Velvet Roses Ch. 14

"I can still smell you on me. The scent of your fabric softener is in my clothes."

Wondering if he'd left remnants of his odor in her own garments, she lifted her shirt and sniffed it. "I can smell you, too."

"What do I smell like?"

"Clean, and natural. It's very comforting."

"I can't wait to see you."

"Do you know when they'll let me visit?"

"I'm not sure yet. But as soon as I find out, I'll let you know."

"Okay."

"Do you still have the keys to my apartment?"

"Yep. They're in my pocket."

"I know you have your own place, but you're free to hang out there anytime."

"I'd like that."

"And if It's not too much trouble, could you take care of my financial affairs? I have royalty checks coming in every month that need to be deposited in the bank."

"No problem. I can take care of that."

"I'm sure more things will come to me later, but for right now, that's all I can think of." His end of the line fell silent, then with sadness in his voice, he said, "Looks like my fifteen minutes are almost up, so I guess we better say our goodbyes."

The words he spoke caused tears to well up in her eyes, and her voice wavered as she responded. "When will I hear from you again?"

"I have daily phone privileges, so I'll give you a call tomorrow."

"Alright. I love you, and talk to you soon."

"I love you, too. Bye."

Jeneda set her phone aside, then stared blankly at the wall in front of her. Ever since Dane had confessed his involvement in Vincent's death, she'd known that Dane's past would eventually catch up to him. Subconsciously, she'd been mentally preparing herself for something like this to happen, but now that it actually had, she found that it felt even worse than she could have imagined.

She was left feeling nervous, vulnerable, and uncertain of the future, and although Dane was still alive, it felt as though she were grieving for him.

She didn't know whether a few minutes, or several passed before she came back to the present moment, but as her palms once again made contact with the smooth, slick clay, she found herself slipping into a world of her own; one where she was fully in control and unreachable by reality.

* * * *

Several days passed before Jeneda received a visitor application from the jail, and after hurriedly filling it out and posting it back to the detention facility, she waited with anticipation for an affirmative response.

It took a week and a half before she received a large yellow envelope from the Department of Corrections, and after ripping it open, she discovered that she'd been approved, and was now granted the opportunity to schedule a visit with Dane.

She had also been provided with rules about visiting, as well as what to expect upon her arrival. In addition, they also included an address where she could send Dane letters, as well as a list of things she could and could not include if she chose to send care packages.

Along with being appreciative at finally being given the chance to see her lover in person, she also felt deep sadness. Seeing Dane's inmate number printed next to his mailing address only cemented the fact that he was now officially a prisoner, and her chest tightened with longing.

He still had yet to go to trial, so she didn't know how long of a sentence he would get, but she was hoping it wouldn't be too harsh. The thought of years passing by with him stuck behind bars was unsettling to say the least, and deep down inside, she had a feeling that his sentence would be anything but light.

The days leading up to her visit with Dane were accompanied by nervous anticipation, and as Thursday finally arrived, she made the trip out to the county jail.

The sweater she wore was fitted and had a scoop neck, and was paired with her favorite jeans, which were dark blue and slim cut. She'd kept her makeup simple, choosing to only apply mascara, a dab of eyeshadow to highlight her freshly tweezed brows, and some lip gloss.

She pulled into the visitor lot with twenty minutes to spare, and after going through the X-ray and being pat down, she handed over her driver's license.

She'd brought along a bag of items for Dane, so she made sure to hand those over to the guard as well, and after inspecting them one by one, he placed the bag into a holding area behind the counter. She was then escorted directly to the visitor's room.

Reminiscent of the crime dramas that she'd seen on TV, the room was divided by a Plexiglass wall, which had cubicles on either side. The clear partition had several small circular holes drilled into the center of it, which led Jeneda to assume it would allow her and Dane to hear each other as they spoke.

She took a seat and fidgeted nervously with the coin purse she'd brought along, and as a beefy guard escorted Dane into the room, her heart quickened.

It'd been two long weeks since she'd last seen her lover, and as she took in his lanky form, she couldn't help noticing the slight changes in his appearance.

