I had always been the good girl, I had never stepped a foot out of line in my twenty one years on earth. Being the daughter of a cop didn't leave much room for failure, I had been terrified with stories of jail time and the horrors of prison. Maybe this was the reason I had chosen the career that I had grown to love. Not many people woke up in the mornings with a rush of excitement to walk through the doors to start twelve hours of work. I was currently working at the infamous San Quentin prison as a correctional officer. The news of my career choice didn't exactly make my Mother jump for joy- she had longed for a daughter who loved shopping and figure skating but she had landed herself a boy with C-cup breasts. At first glance you would never imagine that my 5'5ft slender frame could hold down a fully grown man but I was a force to be reckoned with. I was a powerhouse with a feisty attitude which none of the inmates liked to mess with.
I took a quick glance at myself in the changing rooms as I prepare myself for my shift, I loved wearing my uniform as it gave me a strange sense of pride. I ran my hand over my hair to smooth out any stray hairs from my ponytail before checking the soft layer of mascara which coated my thick lashes. If the restraint techniques didn't work one flutter of my lashes seemed to be just as effective. I wet my lips as I exited the safety of the changing rooms to start my day. The sound of the yelling men instantly filled my ears, it was like watching caged animals pacing their cells anxiously awaiting release for feeding time. Meal times were the only times when my hair stood on end, something about being in control of a sea of blue shirts just made my palms sweat. I glanced up at the four floors of cells as the doors rolled opened the prisoners making their exit towards the counter for their food trays. I let my eyes dance over the men walking down the stairs while they all chatted but my attention was instantly drawn to the one inmate that the guards loved to keep their eyes on. Inmate B1918 was one of the most dangerous men in the prison, not only was he known he be violent but he was extremely intelligent and manipulative. It was a dangerous combination to have brains as well as brawn.
I chewed my lower lip was the inmate made his way down the stairs stealing a quick glance in my direction throwing his usual charming smile. The inmate was Edward Cullen, he had been sentenced to life in prison after murdering a man in cold blood. The only thing that had saved Edward Cullen from the death sentence was his talent for acting, he worked the court room like a Broadway stage. I cleared my throat tearing my eyes away as the copper haired charmer disappeared into the food hall with his gang of followers. I followed the last of the stragglers in the hall my eyes quickly moving to Edward again as he sat at his usual table with the sleeves of his blue shirt rolled up to show his muscular forearms. His entire body was covered in tattoos right from his neck to his toes, I had the pleasure of seeing him every night before lights out and it was an image which I had shared with my friends. I knew that it was wrong to find such an evil man attractive but it didn't hurt if no one else knew, right?
The rest of the day rolled by with barley any issues and we had followed the same old routine as every other day. I wet my lips as I strolled down the hall to take over the watch over the showers. I sighed softly checking my nails as the hot steam floated from the tiled room out into the hall, the condensation beginning to run down the windows.
"Hurry it up, Inmate" I called into the room for the last prisoner to finish off their routine, I glanced inside the sight of a tattooed body catching my eye.
"I love it when you put me in my place" Edward teased in his velvet tone as he stepped out of the room his tousled hair still leaving droplets of water on his muscular neck. I watched him carefully as he draped his damp towel of his shoulder his green eyes almost burning into mine.
"Are you done?" I asked bluntly with an arch of my brow as he leisurely leaned against the door folding his arms over his chest.
"In what sense?" He challenged with a playful smirk as he ran his fingers through his damp hair.
"You know exactly what I mean, Cullen. Back to your cell."
"Alright, alright. I'm going" He snorted starting to stroll down the hall stealing a last glance back at me which made my heart flutter in my chest. "Your hair looks good today by the way. Have a great night" Edward called back to me before heading back to his cell. I had never seen someone so completely in love with themselves in my entire life, I hated to admit but it was rather contagious.
