Fractured Breaths

by Zoey Derrick

  I lost the argument when I tried to push it off for later in the week when there was more time. Liam and Bryan made very valid points and I was left with no argument. They kindly pointed out that if Bryan and I are seen together in more than a working capacity, the tabloids are going to pick it up and start asking questions. If they do that, we need to be prepared. We all agreed to keep things professional between Bryan and me in public until we had my background secured and we all had it memorized.

  I agreed to that easily enough, no need to go plastering my face all over the newspapers while I’m still in New York. I don’t know why, but I get this nagging feeling something is going to happen on this trip.

  “I don’t have many options in the way of maintaining a viable nickname of Livia, or Liv, or Livi. There is pretty much Olivia.”

  “Why not just use Liv?” Bryan asks. “It’s a real name, at least according to the internet.”

  “That’s hardly enough to throw anyone off. If they recognize me and see that my name is Liv… I guess I’m trying to think of something that will throw them off. Or at the very least, make them think twice,” I explain.

  “Names can be changed easily enough. Nicknames, pet names, things like that. So if someone happens to recognize you, I highly doubt that a name will change that much,” Liam says.

  “What if you choose an entirely different first name then put the Liv in the last name?” Bryan asks.

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know, Livertti?”

  I cock an eyebrow at him. “That sounds like a bad cocktail,” I smirk.

  He laughs, “Well, you don’t want to hear my idea.”

  “And why would I not want to hear your idea?” I ask him.

  “Because you’re liable to smack me.”

  “That depends,” a light bulb fires in my brain. “Bryan Hayes, you’re not suggesting I use Hayes are you?”

  He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “What?” he says innocently.

  “That’s solvable by a trip to the courthouse, not Declan’s office,” I counter, calling his bluff.

  “Liam, forget Declan. Find us a courthouse.”

  I smack him playfully in the arm. “No, Liam, no courthouse. Jeez.” Bryan sobers then pouts. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  He shrugs, “Maybe.”

  “Bryan, seriously? That’s got to be the worst marriage proposal I’ve ever heard.”

  His eyebrows go up in mock shock as he stares at me. “And just how many times have you been proposed to?”

  I laugh at the look on his face. “Three,” I say as monotone as I can through the laughter.

  “Three, seriously?”

  Liam is laughing from the front seat. “Yep, all three were from very drunk men.” I snort, “One of them is very, very gay.”

  “Well, that helps. Not,” he says, dejected. “I guess I’m going to have to up my game.”

  “You’re sober. That’s definitely a step up.”

  He gives me a sweet smile. “Good, and yes, you deserve a much better proposal.” He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it.

  “Good, now we’re running out of time to decide on my name.” I shake my head. “That sounds so weird.”

  “Didn’t you pick Becca?”

  I snort, “No, that was McMurray being a dick. Literally, it’s not even Rebecca on the documents he sent me. It’s actually Becca. I would have preferred Rebecca.”

  “So why not stick with Rebecca? Then you don’t have to change your name with your friends. We can add in Olivia and change the last name?” Liam suggests from the front seat.

  I shrug. “I didn’t think this would be so hard,” I tell them both.

  “It doesn’t have to be,” Bryan says softly.

  “I know, but I think the only reason it’s hard is because I’ve gotten used to the two of you calling me Livia. I was always proud of my name.”

  “Then keep it,” Liam says. “We’ll just have Declan alter your middle name and last name. I guess in a way it’s kind of moot because Bryan is going to call you Livia or some variation of that anyway. If we keep it to Livia then there isn’t any confusion.”

  “I guess at least change it to Olivia, give it a different spin.” I shrug, “I’d let Declan decide, but after my behavior yesterday, he might pull a McMurray on me.”

  “What do you mean?” Liam asks.

  “I was a bitch to him yesterday.” I look at my hands, remembering the pain I caused Bryan because of it.

  “I’d hardly call that being a bitch, Livia. You were being honest. You’re frustrated and angry. I get that, Bryan gets that and Declan definitely understands that. He knows your anger is not directed at him specifically.” I meet Liam’s eyes in the rearview mirror and he adds, “I’m actually proud of you, you stood up for yourself. I don’t imagine that’s something that’s happened a lot.”

  “No, it’s most definitely not.”

  “Then don’t stress it. The difference between Declan and McMurray is Declan is really looking for justice. McMurray was looking for a fucking pay day.” Liam sighs, “This case has completely consumed my brother for the last ten plus years. When Vito and his gang were booked and officially charged, that man literally looked ten years younger. Would you believe that I’m the older of the two of us?” My jaw drops. “Precisely. That’s what this case has done to him. He’s worn himself thin trying to get it right, trying to make sure Vito Ricci never sees free daylight again.

  “I’m sure you can put it into better perspective than maybe Bryan can, but Ricci’s reach is far and wide. He has hooks in every corner of this city and beyond it. It was Declan’s responsibility to see that all the loose ends were tied up in pretty little bows for the District Attorney and the Attorney General’s office. If they weren’t, then Ricci could walk out of jail on a technicality and believe me, no one wants that.” He takes a deep breath. “My only regret is I wasn’t there to help him.”

