The Rising Phoenix Tattoo Parlor

Chapter 2: Prologue from Bella's POV

BPOV

After the death of my parents, I decided that I needed to leave Forks. I had opened my own tattoo parlor here about 2 years ago and Jake was my partner. We really had no problems with the shop; we did very well and made good money. When we had been open about a year, that's when the problems started. Jake wanted me, so badly, that I feel like he had started to stalk me.

I had talked to my dad about it and he said he would talk to him about it, but only 6 months later, my parents were in a horrible car accident. They were driving down Highway 101 and when they rounded a corner near FirstBeach; the road hadwashed out, Dad hit the brakes, but they didn't work. The police report claims that the brake lines where old and had cracked. But, I knew different, because Charlie and I had replaced all the brake lines and the pads about 3 months before.

I was sitting in the Fast LaneCoffeeShop, drinking my white chocolate latte; I picked up my copy of Skin and Ink, flipping to the back, where they have classifieds for people who are looking for either new shops or new artists. That's where I saw his ad; it was a half-page ad with the most beautiful man I had ever seen, he also had the most amazing green eyes I have ever seen. His shop was called RisingPhoenixTattooParlor; they needed a new artist.

Well, do I really want to sell my own shop and work under someone else? I would get away from Jake; he is starting to scare me. Every time I turn around; he is there. I was at home and when I came out of my bathroom in a towel, he was in the hallway, staring at me. I got so mad, I slapped him across the face and told him to get the fuck out of my home and I ran and locked the door behind him.

You see, I am deaf and have been since birth; he uses that to his advantage. I can, however, sense him; the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and chills run down my spine whenever he is near. Sometimes I wonder if he had something to do with my parents' accident.

I finally decided that I am going to sell my share of the Velvet Rose Tattoo Shop. I offered it to Jake, but he refused and told me he wouldn't allow me to leave. So, I made sure to keep everything a secret and if I got the job at Rising Phoenix; I would be able to get away, once and for all.

I wrote a letter to Rising Phoenix, explaining why they should pick me for the job, as well as my resume. I also started to slowly pack my house, so that Jake wouldn't notice that I was preparing to leave. I also went to the local real estate office to try and get my mom and dad's house sold. One night, around midnight, while I was still in Forks, the lights in my house started blinking. I reached under my pillow and grabbed my dad's 9mm; gripping it tightly and pointing it at the closed door. I am so thankful that I got an alarm system especially for those who are deaf installed after Jake broke in the last time. The lights stopped blinking, which let me know it was reset and the police were here. Chief Clearwater, who helped me set the alarm up, opened the door and raised his palms up, saying "It's ok, Bella, we have him; give me the gun, sweetheart."

Apparently, Jake had broken in my house, again, but this time, he planned on kidnapping me so I couldn't leave him. I made up my mind; even if I didn't get the job at Rising Phoenix, I was still going to leave. The next day, I asked Sam, Jake's friend, to buy my share of Velvet Rose and to not tell Jake that I was gone. He said he would. Later on that day, when I checked my post office box, I had a letter from Rising Phoenix. I had the job, but the owner wanted me to call him to let him know when I would be coming. I decided that I would send another letter; I just hope he doesn't get mad. I mean, I am not being entirely truthful…I have left out the fact that I am not only a woman, but I am also deaf. I also signed my letter, The Vamp, to keep my identity a secret. You see, I love vampires, or should I say, one vampire; Evan Collins. He is the main character in my favorite book, Dusk Till Dawn and he is so freakin' romantic in the way he woos his lady, Clara, it is a modern day Romeo and Juliet…without the suicidal ending.

Jake is still in prison; I hop. I watched as everything was loaded into the moving truck and I put the stuff I needed for my trip into the saddle bags on my motorcycle. I went back into the house, walking from room to room to say goodbye to all my ghosts. I locked the door and jumped on bike; as I rounded the corner, I saw Jake's little red Rabbit pull up to the house. I gunned it and never looked back, hoping to leave all this craziness to someone else.

JAKE'S POV

Fuck, she thinks she can leave me? I don't fucking think so. I made arrangements; I was going to kidnap her. I can't let her leave; she is mine, I love her. When I went into her house, I started to look for her. As I reached her bedroom door, that fucking dick, Chief Harry Clearwater hit me in the back of the head I went down. I woke up in a cell; I sat in that fucking cell for 18 fucking hours because of that fucking bitch. I am through with her! Fuck it; I am going to fucking kill her! As I pulled up in the driveway, there was a For Sale sign in the front lawn. When I looked in the windows, everything was gone. Fuck, I need to find her. I whipped my head around as I took off running and I heard her Harley pull away.

I drove around looking for her or that damn bike. I can't believe she would leave this town; this is all she knows. Besides, the fact she is fucking deaf. I guess I will wait until she comes back to the Velvet Rose, hell, she works there. I pulled in to the shop parking lot and Sam was there. He told me he fucking bought her share of the shop. I got so fucking pissed that I broke out all the front windows in the shop. I dropped to my knees screaming, "I'll fucking get you, Bella Swan, if it's the last thing I do!"

BPOV

I finally made it out of town and I was on my way to Canada. When I was about halfway there, I decided it was time to stop for the night. Even if it was only an hour into my trip, seeing Jake caused me to start to stress, I needed to relax before reaching Vancouver. I found a hotel in Port Angeles, close to where the ferry would take off the next morning. I showered and then crawled into bed, checking my text messages. I had several threatening ones from Jake, which I decided to forward to Chief Clearwater. I was so tired, that I fell asleep. I woke up only a few hours later, soaking wet with sweat and gasping for breath; fuck, he was now in my dreams too? I got up and put my gear back on and then got back on the road…or in this case, the ferry.

About an hour and a half later, I pulled up to the shop and even through my helmet; I saw the most amazing pair of green eyes I had ever seen. The same green eyes that were in the ad for Rising Phoenix, I just had to know him…