A Liberated Decision - COMPLETED!

Chapter 39

"He knows better." Liv mumbled as she took a seat in the rocker next to her. It creaked under the little bit of weight she put on it. She looked up at Dom, waiting to see what he'd say.

"What'd you say to him?" Part of him knew what she probably said, but the other part couldn't help but hold out on the hope that maybe she took him up on the offer. He'd have no problem getting out if that was what she wanted, but he'd miss the family that had taken him in and accepted him; built him up to better than what he had been before. This was his home, but being with Ashley was home too and he'd take it wherever it'd go.

"I told him the truth. I didn't know if I could trust him. I didn't know if I believed that what he was trying to do is real." She spoke quietly as her focus went back to petting the cat in her lap.

"What'd he tell you he was trying to do?" Liv asked with obvious interest peaking her voice.

Ashley's gaze pulled back up. She studied Liv carefully. "He told me that he wasn't pushing anything. He said that he was only interested in protecting his neighborhood. His family."

"He's telling the truth." Dom confirmed. He wasn't going to lie to Ashley. He was going to reiterate what Miko said because it was the truth. It was the truth that he believed, too. He believed in the leader's ideas and followed them with his eyes wide open. There was no blind following involved with Miko's leadership. He made his opinion known and offered protection to whomever needed it.

"I don't get it. What's in it for him? What if he changes his mind?" Ashley's voice echoed her confusion.

"He doesn't expect anything in return. He grew up in this neighborhood. He had been into some rough stuff too for awhile, but he learned that that wasn't what was needed in a neighborhood. He wanted to protect people. When enough word got out, along with his brutal reputation, people began paying him for protection. It was never about the money, but people seem to accept his services better if they don't think it's free." Liv chimed in. She knew the ins and outs and the ropes to the operation. She believed in it just as much as Dom, if not more. It was her life as well.

Dom could see Ashley accepting the words. Processing them with a precision that made him wonder how she truly felt about it all. She was on the edge, he could see that much. He respected her too much to offer something that she didn't truly want. He'd understand way more then she could possibly imagine no matter which way her decision went. He believed in her. Believed in them.

"I understand that. Nobody likes charity if they can help it." Ashley agreed with a slow nod. "Is it as great as you guys make it seem? Is it really different then what I've already been through?"

Dom could see the hunger in her. She just wanted the acceptance. A family that actually was a family. "Being with Miko is different then what you've been through. It's better."

"We all have jobs and he cares about what we like and don't like. He values our opinion." Liv chimed in. She knew the right words to tell her. A way that Dom could never get to because it was that female understanding that he could only try to keep up with. "But you have to believe in the cause. All we want to do is help people, but if someone steps out of line, then we'll warn them in sometimes a not so pleasant manner. If they're repeat offenders then we eliminate them if that's what's necessary. It's a hard life, but a better one than you're used to. Are you able to do what it takes to get people clean and stop the crime with as much force as possible? That's Miko's dream. That's our dream."

Ashley big, brown eyes locked onto Dom's. He could feel the understanding radiating through them. It warmed every inch of his body and then some. "That's why Miko wanted you. It wasn't because you needed a family. It's because you wanted to stop what had happened to Chloe. You wanted to save people."

Dom looked down. The reasoning hadn't been that clear when he had joined up or even when he had thought about joining up. Seeing it through Ash's eyes made it clear that's, over time, exactly what had happened. He had helped create that dream and had wanted to uphold it. He fought for the right words as he pulled his gaze back up to meet hers. He couldn't fight the fact that his eyes were damper than before. "I hadn't joined for that reason to start with. It had become my goal not long after though. I've seen enough people go through the things you have, Ash. I've seen so many drug addicts either OD or do terrible things because of that lust for something that's so temporal. I've seen enough crime that's happened to people since I was little, to know that Miko's dream was what was needed. I won't lie. I've done some pretty horrible things. Maybe even unforgivable things, but that bigger picture keeps me going." He hesitated for a moment. "And meeting you... that's kept me going more."

Liv eyed them both up. "Okay now, Shakespeare. Put away the sonnets and get back on point." She pulled her focus back to Ashley. "It's a rough life, but Miko's fair. You just have to trust him."

After a few moments of staring at the cat, Ashley's eyes met up with theirs. "I can do that. This is the life that I know. If you want to stay in it, Dom, then I will too. I'm willing to do what it takes to bring people around to having a better life. Hell, it's all that I wanted growing up. I might as well make it possible for someone else who has the same dream."

Dom couldn't help but smile at her. He could see that spark and spunk that was radiating through her. The doubt and uncertainty was gone, but it was also replaced by enthusiasm and a new desire. "That's the spirit. Have I told you how much I love you?" He couldn't stop the words from coming out. He meant them and wanted her to hear that. A new hope was springing through him.

A hope for a new future. And a fuller, better family.

Liv made a noise expressing her disgust. "You guys should get a room." She turned away from them just in time as Dom passed the space through the room and to Ash. He reached down to tuck his fingers around her face as he kissed her long and deep. The kiss echoed his approval in the decision, along with reiterating the promise he had made to her. The promise to never leave her again. Let eternity take them to the depths of every boundary and love ever known.

THE END

----------------------------------------------

Thank you for following me in this journey. This was the first book that I decided to take a step and self-publishing. My first journey on the road to many future stories and characters to fall in love with.

I apologize in advance for any mistakes in the book. As I said before, this is my first and I did all of the editing myself.

I hope you enjoyed it! And I'm thankful for your support!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

As always,

Like, Comment, Vote ;)