The Prison Project Chapter 14 - Signed & Sealed Margot's POV Coban Santorelli . The name hung in the air like smoke thick and impossible to ignore . It settled deep in my chest , as though Coban himself had just entered the damn room with us ... The guard flipped through the pages again , slower this time , like even he needed to make sure what he was about to say was real . " I'll be honest here , " he sighed heavily , voice dropping a little , " I never thought someone like him would come close to being approved for this program . Not with his hefty record . " I swallowed hard , the dryness in my throat almost unbearable . " So what ... what did he do ? " The guard exhaled through his nose , as if deciding how much to actually tell me before finally , he turned one of the papers around so I could see it for myself . It wasn't a mugshot - it was a still frame from a security camera . A blurry figure , tall and broad , who was standing over someone on the floor . The image was grainy , meaning that I could barely make any of the people out , but the body on the ground looked crumpled . Limp . - " Serious assault . Multiple counts of battery . Gang affiliation . Drug trafficking . Was also suspected of mass murder though he was never charged for it because it couldn't be proved . " The guard tapped the file like he was ticking off a shopping list . " His Daddy is a big shot gangster and he's the next in line for his throne to put it lightly ... " I blinked . A big shot gangster ?! He leaned forward , elbows on the table . " And now he's suddenly your responsibility to rehabilitate . " He whispered across at me , followed by a breathless laugh . A scream built up in my throat , but never made its way out . I couldn't move , couldn't speak . I was frozen - caught somewhere between fight and flight , except both options felt like suicide being this far in . 1/4 3:12 pm Chapter 14 Signed & Sealed How the hell could I flee from a moving fucking tin can bobbing its way towards hell anyhow ? It was too late ! " But hey , " the guard added with a shrug , gaining my attention again , " word is that he volunteered himself for this program . Said he wants to change . Make peace . Start fresh . So maybe he actually means it ? Or maybe he's desperate . But regardless , he needs to keep you alive and safe in order to earn his freedom ... so you'll be important to him . " He gave me a long , unreadable look , like he was trying to see how much of that I actually believed . I didn't answer though . I couldn't . It all felt like too much information bouncing between the walls of my mind ... ' Listen to me , Margot , " he said , finally using my name . " You're going to be paired with him starting from tonight - like it or not - and there can't be any swaps either . You'll get to learn his schedule and you'll follow it , along with having access to a red - alert panic switch in your cell , and a security camera in the room for only your first twenty - four hours to see how you settle . After that ... it's just you and him in that cell every night . " My stomach turned violently . " Just me and him ... in a cell ? What if he tries to k - kill me ?! " " Then he loses his only ticket to freedom . So he won't . He may be a grade A asshole Margot , but he's a clever man , I'll give him that much . The guards will patrol at night time too , so just yell if you need them . " The guard nods , checking his watch and becoming suddenly conscious of the time . I let out a shaky breath , nausea swirling as I imagined the door closing behind me ... locking me inside with a dark and unhinged criminal . * I only have five minutes left with you here , so let's quickly run through Coban's own list of expectations that he wrote for us . " He clears his throat and straightens up , turning the page as my brows furrow . He has his own damn expectations for me now ?! ' Quiet , obedient , not a whore ... excuse my language , this is written in his own words , not ours ... respectful , calm , hot ... you get the idea , he just doesn't want you to annoy him . " He sighs, flipping the page back again . Hot ?! He may have just skipped right over that word but I heard it ! But besides that , it sounded like Coban expected for me to just sit in the corner in silence the whole time , which I guess I could make work if it would help keep the peace for the both of us ? " So uh ... what actually happens each day ? How will I know what my task is ? Will I get to see my friend often too ? " I push the words out , feeling a cold sweat break free from my forehead as the words left my lips 2/4 3:12 pm P Chapter 14 Signed & Sealed . quieter than intended . The guard checked his watch again , causing for me to become suddenly stressed that this would be the only advice I would get before being thrown in the deep end by nightfall with Coban ... " You'll get to see your friend around the compound during the prisoners free time , as long as Coban wants to be there that is he tends to want to visit the gym a lot so you'll probably be in there quite a bit , so you best hope that your friend gets matched with a fellow gym goer . But if not , then you'll be able to see her in the dinner hall where everyone eats three times a day . " The guard rants, his words seeming to get faster as he tucks papers back into the folder and prepares to wrap up . " Ok ... that's good ... " I nod , knowing that there would hopefully be plenty of opportunities to debrief with my friend throughout the project , knowing that without her , I wouldn't be able to make it through this alone . " On a Saturday , visitors come in to see the prisoners , and so you'll have half of the day to yourself . You'll bring us a full report on Coban for that week , giving us the pros and cons of his behaviour and how he's treated you so far , along with passing over any important information we might need to determine whether he's eligible for release or not . After that you'll get to relax with the other females for a while . " He concludes , as I rub my sweaty palms down my trousers . Ok well that didn't sound too bad . If I couldn't catch up with Cara during the week then I'd be guaranteed to see her on a Saturday for a real chat . If I can manage to survive each week to make it to Saturday that is ... I swallowed , blinking back the nervous tears that threatened to spill . " That will be us , I just need you to sign this last contract to confirm that you've been given a full brief of the prisoner and know what to expect from this project ... " he turns a detailed sheet over to face me , landing a pen on top of it . At first I just stared down at it , debating whether or not I could pull out from all of this , but despite my frantic mind , my hand involuntarily reached up for the pen . In a trance like state, I shakily signed my name on the bottom line , cursing myself for not taking a second to even attempt to read the document entirely , before I sighed knowing that it would be no use anyhow ... I was in too deep , and Cara was in this with me and I wouldn't dare leave her to face this mess alone , and above all else - We needed that damn money in the end . So let the project begin ... 3/4 The Prison Project