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Wednesday nights were family nights where we would order pizza and play board games. It was a stupid tradition but it was the only time that I escaped from my own thoughts. Tonight felt different, I couldn't get Edward's face out of my mind as I sat back on the couch in my childhood home. I had changed into skinny jeans and a fitted t-shirt with my hair styled into its usual neat style. I watched my parents arguing over the pizza menu with a little smile on my lips, as much as they drove me crazy I loved my parents more than anything. My Father let out a deep sigh of defeat as he threw his hands up in the air, I gave him a little shrug of my shoulders as my Mother gave me a triumphant smile.
"How was work today?" My Dad finally asked while taking a gulp of his beer leaving a little foam on his thick black mustache.
"Good...can I ask you a question? Do you think that people can change who they once were?" I kept my tone casual as I traced my finger tip over the rim of my glass. My mind was soon filled with the image of Edward and his jelly legged smile, the mere thought of him made my stomach flip.
"Do I even want to know why you are asking me this?"
"It's nothing. I was just wondering" I offered him a little smile as I reached over for the copy of US Weekly on the coffee table to busy myself.
"I see the people at the very start of their sentence so I guess I would say no. You can mellow a person but the fire is always there. Adding water to wine doesn't make it something completely different, you are just taking away the bitter taste" He explained in is gruff voice while he flipped through the channels on the TV his dark eyes fixed to the screen.
"I guess you have a point there. I am dealing with a guy who killed a man for standing his sister up for a date...I don't think that it the only person he has killed though"
"Oh? How did he do it? That is also a tell tale sign of a person"
"I don't know...I will make a note to ask him tomorrow night" I laughed softly resting back against the pillows ready for our night of pizza, beer and a lecture from my Mother about my life choices. Every week we had the same conversation regarding my love life, my body clock and when she would get a grandchild to spoil rotten.
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EPOV
Carrying around a reputation was like carrying around a ball and chain. When I was a little boy I never pictured myself laying on a concrete bed with my only source of entertainment being provided by the carvings of inmates past. I always saw myself as a pilot or a race car driver, I never imagined that my face would be all over local news for stabbing a man to death over a drug deal. My only saving grace right now was that blue really was my colour and I enjoyed skittles, the only thing that I had to look forward to now. I also had one other vice which brightened my day, as soon as the clock stuck 07:00am officer Swan would make her entrance onto the floor. We had built a fragile relationship based on our shared love of books and her spiky attitude. She was one of the only people who dared to challenge me and I loved to catch a glimpse of her big brown eyes.
I pushed myself down from the top bunk as the doors began to slide open ready for breakfast, I could already feel my stomach churn at the mere thought of stale bread and rubber eggs served with milk poured fresh from the sweaty carton. I pushed up my sleeves glancing over the balcony seeing the brunette beauty watching the rest of the men filing through the door way. I bit back a smile as her eye caught mine for a lingering second a little smile playing on her lips. Whatever we were doing was completely out of bounds, even the suggestion of flirting would mean I would be marched straight to solitary confinement. I felt a strong hand hit my shoulder as James caught up with me to grab a seat at my table. James was my runner and he was the ears of our group. He knew every single plan, fight and fart of the prisoners here.
"Do you want my banana, Boss?" James asked as we sat down on the hard plastic chairs.
"How many times have I told you not to call me that? Do you want me to be trailed as some kind of gang leader too?" I spat as I took a gulp of the milk the liquid coating my throat with a sensation that I would never get used to. "I'll take the banana as your apology" I shrugged with a little smirk swiping the banana from his tray.
"Sorry, Bo-Ed..." James nodded with a slight smile as he began to spoon the eggs onto the bread with his plastic spoon. I took a bite of the banana as I watched Officer Swan pacing up and down the aisles with a stern look on her face. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander down her body taking in every inch that I could see under her crisp white shirt. I didn't want to think of myself as the type of man who would look at her like a piece of meat but I had been held behind metal bars for seven years, the only woman I had seen in that time was my Mother. I quickly turned my attention back to the group of men that had gathered at my table the chatter in the food hall was unusually quiet. The atmosphere set my teeth on edge, it felt like the calm before the storm. It was the first time in my years here that I was completely clueless about what was going to happen. The only thing I was sure about was that we were going to have to prepare ourselves.
