Free Isela's Love by Sasha Cain Page A

the door shut. He glared at the two men before him for several minutes, saying nothing, obviously trying to seem intimidating. Brendan already thought him to be a pathetic excuse of a man. He couldn’t wait to take this asshole down.
    “We got rules ’round here, dirt bags,” Guarros began. “I know you boys aren’t accustomed to that, but I assure you, they will be enforced. If you break ’em, the punishment will be swift and severe.” He chuckled and looked to his guards. “Just ask around. Understand?”
    Brendan nodded, stared straight ahead, and said, “Yes, sir.”
    The other prisoner, Arvin blew out a breath. “Whatever,” he muttered.
    Anger flashed in Guarros’ eyes. He pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a cigar and he lit it. He stepped right in front of Arvin and blew smoke in his face, causing him to sputter and cough. He glanced to his guard and then back to Arvin.
    “I don’t think that was very respectful. Roy, do you think that was very respectful?”
    “No, sir, I don’t,” the guard answered.
    Moving inches from Arvin’s face, Guarros said in a deadly monotone, “I think you need to learn some respect, son.” He stepped back away from Arvin. “Show him some respect, Roy.”
    Brendan stood by helplessly while Roy, Guarros’ guard, threw Arvin to the ground, punching and kicking him. The man cried out, unable to fight back or even block the blows due to his restraints. He begged for the guard to stop, but the guard and Guarros laughed. He continued to kick him in the face until Arvin lost consciousness.
    “All right, all right, Roy. That’s enough fun for one day,” the warden said. “Let’s get these boys settled.”
    ****
    Isela turned her attention to all the hushed whispers and people gathering near the parlor door. She only saw the new prisoner from the back as they led him away to his cell.
    “I thought there were two,” she said.
    One of the servants sidled up next to her. “There are. One of them lipped off to the warden.”
    “Not very smart.”
    “He knows that now. He’s in the infirmary, unconscious.”
    “Is he going to be all right?”
    “What do you care? I’d think you’d be happy it was someone else besides you for a change,” he said. Then he ran off to follow the commotion.
    Isela stood there, stunned. Was Guarros’ treatment of her really that common of knowledge among the inmates and servants? That would explain the sympathetic looks she sometimes got from the old-timers.
    “I gotta get out of here,” she muttered under her breath.
    She gathered her cleaning supplies and moved onto her next task. She immersed herself in her work, not hearing when someone approached her from behind as she polished the trim. She whirled when she heard breathing from behind. Keeri stood in front of her, hands on her hips, staring daggers at Isela.
    Isela glanced around, but everyone had gone to check out the new inmates.
    “How long have you been standing there?” Isela demanded.
    “Long enough to stab you in the back,” she answered, acidly.
    “Again?” Isela asked sarcastically.
    “Fuck you, Isela.”
    “What is your problem?”
    “You. You’re my problem. Every time I get his attention, you steal it from me.”
    “Who’s attention? Who are you talking about?”
    “The warden, of course.”
    Isela took a deep, calming breath.
    “Keeri, I promise you, I do not want anything from that man, least of all his attention. Why do you want it?”
    “I told you, if I do things for him, he does things for me...but you’re trying to ruin it.”
    Isela’s anger erupted. She pointed her finger in Keeri’s face, standing taller. “No, you did that when you lied and told him I was jealous of you. What were you thinking? I want him to stay the hell away from me, and you just made him more determined.”
    “Well, you told him I lied and he...he...” She sniffled. “He was so mad. He came into my room and he took off his belt...”
    Isela interrupted. “I