Chapter I

-362 days-

Three hundred and sixty two days, Erin though as she crossed yet another bar on her note pad, staring intensely at the blacked page in front of her. She had started doing it a few weeks after she got here. She wasn't sure why she did it. But somehow, on some level, it helped her deal.

"You know, all I see you do all day is stare stupidly at this notepad. It ain't gonna make your time go any quicker."

Erin looked up at her cellmate, a sturdy black woman who had spent the better part of the last twenty years in a prison cell and always seemed to be in on an inside joke that no one else was in. She always had something to say, most of the time unsolicited advice to Erin as long as they were in their cells. Outside the confine of their cage, the two never acknowledged each other, the unwritten rule of sticking to your own colour taking all its meaning. But before Erin could open her mouth to say anything, the familiar rattling of the CO's baton on the cell interrupted them.

"Visitation."

Erin's cellmate jumped to her feet rubbing her hands at the idea of getting out of their cell even for an hour and have a normal conversation with loved ones.

"Not you Hattie. You."

Erin looked at the CO, a startled look on her face. "I'm not expecting anyone."

"Look at me and see if I care. Move it Inmate!"

Erin hurried up and jumped to her feet. As she followed the CO down the long corridor that led to the visiting area, she tried to figure out who could be sitting in that visitation room waiting for her. The list was very short; her parents had made it very clear that she was no longer a member of their family and had never tried to make contact since. Some of her friends had wrote her in the first few months but the letters had then become shorter and shorter before stopping altogether. Prison was an easy way to weed out the real friends from the fake ones, that was for sure. The only person who was still in contact with her was her childhood friend Molly. She wrote her weekly, sent her care packages when she could but she lived in California with her husband and kids and would certainly not be able to come all the way to Tacoma to visit. In fact, aside from her lawyer, only one person had visited her since she'd landed in this godforsaken place. But she refused to think about that. She had been very clear she didn't want to see him ever again.

She caught her reflection in a window and winced. The bruises on her face were starting to heal but she knew it would only be a matter of time before new ones came to replace them. It never stopped. The last beating had been particularly brutal. She still had a little difficulty to walk and breathe normally because of her two cracked ribs. All for a supposed bad look.

From the very first day she got here, she'd been pegged as an easy prey for other inmates to wield their power on, taunting her, ambushing her in unprovoked beatings anytime they could. She'd been to medical more times that most people in all their sentence. Her lawyer had offered to get her transferred to SEG but it would have only made things worse for her. There, she would not only be seen as weak anymore but she'd officially be branded as a rat and it would make her even more of a target.

She could take the pain. Nothing those women could do to her would hurt her as much as everything she'd lost, everything she'd had to endure on the outside. Sometimes she fought them off, but most times she just let them hurt her and even managed to get some relief out of it. While her body hurt, she could forget about the rest of her pain. The one that took over her entire body and made her sick to her stomach, the one that kept her awake at night, aching her heart as if someone was squashing it in their hands.

As they reached the visitation room, Erin froze and stopped, suddenly afraid of what was waiting for her on the other side.

"What the hell are you waiting for inmate? A fucking invitation? Get in there!"

Erin took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of courage she still had to start walking again and enter the room. She spotted him right away. He had not changed one bit. He sat at the table tall and proud, his eyes scanning the room, always looking for a threat to neutralise. He wasn't wearing his cut; gang colours were not allowed in prison, but his tee shirt made his tattoos and allegiances very clear. She could tell his presence had attracted attention as she noticed several tables talking in hushed sentences while watching him with a weary look. He'd always had that effect on people, a scary and intimidating presence. Like a burning fire that needed to be contained.

As he saw her, he stood, his dark brown eyes closing in on her. She knew he had seen the bruises as she could swear she watched his eyes darkened even more, fury clearly readable.

It only took one second for Erin to realise what Happy Lowman being here meant and not for the first time, her heart broke. She just knew that this time, the damage would never get repaired.

~oOo~

He watched her enter the visitation room and was stunned by the change in her. She was still the same woman he'd known years before but she looked…drained. Her usually bright blue eyes were lifeless, her long blond hair had been badly cut and was pulled back in a short ponytail. Her slim and slender body was now skin on bones, her prison garments barely hanging onto her.

But the part that got him clenching his fists was her face. She was sporting nasty bruises and her lip was cut. He could tell by the way she walked that she was trying not to wince in pain clueing him on the fact they were a lot more bruises he couldn't see.

She came to a halt as she recognized him, her eyes registering surprise before they dimmed a little more as she slowly understood what his presence here meant.

She raised her chin up and forced herself to take the last few steps separating them. She offered a weak smile as she took her seat facing him.

"Hi." She greeted him with a trembling voice.

He wasn't a man of many words so he just met her eyes and they remained like this for a minute, silently communicating before she tore her eyes away, biting her lip blinking back tears.

"He's dead, isn't he?"

He slowly nodded, confirming her fears. Her hand went to her mouth as she tried to muffle a cry. After a minute, she lowered her hand and spoke again.

"Does his brother know? Dan? He lives somewhere in San Diego."

"Club called him."

"Can I ask what happened?"

