Chapter 2

A week passed. Amir and Jamal had intentionally delayed their next move, giving Jennifer space to meet Mike again. Their plan was for her to witness Mike’s safety firsthand, making her more at ease with the idea of meeting Amir.

One afternoon in the yard, an inmate walked up to Mike and provoked an argument. Amir, watching from the sidelines, waited to see what was happening. At the right moment, he stepped in, forcefully pulling the inmate away while shouting at him not to mess with Mike. Mike was shaken but relieved, grateful to feel that Amir was protecting him. After dragging the inmate out of the yard, Amir whispered to him, “Good job, you played your part well. I’ll bring you the pack of cigarettes you asked for.”

In truth, Amir had orchestrated the whole scene just ten minutes earlier; he had convinced the inmate to start the argument with Mike. Later, when the inmates returned to their cells, Amir stopped by Mike’s cell and reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’m watching out for you. Just keep a low profile here.”

When Jennifer came to visit Mike, it was Amir who escorted her to the visiting room. She glanced at him with a cold expression and remained silent. During the visit, Mike laid out the entire story of the yard incident and how Amir had stepped in to protect him. When the visit ended, Jennifer walked toward the exit. As she passed Amir, she gave him a faint smile and whispered, “Thank you.” Amir returned the smile with a nod, knowing his plan had worked; the deception had made her admire him. Both Mike and Jennifer genuinely believed Amir was guarding Mike, which made it more convincing.

That evening, after finishing his shift, Amir sent Jennifer a message at 19:00: “Hi, it’s Amir. I hope you’re doing well.” “I’m fine, thanks,” she replied. “Can we meet at Spring Park in an hour?” he asked. Jennifer wasn’t sure what this was about, but after a pause she agreed: “Ok.” Amir understood that to reach their goal, making Jennifer their bitch, he would need to move carefully, step by step, making Jennifer feel at ease. He knew he couldn’t rush things. By 20:00 they met at the park, where darkness had already settled in. As Jennifer stepped out of her car, she immediately asked, “What are we doing here?” “I want to show you something. Walk with me, please,” Amir responded.

They strolled toward the lake, a warm breeze drifting through the air as the moonlight shimmered across the sky. Amir began talking with Jennifer about the incident in the prison yard, weaving in bits of his own story. He wanted her to see more of him, just as Jamal did during their time together in his apartment. When they arrived at the lake, Jennifer noticed a large blanket spread neatly across the grass beside a picnic basket. Before she could comment, Amir said, “I come here often to clear my head from the things I witness in the prison every day. Let’s sit.” It was clear he had prepared everything in advance: a bottle of wine, two glasses, and fresh strawberries.

They settled onto the blanket, and Amir poured wine for them both as their conversation continued. Seeing Jennifer’s interest, he expanded on his story, speaking about his difficult childhood and his friendship with Jamal, details she partly knew already, which made his account feel more authentic. Jennifer, in turn, shared pieces of her own life, much of which Jamal had already told Amir. The exchange felt natural, and together they enjoyed a pleasant evening by the lake. As they spoke, Jennifer studied Amir’s body, impressed by his powerful physique and handsome looks. She started to think about what it would be like to have sex with him; she knew it was just a matter of time. After an hour, Amir said, “It’s getting late; let’s call it a night. I’ll walk you to your car.” Jennifer hesitated, surprised. She had assumed that after the picnic Amir would want them to go to his apartment, but that didn’t seem to be his plan. “Are we done for tonight?” she asked.