Detain the Beast

Chapter Six

"How long have you been planning?" My voice is a mere whisper, too scared to rise above the silence of our cell.

"Since I got here."

"Why do you want to take me with you? I thought you hated me."

"Don't question me, Belle, or I will reconsider."

"Uh, okay... When do you plan to carry this out?" I can't help but squeak causing his large hand to envelop the lower half of my face.

"You're too loud." He hisses but I can only notice how close his face is to mine. I think he starts to notice too because his thumb begins to caress slow lines across my cheekbone and I hold my breath. Before I can lean into his touch, his hand is gone, clenched at his side.

"I've never been to the exit, so I don't know how many guards I'll need to take down. The element of surprise will not be in our favour."

"Uh... take down?"

"Knock unconscious, yes."

"Oh good, I thought you were hinting that you'd kill them-"

"If it comes to that, then yes I will."

My eyes widen and I gulp a little too loud for my liking. "Augustus... you- you can't-"

He suddenly leans towards me, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "I'm kidding." He whispers.

My face reddens and I'm stumbling for a reply.

"I'm not sure how, but I need to figure out how many guards there are by the exit at any given time."

"I'll ask Davidson!" I try to whisper but it definitely came out louder than both of us wanted. He cups my mouth, again, rolling his eyes.

"F*ck sake, shut up!"

"I'll ask Davidson," I repeat, softer this time.

"And why would he tell you?" His right brow rises and I take a second to realise how beautiful it is.

"I am persuasive."

"Are you?"

"Well... yeah." I huff, pulling his hand from where it's rested on my shoulder.

"How? Using what? Your looks?"

I'm pretty sure he's paid me a compliment but I ignore it, continuing to fill our silence with my argument. "I'll just bring it up in conversation, casually."

"How could it possibly be casual?" For some reason, he's settled into a huff, leaning against the headrest with his arms across his chest.

"Just you watch."

As morning breaches the glass of our small window, I listen to Davidson set up his post. I climb off the edge of my bed and make my way to the door, both hands on either side of the window, waiting for Davidson to answer my knock.

Augustus, oddly, follows promptly, leaning against the door- just out of sight but almost pressed into me. Before I can question him, Davidson slides open the window and nods, signifying his keen ear.

"Augustus doesn't want to talk and I got bored." I threw on an almost flirtatious smirk, leaning my chin against my hand.

Fingers travel from the top of my ribcage to either side of my hips, squeezing gently and surprising me so much, I gulp too much air.

But I can't look at Augustus, because Davidson would instantly grow suspicious.

"Well... you look very good for a girl cooped up in a cell." I'm instantly shocked because he seems to be flirting with me. Augustus' grip tightens.

"That's a lie." I chuckle. "Do you just stand here all day then, making sure we don't run away?" Change of subject.

"Yes."

"Surely that becomes boring."

"Pays well."

"Enough to endure my endless chatter?" I almost strangle on my words because Augustus' hands have traveled under my top, tracing warm circles across the frenzied skin.

Davidson's lips lift. "I don't need to be paid for that." My skin is on fire.

"Nice to know." I pause, pushing his hands away. The distraction was muffling my thought process. "How many guards work here then? You don't take shifts?"

"I'm not sure how many guards there are all together- a lot. My job is to stand outside of your specific cell, but Robert takes the night shift."

I notice, subtly, his array of guns; strapped securely to his vest and belt. "One guard per cell?"

"Yep."

Augustus replaced his hands on my hips, his fingers dangerously close to the top of my pants.

"Is one guard good enough to stop an escapee though? I wouldn't think so." I murmur, hands constantly trying to rid Augustus' wandering fingers.

"You underestimate us, Belle." He's smiling now. It's kind of off-putting. "But there are always many heavily armed guards at the main exits."

"What? Like two?" I tease, but Augustus is frozen because even he knows that I'm reaching the valuable information.

"Six in the morning, eight in the afternoon, evening and night."

He just spilled everything. All the information Augustus needed to escape, he had. I don't think he was breathing beside me.

"That's specific."

"It's how things have always been done."

Augustus lifts his hand to shut the divider, but I grab him before he can reach, pressing his arm to my side.

"Looks like Augustus is finished on the toilet. I'd better go before he closes this on you." I smile, wave, then shut it.

We stand in silence for a good minute before the male next to me leans over to pat my head.

I repeat; pat. My. Head.

He says nothing, returning to his bed, reaching for his book and frantically scribbling the new information. "Yeah. You're welcome." I whisper, huffing to my own bed.

He looks up and meets my eye, raising an eyebrow. Then returns his gaze to the book.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's probably two in the morning and my body is being shaken gently. Groggily, I open my eyes to meet Augustus'.

He's above me, his forearms on with either side of my head, almost as if he's cradling me.

"What the-"

"Thank you; you were brilliant." He whispers before I can finish. And before I can even let out another breath, he plants a kiss just above my brow and returns to his bed.

show me some love??