The dark shadows beneath his eyes suggested that he was exhausted, and the harsh, unflattering lighting gave his skin a yellow, jaundiced tint. Although he'd always been slim, it seemed he was more lean than usual, and she found herself wondering just what he was subsisting on.

As soon as Dane's eyes met hers he immediately became more enlivened, and a wide smile spread across his face.

He took a seat across from her, and as their eyes locked, they took a moment to stare at each other. His eyes searched her face intently, as if committing each contour to his memory, and she mirrored him, matching his intent gaze.

"Jeneda." He whispered it softly, as if he were hardly able to believe that she was really there.

"Hey, It's good to see you."

"It's *great* to see you." Joy lit up his eyes. "I've been missing you so badly."

"I miss you, too. And I think of you all the time."

"Not as much as I think of you. Hearing your voice everyday is the only thing keeping me sane. I was so excited about you visiting, I hardly sleep at all last night."

His elation over her coming to see him made Jeneda feel wonderful, and yet it also broke her heart that it was all he had to look forward to. Hoping to cheer him up, she decided to mention the items she'd brought along for him.

"I got those sketchbooks you wanted. I also brought a few pens and some pencils. And I picked up those paperbacks you mentioned, as well as a money order."

"I didn't ask you to get me a money order."

"I know you didn't. It's a gift."

"You're my girl. You shouldn't be spending money on me."

"You're already calling me collect, Dane. So one way or another, It's going to happen."

"I'm reimbursing you for those phone calls. You are using my debit card to draw money out of my checking account like I told you, right?"

"Yeah."

"So there's no reason to spend your money on me."

"I purchased everything else with funds from your account. But the money order is something I bought on my own."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to. Now shut up, and accept the gift."

A crooked smile played on his lips. "I always did love your feistiness."

She returned his smile, but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. "So, I have to ask. When I first scheduled this visit, they told me I would be meeting you in the unrestricted visiting room. So why are we here?" She tapped lightly on the glass partition.

"I'd rather not go into it if you don't mind."

"Why? What happened?"

"I had an incident."

"What kind?"

He grew silent, as if struggling to figure out how to respond, then in a lowered voice, he said, "I had a conflict with another inmate."

Her stomach twisted at the word 'conflict.' "What does that mean?"

"It means I had an altercation, and was put on punishment for it."

"You got into a fight?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight." He lowered his eyes from hers, as if she would somehow use the power of her gaze to gain access to his thoughts.

"Did someone attack you?"

"Do I look like I was attacked?"

"No," she hesitantly said. "But you could be hiding bruises on your body, so I can't be for certain."

Dane exhaled slowly, then in a voice that conveyed his uneasiness, he said, "I really don't want to talk about this."

"Alright, then we wont." A brief pause followed her words. "Have you spoken to your parents yet?"

"Yes."

"How did they take the news?"

"Not good at all. My dad practically disowned me for bringing shame on the family, but my mother was more saddened than anything else." He winced at the memory, and after briefly lowering his eyes, he continued. "But they hired a lawyer for me. He's pretty high-powered, and is a good friend of my dad's, and says he'll be able to negotiate a lesser sentence."

"That's good." For the first time in weeks, hope sprung in her heart. "Does your lawyer have any idea how much time you'll have to serve?"

"He said anywhere from three to five years. But he's certain he can get the sentence cut in half."

"So best case scenario, you'll serve a year and a half."

"Not too bad, considering it could have been five."

"That's still a long time to be apart."

"Yeah, but let's just be grateful it Isn't worse."

She nodded. "So what do you do to keep yourself busy in here?

"Exercise, read, play chess..." His voice drifted off and he gave a light shrug. "Not a whole lot, really. But now that you've brought me some sketchbooks, I'll be able to work on my graphic novel." He briefly paused before posing a question. "So tell me about you. How are things on your end?"

"Okay. Right now I'm working on a figurative sculpture. It's pretty detailed, so it takes up a lot of my time. Which is good, because it keeps me from thinking about other things."

"Like me."

"That's not what I meant, Dane." She shifted uneasily. "It's not that I'm trying to forget you. I just don't like imagining you in jail."

