"Yes, ten damn minutes." Morrison holds his hand up, stopping me from walking out.

"Jared here yet?"

"Yeah, and do you know how fucked up that is?"

"He offered. Livi likes him, and he's family," I say and start pacing again.

There is a knock on the door, and then Toni peeks in. "She's ready."

"'Bout damn time," I grumble, but Toni simply smiles. "Thanks, Toni."

"Anytime, you know that."

My brothers walk out and I follow. Livi said we should get married on the stage, and I told her the kitchen represented our union more honestly. She had no idea what I was talking about, so I showed her again. I love fucking my girl in the kitchen, less chance for us to be walked in on.

I watch as the door opens upstairs, and she walks out. My girl is wearing a white, floor length gown that nearly matches her pale skin. It skims every curve she has, and yes, it makes me chub up.

Her hair is down and lying over her shoulder. She wears no veil, since I asked her not to. I wanted to see her eyes. I fucking love her eyes. She looks like I imagine an angel would look, even better.

Her mom is beside her as she walks down the stairs toward me. At the end of the stairs, her father waits in a wheelchair that her mom pushes beside her as they walk toward me.

Three people who haven't been a true family ever are one today on the most important day of our lives. My heart swells for Livi. She deserves this. She deserves the world.

Once she's at my side, I take both hands and turn her to me. "Beautiful."

She smiles and blushes a bit.

"When I heard these two were gonna tie the knot, I asked to be part of it," Jared starts. "Livi laughed, thinking it was another one of my jokes, but it wasn't. I'm sure no one here could believe I am capable of much, but Hendrix trusted me. Well, Livi insists he trusts me."

Everyone laughs at Jared's joke.

"I've seen love before, been in love before, but I haven't seen it in many, many years until the day I saw the way Hendrix looks at this little one."

I am stunned that this is the same Jared I have known for years, but that was Jared before Livi. She makes everyone around her want to be a better person.

Then, he grins.

Oh, shit, I think to myself, while Livi laughs.

"Don't encourage him, babe," I warn.

"I once heard a married man in this very bar say he was happy for twenty years. I told him I hadn't heard many men say that, and he told me it was the twenty years before he got married."

Everyone laughs, including Livi, of course. Fuckin' crazy ass woman, I think with a smile.

"I heard a married couple just the other night arguing. The wife said she was a fool when she married him. He looked at her and said, 'I know you were, but I was in love and hadn't noticed.'"

As the crowd laughs again, I look at Livi who is smiling, beaming actually.

"I, myself, was married once. Do you know what I did before that?" He looks at Livi who shakes her head. "Any damn thing I wanted. My wife dressed to kill and cooked the same damn way." The laughter keeps him going. "We were married by a judge, but it should have been a jury. Our motto was 'never go to bed mad,' so we stayed up many nights and fought." More laughter until he continues, "Don't get me wrong, I married Mrs. Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always.

"I'm not alone in my struggles. I passed a church on my way here. The ten o'clock service tomorrow is titled, 'Preparing for Marriage,' and the six o'clock one is, 'A Look into Hell.' Coincidence? I think not."

Livi laughs along with everyone else.

"I am sure these two will endure similar struggles, but as you know, I have known Hendrix for years, and I am one hundred percent certain that if he is standing here in his bar, in that damn get up, he's made up his mind. I don't doubt his love for Livi. Hell, it's not like he's doing it to get laid. The man has had so much pus-"

"Jared, can we move on to the vows?" I shift uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with Livi's parents.

"I spent three hours online and a few bucks to become ordained, so you're just gonna have to deal."

Jared turns to Livi. "Livi, you know he isn't the last man on earth, right?"

"To me, he is." She smiles sweetly at me.

In unison, the whole place says, 'awe,' and I lean in to kiss my girl "Not yet," Jared interrupts. "Hendrix, you know we consider her family the minute you say I d-"

"We already do, Jared," Jagger chimes in.

"All right, then." Jared chuckles.

"You wanna marry him, Livi?"

"I do."

"You sure?" he jokes.

"I am."

"Hendrix, you know how lucky you are?"

"I do."

"You sure?"

"Hell yes, I'm sure, Jared. Do you-"

"I now pronounce you man and wife. Kiss that girl before I do."

And, hell yes, I do. I kiss her, lift her up, and nod to the band that is already set up. When they start playing our song, her tears immediately start falling as the words begin.

I would never let her down. I would never let her walk behind me, always next to me.

"This song okay?"

She nods her head up and down, unable to speak.

I wipe her tears away. "I can't believe I get to have you forever. I love you, Mrs. Caldwell."

"I love you, too, Hendrix."

