“It doesn’t matter,” Kelton said. “It’s in three days, and I’m worried about your appearance.”
“I’ll borrow some makeup from one of the gumps.”
A crease formed in between Jade’s eyebrows. The woman was in for a treat if she wanted to hear about the gay men in prison. But she didn’t need to hear about any of that. She was too pure and innocent.
“Denim.” Kelton’s voice hardened. “How do you expect to display good behavior when your face looks like you ran into an eighteen-wheeler? Is any of this going on your record? Again, why didn’t you inform me?”
I interlocked my fingers in front of me. “No. The warden gave me a pass. And what could you have done if you knew? Besides, I’m healing. You should’ve seen me two weeks ago.”
Jade fidgeted with her pen.
The butterflies inside my stomach were having a fucking party.
“So she works for you?” I asked Kelton.
Jade narrowed her eyes in my direction. Her ball-squeezing emerald eyes penetrated me as if she were trying to take a peek into my black soul. “I have a name.” Her knuckles were white as her delicate fingers clenched her pen.
I’d always loved when she got feisty. Her cute nose twitched, and for some reason, that drove me insane with wanting to rip off her clothes.
“Since when do you like the law?” I asked Jade. “I thought you wanted to be a teacher?” She’d talked nonstop about teaching elementary school one day.
Kelton opened his leather binder. “We don’t have time for reminiscing. Save that for if you get parole.”
Jade swallowed, her throat working as she poised her pen over paper.
Please write me a love note like you used to do in high school. I’d always gotten off when she slipped me a note in class, particularly when she’d scribbled the words “I want to fuck you.”
Grateful for the barrier of the table, I lowered my cuffed hands to my lap and adjusted my rock-hard cock.
“Dillon will be at your hearing,” Kelton started. “You’re allowed a family member to speak on your behalf. The board will ask you questions like why you think you should be paroled. Do you have living arrangements? How will you manage challenges? What does your future look like? Are you ready to answer those questions?”
After seeing Jade for the first time in years, I was ready to blow this pop stand because, suddenly, I had a newfound goal in mind.Get out. Track down Jade. Rekindle our relationship.
I spoke to my lawyer but still couldn’t take my eyes off the beautiful woman in front of me. “You know, Kelton, Jade and I dated in high school.”
“I’m well aware of that,” he said in a pragmatic tone. “I want to do a dry run with you to see how prepared you are.”
I was sure Dillon had told him about my relationship with Jade since he and Kelton were buds. Or maybe Jade had told him. It didn’t matter. I didn’t want to do a dry run either. I wanted to talk to Jade. I was dying to know if she believed I was guilty of murder. But Kelton was a persistent fuck, and I had to commend him for that. If I didn’t get parole, then I wouldn’t be able to see or talk to Jade.
With my new excitement to get the fuck out of there, I turned my attention to my lawyer.
“Why should you be paroled, Mr. Hart?” Kelton asked.
I cleared my mind as I thought about what I’d finally written down. “Aside from the fact that I’m innocent?”
Kelton pursed his lips. “If you start with that, it will diminish your chances. The parole hearing isn’t a place to retry your case, Denim.”
I pushed my tongue against my bottom teeth. “My first year in prison was challenging. Trying to understand the hierarchy of prison life put me into situations I’m not proud of. I was angry, frustrated, and feeling sorry for myself. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life in prison. In my second year, I picked apart my life prior to prison. I wasn’t a good person. I had no direction. I had no discipline at home. But being inside has taught me I can do better. I want to do better.” The words spilled out freely. The more I fixated on Jade, the more hope I had that I would get out.
Jade’s heart-shaped lips parted. “How can you do better?” She quickly looked at Kelton as though she’d spoken out of turn.
Kelton kept his expression neutral.
“I’ve gotten my associate’s degree, and my plan is to get my four-year business degree. Eventually, I want to start a family.” I had other words on the tip of my tongue like “with you, I could conquer the world.” Or the cheesy line—“you could make me a better man.”
Her hands shook, and she quickly looked away.
“What about your brother Duke?” Kelton asked. “His lifestyle isn’t conducive to an ex-con. He might pose a problem for you, entice you to do things for him that could put you back in prison.”
