Hendrix (Caldwell Brothers)

“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

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.”