Birdy (Upper Echelon Duet Book 1)

find anything?” one of the guards shouts.
He seems to be the ass kisser around here. Guess we’ll find out as the day goes by.
The head guard comes stalking out of her cell, shaking his head. “Not a damn thing. You?”
Ass kisser shakes his head as well. “Nothing.”
Mack scoffs a laugh and removes his gloves, kicking the heap of bedding back into the cell. He brings his face so close to hers my fingers actually twitch, nearly curling in a fist. “I don’t know where you’re hiding it, Villanueva, but I’ll find it soon.”
“It isn’t mine,” she snaps irately.
“Whose else would it be then, Birdy?” The dick is so close to her, my blood picks up speed.
“Could be anybody’s, but I’ll tell you right now, it isn’t mine.”
He holds her stare for just a moment longer, then eases back, retreating with slow, purposeful steps. “Ladies!” his voice projects as he spins around. “Clean up your messes and get ready for the day! Head count in thirty!”
Teeth sucking and groans of protest ring out, followed by the rustling of sheets.
Birdy, as he called her, shoots him the deadliest glare, sinking to the ground to snatch up what remains of her bedding.
Does she have to deal with him on the daily?
Our eyes lock once more as the question fogs my thoughts, a question that must be all too clear on the surface because I swear those deep mocha irises answer me with a silent, “Yes, I do.”
A hand grips my shoulder, effectively dragging my gaze away from her. “Ready for your first day, Bala?” Mack questions, flashing me an egotistical grin.
I’ve only been doing this for almost five years, but… “Yes, sir.” I nod, trying to ignore the little red flags waving about in the recesses of my mind.
I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. Their procedures are nearly identical to the last prison I worked in, so I’m not quite sure what Mack meant about these specific methods.
Unless he was admitting to just how unethical their interactions with the inmates are.
I’ve clocked so many in the last three hours, I’m actually torn between taking this to a higher-up and sitting back to watch more of this shitshow unfold. Escalating this issue would require hard evidence, though, and I definitely don’t have any yet.
Here in Chow Hall, at least, it doesn’t seem to be too bad. Granted, it’s only CO Danny Rodriguez and myself, but he’s not said a word to the girls other than a reminder of how much time they have left. If anything else made it out of his mouth after the fact, I’m not aware. My eyes have been glued to Birdy since she walked in with three other women. Cancel out the orange uniform, and you’d think she was at lunch with some friends.
“Don’t let Mack catch you ogling her like that, bro. He’ll be all over your ass about it in a minute,” Rodriguez chuckles, shaking me out of my pointed stare.
Fuck.
I hadn’t even seen him roll up on me. I’m tongue-tied and trying to figure out how to word my response correctly—because I’m not about to incriminate my ass outright—when he continues. “She looks good, I know. That’s why Mack’s got it out for her.”
“Who?” I’m trying to play it off, all the while wondering how him having a hard-on for her justifies his behavior.
“Birdy. Mack’s dick practically exploded for her since she was first processed four years ago, and since he can’t have what he wants, well, he plays the whole schoolyard bully bullshit with her.”
“Why does he call her that?” Yes, I’m blatantly refusing to acknowledge what he’s said because...really? 
He can’t have her, so he fucks with her instead?
Another piece of information I file away to build a possible case, if necessary.
“Birdy, La Jefa…those were her street names. Full name is Benita Adriana Villanueva. Some of the girls call her Benni, but you’ll still hear Birdy thrown around more often than not.”
Benni.
She looks like a Benni.
And she’s looking at me again. Except this time, she caught me. Regardless, my chest inflates of its own accord, chin lifting proudly, more still when her lips quiver with a knowing smirk before returning to her conversation. Only one of the girls seems to notice the exchange—her bunkie. I think she calls her out on it, too, given the way her cheeks heat.
“Who’s her bunkie?” I ask, watching them as they huddle toward each other.
Danny makes this noise in the back of his throat, shoulders bouncing through a hushed chuckle. “Selena Reynoso. That girl is fucking nuts.”
My brow arches curiously. “What is she in for?”
“Assault and battery with a deadly weapon, fraud, harboring an illegal alien. There’s more, but I honestly can’t remember all of it now. Let’s just say she’ll be here a while.”
Hmmm...interesting.
“How is she not in red then?”
“She’s sassy as fuck and has a big-ass mouth, but she’s docile for the most part. Works hard, too, so they keep her in B Block,” he replies. “Did Mack fill you in on how the blocks are separated?”
I shake my head. “He started to, but then he got a call and pretty much asked me to show myself out.” The bastard made it seem so important, but his tone screamed booty call.
Rodriguez hums consciously. “Yeah, he’ll do that often. In any case, this is easy enough to explain. A, B, C are where most of the inmates with better work assignments are kept: kitchen, laundry, commissary, medical, and the beauty salon. D and E have the shittier jobs like maintenance and janitorial. They’re either lifers or known to be the more volatile inmates. F and G are elderly and those with any form of disability. Most of them are assigned to the recreation department if anything at all.”
Tearing my eyes away from Benni, I turn toward my colleague and nod in understanding. “Sounds pretty standard.”
And it is for the most part. Inmates can apply for any position that opens up, but that doesn’t guarantee