  “Why did you leave?” I ask.

  “They didn’t give me much choice. My recovery took a lot longer than I’d planned and when I was finally able to return to work, I wasn’t up to speed physically. They gave me a desk job, which was fine for a while, but… I’m not much of a paper pusher, if you catch my drift.”

  “I understand that, but when you got better, why not go back?” I ask.

  “Bryan can answer that one.”

  Bryan chuckles next to me. “I made him an offer he couldn’t turn down. We’d been working together long enough that we worked like a well-oiled machine and I refused to let him muck it all up.”

  Liam laughs, “More or less. But I have the perfect job and as much as I loved working for the Bureau, I hated the institution of it. I’m not one for following rules very well,”

  “You? Follow rules?” Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Nope, don’t see it.”

  “Me either,” Liam says through his laughter.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Olivia Elise Faricci…

  LIVIA

  I stare at my new Tennessee driver’s license for the tenth time since Declan handed it to me. When Declan suggested my new last name I about fell off my chair in laughter. It was his personal way of saying ‘fuck you, Ricci’ and I had to agree.

  “So, how’d it go?” Bryan asks as I’m finally released from Declan’s office.

  I snort and look at Liam. “Your brother cracks me up,” I tell him.

  “He always was the family clown.” Liam shoulder checks his brother and they laugh.

  “So?” Bryan says anxiously.

  “Olivia Elise Faricci.”

  “Faricci? Surely you could have done better than that, Declan?” Liam says to his brother.

  I laugh again.

  “It made her laugh, I had to do it. Besides, if you actually think about the name, it’s not only a common name, but it actually combines her original name, Fazio, with Ricci.”

  “Keeping with the truth more than the lies,” I add.
/>   Bryan smiles at me. “I like it.” He leans in and whispers in my ear, “Livia.”

  I smile and wink at him. “Olivia Hayes has a nice ring to it too,” I smirk.

  “Yes, yes it does.” He flicks his tongue along the lobe of my ear.

  “Stop that,” I chastise him. “We have places to be, mister.”

  He laughs, “Unfortunately, the only place I want to be is buried inside you.”

  “Fiend.”

  “She has everything she needs?” Liam asks Declan.

  “Aye, she has her license, a certified copy of her birth certificate, a temporary social security card, and a passport is on its way to her as soon as it’s printed. She has a credit history, though a limited one. She shouldn’t have any problem establishing credit. Her alter-ego, Becca Carpenter, had an unfortunate accident in some Podunk town in Alabama today. However, we made some alterations to where she was from so that her friends don’t freak out if they see the article. I finalize the logistics of Becca in a couple days, but she’s gone.”

  “Did you do the other thing too?” Liam asks and I narrow my eyes at him.

  “Aye, brother. It’s done. The signature cards were updated and everything.”

  “What is he talking about?” I ask.

  “Your bank account,” Liam states as if it’s a normal discussion.

  “I don’t have a bank account.”

  Bryan snorts, “You do now.”

  “Will someone explain, please?”

  Liam looks directly at me and states, “Your father’s life insurance.”

  “Oh.” I’d completely forgotten all about that.

  “We’ll take care of that later,” Liam adds.

  I nod, unsure of what else to say on the subject besides not wanting the money.

  We say our goodbyes to Declan and head to the SUV on the way to Bryan’s radio spot and a photo shoot.

  “So, where is your driver’s license?” Bryan asks.

  “In my purse, why?” I narrow my eyes at him.

  “I want to see.”

  I snort, “No, you’re not allowed to ask a woman to see her driver’s license.”

  Bryan laughs, “I’m curious.”

  “Curiosity killed the cat, you know that, right?” I tease.

  “I do, but I’m wondering where you magically have a house. I’d like to be able to visit.”

  I shake my head at him. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours?”

  “Oh no, not going to happen.”

  “Good, then I’m not showing you mine.” I can’t help but laugh. I really don’t care. He can see it, but I really want to see his now.

  I laugh harder when he shifts in his seat to pull his wallet from his back pocket. He holds it in his hand for a second before he opens it up and reaches in for his driver’s license and hands it to me. I smile wide. “Winning makes me giddy,” I tease as I take it from him, but I’m a good girl so I hand him mine too.

  I look at the Tennessee emblem that’s just like mine has then my eyes find the expiration, issue and date of birth. Then my eyes wander to his name.

  I bite my tongue to hold back my chuckle. It works and I find something to distract from his middle name.

  11/2/1982

  “Jesus, you’re thirty-four years old? God, that’s old.”

  “Oh yes, because you’re a spring chicken yourself.”

  “I’m only twenty seven,” I tell him.

  “According to this, but you just got this, so how do I know it’s real?”

  I scowl at him. “For your information, it’s almost accurate.”

  “Oh,” he says looking at me expectantly.

  “We flipped the day and month. So instead of April eighth, we changed it to August fourth, but the year is the same,” I explain.

  “So I guess that means we will have to celebrate twice.”

  I roll my eyes. “Technically, yes, but not August fourth. More like June eleventh and April eight.”

