Burn (Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

SILENCE. NO ONE says a word. Not even the other prisoners near us, who's eyes I can feel staring down at me, pinning me to my spot where I stand. I fidget awkwardly on my feet, fiddling with the watch on my wrist, chewing on my lower lip, waiting for someone to say something. Anything. John stands there. That's all he does: stands there. He stands stiff, his shoulders tensed, his eyes widen and jaw clenched tight. I notice his hands curl at his sides as he narrows his eyes at Andre, a small scowl forming on his face. I take a step back a little as the two have a stare down. Andre still has his arms folded over his chest, his eyebrow quirked up challengingly, that stupid teasing smirk still on his face. He looks at John expectantly.

 "Andre," John hisses through clenched teeth. 

 "Hello, Laurens," Andre says again. John marches up towards the bars closer so his face is nearly pressing against them, gripping the metal bars with his clenched fists. 

 "What the bloody hell are you doing here?!" John snaps, his voice going scarily dark that I had to flinch. 

 Andre shrugs. "Like Alexander said, he had some help."

 John's curls his fingers around the bars tighter. John seethes. "I swear, if you laid your fucking hands on him, I swear, I won't hesitate to penetrate your body with bullets."

 Andre simply tosses his hands. John whips his head towards me, his eyes burning and his hands quake from anger. 

 "What's he doing here?" John chirps. I glance down towards the floor. "Alexander, what the hell is he doing here?" 

 I let out a shaky breath as I try to come up with words. But my mind is empty, blank. I press my lips together and look up sharply at John.

 "I needed his help, John," I say. "I had no other choice!"

 "This is bullshit!" John hisses, slamming his fist against the bars. I flinch. "Out of all people...you...you couldn't just bring Ben?! Or Kidder?! Or Tench, or hell, or even Lafayette!" 

 "Lafayette's in France," I mutter, guilt suddenly squeezing my chest now as I fold my arms over my chest. "He flew back for college a few months ago." 

 John ignores this.

 "Seriously, Alexander!" John groans, slapping his forehead and inching his way away from the metal bars, pacing back and forth, tugging at his honey-blonde hair, his eyes blown wide with disbelief and anger. "Of all people! You just had to go with the one who tried to...who tried to...who tried to..." He swallows hard, grimacing at the memory. I grimace too.

 "It was the only I could get in!" I protest, gripping the bars with both of my hands, my face nearly pressed against them. "I had no other choice! Ben offered to go with me but Andre told me the Royal Navy knew the name Andre and I couldn't risk it! They would have killed Tallmadge and I on the spot if I had gone with Tallmadge! I had no choice, John!"

 John heaves a long breath, running a hand through his honey-blonde hair as he places his other hand on his hip. He lets his hand slide down his face, letting his skin drag along with it. He tries to control his anger before marching back up to us, gripping the bars with his hand. He tilts his head as he glares down at me, a glare I never want to see again. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck spike up. 

 "Did he touch you?" John snaps, his voice quiet yet sharp. I don't say anything. I clench my jaw as I wrap my arms around my small, girlish frame, ducking my chin down towards my chest which squeezes with guilt as I think about the kiss Andre and I shared. John raises an eyebrow. "Hm? Did he touch you?"