joelle | d.m

12 | early release

October, 1994.

Joey cautiously read the contents.

Dear Joelle,

I see you've been ignoring my letters. I don't blame you. The first two I'd sent were a little hostile, I admit. But this one, I will keep it short and simple.  One million pounds by the end of May, which happens to be the month of my release. I get to leave on good behaviour. Isn't that nice?

Anyway, one million pounds and we ever see each other again. The past will stay in the past. It's the least you could do. I'll keep in touch with you since I'm allowed to send letters now.

xoxo,
Angel

The feeling that washed over Joey was like having a large bucket of ice-cold water dumped onto you, drenching and paralyzing and so fucking cold. Except she wasn't gasping or panting breathlessly. Her breath had been held the second she'd opened the letter and her body was as still as a rock.

She couldn't move for a few long moments.

Her release. Early release. Good behaviour. One million pounds.

When Joey exhaled the pent-up breath, the sensation of dizziness overcame her mind.

All the blood was rushing to her head and she felt like she'd honestly pass out. It was causing black spots to dance in her vision. The amount of tension her body held in was ghastly. Her mouth was dry, unable to salivate or swallow.

The words written on the letter she clasped in trembling fingers were beginning to blur. The words swam through her bleary vision, shapes and lines.

She hadn't opened the first two letters, but now, she really didn't want to. The only reason she opened this letter was because three letters from the same person—something had to be told and known, right?

So Joey opened it to see what it was about. Now, she knew that she knew.

Angel knew, and she was getting released in less than eight months on good fucking behaviour.

This had been Joey's only fear for over six years.

Her only fear had come to life.

_____

Draco thrust into her a few more times and she finished with a moan.

He allowed himself to finish with a thunderous groan into her neck. His thrust slowed, remaining deep to ride out their highs.

At last, he pulled out and dropped onto his king-size bed next to her. Heaving heavily, he snapped off the condom and tossed it into the bin next to his bed. He drew the blankets up to cover their hips and below.

Astoria was his current fuck-buddy. He had switched from different girls for every hookup to one fuck-buddy instead. It was easier.

The meaningless sex with Astoria had only started up recently when Joey started to act like he didn't exist—so a few days ago. For a good month and a half, he didn't fuck anyone because he'd been preoccupied with Joey.

"Draco," Astoria called through her breathlessness.

"Hm?" He turned his head to look at her, running his tongue across his lips.

"What happened to Honrada?" Her question caught him off guard.

"What?" He rallied himself and hauled up into a sitting position against the propped pillows behind him.

"You helped her at the Halloween party, right?" She sat up too, inclining against the pillows.

"I did," he slowly said, bemused.