Chapter 9
Fitz made some phone calls while Liv went into her bedroom. He had planned to take longer and make better plans for the first time he made love to Livvie…but he was done waiting. He needed her under him, the sooner the better.
He called Gary to let him know that he would be incommunicado for the day…or longer. He heard the smile in his friend's voice, the bastard probably knew why he was going M.I.A. He was making his last phone call when Liv walked out wearing Jeans and a tight little tee. He small perky breasts pushing up against soft cotton fabric…he was going to take so much time on those.
She smiled shyly at him "I hope this is okay, I wasn't sure what to wear…"
He walked over to her with the phone still in his hands. He pulled her to him with his free arm and kissed her deep taking his time then pulling back off her lips slowly "It doesn't matter what you wear Livvie, you're not going to have it on for long…."
She smiled excitedly and pushed her fingers into his beautiful curls and brought his head back down for another kiss, which he excitedly returned.
"Fitz?" a voice came through the phone in his hands. Shit…he forgot he had Marta on the line. She started to pull out of his arms so he could take the call, but he tightened his hold so she couldn't pull away.
"Sorry Marta, so did you get everything I said…thanks. I owe you" he swiped to hang up the phone.
"Ready Liv?" he asked, hitching her up higher on his body. He loved to feel her weight on him. She nodded. They picked up her overnight bag where she had left it and headed out the door. He held her hand but pulled out of the hold when he needed to shut the door. He turned when that was done and faced toward her.
God she was beautiful. He needed another fix. He grabbed her to him and kissed her again. It started out softly but soon, like it was with Fitz and Olivia, it took off and became something else. Tongues dueled, he pulled her in as close as he could and they both moaned as the passion took over.
"I am going to end you" a threat came up behind them laced with vehemence
They both broke apart startled by the voice. Oliva and Fitz turned and Liv gasped. She fell back in shock. Fitz reacted quickly and caught her to him.
Liv looked at the Pizza delivery guy standing before them holding a pie. And screamed.
"E.J…" Liv said. She was so shocked no other words could come out. Fitz started to push her behind him in a protective gesture, but Olivia resisted. She wasn't the one that was going to need protection!
"This part of the case Grant? Taking advantage of a Junior officer during a case? I told you what I would do to you if I caught you messing with her…" he growled and started forward. Oliva yelled and quickly stepped in between the two men.
"Eli…EJ, please don't!" she yelled. E.J looked down at her she was starting to feel hope that perhaps there was hope in calming everyone down, when she was suddenly lifted off her feet. She was in the air for about three seconds then her feet planted she was facing away from the two men. What in the hell…
"I don't need to explain myself to you and neither does she Pope. We are two consenting adults and whatever we do, is none of your fucking business" she heard Fitz tell her brother. His voice filled with menace. Oh god, she needed to stop this!
"You son of a bitch…" she felt it coming and she quickly moved. She spun around and jumped back in front of Fitz just before the punch landed. E.J pulled back just in time, he would have socked Liv right in the face. A rage filled noise came from behind her. Fitz was pissed. He reached over and grabbed E.J by the neck
"You fucking touch her I kill you!" he said.
Shit. This was getting out of hand. She quickly turned, she was getting whiplash from moving and turning …trying to diffuse the situation. She saw the rage in Fitz's face and didn't need to turn to know it was mirrored on E. J's face.
She made a quick decision. She jumped up on Fitz wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs tightly around his waist. It was a calculated move. E.J couldn't punch Fitz while he held her and Fitz couldn't counter it with her wrapped around him like a boa constrictor. She turned her head and whispered in Fitz's ear
"Stop…please stop. Don't hurt my brother" her soft entreaty and her body wrapped around him stopped him. She felt the muscles that were tight as drums before start to relax. She pulled back and turned to face E.J while still wrapped around Fitz.
"This has to stop E.J…I can't live like this anymore" tears poured down her face "I am done…you hear me E.J…I am standing up for myself. If you, daddy, Brian and Harold can't let me be an adult…then I can't talk to you anymore. I am cutting you out of my life" she was crying heavily
She turned to Fitz "Put me down" He gently placed her down on her feet and she turned to face E.J
"I am an adult and I am not going to run away from this. I am going to tell this to all of you face to face. I am done. You are all out of my life until you start to treat me like an adult…" she turned to Fitz
"Can you take me to my Parent's house…I need…I need to talk to them" Fitz looked down at her. He had never been so proud of someone. He nodded, he would take her anywhere.
