Hellbound

Chapter ThirtySeven

"I saw your sister todayl I voice hushly as I lay on my side facing Hex; my finger traces his eyebrow as he lies with his eyes closed. Our skin touches as we lay chest to chest, our legs intertwined.

"Hmm" he hums in his throat.

"Nobody told her you couldn't have visitor's so she showed up" I explain as I wrap his hair around my pointer finger. "I told her everything that happened, I hope you don't mind" I worry for a second, thinking I had over stepped.

"I'm glad it was you that told her" his voice rumbles as our nose's brush each other. I smile as I push his hair back off his forehead.

My smile drops as I take a second before telling him what Harley had told me.

"Hex" he opens his eyes, hearing the drop in my tone "she said your mum's not doing well" I whisper. His face remains stoic as he rolls onto his back and brings his hand to his face, rubbing his forehead harshly in what appears to be frustration.

He releases a deep breath. I stay silent, leaving him to tell me what he wants, when he wants.

"Fucking hell" he grunts "she has dementia, has for a while" he mumbles out. Dementia? That would explain the lack of visits from her and no recent photos on his wall. My eyes wander up to the photos and only see older photos of her.

"Im sorry, Hex" I say quietly as my hand runs down his bare chest.

"It's fine, had a while to accept it" he says as he continues lying on his back. My eyes find the swirl of his tattoos on his neck, watching as they intertwine before making a rose that lies under his right ear. The dozen or so roses tattooed on his body show the respect he holds for his mother's last name.

The buzz of my radio startles me and makes me jump slightly.

"Poppy Hart" is called through the radio, Reg's voice strong and confident. I scamper up from the bed, butt naked and find my pants while lifting the radio to my mouth.

"Speaking" I watch as Hex's eyes glue themselves to my body, running up and down as I anxiously wait for Reg to radio back.

"You're needed in Tower One" he says. I say nothing back as I start to dress right away. My nerves pick up, the only time I'm ever called into Tower One is when bad news is being delivered or I'm delivering bad news.

"Think it's about me?" Hex asks. I glance up as I pull on my shorts and buckle them.

"I don't know" I say back but honestly I don't know what else I'd be called in for if it doesn't somehow involve Hex. "I'll see you soon" I say as I make my way over to him while fixing my shirt collar, pressing a kiss to his lips. He grabs the back of my neck as I pull back and pulls me in for another, harsher kiss.

"Bye baby" he says and releases me. I leave Hex's cell in an almost dreamy state but it quickly subsides when I scan my keycard and open the door to the Rec Room.

Everything appears to be normal; it calms me but only a little. Inmate's are in the Rec Room and guard's walk around as they do their rounds. I glance up at the windows on Tower Three wondering if Colin and Josie can see me but the tinted glass doesn't allow for me to see them.

My feet stomp up the steps and I push open the door. It's empty except for Reg and two other guard's that sit at computers. The lack of people surprises me; this tower is usually the busiest.

"Reg".

"Ah Poppy, right through here" Reg directs me back into the room that I gave my statement in just over a week ago.

Instead of sitting across from each other, Reg collects papers that had been centered on the table. This seems serious. Had Aaron passed in the hospital? My breath catches in my throat as I gulp down the lump.

"Alright, so" he clears his throat "the judge got back to me. Hex Rose, 11am Thursday morning is his disciplinary hearing date" he looks up at me after he reads off the papers, I nod stiffly. "Here you can have this, just make sure he's there on time. If you have any questions just come find me" he finalises to which I nod again.

"What's Briggs condition?"I ask almost unwillingly but I have to know what Hex is up against.

"Last update I received was that he's stable but no idea if he'll wake up" Reg says. He turns and walks out the door as I draw a shaky breath in. Relief that Aaron hadn't died floods me but we're not out of the danger zone yet. He still had to wake up and if he doesn't? Then Hex gets a murder charge against his name.

"Thanks Reg" I say as I exit the tower and hurry my way to Tower Three.

"What was that about?" Josie asks as soon as I walk in, I knew she had been watching. I say nothing as I plop the papers down in front of her and take a seat as I watch over the Rec Room. My leg starts to subconsciously jump, my nerves for the hearing getting the best of me. Josie speed reads over the papers before responding. "Oh shit" she drawls out "well, at least it's only for assault".

"So far" I mutter as I take the papers back "Aaron hasn't woken up yet" I breathe and run a shaky hand through my hair.

I got to go home early today, there was nothing left to do and one of the night shift guard's showed up early so I was let go an hour before I was meant to finish. Josie fake cried to me when she found out she couldn't leave at the same time, instead having to wait another hour.

I didn't get the chance to see Hex again today. I did get note that Reg had informed him about his hearing, I wonder if he was relieved to finally have a date or if it made him nervous. I doubt it, nothing makes Hex nervous.

"See you tomorrow!" the lady at the window says to me as I wave back.

It's still light outside when the doors open, a cool breeze feeling like a breath of fresh air after being in Hellbound's heat all day.

My eyes take a second to adjust as the sun blinds me but when they do the familiar figure dressed in black can be seen walking towards my car.

"Hey!" I shout over the car park as I start running in his direction. He turns and looks my way but he's too far for me to see any facial features and then he turns and runs away "West!" he's gone from sight in seconds as I slow to a jog.

"You alright, Miss?"I jump when the security guard in his patrol car pulls up besides me.

"Yeah, I'm okay" I huff and puff trying to catch my breath, never in my life have I been athletic "would you mind keeping a close eye on my car?" I ask as I point in the car's direction. He follows my pointer finger and nods.

"Are you certain everything's okay?" he double checks.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Thank you" I give him a tight, closed lipped smile as I continue on to my car. I do a circle around my car but see no new damage done to it. I breathe a sigh of relief; I must've caught him before he could do anything.

"Mum? Dad?" I call through the house as I walk in the front door. They individually call back an answer from different sides of the house.

"Hey, have you heard anything from West lately?" I ask mum as I round the corner into the living room. She turns the vacuum off to hear me before shaking her head.

"No, haven't heard anything. Did you reconcile?" she asks, the small spark of hope in her eyes angers me. She knows how he's treated me and continues to hold out hope that there's more for West and I. Would she be this happy for Hex and I?

"No, mum" I mutter as I roll my eyes and leave the room.

"Sorry honey, had to ask!" she calls after me as I hear the vacuum turn back on.

I can hear dad in the garage as the music plays.

"Dad?" I call over the music; he spots me and turns it down to a low hum. "Have you heard anything from West?"

He shakes his head "no, you should go check on him, see how he's doing" he suggests. I say nothing back as I close the garage door.