"I'm doing okay, you know. You don't have to worry about me."

"I know I don't, but I can't help it." Her eyes shifted to his gray jail uniform, coming to rest on his inmate number that was printed in bold black letters before looking back up at his face. "I hate seeing you behind this glass. And I hate that your identity has been reduced to a number."

"I don't like it much either, but It's nobody's fault that I'm here, but my own. I did this to myself."

Heaving a sigh of frustration, she found herself wondering how Dane could be so accepting of his predicament. Of course she was aware that he was powerless to change the situation, and she certainly didn't want to see him upset, but his almost placid attitude was concerning.

She wasn't used to this side of Dane, and found herself wanting a bit more of a reaction out of him, but then realized that if he could accept the fate that had been dealt to him, why couldn't she?

This thought had just gone through her head when she saw one of the guards approach Dane, and after informing him that his time was up, Dane nodded. He placed his palm against the glass partition, then positioned his fingertips so that they were pressed into the small holes that were drilled into it.

She imitated his gesture, and as the tips of her digits made contact with his, she felt something akin to an electric current. Judging by the look on Dane's face, she knew that he'd felt it as well, and although they were just barely touching one another, it was undoubtedly one of the most intimate moments they'd ever shared.

Their goodbyes came out as little more than a whisper, then suddenly Dane was no longer sitting across from her, but being led away by the guard. She watched as her lover was

guided towards a door, and just before exiting the visitation area, he looked back at her one last time. And then he was gone.

* * * *

The barred door clanged shut behind Dane as he entered his cell, and after sinking down onto a steel bed frame with a lumpy, sagging mattress, he took a moment to examine his surroundings.

No longer in county lockup, Dane was now officially an inmate at San Quentin State Prison. After spending two weeks in the county jail, his case had finally gone to trial, and after two days of jury deliberation, he'd been sentenced to seven months in prison.

Nearly a week had elapsed since he'd been transferred to San Quentin, but when one was confined in a place where dignity and privacy were nonexistent, seven days seemed more like a month.

Enclosed by four white cinderblock walls, his cell consisted of a steel bed frame that was bolted to the wall. A stinking toilet fashioned out of stainless steel was located directly next to a sink, and a small reading table was built into the corner of another wall.

Having just consumed a dinner that was hardly fit for human consumption, Dane's stomach was feeling a little unsettled, so he sank down on the lumpy, sagging mattress, then retrieved the small pile of mail that was located at the foot of his bed.

The sounds of muttering and swearing drifted from the cell located directly next to his, and from somewhere in the distance, he could hear the unnerving sounds of some unfortunate soul becoming someone's bitch. Dane tried to tune it out, but as the distressing noises became louder, he realized it was all he could focus on.

Already ill from the greasy slop he had eaten for dinner, Dane was further sickened by the sounds of prison rape, and quickly reached for his earphones which were attached to his small AM/FM radio.

After plugging his ears up with the buds, he switched the radio on, then turned up the volume until the disturbing noise had been effectively eradicated.

Now able to focus his attention on the mail, Dane grabbed the first letter on the stack, and as he took note of the addressee, he hurriedly tore it open. As was customary whenever he received a letter from Jeneda, he pressed his nose against the sheet of lined paper, and with a deep inhale, took in the scent of her perfume.

It was soft and sweet, just as she was, and yet there was also something deliciously sexy about it. The smell of her perfume made him happy, and also a little horny, and as he closed his eyes and imagined the curves of her gorgeous body, a wistful groan escaped his throat. His eyes opened once again to focus on her spidery handwriting, and with excitement, he began to read the letter.

Along with mentioning how she was counting the days until his release, Jeneda updated him on the latest events in her life, and also included details that pertained to his financial affairs.

Since she was fully in charge of paying his bills, as well as her own, plus keeping up with her work schedule, she was left with little downtime, but her letter assured him that she was thankful to be busy. She also mentioned that she regularly spent a few nights a week at his apartment, and declared that she always slept better in his bed, as opposed to her own.