"Thank you…, bye E.J" she grabbed Fitz's hand and pulled him away from the apartment. As soon as they got into the car, she pulled her knees up, buried her head on them and she cried. It broke his heart.
"Livvie…baby" he pulled his seat back and pulled her into his arms. Holding her as she cried. He soothed her and watched E.J walk to his obviously commandeered pizza delivery car, shoulders slopped. He paused to look at them in the Camaro. The man looked broken. He paused before getting in his car and driving off.
"I should have done this a long time ago…they can't keep running my life. I am done!"
"Its hard to cut off family…no matter what they do…" Fitz said understandably
"I know, but I can't live like this anymore...will you take me?" she told him the address. He nodded. Like he said he would take her anywhere.
E.J.s fake Pizza delivery vehicle was parked outside the sedate Alexandria, VA middle class house they pulled up to. It had taken them over an hour to get there, because Fitz wanted to switch vehicles and use his usual evasion techniques to ensure they weren't being followed. He was going to be parked outside the house of a police officer. He did not need the conspicuous, Conner Maxwell, Camaro parked outside.
He started to open his door to go with her, but she shook her head.
"I need to do this alone" she said stoically. He understood that. He nodded his acknowledgement and shut the door. She started to turn to step out the car, but he grabbed her. He pulled her into him and kissed her hard. He pulled away after a minute
"I am proud of you, I want you to know that" he said softly
The tears she had managed to quell during the car ride, reappeared. She smiled at him
"Thank you"
He watched her walk into the house. As soon as the front door shut, he was out the door and positioned outside the side of the house where there was a window that had a view into the den. The Pope's were all congregated there. He sighed. He hoped he didn't have to go in there for any reason. She needed to do this on her own, but if she needed him. He would be there.
Olivia walked into the den and looked at her family.
Her mother sat in the corner wringing her hands and her father stood next to her hands akimbo. He vibrated with anger. Her three brothers sat on different chairs around the room. She walked in and her father opened his mouth to speak…no to berate her. She could tell by the way he was looking at her. Well to bad Pop…she wasn't in the mood!
She held up her hand and he popped back shocked by the defiant gesture. His baby girl never stood up to him. He was in for a rude awakening.
"Not today. Today is going to go differently. Today I get to speak and all of you get to listen. Number one I am a grown up. An adult. I pay my own rent, bills, make my own car payment, I take myself for doctor's appointments all by myself. All things adults do. The only thing I don't get to do because of the four of you is date. That ends tonight. This is not Afghanistan or some tyrannical society where men dictate what happens in their daughters, sisters, mother's lives; this is America. I have rights and today I will begin to exercise them"
She stood confidently before them amazed at the strength in her voice. She had no fear, she wasn't lying. She was done.
"Number two, today I am putting my foot down. You will all treat me with RESPECT, or I don't come back here anymore. The official phrase for that would be estranged from family" she turned to her mother and smiled
"Mama, I love you and I know that you've tried to get them to turn me loose to no avail. I would love to continue to have you in my life, but I will not be doing so in this house. You are however always welcome in my home" her mother sat still looking out the window. That hurt.
"Daddy, Eli, Bryan and Harold. I love you to heaven and beyond, but until you respect me, I can't allow you in my life" she finished and stood silently waiting for the yelling to begin.
Harold spoke first "Good for you" he said surprising everyone in the room
"You're an adult, you should be treated as one and in case you haven't noticed. I stopped turning up in your business, when we left high school. You're smart and capable. You can take care of yourself. You don't need me anymore" he stood up and walked over to hug her
"I do however reserve the right to kick the ass of anyone who breaks your heart" he kissed her on the cheek and went and sat down. God, she loved him!
"Ditto from me" Bryan said "Love you baby girl, but you can take care of yourself. I am sorry, I just love you and need you to be safe so I can sleep at night" he walked over and hugged her too, but for longer. It was tougher for him then Harold. He had been playing big brother protector longer than Harold.
She turned to look at her father and oldest brother. Eli. Jr was looking away while her father stood scowling at her. Finally, her father spoke.
"You're going to do this to your family over a man?! This is not how your mother and I raised you. Your family has chosen to love and protect you and forsake us so you can go do what…have sex with some stranger?" the derision in his voice stung. It broke her heart "Maybe you should leave my goddamn house, because quite frankly I am ashamed of you" the room gasped at her father's harsh words.