While we make our way down the makeshift aisle to the bar area, Livi smiles up at me. Then, she looks to my brothers who both nod. She takes my hand and leads me out front where she points up as soon as we exit the door. Where the old sign to my dad's place once hung is a new sign: Caldwell's Established May 5, 2014 No two stories are the same, but the power of healing and forgiveness is universal.

This is my story of becoming. This is our story of overcoming.

I found good in a world of bad.

A letter to my former self.

Dear Olivia, I write to you today to tell you that everything is all right.

The confusion about your body experiencing pleasure from touch wasn't because you were 'dirty.' It wasn't because you were 'broken.' Your body naturally reacts to stimulation.

You didn't ask for it. You didn't invite it. Hell, you didn't even know what 'it' was.

The age of consent isn't a number; it's a birthright. We find our voice to practice that right when we are stronger and more knowledgeable to the world and our bodies.

It is now time that you allow yourself to accept. It is now time to forgive yourself for something beyond your control.

You Survived.

It is time to stop hiding in the darkness of your mind, wondering why you allowed this to happen and realize you didn't allow it.

It was taken.

Step into the light now, celebrate that instead of falling further down into the rabbit's hole.

You are stronger than most.

To the outside world you are intelligent and strong.

Classy and Fabulous.

You have learned to allow some people into your darkness to shine a light for your way through. Friends who understood, because they, too, have been violated. They helped you.

Own it. Overcome it.

Gone are the days you lay in bed crying and wondering what is wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with you.

You've got this, now rock this.

It's time to help others heal and realize the same.

But never forget...

Consent is fucking required.

Love, Livi Caldwell (and her panties) Resources RAINN-.

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network 1-800-656-HOPE.

www.rainn.org HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. More than 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. The CDC recommends that all girls age 11-12 should be vaccinated. For more information on this and other precautions please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website listed below.

www.cdc.gov About the Authors Chelsea Camaron Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina. She currently resides in Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming.

Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream. She realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice.

Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspire her 'Love and Repair' and 'The Hellions Ride' series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a multiple projects in the works.

When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband's Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book, or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in.

USA Today Best Selling Author MJ Fields MJ Field's love of writing was in full swing by age eight. Together with her cousins, she wrote a newsletter and sold it to family members. She self-published her first New Adult romance in January 2013. Today she has completed four self-published series, The Love series, The Wrapped series, The Burning Souls series, and The Men of Steel series. The Norfolk series has two titles self-published so far and Ties of Steel, Abe and Dominic are available. MJ is a USA Today Best Selling author and former small business owner, who recently closed the business so she could write full time.

MJ lives in central New York, surrounded by family and friends. Her house is full of pets, friends, and noise ninety percent of the time, and she would have it no other way.

Morrison Excerpt (unedited and subject to change) *Hailey*

Suit wearing, slick talking, snake in the grass, bastards. All of them.

This is temporary, just a job. I just have to get through another day.

My feet ache with every step my high heel covered toes have to take. I pull down on my skirt.

Fucking cocktail waitress uniform. These assholes think it is made for easy access. They also think they can touch me wherever, however they want so I can earn my tips. One day, this will be a mere memory, but for now, I have to keep working the casino. This is a means to an end. Thankfully, it is one that pays well, but it damn sure isn't easy. I can't let it get me down, though.

Eye on the prize. Get the contacts and get in the underground games. Play a tournament.

Win.

Be done. Debt repaid. Life can then go on.

Momma always said, "The boys won't like it if you beat 'em, Hailey Sue. You gotta hustle harder, play smarter, and tip the right man off. Know your place, darlin'."

"Yeah, Momma, how'd that work out for you?" I mutter to the dry Vegas air around me.

I blow out a frustrated breath as I make my way to my car. You have got to be fucking kidding me right now!

The minute I think this night can't get any longer, it damn sure does. One of these entitled motherfuckers has parked their car behind mine, blocking me in with no way out. I am sure his Porsche won't look so good when I leave the imprint of my Nissan's bumper in the passenger door.

Going over to my car, I unlock the door manually since the keyless entry no longer works.

Annoyance consumes me as I step out of my heels and let my feet hit the gravel beneath me. At this point, I don't care how dirty it is-my feet hurt, my life is a complete mess, and tonight has been never ending.

I toss my purse into the back as I reach in to grab my duffle bag. Opening it up, I put some sweats on over my skirt, grab an old T-shirt, and cover my pushed up, barely covered tatas then start pulling the pins out of my hair. Once I free my locks from their fancy up-do, I quickly throw it all up in a messy bun on top of my head.

Glamorous, I am not.

Once I have adjusted my look from work life to real life, I wait.