“In here,” she calls out from her kitchen, and when I walk in she turns to see me. “Oh my. You’re going to kill that man,” she laughs as her face lights up with a smile.
“It meets code.” I say as I double-check the length of the dress. Nothing is stopping me from seeing Rocco today.
“You look beautiful.” She walks over and cups my face. “You’re going to give him a reason to get out as soon as he can,” she adds, wiggling her eyebrows and making me flush.
“Mrs. Honey!” I gasp at her innuendo even though it was what I was going for. I want him to see me as sexy and not just the girl he saved. He always talks about how sweet and innocent I am.
He has no idea the thoughts I have in my head about his rough side. I’ve always been a bigger girl and I’ve been thinking to myself that I’m built this way to handle a man as big as Rocco. I won’t break under his firm hold.
“Go see your man,” she says as she kisses me on each cheek.
“I’ll bring dinner back with me,” I tell her and walk out the front door. She’ll be waiting to hear all about me getting to finally see Rocco. She’s the only person in my life that gets it.
It’s doesn’t take me long to get my things together and get on the road. The drive is over an hour and it feels like an eternity.
I swallow when I see the prison in the distance and my eyes start to water. I’m thinking about how Rocco has to spend every day locked inside there for saving me and it makes me emotional. It’s such bullshit, and as happy as I am that he saved me, I wish I’d never gone on that date to begin with. He could be out living his life as a free man.
I wipe the tears away as I get closer, not wanting to show that I’ve been crying. I don’t want to put a damper on today and I know Rocco won’t like knowing I’ve been upset.
I give my driver’s license to the guard before they open the gates to let me in. I pull into the parking lot and put the slip they gave me in my window. I put on some lip gloss and give my hair one last check before I grab my bag. How can I be so scared and excited at the same time? I take a deep breath and step out of the SUV as I look at the giant concrete building that Rocco is inside of. My eyes sting again but I fight it. I have to be strong.
I also need to remember to keep it together in there. I’m not sure if I’m going to throw myself at him the second I see him or turn into my introverted self and let my shyness take over. Writing letters is so easy and I can say anything I want. I let my pen go and tell him anything and everything that comes to mind.
Today I’ll get to look into his eyes and watch his expressions as I talk. I’ll see the way he looks at me and if he really thinks I’m as pretty as he says. I smile when I think about the letter he sent requesting more photos.
I made the mistake of telling one of the girls I had class with about Rocco. Sometimes it’s hard to not talk about him. When I made a slip about him she wanted to know all the details. At first I thought she was being friendly, but looking back I know she only wanted gossip to tell other people about me. Not only that, she told me to stop being pathetic because Rocco was only giving me attention because he has nothing better to do. Who else is going to write him every day, she said to me as she rolled her eyes. Her words stung, and as much as I tell myself they weren’t true, a tiny insecure part of me asks, what if she’s right?
I lick my lips as I open one of the oversized metal doors and step inside. In the waiting room I’m told to go to the guard at the gate and once I get there, six armed guards turn to look at me as I enter.
“I’m here to see Rocco Lang,” I say, holding my chin high. I don’t feel any shame because I know my man didn’t do anything wrong.
Chapter 11
Rocco
I didn’t sleep at all last night. How could I after her last letter? She told me she’d be wearing soft pink lacy panties and a matching bra. She just added it in like I wouldn’t turn into an animal at the thought.