in the medium-sized office right behind Jessup, propped his hip up on the desk, as Jessup dropped down in his chair, and started unloading the bag of food that quickly flooded the office with a delicious aroma.
“Did you bring that red sauce I like?”
“Of course, and I got those tortilla chips too.” Jessup leaned in for another long kiss before adding, “How was your class today?”
Llew stared at Big Waldo as if he’d never seen him before. Looking at him like this… he hadn’t. Had never seen him calm, likable and charming, domestic even. When he looked at Ace, he sported a smile that a man only wore when he was in love. But that was fuckin’ unreal. He’d heard of guards receiving sexual favors, sneaking things to the inmates for money, but never at this level. Not with a prison official. Ace and Big Waldo were in love. Now it all made sense. This was why Ace could move around freely; do and arrange the things he did.
“So, Gardner.” Jessup turned to him and noticed Llew hadn’t touched his food. “Eat up. What? You not hungry?”
“He’s probably still a little shocked, babe. He didn’t know.” Ace winked at him.
“Well shit. I guess he is. Its fine Gardner, go on and eat before it gets cold.”
As Llew ate like a soldier in boot camp who had only ten minutes for chow, Jessup informed him that his work transfer was being granted. Llew had just turned it in two hours ago. It took weeks for an inmate to change jobs. He wanted to leave the laundry room and work in the library attached to the woodworking classrooms. That way he’d be allowed to go in there and build when he wasn’t busy in the library.
“Thank you,” Llew said around a mouthful of steak and shrimp quesadilla. He couldn’t believe any of this was happening. Jessup turned on the television in his office and they watched an NBA playoff game while they ate. Jessup and Ace talked like they did this every night, like Jessup had just come home from work and was having dinner with his partner. Ace asked him how things were going on his home renovations and if he remembered his appointment with his allergist today. Fuckin’ surreal. Once they finished the game, it was getting close to the time they needed to get back to their wing.