It wasn't until she admitted to masturbating in his bed that Dane received a sudden rush of blood between his legs, and as she began to describe in detail just how she got herself off, his cock twitched. As the letter continued on, her words became progressively dirtier, and within a few short minutes, he had a full blown erection.

By the time he reached the end of the letter, his breathing had quickened, and although he longed to relieve himself, he fought the urge to do so. Only once the lights went out and he was laying in complete darkness, did Dane ever touch himself. So despite the painful throbbing of his cock, he ignored his hard-on.

Along with a letter, Jeneda had also included a picture of herself, and for several long moments, Dane gazed longingly at it. The photograph was full length, and showed Jeneda in a off the shoulder sweater, fitted black skirt that reached mid-thigh, and a pair of tall leather boots.

Still gazing intently at the picture, Dane found his eyes repeatedly drawn to her sexy legs, and couldn't help noticing how well the boots showcased them.

Judging from the background, the photo had been taken at some social event, and as he realized that other men had been within sniffing distance of her, jealousy coursed through his veins.

The fact that they'd been afforded the pleasure of eyeing her in such a tantalizing outfit only made him all the more envious, and he began to wonder just how many men had tried to chat her up.

The idea alone made him sick to his stomach, but before his imagination could get the best of him, he pushed the thought away. He grabbed a roll of tape from a shoebox beneath the frame of his mattress, and after tearing off a few pieces, affixed the picture of Jeneda to the wall next to his bed.

The next letter in the stack was from Cassie, and after opening the sealed flap, he pulled out a folded piece of paper. She started off by telling him that she'd driven out to visit him the prior weekend, but had been turned away because she wasn't on his approved visitor list. She also let him know that he was free to call her whenever he wanted, and also mentioned she would be happy to send him magazines or crossword puzzles through the mail.

It wasn't until the very end of the letter that she declared how much she missed him, and hoped they could keep in close touch while he was in jail. In closing, she told him that she looked forward to visiting him, and after signing the letter off with a, 'hope to see you soon,' she'd signed her name.

Although a part of him had hoped he would hear from Cassie, he hadn't expected her to actually reach out and contact him. He wasn't currently on speaking terms with his father, so aside from his mother and Jeneda, there really wasn't anyone else who wrote or called him, and although he and Cassie were no more than casual friends, it was nice to know that she cared enough to maintain their friendship.

He refolded the letter and slid back it back into its envelope, and after setting it aside, retrieved the next piece of mail from the stack.

It wasn't just the gold color of the envelope that got his attention, but the lack of a return address, and after breaking the seal and unfolding a piece of stationary, he began to read.

To his surprise, the letter was from one of his fans, and along with mentioning that she still supported him, she also let him know that she would be more than happy to send him care packages. Along with gushing about his talent, she also confessed an intense sexual attraction to him, and wanted to know if he was currently seeking a girlfriend. Of course he wasn't, but that didn't stop him from checking out the photo she'd provided.

The snapshot was of a woman with sandy blonde hair, perhaps in her mid to late twenties, dressed in a white, see-through tank top and a pair of cut off jean shorts. There was something in her eyes that seemed to suggest she was a little spacey, but overall she was quite attractive.

Dane didn't have X-ray vision, but then again he didn't really need it. Her provocative clothing left little to the imagination, and judging from the playful smile on her face, it was clear that her intention had been to incite lust in him.

Mission accomplished, Dane thought, but there was no way in hell he was going to write her back. Indulging in a bit of visual stimulation, however, was an entirely different story, and after allowing his eyes to linger on the picture for a few more seconds, he stuffed it, along with the letter back into the envelope.

The next four pieces of mail were also from female fans, and included photographs just as the first letter had. One of his admirers had even proposed marriage to him, and another expressed a wish for him to impregnate her.

Along with being surprised, he was also a little disturbed by the attention, and found himself wondering how word of his arrest had reached his fans. His popularity as a graphic novelist was steadily growing, but he was nowhere near being famous, so it was beyond him how these women had discovered what was going on in his personal life. And since they'd somehow managed to find out about his incarceration, how were they not aware that he had a girlfriend?