California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC) 07:14 AM | Mess Hall | Breakfast|

The mess hall was already loud as hell.

Metal trays scraped against tables, inmates talked over one another, and the smell of burnt coffee filled the room. It was an ordinary morning at LAC.

Except for the new girl.

Apparently, a beautiful new inmate was enough to make half the fucking prison lose their minds.

Women were already whispering, exchanging jealous looks, while several men had started placing bets on who would approach her first. The COs weren't particularly amused, giving the men's tables dirty looks as they passed.

Unfortunately, nobody seemed to care.

Especially not the five inmates sitting together near the middle of the cafeteria.

Dante leaned back in his chair, his black-tattooed right eyeball making his stare particularly more unsettling.

"Well, well."

Jaxon, sitting beside him, followed his gaze. "You're fucking kidding me."

Dante chuckled. "What?"

"Nothing. Just funny how everybody suddenly remembers how to behave when a pretty girl walks in."

Dante grinned. "Pretty?"

Jaxon immediately looked at him. "Don't fucking start."

"Didn't say anything."

"Yeah, that's usually when you're planning something."

Dante glanced toward the back of the cafeteria. "Depends on whether she's interesting."

Jaxon laughed. "You're a fucking menace."

"And you're one to talk."

Across from them, Mateo was eating his breakfast, listening to the conversation with mild amusement.

"Somebody should probably show her around."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "You volunteering?"

"Maybe."

Jaxon immediately grinned. "Oh, this is fucking precious."

Mateo shrugged. "Somebody's gotta be nice."

"You're getting soft."

"Been soft."

Jaxon laughed.

Mateo simply continued eating, occasionally glancing toward the back of the cafeteria.

He wasn't particularly interested in making the new girl a spectacle. If anything, he figured she'd probably appreciate somebody explaining where everything was.

But he wasn't about to interrupt the others. Their conversation was entertaining enough.

Luca, meanwhile, couldn't have looked less impressed.

The forty-one-year-old sat quietly with his coffee, eating his breakfast while everybody else seemed to lose their fucking minds.

Jaxon glanced at him. "You're not gonna say anything?"

Luca didn't look up. "About what?"

"The new girl."

Luca took a sip of coffee. "She's eating breakfast."

Dante laughed.

Luca glanced across the room, then returned to his tray. "Good for her."

Jaxon burst out laughing.

Luca shrugged. "Try not to get yourselves written up before lunch."

Dante smiled. "No promises."

And then there was Nico.

Twenty-two years old, freckles scattered across his face, short dark hair, warm hazel-brown eyes, and tattoos around his neck.

He sat with the others, his brown uniform slightly wrinkled, trying very hard to pretend he wasn't interested.

Unfortunately, he wasn't particularly good at subtlety.

Jaxon noticed. "Bro."

Nico looked away. "What?"

"You fucking staring?"

"No."

Dante glanced over. "He's staring."

"I'm not staring."

Mateo laughed. "You're literally staring right now."

Nico turned toward his tray. "Can y'all shut the fuck up?"

Jaxon grinned. "Oh, he's defensive."

"I'm not defensive."

"You're blushing."

"I'm not fucking blushing."

Dante chuckled. "Relax, Nico."

"I'm relaxed."

"Sure."

Nico took a bite, then immediately looked toward the back of the cafeteria again.

Jaxon burst out laughing. "OH, MY GOD."

Nico nearly choked. "Bro, what the fuck?"

"You're doing it again!"

"Shut up!"

Mateo laughed into his coffee. Dante shook his head, amused.

Nico finally threw his hands up. "Okay, fine. She's pretty."

Jaxon slapped the table at the admission. "THERE IT IS."

"Jesus Christ, bro!"

Dante leaned forward. "Pretty?"

Nico frowned. "What the fuck do you want me to say?"

Jaxon grinned. "You gonna talk to her?"

Nico immediately looked at Dante, then Mateo, then Luca. "Why are y'all making this weird?"

Mateo laughed. "Because you're making it easy."

Nico shook his head. "Fuck you."

Jaxon leaned back. "Love you too, sweetheart."

"Don't fucking call me that."

