Dream Hunter

Chapter 18

"Right, I'm headed to the diner. I'll see you in a few minutes then. Okay," Dani disconnected her call with Jax, staring at the phone's screen. His voice had been strained but he had blamed that on Roberto's situation with Gladys.

Dani looked up and immediately noticed the practically empty parking lot of King's Diner.

"Crap, that means no tips," she muttered.

A young man wearing purple glasses was standing in front of the diner, hands in his pockets reading a sign that was posted on the entrance doors. Dani groaned.

"H-hello D-Dani," Calvin gave a slight wave.

"Hello neighbor," Dani said as she glanced at the sign he had been reading.

KING'S DINER TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!

"What?" Dani pulled out her phone and dialed Oliver's number. Several more attempts proved fruitless as her call was sent directly to his voicemail.

"Oliver, what's going on? Where are you? Are you okay? If this has anything to do with what happened the other day...we can talk about it. I know I overreacted and I'm sorry. Where are you?" Dani shot a glance at Calvin who was watching her. "Enjoying the show?" she asked sarcastically.

"D-do you n-need a r-r-ride home?" he asked, pushing up his glasses.  

"No thanks."

"I c-can t-take you h-home."

"Thanks, but my boyfriend is on the way."

Calvin smiled and nodded, "I'll s-see you l-later."

Dani watched Calvin as he strode to his car. She tried texting Oliver but he wasn't responding. She swallowed a bubble of hysteria, mentally telling herself that Oliver was fine.

A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump.

"Dammit Jaxass, you scared me!"

"Dani, we need to talk," Jax's voice lacked the playfulness it was usually soaked in.

"What's wrong?" Dani asked.

"Can we go inside?"

Dani shook her head, "No. The diner is closed for some reason."

Jax looked up at the handwritten sign, "Did you all not pass a health inspection or something?"

"Of course they did. I'm just as surprised as you. I've been trying to reach Oliver but he's not picking up. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry. I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he had something come up and he felt like he needed to close the diner for a few days."

"What if you're wrong? What if something happened to him?"

"Dani, he's fine-"

"You don't know that!" she could feel herself shaking. "Dolores was taken, wasn't she? It's only a miracle that the cops have her hidden away but she was targeted. You told me that. Why wouldn't they target Oliver?"

"Does that make any sense?" Jax asked.

"Does taking Dolores make sense?"

"Dani-"

Tears were starting to fall and Dani pushed Jax away when he tried hugging her, "Why? First my mother and then my father. I thought I had a friend in Billy but now he's gone. Dolores is gone. Oliver is gone. Everyone is just...gone. Why?" She sat on the small step that was in front of the entrance to King's Diner. "Why does everyone leave me?" she couldn't control the tears and her voice cracked with emotion. "Where's Oliver?"

Jax coughed, his eyes had reddened as he remembered why he had come to meet Dani. He steered his eyes away from her before he chickened out, "Dani, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What?" she swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Dani...I don't know how to say this. The timing sucks."

She looked up, her tear-stained cheeks muddied with mascara, "What's wrong?"

"With everything that's been going on with Roberto and work...I think you and I...that you and I should take a break."

"A break? Like a vacation? Now isn't the time, Jax. People we care about are in danger."

It felt like a knife plunging into his heart, but he shook his head, "No, Dani. That's not what I meant."

"You don't want a break with me but from me?" Dani stood up, shaking her head. "No."

"I'm so sorry."

"No, you aren't doing this to me."

"Dani, let's not make this more difficult," Jax sounded like the jerk he felt like.

"Why? I even told you my worst nightmare was you leaving me. You can't do this to me. No," she was pounding against his chest while Jax stood still, letting her hit him. He grabbed her hands and she snarled, "How can you do this to me? You're joking right? This is a joke?"

"I'm not joking, Dani. I'm sorry."

She staggered back a few steps, her breathing heavy and jagged, "This isn't real. This is another one of my nightmares, isn't it? It has to be."

"Dani," Jax quickly wiped at his eyes, "I'm sorry but I think we should break up."

"Why? At least give me a reason why."

"I can't."

Dani bit her bottom lip until she tasted blood. Her mouth twisted into an ugly snarl, "What is this about? Now that you slept with me, you want to break up? Are you really that low?"

"Dani, you don't know-"

"Are you sure you want to do this? You won't regret this?"

Jax thought of his brother's threats to harm Dani if they stayed together. He shook his head, "No."

A keening sound escaped her throat and Dani quickly covered her mouth with both hands.

"Dani-"

She spun around so that her back was facing him, "Get out of here Detective Michaels. You make me sick."

Jax stood behind her for a moment, his hand outstretched, his eyes pink, and his throat dry. He gave a watery smile before nodding, "I'll see you around, Panda Eyes."

She could hear his footsteps pounding at the cement and once she knew he was gone, her knees buckled and she began sobbing.

A hand on her shoulder startled her.

Eagerly, she asked, "Jax?"

Her eyes moved up and she was disappointed.

"What the hell's the matter, Dani? Are you upset because the diner's closed? I was just cleaning up before I left. It'll be open in a few days," Donovan said.

He was surprised when Dani threw herself in his arms, still crying.

Donovan awkwardly patted her back, "What's going on? Please stop crying."

Donovan looked around to see if there was anyone that could help him calm Dani down. As his eyes scanned the parking lot, they made contact with a man wearing purple glasses. Donovan watched as the man tore his glasses off and turned away, an angry sneer on his face.