The Prison Project Novel

Chapter 76 - Not A Monster Margot's POV The silence beyond the bathroom door was eerie . Suffocating to stand . Only the sound of my own sobs filled the space , each one weaker than the last until they were just quiet hiccups of breath after a while . I didn't know how long I had been crouched on the cold tile floor , knees tucked against my chest , palms pressed to my stinging face , as my mind raced to understand the panic attack I had unwillingly endured ... Then I heard him press against the door ... " Bella ... " The voice was softer than I'd ever heard it .

Not gentle , not exactly , but ... softer than usual , it was hard to explain . Like he was struggling to say the right thing . Like he was at least trying at it . " Come on , Bella . It's going to be fine . I'm not mad . We'll talk it out , alright ? " The words that met my ears didn't match the same man that I'd learned this entire time to fear . That same man was the one who barked orders . Snapped and shoved and glared at me for hours on end . But this one actually sounded like he cared . Like he didn't know what the hell to do with me crying in a locked room .

Like he almost didn't like it one single bit ... " I get it now , " he went on , his voice still quiet but rougher with something else - was it nerves , maybe ? " You've never done anything like this before , right ? So I just moved on you a little too fast . I shouldn't have ... " A pause . " Just come out , I won't bite . " I sat frozen on the floor , clinging to tissue , my hands shaking as I blew my nose and tossed the crumpled wad aside . I forced myself up , legs trembling beneath me , and made it to the sink .

I twisted the faucet on , cupping cold water into my palms and splashing it across my face , again and again until the sting numbed and the heat faded from my bruised and flushed cheeks . I lifted my gaze to the mirror . What I saw made my stomach hurt . Red , swollen eyes . Blotchy skin . My decorative bruise along the side of my cheek that had faded to 1/5 3:33 pm PSDD . Chapter 76 - Not A Monster something sickly yellow and orange . My bottom lip looked like it had been chewed on for hours too , reminding me of the second passionate kiss I had just shared with a dangerous criminal .

But worst of all ... I looked completely helpless . Broken . Like the kind of girl who would fall for the first man to show her affection inside of a cage . I wanted to believe this wasn't what it looked like . That I wasn't just some pathetic project girl who'd already given her heart to a criminal . But the truth ? The truth stared back at me through the mirror . I was in too deep already with no way out . " Just come out , let's talk , " Coban called again . Still softer ... but pitched higher now , like his patience was beginning to run thin . There was only so much he would try ...

But I still didn't answer . Didn't trust my voice to speak back to him . " Bella ?! " The bang on the door shot through the silence like a bullet , and I jumped violently , heart crashing against my ribs like it was trying to escape me altogether . It was as though he had just woken me up , although I had heard him this entire time ... I hesitated . My hand hovered near the lock , trembling . What was I doing ? Would he stick to his word , or was he willing me to come out to yell at me for how I had acted ? I was afraid of how unpredictable he was .

But I was more afraid of how I felt for him . Afraid of everything he had started between us . And yet , somehow ... my fingers reached forward as I twisted the lock . 2/5 3:33 pm PDD- Chapter 76 - Not A Monster Click ! Before I could even back away , the door was thrown open . Fast . Hard . Coban stood there , shirtless still , breathing like he'd just sprinted a mile . But his face was what got me ... His face stopped me cold . There was stress there . Concern . Real concern . Like I had just scared him ? " What the fuck happened ?

" he breathed , looking me over like I was some fragile piece of glass he'd accidentally shattered . His eyes locked on my tear - streaked face , then traveled down to my arms , my vest , the faint bruise on my cheek . I didn't know what to say . My mouth opened . Then closed . Then opened again . But before I could speak , my bottom lip trembled . And that was all it took . He pulled me in to him , hard and fast , as his arms wrapped around me like a net catching something free- falling . He didn't touch anywhere inappropriate . Didn't take another kiss from me .

He just held me securely this time . Like I was something worth holding to him . " It's going to be alright , " he murmured , his voice muffled against my temple as he rocked me slowly . " Just calm down , will you ? Just ... fucking breathe . I'm not a monster . " He stated in a whisper , as my heart clenched at the last part . I knew he wasn't a complete monster and yet , I had made him think that's what the problem was here ... I desperately wanted to tell him that it was me , and not him ... I'm the one that couldn't handle my own feelings ...

3/5 Chapter 76 - Not A Monster But I grew distracted again as his large hand rubbed slow , wide circles over my back . Up and down . Reassuring . And I didn't want to pull away . I couldn't . It was the comfort I didn't want to need . From the last person I should be craving it from . But I clung to him anyway . After a while , he exhaled a long breath and whispered , " Come on . Let's lay down . No more funny business today , alright ?

" I nodded , feeling him lead me gently back toward the bed like he wasn't the same man who'd just had his mouth on my chest , his hands exploring my body like it belonged to him . But he didn't push it again . He just climbed in beside me , tugged the thin blanket up over us both , and let me curl up against him as though the past hour had never even happened . As though he understood me . His body radiated warmth , his arm wrapped loosely around my waist , his chin settling near the top of my head . My eyes fluttered shut , though I wasn't tired . Not really . Time didn't exist anymore .

Not in this cell . Not in this place . Not in this confusing , breathless limbo I'd somehow fallen into with him . He didn't speak again . Neither did I. We just laid there , wrapped in heat and silence , while my mind screamed louder than it had all week . This wasn't right . None of this was right . But when his fingers drifted to tangle lazily in my hair , and his breath slowed to something steadier ... I 4/5 3:33 pm P DD Chapter 76 Not A Monster - allowed myself to believe , just for a moment , that maybe he wasn't just in this to use me . Maybe he really did want me . Not as a pawn .

Not as a thing to conquer . But me . Chapter Comments 6 Write Comments