"That fucking guy!" Elian's hands clenched by his sides as he stood rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do.
He wanted to yell, to demand someone explain what kind of madman would leave him here, unprotected, in a room full of people who looked like they had stopped counting the people they had hurt a long time ago. But a glance toward the nearest inmate, the one with blood still crusted under his nails, made him swallow the anger back down.
"I should just leave." Elian decided inwardly. One part of him concluded that he should just let Alessio punish him however he wanted. Whatever it was couldn't be worse than standing here.
He took one step toward the gate, and then Alessio's smirk flashed behind his eyes, that slow, satisfied curve of his mouth when he said Elian would figure it out or he wouldn't.
That stopped Elian and planted his feet back where they were.
"No." The single word tore from his lips.
