A Liberated Decision - COMPLETED!

Chapter 18

"Are you okay?" Tom pulled the vodka and juice back out of the fridge. He threw a few ice cubes in a glass and filled the vodka about a quarter the way up. He topped off the rest of the glass with juice and slid it over to his brother.

Stan took it readily as he slid onto a chair and leaned his elbows on the countertop. He brought the cold glass up to his temple and stared back at his brother. He sighed. "I got up early this morning to check the neighborhoods for her. I half expected to find her in some alley dead. When I came back and saw Trent holding the belt next to his side with blood covering his hands... That smug look on his face..." Stan took a sip of the drink just to take the rancid taste off of his tongue. His brows knitted together in his fury.

Stan pulled his gaze from his glass back up to Tom. "My heart ached, Tom. I knew that blood on his knuckles was Ashley's. There wasn't anything but satisfaction on the bastard's face when he barked out his instructions to me." Stan shook his head angrily. "I wanted to rip his heart out, and I would have done it with pleasure."

"I don't know if I could have held back the restraint." Tom mumbled as he poured himself a glass of the toxic liquids. He took a sip of it and looked at his brother. "You did good."

Stan appreciated his brother's approval and nodded his head. "How do you stay so calm? You walked in on something like this and you didn't get angry or completely freak out. How?"

Tom watched his brother for a moment. He thought about the question as he took another sip of his drink. "The same way you didn't rip Trent's heart out. I used restraint where it was needed." He said honestly. "I've worked this area, Stan, for well over a decade. I've seen stuff like this more times than I care to think about. I guess I've developed an immunity to overreacting."

"Yeah." Stan tipped his glass from side to side as he watched the liquids roll around and create little ripples. "I just wish it hadn't been someone that we knew."

Tom inched around the counter and put his hand on his little brother's shoulder. "Me too."

Stan looked up. "But we're inevitably heading to a war here aren't we? Trent's thinking about moving into a different neighborhood. That won't be seen as a simple act of kindness. That's the only reason why Ashley's still alive. He needs her skills."

It was Tom's turn to sigh. "If he goes through with it, based on the information you left me, it'll be a war indeed. He'll be trespassing on Zareavo's neighborhood. He ain't going to take that well."

"We've got to stop it from happening. The lives that could be taken would be substantial." Stan rubbed his head. It ached with the thought of what all of this could lead to. Both neighborhoods were densely populated with lower class families. Regardless of that, there were many lives that could be placed in the middle of a full on gang war. There was nothing simple about it.

"Even though I'd never want to see Ashley hurt, this was a good thing. It'll buy us time." Tom hated saying those words. Ashley was like a daughter to him and he'd never wish that upon her even if she was blood related. He couldn't lie that it was convenient timing for the situation however.

Stan didn't like hearing that either, even though he was inclined to agree with his brother. "I'll keep my ears to the ground and see what I hear. You got things handled here?"

Tom nodded as he peered into the other room. He knew that Ashley had to be in more pain than she was letting on. He leaned against the edge of the doorframe and watched Dom hold her. "She made a good choice. He'll do everything in his power to keep her safe." He commented as Stan stood near him.