Harold stood up angrily "Don't talk to her like that Pop" he defended her. She turned to him and shook her head. She didn't need any man to fight her battles
She turned to her father. Her back ramrod straight. Defiance vibrated from her very core. She stared at her father, dead in the eye
"Thank you for that. Thank you for confirming that I am making the right decision by cutting you out of my life. Nothing you ever did was because you loved me. You just wanted me to be under your control. That ends today" she turned to her brother E.J
"You on his boat…do you turn me away? How old were you when you started sleeping around…did Daddy call you a whore to…or is that a privilege reserved only for me?" she asked her tone severe.
He said nothing and still didn't look at her. Her heart broke. "I guess that's my answer"
"Good bye everybody…Harold, Bryan and Mama. I am going to be away for a while but I will let you know when I am back in town.
She turned around and walked out of the house, her head held high. She opened the door and found Fitz standing there. She smiled at him bravely, walked past him and headed to the car. Fitz turned to the door to find E.J glaring at him.
"You're a fucking coward" he said and followed her out to the car.
It had taken all of Fitz's energy not to burst in when Olivia's father had gone on the attack. What kind of fucking maniac did a man have to be to stand there and expect his daughter to be in her twenty's and remain a virgin. Quite frankly his interference in her life was bordering on Psychopathic. He was pissed off at the mother too. Stand up and defend your fucking child!
She held it together until he got to the highway and then she broke down. The sobs carried over to him and his heart broke. He grabbed a hold of her and pulled her into his side.
"I am so sorry baby…just hold on. I got you…I got you" he sped up and fifteen minutes later they pulled up the long driveway to his house. Liv was still huddled into his shoulder crying when he parked. He quickly got out of the car grateful to see the lights on in the house. He sent a silent thank you out to Marta.
He walked over to the passenger seat and unbuckled her. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, shutting the car door with foot. He carried her up the walkway hopeful that Marta had also left the front door open. She had. That woman was a saint.
He carried the now only hiccupping Liv into the house. He made his way to the guest bedroom on the first floor of the home and placed her on top of the bed. He placed a kiss on her forehead
"I will be right back Livvie" she didn't say anything she just sniffled quietly.
He left the room and went back to secure the front door for the night. He turned off lights in the quiet house before he walked into the master bedroom and sighed. He would have brought Liv in here, but he didn't want her to see the room the way it was. He walked around the room and blew out the candles he grabbed the champagne that was chilling in an ice bucket.
The whole set up had been a little hokey for him, but he knew Liv loved to read those cheap dime romance novels so he went all out for her. He would do anything for her. There were other soft touches around the room, but they could wait until the morning. He grabbed a tee-shirt from his closet and walked to the kitchen to return the bottle of chilled champagne.
He placed it back in the sub-zero refrigerator in the kitchen. It was filled with food…Saint Marta.
He grabbed a box of tissues from the side table in his hallway and made his way back to the bedroom. He heard her sniffle. The sound was breaking his heart.
He walked over to the side where he had left her and placed the box down. He sat her up slowly and she looked at him with tears in her eyes. He got off his haunches and raised up to place a soft kiss on her mouth.
"You're going to be okay, Liv. I am going to make sure of it"
He wiped the tears of her face before he stooped down to pull her shoes and socks off her feet. He pulled her shirt off head butt decided to leave her bra on, it didn't feel right for him to take it off. He started to pull on the shirt he had brought with him, but she stopped him.
She pulled her bra straps down and unclipped it from the back with a practiced hand. She then held up her hands and he pulled the shirt on and over her. He had tried not to let the sight of those perfects breast distract him, but he was only human.
He stood her up and unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down. He had her pick her feet up one at a time. She started to sit back down, but he stopped her taking time to pull back the covers before he let her sit. He lay her down and covered her up. Quickly shedding his clothes but leaving his boxers on, he got in under the covers. He pulled her in next to him and cradled her into his side. He placed a kiss on her head.
"Go to sleep Livvie, I'll take care of you…I got you" he whispered in her ear. Within a minute he heard her breath change. She was asleep. Good she needed to rest.
This wasn't how he had wanted to spend the evening with Livvie, but it was okay…he would have plenty of time to make love to her…to be with her. She didn't know it yet but…but this thing they had…it was for the long-haul. He had a calming feeling that it was more than likely…for forever.