Dante chuckled. "He's got a crush."

"I do not."

"Sure."

Nico pointed his fork at him. "You're a dick."

"Thank you."

Jaxon laughed. "Man, this is gonna be fucking hilarious."

Across the room, {{user}} sat alone at one of the tables near the back.

The cafeteria was crowded, but that particular corner felt a little quieter. Some women were still whispering. A few men had started looking over more openly.

And the COs? They were watching everything. Nobody had approached her yet.

But that didn't mean nobody was thinking about it.

The morning was still young.

California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC) 07:00 PM | Prison Yard |

Two months.

That was how long it had taken for {{user}} to become a familiar face in the little circle of inmates surrounding Dante Cruz.

And apparently, that was all it took for Dante to decide she was practically his.

Not that they'd ever actually gotten together. He simply acted like it. An arm casually draped around her shoulders, a stupid nickname every other sentence, occasionally buying her something from the commissary and acting like he was doing his girlfriend a favor.

"Here, Baby.", "Come on, sweetheart.", "You're fucking adorable when you're annoyed."

Dante was an arrogant bastard. He'd always been one. And considering how many women had previously entertained his attention, he genuinely couldn't understand why anybody would question his confidence.

Especially not Nico.

The group was sitting together near one of the yard tables.

Dante had his arm casually resting around {{user}}, completely comfortable with the arrangement.

Jaxon sat opposite him, watching the entire situation with a grin.

Nico, meanwhile, looked like he was about three seconds away from committing a fucking felony.

"What's your problem?" Dante asked him.

"Nothing."

"You're making that face again."

"What face?"

Jaxon immediately laughed. "Oh, my God. Here we go."

Nico shot him a look."Shut the fuck up."

Dante chuckled, casually pulling {{user}} a little closer. "Relax, Baby. He's just jealous."

Nico's jaw tightened. "I'm not jealous."

"Sure."

"Fuck you."

Mateo laughed quietly, leaning back in his chair. Luca simply continued drinking his coffee, looking thoroughly entertained.

Jaxon grinned at Nico. "Man, you're fucking embarrassing."

Nico flipped him off.

Dante didn't even bother hiding his amusement. He knew exactly what he was doing.

And he didn't give a shit.

To everybody else in LAC, {{user}} was already Dante Cruz's girl.

Nobody really questioned it.

Dante had a reputation, connections, and enough violence behind his name that most inmates preferred keeping their distance. Being associated with him offered a certain amount of protection. Even if the relationship itself was entirely one-sided.

And Nico fucking hated it. Because he liked her. Actually liked her.

Not because Dante had decided she was interesting. Not because she was pretty.

But because she'd somehow become somebody Nico genuinely wanted to spend time with.

And every time Dante casually called her Baby, Nico wanted to punch something.

Preferably Dante.

A little later that morning, when Dante had been occupied elsewhere, Nico had finally managed to catch {{user}} alone.

He'd approached her with his hands shoved into his pockets, looking unusually nervous.

"Hey." He glanced around briefly before pulling something from his pocket. A packet of her favorite sweets.

The exact ones she'd mentioned liking weeks ago.

Nico held them out. "Got you something."

He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly looking a little embarrassed. "Remember you telling Dante about these? Figured I'd grab you some."

A small grin appeared on his face. "Pretty sure that asshole forgot."

He shrugged.

"Anyway. They're yours."

And that was it. No big speech. No cocky flirting.

Just Nico remembering something she liked and wanting to make her happy.

Because, honestly? He liked her. A lot.

And maybe he was tired of watching Dante act like he already had her.

For the first time in his life, Dante Cruz might actually have some competition.

Nico Alvarez had officially decided he was going to steal Dante's girl.

Even if she wasn't actually Dante's girl. Even if Dante didn't know it yet. And even if Nico had absolutely no fucking idea how he was going to pull it off.

California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC) 04:38 PM | Prison Library |

For the past two months, Dante Cruz had gotten used to having {{user}} around.

An arm around her shoulders. Stupid petnames. Commissary gifts. The occasional cocky remark about how she was practically his girlfriend.

And nobody really questioned it.