He shook his head, letting her know that whatever happened it wasn't something he could or would share. He gave her a minute to let everything sink in, unsure what to say anyway.

"What happened to your face Erin?"

She waved a hand in the air, dismissing his concerns. "That? You know me, always trying to make new friends." She sniggered sadly.

"Guess the other kids don't share your humour then."

She laughed for a moment before her voice broke. "Shit."

"Hey, don't do that." He growled with urgency. "Don't fucking break down in front of those bitches. Look at me Erin. Look at me."

She took a hold of herself and met his eyes intensely starting at her.

"You don't let them see it Erin, you hear me? You don't ever let those fuckers see you break. You're gonna go back to your cell, you gonna wait until it's dark and then you do what you gotta do. Then you forget about it. You don't think about it, you don't talk about it. Until you get out of here. You hear me?"

It took her a moment but she finally nodded, silently agreeing with him.

"What does your lawyer say?"

"I have a hearing in a couple of months. He says I have a good chance at getting out."

"You hear from your old man?"

She smiled sadly. "He's made it very clear I was dead to them. But he's still paying for the lawyer so I guess there is that."

"Until then you keep your head down, alright."

"Thanks Happy. For coming here and telling me. I appreciate it."

"He fucked up Erin. He knew that."

"I know." she replied, still fighting tears. "He was still my husband."

"You need anything? Don't have much, but I can get you some cash."

"No, I'm fine. But, uh… he… he had this medal. St-Christopher. It was always with him. It…it used to be Christopher's."

"I know. I'll find it. Hold onto it for you."

"Thanks Hap."

"You remember what I told you Erin. In here, you can't afford to break alright?"

~oOo~

"Heard all about your visitor. Fine, dark angel I'm told. Is he your old man?"

Erin barely heard her words as she heard the cell close on them. "I don't have an old man."

She got onto her bunk and closed her eyes, remembering what Happy had told her.

"Hey, I'm trying to be a friend here. Seems to me you could use one."

Erin didn't even bother answering her cellmate.

She heard a snigger. "Suit yourself."

When she was confident the woman was no longer paying any attention to her, she turned on her side facing the wall as she let silent tears fall down her cheeks wondering for the hundredth time how she got there. In prison with a dead husband and a dead son.

~xXx~

Happy walked through the black steel door and locked eyes with the bouncer. As soon as the man spotted his cut, he nodded and opened the velvet curtains behind him, moving out of the way to let him through.

Happy walked in and was immediately hit by the familiar smell of cheap perfume and pussy.

"She's in the back." He heard the bouncer voice.

He moved through the room, ignoring the girls trying to entice him to some one on one time. He had other shit to worry about today. As he reached the office in the back, he realised Cora was busy with a client but she made eye contact with him and nodded letting him know she'd be with him as soon as she was done.

Happy made his way back to the bar and ordered himself a whiskey while he waited. Cora's place had not changed much since he'd started coming here ten years ago. Yet it was a successful venture, partly because of the protection she got from the Sons and partly because Cora was a brilliant businesswoman. She was smart, knew what her clients wanted and could keep her girls clean and in control.

She wasn't just your average madam. Her business did not only provide pussy but was also one of the best underground gambling establishment in town. The entry fee for a seat at the poker table started at 10 grand.

Before landing this place, she had had several run-ins with the law when she was turning tricks and ended up doing time. Instead of wasting her time, she built her business plan in her head day after day, making sure she made the right alliances so that when she got out, she had a plan ready to be put in play. Found herself a sugar daddy to finance it and voila. She had opened the place and thanks to some kickbacks to law enforcements to look the other way and protection money to the Sons, her business was thriving.

She finally showed up, nodding towards the bar tender to serve her, her usual gin & tonic before kinking an eyebrow at Happy.

"Hello stranger." She said with the coarse voice of someone who smoked too much.

"Hey."

"You only ever come here when you need something. And I'm guessing tonight it's not about one of my girls. So, tell me. What is it?"

He downed his whiskey and Cora eyed the bartender, silently letting him know to pour him another one. "You still got contacts in Washington CC?"

The bartender served Happy and with another silent look, he took out a cigarette handing it to Cora before lighting it up. "What do you need?"

"Protection. Can you arrange it?"

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't think I could." She smiled as she exhaled smoke. "Who is the inmate?"

"Name is Erin Kozik."

She titled her head, eyeing him with curiosity. "A brother's old lady. That's bad mojo, sweetheart."

"He's dead."

She looked startled for a second and shook her head sadly. "Shit. I liked that kid." Taking another puff on her cigarette, she continued. "So is this club or you?"

"Me and I need it to stay between you and I."

"Alright love. Whatever you need."

Knowing favours like this cost a lot of money, Happy decided to ask. "How much?"

"Consider it me paying my debt to you."

Happy was somewhat surprised by her generosity but he didn't let it show. He had been ready to pay whatever she asked, but considering the state of his finances, he as pretty relieved with this outcome. "Thanks."

"You want to stay a little? I got some girls you'd like"

"Nah. I got to head back to Charming. Next time." He stood, pulling a twenty and throwing it on the bar. "The protection. She needs it now."

"I'll make the phone call."

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