𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥'𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭 | 𝟏𝟖+

27

I've been stuck in this concrete shithole for about a day and a half now and there's no sign of Damien or anyone else coming to bust me out of here. I'll just wait out my court date and whatever the system wants to throw at me.

"Jessop! Pack up!"

My head whips up at that, eyes going wide. I quickly scramble to grab my toiletries bag and my sad little mat, to head out of the unlocked cell.

The CO marches me towards the front door of the pod. "Uh, excuse me?" I call out. "Where am I going?"

The CO whirls on me with an irritated look. "Your bail got posted, then your charges were dropped. So congrats, you just got your freedom back."

It takes a second for that to really click. Damien really came through for me? Relief washes over me - the sooner I can get out of this place, the sooner I can go find Penny.

I'm taken through a few more security checkpoints to some area where I'm told to hand over my mat and sandals.

After what seems like forever, a gruff looking woman finally shoves a clear plastic bag with my phone and clothes inside, into my hands.

"Get changed."

I hurry to slip out of the scratchy orange jumpsuit, yanking my old clothes back on as fast as possible. My phone is probably dead now.

Once I'm dressed, they march me out the heavy front doors of the jail and just...leave me there on the steps. I blink, looking around the sun-baked parking lot for any sign of Damien or one of his guys waiting to scoop me up.

But...there's no one.

Frowning, I make my way towards the curb, every step sending pain up my bare feet from the hot pavement. Once I make it into some shade, I just sit on the curb with a huff.

Did...did Damien actually post my bail, only to ditch me here as some kind of punishment? He probably just expects me to find my own way back to him from here.

With a sigh, I push myself up off the curb and start walking. My feet are going to be one blistered mess by the time I make it back to Damien's mansion, which is much closer than Rome's place.

Each shuffle forward feels like stepping on coals, the rough asphalt tearing at my soft soles. The sun is beating down on me and I already feel sweat dripping down my forehead. But I keep putting one bare foot in front of the other.

I could have easily gone back in there and used a phone to call him, but I want to punish myself for what I did to Penny.

This pain - it's nothing compared to what Penny must be enduring right now. My baby girl is trapped alone with that bastard and is probably scared out of her mind.

I can't wait to kill him.

It takes over an hour and a half before I finally spot the soaring edge of Damien's mansion in the distance.

Not even hesitating, I redirect my path off the main road and straight towards the heavy iron gate. When I finally stagger up the long driveway to Damien's front door, I'm exhausted - caked in sweat, my feet on fire.

I let myself inside and strip off my sweat-drenched clothes right there in the foyer, not giving a single fuck about decency anymore. I make my way deeper into the house and plug my phone in to let the battery start to charge, then pause - debating whether to shower first or just wait it out.

But the smell of jail and sweat is already making me nauseous. Decision made, I walk off towards the master bathroom, I turn the water up as hot as I can stand it.