Dive In

Chapter 3

•Nolani•

You've got this.

You're just gonna walk in there with your head held high and get this done.

This is important, this could change the rest of your life.

With my internal pep talk fueling me I finally have the nerve to get out of my car. I may or may not have been sitting in the parking lot for the last forty minutes trying to get the nerve to actually go inside the building and get this over with. I'm almost positive after four days of contemplating it that I'm going to have an abortion but something in my head won't let me for sure make the decision without meeting this man... again. I gave Angelo the day off so I could come alone, I don't need a bodyguard for this. No one recognized me the night we came that I can remember and if they had pictures and videos of me would've been all over the internet, so I doubt I'll be noticed this time.

My black heels click on the cement as I make my way to the door of The Grave Yard. The name didn't seem as scary the last time I was here, now it feels as if I'm walking into my own funeral. I could turn around, get back in my car and drive off before anyone notices. No, you will go inside and ask about this man, I scold myself. Before I can talk myself out of it and run back to my car  to hide, I quickly push the door open.

The building is packed when I step inside, the air filled with a thick layer of smoke and it reeks of cigarettes. I squint through the smoke as I make my way around the various groups of men. There's a guy and a girl behind the bar making drinks. When the guy turns around to face me I want to jump up and down in triumph at the sight of his face. I don't remember what the bartender even looked like from my drunken night here but Jade did sort of. She said that he had a tattoo that said 'fuck you' above his right eyebrow and his septum was pierced. A tattoo like that, in that particular placement and with that phrase isn't exactly going to be a dime a dozen so this has to be him.

I squeeze between two burly guys on barstools and wave the male bartender down.

"What can I getcha'?" He asks with a twinkle in his dark eyes.

"Is your name Rocks?" I ask ignoring his question.

Surely that's a nickname. I'm all for being unique but I can't imagine looking at a newborn and saying, 'yep, he's definitely a Rocks.'.

He nods. "That's what they call me."

"Can I talk to you somewhere more..." I eye the two big guys seated at the barstools on each side of me warily as they run their eyes down my body. "...private?"

My eyes meet Rocks again as I shift nervously on my feet and he smirks. "Yeah. Blue I'm on break." He says to the girl at the other end of the bar.

She looks at him then at me and rolls her eyes."You've got ten minutes, and dear god wrap it up."

Before I can tell her it isn't like that Rocks is rounding the bar, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward a hallway at the back of the building. He guides me into a small dark office and before I can blink his mouth is on mine and I'm shoved against the door. Ice fills my veins and my mind races to dark places.

I quickly shove hard against his chest and he tumbles onto the floor easily, blinking at me slowly. "What? What's wrong?" He questions, his voice thick with lust.

I wipe my mouth on the back of my hand as I try to catch my breath and calm myself down before I have a panic attack. "I'm not here for that! Don't ever put your hands on me again!" I demand angrily and he stares at me wide eyed as he rises from the floor with his hands held up in surrender. Maybe I should've brought Angelo after all. I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts, centering my mind back around the reason I came here. "I really need to talk to you about—."