A Liberated Decision - COMPLETED!

Chapter 14

Thoughts swirled around Ashley's brain. What had just happened? Was it even possible to get out? Her head began to hurt from all of the thinking. All of the possibilities now present. She needed to get back, but the curiosity of knowing what Officer Tom had to offer began to run through her mind.

Dom hadn't needed to give her a name for her to know which cop had inquired of her. She knew Tom would have pushed his weight around to protect her. He had kept his eye on her since she was little. He had tried to make her life easier and had tried to stop her when she had joined Trent's gang.

Maybe if she would have let him help her in the beginning, maybe she wouldn't be in this mess. She wasn't sure. Her rebellion had run her life for quite some time and it was still there reminding her of how strong she was. Reminding her of how she didn't need anyone. Reminding her of the things that got her in trouble.

She knew she didn't need anyone. She knew that better than anyone did, but this sudden urge to not leave Dom, to go running back to him, wet her appetite. She couldn't help but think of his dark eyes looking at her. She knew that he hadn't caught her watching him check out her body when her shirt was off. She hadn't been more pleased with any other man looking at her like that before, but there was something about the way that he looked at her. The way that he had a want in his eyes for her. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She liked it. She wanted more of it.

Ashley resisted the urge to go and find the cop that could be her way out. She resisted the urge to think about Dom. That resistance was hard to follow though. She kicked herself for trying to push him to come with her. Who was she to try and convince him of doing that with her? She couldn't replace Cam, but part of her wondered if that's exactly what she was doing with Dom. She barely knew the man. She really only had two deep conversations with him and today had been the second. For all she knew, she didn't really like him. Or maybe she did. Time had yet to pass to really get to know him.

Ashley recognized the buildings of familiarity as she inched her way back to the neighborhood that she had fled. She hadn't bothered hiding her identity when she had left, and neither when she had come home. Home. That was a crazy, messed up word to call this hell that she lived in. She bitterly laughed and rolled her eyes. This was definitely not the place that she wanted to call home any longer.

She wrapped her arms around her sore body as a cool breeze sent a shiver down her spine. This was the last place where she wanted to be, but life didn't offer many choices. It was the choice that she had made when it was available, and, at the time, it may have been the right one. Right now, however, it was by far the wrong one.

"Ash." Ashley could recognize Stan's voice as he strode up behind her.

Her thoughts were now spoiled, but whatever. Ashley turned to face him. "What do you want, Stan?" She said rather sharply to him. His eyes still held worry for her. "Speak fast or don't speak at all." The words coolly rolled off of her tongue.

"I want to talk to you." He ignored her harshness and held his shoulders solid. "In private." He made his request known. He was going to speak with her whether she resisted him or not. It was the only attempt that he could really make to show her that he'd try to protect her.

"Whatever you have to say, Stan, say it now. I don't have time for any games." She glared at him, but waited patiently. It was the least that she could do with the genuineness radiating from his eyes.

"It needs to be in private, Ash." He repeated to her. He didn't need anyone else to hear what he had to say. News travelled quickly among the gang and this could put both of their lives in even more danger than what was already there.