  “Why June eleventh?” Liam asks from the front seat.

  “Because that was Becca’s birthday. It’s what my friends know.”

  “Well, then we can celebrate three times,” Bryan says as he leans over to kiss me. I tilt my head up so our lips touch briefly. “So, about this address?”

  Uh oh. “What about it?”

  “Liam, did you know that someone is living in our house?”

  Liam laughs, “Nope, I’ll have to call the security guys and have them throw her out.”

  “Oh for Pete's sake, Buford.” I bust out laughing and Bryan rips his driver’s license from my hand.

  “Enough of my driver’s license,” he says. I snatch mine back from him.

  “Buford? Really?” I say through tears of laughter.

  “It’s a family name,” he grumbles.

  “It’s very fitting.” I laugh some more.

  “Okay, Meadow.”

  I sock him in the shoulder and he grabs it. “Ow,” he says in mock pain.

  Liam rolls his eyes and shakes his head at our childish banter in the backseat of the SUV. I slide over to Bryan and he wraps his arm around me, holding me close. I snuggle into his shoulder for the rest of the ride.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind, his non-proposal, proposal rolls takes root and disappointment washes over me. Strangely enough, I wouldn’t have minded a trip to the courthouse instead of Declan’s office and that scares the living shit out of me.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Million Dollar Questions.

  BRYAN

  “The tour begins in two weeks, you have the number one single on the country charts, number one on Billboard and it’s been more than a month since its release. How does that make you feel?”

  I fight the urge to roll my eyes. The question is redundant and well, boring. “It feels great, Charlie. This song is special to me and to see it do so well, I just can’t describe the feeling. I’m excited to take it on the road.”

  “Why is this song so special to you?” Charlie asks. The excitement in his face is baffling, considering we’re on the radio.

  “I wrote it for someone who’s very important, and very special in my life. It holds deep meaning because it gave me the opportunity to express myself in a way I didn’t think I’d be able to. But it also holds true for a lot of the fans too. We always say there’s a reason for everything and the last few months have proved that theory true for me. I hope it has for some of the fans out there too.”

  “Speaking of ‘Fate Has a Reason’, we’ll be right back with more from Bryan Hayes.” Charlie cuts to music and slides one of his earphones off, and leans over to me.

  “So, who is she?” he asks.

  “Ah, that is something only time will tell.” I wink at him. “We’re keeping things under wraps for a while.”

  “Not even a hint.” He raises an eyebrow.

  I lean a little closer to him and whisper, “You wouldn’t know her.”

  His face lights up. “Oh, I know just about everybody.”

  I shake my head. “No, Charlie, you know just about everybody in the business, but I assure you there are billions of people you don’t know.”

  He cocks his head at me. “So, she’s not in the business?”

  I smirk. “I wouldn’t say that,” I tell him and it’s true. She’s in the business, now.

  Charlie shakes his head and his producer says, “thirty seconds,” into our headphones.

  “It won’t stay a secret forever, my friend.”

  “I’m aware, and I have no intention of keeping it a secret forever, just not right now.”

  “What’s that exclusive gonna cost me?” Charlie asks right before the producer chimes in with a ten second warning.

  “Too much.” I wink.

  Charlie flips a switch and replaces his headphones. “Alright folks, I’m sitting here with Bryan Hayes and we’re talking about his newest single, his upcoming tour, the brand-new album releasing on Friday and so much more, so stick around and we’
ll be right back after this commercial break.”

  I miss being on satellite, no freaking commercials. I want to get this interview over with.

  Another half an hour goes by and I finish with Charlie then stop into their tiny studio to record a couple of opening segments for them to use for promo and we’re out the door.

  “Nice job,” Livia says as we slide into the SUV.

  “I hate those things,” I tell her, “but they get a little easier.”

  “He was awfully pushy about who you’re dating.” She winks.

  I smile at her. “They’re all going to be that way for a while. We just need to decide when the right time is going to be to reveal ourselves.” I laugh, “Charlie wants an exclusive.”

  Liam laughs from the front seat. “In New York?” He shakes his head. “He can’t afford it.”

  A light bulb goes off. “What if we auction it off?” I ask both of them.

  “What do you mean?” Livia questions.

  “I mean, we offer the exclusive ‘who’s Bryan Hayes dating’ reveal to magazines, television, radio, etcetera. Then the highest bidder, regardless of market, gets the exclusive rights to reveal our relationship.”

  “That’s not a bad idea,” Liam says.

  “But I don’t want to make money on it,” Livia confesses.

  “We wouldn’t.” I turn to her in the back seat of the SUV. “What if we donated the profits?”

  “Where?” She perks up.

  “The one I want you to start,” I tell her.

  “Me? What about me?”

  “I’ve been thinking since yesterday about your argument with Declan and about the girls in Ricci’s ring. What if you headed an organization to find them, offer protection to them and other girls who’ve been victims of the same kind of crimes?”

  Her mouth falls open.

  “That’s an amazing idea,” Liam says from the front seat. “Put all that passion to good use.” My eyes meet Liam’s in the rearview mirror, and from the narrowing of his eyes I can tell he’s smiling.