Chained to the Devil

SURVEILLANCE ROOM

7:49 a.m.

I finish buttoning up my shirt, ready to start another day in this prison that doesn’t exactly inspire trust.

I’m sore and bruised all over from last night. Even though I’m undercover, I’m not excused from my duties to the gang. Not in the slightest. I wish more than anything to be free from them.

My nights are filled with the same crap that’s haunted me since I was a kid. It’s inevitable if I want to avoid my father’s wrath.

I also had to spend time coming up with a plan to access the isolation ward. It’s complicated. I can feel my colleagues keeping an eye on me. They’d definitely find it strange if I wandered into such a dangerous area on just my second day.

But I don’t have a choice. I have no intention of staying in this hellhole forever. At least I’ll walk away with a decent chunk of cash when this mission is done.

I still hope that one day I’ll have the means to get far, far away from the gang and my father. I want to be free and live the life I dream of.

I arrive at the surveillance room, where I find Mathieu still sitting in the same place as before.

When our eyes meet, he smiles. I return it. I sit down on one of the chairs and rest my feet on the desk.

He’s the one to start the conversation:

"So, feeling suicidal?"

"Not yet. I’m pissed at that Alexander guy."

"What’d he do? Hit you with one of those savage comebacks he’s famous for?"

"More than one. He implied that the warden hired me to play the role of a sexy guard just to get him to spill his secrets."

Mathieu bursts out laughing while I’m still fuming.

"I hope you’re enjoying yourself because I’m not laughing. I want to smash his fucking head against a wall."

Mathieu tries to regain his composure, still chuckling.

"Don’t forget, officially we may have the power, but in reality, guys like Alexander are the ones who really run things."

"I don’t give a damn. He spoke to me like I was nothing, beneath him. It’s obvious he’s a sexist bastard who thinks women don’t belong in prison."

"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but most of the men in here think the same way. I’m pretty sure even the warden does."

"They’re all idiots. Women aren’t inferior to anyone. One day, I’ll prove to everyone that we’re just as capable as men."

"In case you haven’t noticed, they’ve been raised to believe that women should be submissive."

I’ve heard this kind of crap for years. I’m used to moving in male-dominated circles, and I’ve always proven I belong just as much as any guy in the gang. So I’m definitely not going to let myself get walked on here.

"You’ve been through it with guys, huh?"

"Let’s just say I grew up surrounded by men, and I had to make my mark from a young age."

"You’ve got brothers, then?"

"Not brothers, but they were part of my family."

"You raised in a conservative household? The type that thinks women should stay at home, right? Conservative families have a hard time accepting someone different from what they know."

He sounds like he’s speaking from experience. I choose not to bring it up”it seems personal. Still, I can tell he’s been hurt too.

I sigh.

"My father wanted a son. He shaped me into what he wanted."

"I can hear the hate in your voice."

"Hate that makes me want to burn everything down. But I’m here to work. Not to complain."

Mathieu looks at me, then gives me a wide smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"When you talk, it feels like maybe things could finally change in this prison."

I’m only here for a mission. If a criminal like me is the one bringing change to prison, something’s seriously wrong with the world.

APARTMENT

7:34 p.m.

I get home after a long day. I notice a sliver of light under the door, even though I’m sure I didn’t leave anything on.

I pull out the gun tucked in the back pocket of my jeans and grip it tightly. I enter the apartment, weapon raised.

My father is sitting on the main couch like he owns the place. I let out a sigh and lowered my weapon.

"Always on guard, huh?"

"You’re the one who taught me to be. Next time, ring the bell. You’re lucky I always look before I shoot."

"Just a reminder, this is my apartment. You’re living here as a tenant, not as the owner."

I hate when he says that. Like everything I have is his and I’m dependent on him. I could’ve figured out a place to live on my own.

"If you came just to say that, the door’s over there."

"Sometimes I feel like I have a son, not a daughter."

"Sucks for you”it’s just a feeling."

He shrugs.

"How’s the mission going?"

"Fine."

"You met Alexander?"

"Yeah. It was... intense."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn’t warn me about his personality."

"You didn’t think it’d be easy, did you?"

"I never said that."

"Think about it”how does someone that young get so much respect and influence? He’s got serious balls."

He stands up from the couch and heads toward the door. Before leaving, he turns to me one last time.

"Last night, you were pathetic. I was ashamed you were my daughter. You better do way better next time unless you want to suffer the consequences of your weakness. I won’t accept another failure."

He leaves, slamming the door behind him.

I sit down on the couch and run a hand over my face with a deep sigh.

I knew he’d have something to say about what happened last night, but I didn’t think he’d show up in person. Usually, he sends one of his guys to deliver the blows.

When he comes in person, it usually means I’m going to suffer”but this time, he didn’t touch me. He didn’t even try.

Good. I wouldn’t have been able to handle his rage with my body already wrecked from that shitty night that left me in so much pain.

At the prison, I suffered in silence so no one would get suspicious.

Living a double life is really fucking complicated.