The Love Trials: Ashley

Chapter Sixteen

WARNING. MENTIONS OF RAPE, SEXUAL ABUSE, EMOTIONAL ABUSE, MENTAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, MURDER. MAY BE TRIGGERING

I parked my car (smartly driven by Lauren who said my story wouldn't work out unless I took my own car) behind Bradley's. I had locked the car as a van drove past. My heat skipped a beat. It was time.

My body felt heavy and slow, my legs dragged. I had to force my legs forward, taking step after step. My heart was thudding through my chest and I was sure it was obvious. I felt sweaty, certain that the smell of BO would give me away. God, help me...

Tried the front door and it was unlocked. I opened the door to see Bradley sitting on the stairs. I thought I would test the air before approaching Bradley. Jackson had told me it was vital that Bradley not be on any substances including alcohol or drugs. However, the air smelt fresh. Bradley looked normal, just calm. Waiting. He stood up once I closed the door.

"How are you?"

"Better now." Lauren had worked wonders and filed me as a patient for a surgery yesterday. I had never even set foot in the hospital. Again another reason why she could potentially lose her job. God, if this went wrong...

"Good." I walked over to him and held out my arms.

"May I?"

"Of course." We hugged. I took advantage of sniffing his scent. Lynx deodorant. No alcohol.

"Have you been at work?" I asked him. He sat back down on the step and pulled me down with him. I sat on the step below him. He kept his hand entwined with mine.

"Yes. I needed the distraction."

"Why's that?"

"Well... I thought at first... At your note... It didn't specify much... I thought... That maybe you were... Pregnant?" I swallowed.

"No. No I'm not."

"Well... Maybe someday..." He traced his fingers up and down my arm.

"I... I need to ask you something." He stopped moving his fingers.

"What?"

"Well... I remember waking up on the floor. I was a bit... Dishevelled. What happened? I don't remember." Bradley continued running his fingers up and down.

"We had sex."

"I don't remember saying I wanted sex. I was feeling ill." Bradley pushed me away. I managed to catch my balance as it was only the third step down.

"No baby. I forced you into it and God you liked it enough to lie down for me." I swallowed.

"Rape."

"Call it what you want. You enjoyed it at the time."

"Brad... I was knocked out... Of course I didn't enjoy it." Bradley got up and shrugged.

"Whatever." He walked into the kitchen. I followed him. He leaned against a kitchen counter and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. He threw it and caught it with one hand. I stayed against the door.

"Who's Louise Smith?" I asked, softly. Softly but he heard me because he stopped throwing the apple and his whole body froze.

"Where did you hear that name?"

"I told my doctor of my change of address. He knew you. Asked how you were doing now you had time to recover from Louise's death." His lips unfroze to speak.

"Louise was my sister."

"Why are you lying, Brad?" He looked at me, intently for a minute or two.

"You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" I wanted him to say it.

"You know what happened to Louise."

"I read... Something. I was curious. So is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"What I read?"

"What did you read Ashley?" His voice became sharper all of a sudden. I couldn't read it out, he had to say it himself.

"You tell me, Bradley. Is it true? Is it true what you did to her?" Bradley ran a hand through his hair.

"Yep. It's all true. I killed her. I beat her black and blue but you know what Ash? I do not regret it."

"Why?"

"Because she wanted it. As do you. As did my previous girlfriends." I didn't know what to say in answer to that. It wasn't true; no one wanted to be hurt. No one deserved to be hurt.

"Why did you kill her?"

"She was going to testify against me. And weirdly enough, just like you... She got a backbone."

"How?" My voice was more of a croak.

"I stabbed her." His eyes were dark and it scared me.

"No one deserves to be killed. Or abused. You're sick, Bradley. Really sick..."

"No. I'm not." Something flared up in him at that and his eyes turned cold. "But I'm sick of being defied by the women I love. First Alex, then Louise and now you." And he stepped towards me. It was not him that scared me but the knife he held in his hand.

"Bradley... Calm down.." I whispered, putting my hands up in surrender. He wasn't listening. He looked... Crazy. Was this the last thing that Louise saw before she was murdered? Was that expression the last thing that Alex saw before going to sleep everynight, Alex the girl who was going to testify and only decided not to because she was so scared... Was this going to be the last thing I saw?

"Help." I murmured. Bradley came towards me. He was only a few paces away when the front door burst open and Jackson, Officer Johnson and the uniformed colleague came bursting in, holding Bradley at the end of their guns. Bradley froze, dropped the knife.

Officer Johnson arrested Bradley, reading out his rights as he put the man I had loved in cuffs.

Jackson caught me and hugged me tightly.

"You did brilliantly. Good girl." I was so light, so carefree, so happy for the first time in what felt like forever but had only really been a few months, that I hugged Jackson tightly. Somewhere in that, I looked up and he looked up and we were looking at each other and I couldn't help but kiss Jackson. Really kiss him, not a peck of the cheek or on the lips. A full kiss. Fire was exploding in my stomach, rockets up through my veins, I felt all tingly but for the first time ever since I met Bradley... I felt truly happy and safe.

"You fucking whore. I swear to God, you're dead." I pulled away from my kiss with Jackson, ignoring Bradley's comment. Jackson was staring at me with awe and wonder. I wondered why... How could he possibly like me? Had I made a mistake in kissing him?

Bradley spat in my direction and I flinched, an automatic reaction. Jackson moved his hands away from my waist and pushed me out of harm's way behind him.

Bradley continued to try and spit, the only weapon that he could use against me now Officer Johnson and the colleague was dragging him away.

Once he was out of the door, Jackson turned slowly to face me.

"Pack a bag, leave everything else." He said. I nodded and ran through the house, up the stairs and into my room. I left all my make-up, only pausing to change into something else. I then grabbed what little clothes I wanted, not many, too many reminders of HIM. I then dashed down the stairs, pulling the backpack of clothes onto my shoulders. Jackson was waiting by the door.

"Say goodbye to this place. You won't be coming back." He then took my hand and led me to the car where Rob and Cathy were waiting anxiously. I walked straight to the car and got in the back with Cathy, who hugged me then started to remove the wire. Rob drove away and I didn't even look back. I wouldn't miss the house or the memories it held. I was finally free.

(xٖ3Hz