After breakfast I managed to slip away from my group to make my way to the library in the hope that Officer Swan would be posted there for her usual Thursday duties. I ran my hand through my floppy hair as I strolled through the almost silent room letting my hand run over the shelves. I stopped in my tracks seeing her standing towards the back of the library holding a copy of Alice in Wonderland her eyes scanning over the pages. A small smile crept to my lips as I rested back against the shelf folding my arms over my chest while I watched her for a moment. Her eyes slowly raised from the page her hand moving to snap the book closed as her cheeks turned her usual rosy pink.
"Enjoying yourself?" I asked casually as I began to look through the shelves again keeping my body relaxed.
"Yeah...sorry, no one was in here and I love this book" She nodded as she slid the book back onto the shelf with a nervous smile.
"Don't stop on my account. I won't cause any trouble, I promise" I added with a wink as I took a random book from the shelf starting to flip through the pages seeing her fiddling with her hands awkwardly. I wet my lips watching her brush a few stray hairs behind her ear as she watched me carefully for a moment, she seemed to treat me like I was a ticking bomb which would explode at any moment.
"What are you doing in here? Aren't you usually soaking up the sun?" She asked finally as she began to put away a couple of dis-guarded books to busy herself.
"Word on the street is that sun makes you old so I figured I should keep myself looking young and fresh for as long as possible. Who knows who I am going to meet"
"Yeah, you're a lifer so you might just change your mind one day in the showers" I couldn't help but laugh at Officer Swan's comment as she narrowed her eyes playfully with a little laugh.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures. I just figured that I would close my eyes and think of home"
"I have done that a few times, it gets easier" She nodded biting her lower lip again with a shake of her head. "What am I saying? That was totally inappropriate...sorry"
"Office Swan I don't think there is anything you could say that would offend me"
"Bella...my name is Bella" Bella glanced up at me through her lashes as she slid a book back onto the shelf her body almost brushing against mine. I could feel the warm of her body through my thin shirt my hands almost itched as I tried to resist the urge to reach out for her. Rather than going straight in for the kill I extended my hand out to her with the most friendly smile that I could muster.
"Edward, it is a pleasure" I nodded taking her delicate hand in mine our eyes finally meeting. I let my thumb brush over her knuckles as I took a careful step forward the crimson returning to her perfect cheeks again as she backed away leaning against the wooden shelf her breath catching in her throat.
"The pleasure is all mine..." Bella responded in barely a whisper our eyes darting to the door hearing a commotion outside of the library before a group of men stepped inside. I narrowed my eyes pulling away moving to watch them carefully as they gathered around one of the tables. One of the smaller men began to stalk around the carpeted floor of the room on a hunt for the C.O on duty, I quickly grabbed Bella's arm pulling her towards the stock cupboard pushing her inside quickly following her pulling the door closed quietly. It was going to be my only opportunity to find out any kind of information about the storm which was coming, something told me that I would be caught in the middle of their plan. I was on one of the top spots and there was always going to be someone who would try to fight for my stand.
"What are you doing?" Bella whispered leaning up on her tip toes to peer over my shoulder through the little window in the door.
"Quiet...they will hurt you, believe me." I whispered harshly as I slipped my arm over her covering her mouth to restrain any further argument. I rested back against the wall listening to the exchange between the group.
"Tomorrow. We hit them." One of the men announced the rest of the group mumbling their agreement. Bella turned slightly in my arms looking up at me through her thick lashes her hand resting over mine to pull it away from her mouth.
"Fuck.." I mumbled running my hand over my stubble waiting for them to make their exit. The water was finally starting to ripple and my only concern right not was keeping Bella out of it.
Okay, this is something a little different which I have been figuring out. Let me know if you like it pleaaasseeeeeee! :)
DISCLAIMER! I know I am a serial starter but I write fanfic to stop myself from going insane, please be kind haha. Lauren xx