Free LUKE by Linda Cooper

Chapter One
 
    “I’m just going to get a job and get laid.” Priest smirked. It sounded exactly like the type of plan he would have. Personally, I was just going to be happy getting out of here.
    Jacob turned to me, his shaggy brown hair in his face. “What are you going to do?”
    I shrugged. “I haven’t thought much about it,” I admitted. I still couldn’t believe I was getting out of jail tomorrow. It was like it could be a trick, or maybe it was just a dream. After ten years, I wasn’t expecting it to ever happen. “I’ll figure that out as I go, I guess. What are you going to do?”
    “I’m going to get a dog.” A large smile spread across his face, something I so rarely saw from him.
    Dom dropped down beside me, his plate of food in front of him.
    “So what are you going to do?” Jacob asked, turning to Dom.
    “The first thing I’m going to do is get that tattoo,” he whispered.
    We all fell silent. We’d promised each other that we were going to get the date of her death tattooed on us, a constant reminder of her and how much she meant to us, but also a reminder that we would finish what we started. I glanced down at my wrists. The thin lines had healed years ago, they were now nothing more than some scars, but I still struggled with the urge.
    “We’ll see each other,” Priest said though I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a promise. Jacob touched his shoulder.
    “We’ll stay in contact.”
    I nodded. “We’ll get together one year from now. Once we’ve all got our shit sorted out. We need to … we need to live first before we do this.”
    “You’re right. We’ll kill him soon,” Priest whispered the last four words. Once again, everyone fell silent. Priest devoured his food before saying that he was going to his cell and leaving.
    No one said anything until we were sure he was out of earshot. “You think he’s going to be okay?”
    “No.” Dom spoke before Jacob could. “We’ll need to keep an eye on him. Eventually, he’ll find a way to deal with it, but it’s going to be hard for him when we first get out.”
    “We’ll keep him safe,” Jacob said. He sounded so sure of it. Out of all of us, he was the protector. He was the one who tried to make sure everyone was okay, whether their pain was physical or emotional.
    I looked at the two men I was sitting with. Two of my three best friends, and I wouldn’t see them for so long. “I’m going to miss you guys,” I confessed.

One Year Later
     
    As Ashley and I stepped into the diner, the scent of grease hit me. My stomach grumbled as I looked around, noticing there were only two other people here. One of them looked to work here, and the other was talking to him in a hushed tone. Shit. The waiter was hot.
    He had short black hair that was slicked back; both sides were shaved down but not completely gone. Even in his white button up shirt, I could see his arms were muscular. The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smile as he caught sight of me and Ashley. His black five o’clock shadow moved as he said something to the guy he was with.
    Ashley leaned forward. “You picked the right place.” Lust dripped from her voice. Oh, boy did I ever.
    As he stepped away from his friend, something else caught my attention. The pitter-patter of paws against the floor.
    A small white pit-bull dashed towards us, her mouth hanging open, her tongue hanging to the side, and her tail wagging. She skidded to a stop in front of me, her tongue reaching out and licking me.
    “Well, hello you,” I said, petting the creature.
    “Hello.” His voice was softer than I would expect. “Just the two of you?”
    “Yes.” I turned my attention away from the dog.
    The man nodded. He grabbed two menus and led the way to the back of the diner. The dog followed us.
    “Is she always here?”
    “No, she’s my friend’s. Since no one was here, I just let him bring her in. She’s a bit of a baby.” He grinned as Ashley and I slid into a