TWISTED DESIRES

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

CELESTE

The heavy metal door creaked open, revealing a long, gray corridor with steel bars on either side. The walls were cold and bare, except for a few security cameras that monitored the prison's every move. The air was thick with the smell of bleach and sweat. I walked in; my heels clicked loudly against the floor as I walked past a row of cells. Each one was occupied by a man in a faded orange jumpsuit. The men stared at me as I passed, their eyes full of anger, sadness, and lust. I tried to avoid their gaze, but I couldn't help but wonder what they had done to end up here. At the end of the corridor, I came to a heavy metal door. A guard stood outside, his face emotionless.

Despite working here for two years, I never cared to get to know the guards personally.

I showed him my ID, and he buzzed me in.

"Inmate 0611 is ready to see you."

"Thank you," I forced a smile and walked past him.

I came to my office door and pushed it open. I hated that my office was inside the prison. I asked my boss multiple times if I could have it moved, but he told me no. He said it took too much time to move the inmates in and out of the prison. On top of that, it was too risky. Being here made me feel as if I was locked up, but I tried to make the best of it. My office was small, but there was just enough space for my desk, chair, two small sofas, and a few plants. The walls were sky blue, and the carpet was a deep grey. The room was dimly lit, but I could still see the man sitting on the sofa.

He was covered in ink from his neck to his chest. His orange jumpsuit was hanging open, allowing me to see his muscular body. His eyes held a reckless glint; I knew he had seen the darkest corners of the world and emerged unscathed. He had wavy black hair and a strong jawline. His eyes were a deep brown. His presence commanded attention without him having to say a word. His piercing gaze seemed to penetrate through me, sending shivers down my spine.

Who was he? I've met many inmates here, but none of them compared to him.

I cleared my throat, "sorry I'm late." I walked over to the window quickly and pulled the curtains open, and the room flooded with light. The window frame threw sharp shadows across the floor, and I could see the tiny motes of dust dancing in the air. Outside, the world was coming to life. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the birds sang in the distance.

"It was too dark in here." I smiled, taking a seat at my desk.

Without saying anything to me, he stood up, lit a cigarette, and leaned against the wall. He took a long drag, enjoying the taste of the smoke as it filled his lungs. He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl into the air. I hated the smell of cigarettes, but most of the inmates smoked.

I took a deep breath, "You're inmate 0611." I said, grabbing his file.

"I have a name."

I looked up when I heard him speak. His voice was deep and mysterious. He had a hint of an accent.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I pulled open the folder and searched for his name. "Bane, right? You're Bane Romano."

He took another hit of his cigarette, staring at me carefully. He exhaled and raised an eyebrow. "You are?"

"My name is Celeste Dawson. I'm here to."

"I know why you're here." He interrupted me.

I forced a smile, "Good. So, we can skip the introductions and get right into it. You'll spend three weeks with me. That's when your next court date is. I'll be the decision maker on whether you stay here or you go free. So, make it easy for me by being honest. I don't want to waste your time or mine."