"What?" Livi asks.

"You and Hendrix Caldwell? Jesus, Livi, you hitting that and didn't even tell me? So not fair."

"Well, that's because it's my private life."

"First, the guy in the closet at the fundraiser, and now the hot, tattooed bartender?"

"Owner. He owns the bar and..."

"Spill it."

"He is the guy in the closet," she whispers.

"And why the hell am I just hearing about this!" Toni squeals.

"Shh! Again, private," Livi hushes her.

"I am so pissed I took half a day today, but I am coming to get you after work, and you're spilling it all!"

"Shh! Um ... I ... um..."

"Livi?"

"I'm staying with Hendrix."

"Are you fucking-?"

Then everything's muffled.

"I'm gonna take my hand off your mouth if and when you can refrain from yelling."

"We'll talk tomorrow."

I hear Livi coming closer, so I bolt to the stairway and haul ass down the four floors to the lobby. Right as I hit the other side of the stairwell's door, the elevator opens, and she walks out.

"Was this a bad idea?" I ask, wanting to take her hand.

She shakes her head and smiles.

"A real date. It's not dinner, but-"

"You're taking me on a date?"

"Yeah." I nod. "Let's go."

We end up at a place across the road, since she only has half an hour.

After we order, I pull out a little package and hand it to her.

She smiles. "A date and a gift?"

"I owe you both. It's nothing big. Just open it up."

I'm nervous as hell, more so than I thought I would be. She holds them up as she laughs and fists them. "You bought me panties?"

"I've ruined a few pair of yours, so I thought it was only fair. Let me be honest here, though, I hate that you need them to feel strong."

"I have relied on them for a long time."

"Livi, you can rely on me." I lock eyes with her. "Read 'em."

She looks down then shakes her head. "Hendrix, I took a test this morning at work."

I have no clue what she is talking about. "How'd you do?"

"It was negative." There is sadness in her voice, and I catch on.

"Not sure what to say, but I am dying for you to read the panties."

She looks down and smiles. Then she laughs and snorts. "Caldwell's piece?"

"Yeah, what do you say?"

"About?" She laughs while she's still looking at the panties.

"Be my girl,"

She looks up, surprised. "I'm not-"

"Doesn't matter, Livi. Like you said the other night, things just feel right with you and me. I like you a lot and don't like it when you're not around. Don't want to be with anyone else, and when I think about you being with someone else, I feel like breaking shit. So, be my girl."

"I think I would kind of love that."

"Good."

"Good," she agrees.

Chapter Eighteen.

*Olivia*

I laugh as I walk into the bar tonight. Walking by Hendrix, I rub my butt, and a snort slips out unintentionally. 'Drive him wild.' Yes, I think I will have fun with these panties tonight.

"Squeak, what're you smirking about?" Hendrix questions as I continue to rub my butt.

"Nothing at all, Broody Caldwell. Nothing at all." I laugh again as I finish putting my stuff up and make my way out to the bar.

"Broody?"

"Yes, it suits you most of the time."

He rolls his eyes then leans down, planting a kiss on my lips. "I don't like it."

"I didn't think I did at first, either, but it's growing on me."

Tonight is steady. Not as busy as the weekends, although it certainly keeps me going for a weeknight. The weekdays are tough after being at the hospital all day, but I actually enjoy working here more as each day passes.

My period hasn't come, but the lines on the stick said it was negative. I can't help being a little disappointed that I'm not having a baby, even if I shouldn't be. Really, this isn't the best time for me to have a baby-for us to have a baby-when we are still getting used to being an 'us.' I have never been half of an 'us.' Heck, until Hendrix, I have never actually been on a date. Having a baby wouldn't be good for either of us, but would it really have been so bad? I guess we will never know.

I smile thinking about being with Hendrix. Those panties. His panties. His piece. Sure, it isn't accolades of love, it certainly isn't hearts, chocolates, roses, or cupcakes, but it means something to me. My panties are my empowerment. Give and take. What's more, Hendrix gives me that balance. I am proud to be his piece.

Thinking about his panties, I add a little more sway to my hips as I move around behind the bar. I look up and see Jared walking in. I am ready for him.

I set his beer on the bar. "What did Jay-Z call his girlfriend before he married her?"

He looks at me, smirks, and then shakes his head.

"Feyonce." I laugh, and he cracks up.

He takes a drink then leans in. "Do you wanna hear a joke about my dick?"

"Oh, um..."

"No, she doesn't." Hendrix appears beside me.

"Fine, it's too long, anyway." He chuckles, and Hendrix starts laughing.

I don't get why they are laughing, or why Hendrix is laughing when he was just being, well, broody.

He looks at me and smiles. "I don't have to kill one of my favorite customers, Livi, and that was funny."

"I don't understand." And I don't.

"Livi, his dick was too long?"

I shake my head. "Still don't get-oh." I laugh and then snort as I put his shot in front of him. "That is funny."

An hour later, my phone vibrates in my back pocket. As I pull it out, I recognize the number displayed on the screen.

Chills run through me, and I drop the bottle of bourbon in my hand. It crashes to the ground, shattering loudly as my body begins to shake.

Immediately, Hendrix is by my side. His arms surround me before he literally scoops me up and carries me away from the mess.

Once the phone stops vibrating, I can finally breathe again. Hendrix sets me down on a counter in the back of the kitchen, but the phones starts vibrating again before I can get a word out.

With trembling hands, I swipe the screen to answer my phone. I have to be strong.

"H-h-hello."

"Olivia, your father is in the hospital. He's asking for you," my step-monster's voice comes through the phone.

"Okay, I ... ummm ... I can't make it out right now." I panic. My dad has never wronged me. He doesn't know what happened. No one does. When it comes to his wife, though, she does no wrong, nor do her children. Therefore, I could never tell him the truth.

"We know you don't have money, Olivia." The disdain she has for me is laced in her voice every time she says my name. "I'll email your plane ticket. I have to get Bryce one, as well."

At the mention of his name, the phone slips from my hand and clatters to the floor. Hendrix picks it up.

"This is Olivia's boss, Hendrix Caldwell. What is going on that has her so upset?" he questions into my phone.

Unable to hear what she is saying, I merely sit helplessly on the stainless steel counter in the back of the kitchen. I try to summon courage from songs. I try to recount every piece of motivational lingerie in my arsenal. Nothing is working, though. The thoughts bouncing around in my head are too deafening for anything else to get through.

Bryce needs a plane ticket. Where is he? Why isn't he back in California? Has he been following me?

My gut twists as fear overtakes me.

I don't even know how long I sit there in stunned silence before Hendrix's voice brings me back from the depths of the darkness I had plunged into.

"No need to get her a ticket. I'll make sure she gets there for him."

Without another word, he swipes the screen to end the call and begins watching me. I can feel it even though I refuse to look up.

Needing to focus my attention on something other than my dad and his family, I begin counting the tiles on the floor.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six...

"Livi, talk to me," Hendrix commands.

"Nothing to say."

He cups my chin in his hand to make me look up at him. "You're not a bull-shitter, Livi, so don't start bein' one now."

"You ever lose a part of yourself, Hendrix? Really lose something you can never get back?"

"Was it lost or taken?"

Tears fill my eyes and I shrug. "Maybe both."

"Talk. To. Me. Stop dancing around everything for once. You may not feel strong, but you are, and you aren't alone."

I blow out a breath. Can I share my deepest, darkest secret with him? Can I drop my past on him?

"I can tell by that phone call, you got issues with your dad or your stepmom, but he's sick, Livi. He wants you to come visit. It's obvious this isn't something you're comfortable with, though."