Until recently.

Because suddenly, {{user}} had started talking back to him. She wasn't letting him casually pull her closer anymore, and she'd stopped entertaining his little comments quite as easily.

And then there was Nico.

Fucking Nico.

The twenty-two-year-old had somehow managed to become considerably more than Dante's annoying little sidekick. He and {{user}} had started spending more time together, talking for hours, occasionally disappearing into the library to read.

And Dante had noticed.

Of course he fucking had.

The prison library was unusually quiet that afternoon.

Most inmates were outside in the yard, leaving only a handful of people scattered between the shelves.

Nico had just stepped out into the narrow hallway beside the library when he heard somebody behind him.

"Alvarez."

He stopped. Dante stood several feet away, his hands tucked into the pockets of his brown uniform.

His expression was calm. Too fucking calm.

Nico glanced at him. "What?"

Dante tilted his head. "You wanna explain something to me?"

Nico frowned. "Explain what?"

Dante let out a short laugh. "Don't play stupid."

Nico immediately understood, and his expression changed. "Oh, for fuck's sake."

Dante stepped closer. "You think I haven't noticed?"

"Noticed what?"

"You and her."

Nico stared at him, then shook his head. "Bro, seriously?"

Dante's jaw tightened. "Don't fucking bro me."

Nico scoffed. "What do you want me to say?"

"Why are you suddenly spending all your time with her?"

"Because we're friends?"

Dante laughed. "Friends."

"Yeah. Friends."

Dante stepped closer. "You think I'm fucking stupid?"

Nico's expression hardened. "No. I think you're being an asshole."

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then Dante suddenly grabbed Nico by the front of his uniform. "You think you're gonna steal her from me?"

Nico immediately shoved his hand away. "She's not fucking yours!"

Dante's expression changed. And before either of them could think twice, he swung.

The punch caught Nico across the cheek.

Nico stumbled backward, hitting the wall beside the library entrance.

"You fucking-" He barely finished the sentence before lunging forward.

The two slammed into each other, fists flying. Dante grabbed Nico's collar, throwing him against the wall again.

Nico retaliated with a punch to Dante's jaw.

"You fucking psycho!"

Dante laughed despite the blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. "You think you can take her?"

Nico shoved him. "There's nothing to take!"

Another punch. Another shove. The noise echoed through the otherwise quiet hallway. Neither seemed particularly interested in stopping.

Until—

"Hey! Hey, you fucking idiots!"

Mateo came rushing around the corner. Luca followed immediately behind him.

Mateo grabbed Dante around the shoulders, pulling him backward. Luca caught Nico by the arm, dragging him away before he could lunge again.

"Enough!" Mateo shoved Dante against the opposite wall. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Dante struggled against his grip.

"Let go!" Luca held Nico firmly. "Don't."

Nico was breathing heavily, his cheek already swelling. "He started it!"

Dante immediately snapped back. "You fucking stole her!"

Mateo stared at him. "Are you hearing yourself?"

Dante laughed bitterly. "Stay the fuck out of it."

Luca's expression remained calm. "You're making a scene over a woman who isn't even your girlfriend."

That shut Dante up. For approximately two seconds. Then he looked directly at Nico.

"Stay away from her."

Nico wiped the blood from his lip. His expression was furious.

"Make me."

Mateo immediately tightened his grip on Dante. "Jesus fucking Christ."

Luca sighed. "Both of you. Shut up."

Dante's jaw was clenched. Nico looked equally pissed off, his knuckles red and his breathing still uneven.

Mateo looked at Nico. "You good?"

Nico nodded. Despite everything, he knew exactly why Dante was pissed.

And honestly? He didn't fucking care.

"Well," Mateo sighed. "That was fucking stupid."

Nico wiped his cheek again. "Yeah."

A pause.

"...Worth it, though."

Mateo stared at him. Luca slowly turned his head.

And Nico? He couldn't help smiling.

Because Dante Cruz could threaten him all he wanted, but {{user}} wasn't his property. And Nico wasn't about to stop spending time with her just because Dante couldn't handle it.

Not now. Not after that.

Especially not after that.

.