Murderville (19 page)

A’shai felt a mixture of rage and love as he realized that Liberty was still living with the consequences that came with ever stepping foot on MURDERVILLE.
She’s never been free,
he thought. He could feel his chest caving in at the mere thought of what she had been through. A’shai wanted to embrace her, but he had to play his hand correctly. He couldn’t react impulsively. A’shai knew that Samad was a powerful and dangerous man. A’shai would have to think out an entire plan in his head before he implemented anything. He yearned to see Liberty’s face. She was so covered . . . so subdued . . . so trapped beneath all of the bullshit. They were so close to one another but could not speak without inhibitions. He could see her chest heaving frantically and her eyes pleaded with him.

Help me,
they begged.

She didn’t have to speak the words in order for A’shai to understand. He heard her, and he nodded his head acknowledging her request. The silence was thick and if Samad had not been under the influence he may have noticed the tension in the room.

Samad snapped his fingers at Liberty, breaking her out of her daze and she quickly regained control of her emotions as she gave her attention to Samad.

“Yes?” she answered.

“We need some privacy so that we can discuss some things. Disappear for a while,” Samad stated without looking Liberty’s way. Hesitantly, Liberty stepped away from the table as her weary heart sank into her stomach. It ached so badly that she could practically hear it breaking. She discreetly watched A’shai in her peripheral vision. He was so close, but at the same time seemed so far away. Disappointment filled Liberty as she retreated to her room.
I have to talk to him,
she thought as she paced back and forth. Little did she know, he was thinking the exact same thing. A’shai was just as desperate to get to her as she was to him. Samad had no clue that they even knew one another. They were connected in a way that he could never understand. Liberty’s mind spun as she dreamt of being whisked away by A’shai. She didn’t know where he had come from or how he had finally found her, but she would go anywhere with him. She used to trust him and something told her that she still could. Fear of Samad kept her from speaking up. Liberty was very perceptive and she could tell that A’shai was connected. He represented a larger entity than just himself. His confident stature told the story of a man with clout, but she wasn’t naïve . . . she knew that not many could match Samad’s reign. A’shai couldn’t trump Samad and although she wished that he could, reality was that he probably didn’t have enough power to save her without facing harsh repercussions himself.

A’shai waited almost an hour before he made an effort to separate from Samad. “Yo, can I use your bathroom?” A’shai asked.

Samad nodded his head and motioned towards the stairs. “At the top of the stairs take the east hall. It’s the third door on your right.”

A’shai stood and walked up the stairs and then followed Samad’s instructions. He located the bathroom but bypassed it as he peered over his shoulder cautiously. He peeked his head inside room after room in search of Liberty until finally he saw her. She was no longer covered from head to toe but, dressed in a black silk slip and black lace bra. She sat in the middle of a plush king-sized bed crying her eyes out, her face buried in her hands.

In awe of her appearance, he paused momentarily to take her in. With no make-up and no fancy clothes she was beautiful. Natural. But A’shai could hear the pain emanating from her soul as she sat unaware of her audience.

“Liberty,” he said as he stepped into the room.

She looked up stunned and then looked behind him for Samad.

“He’s downstairs . . . drunk,” A’shai said.

She exhaled a sigh of sadness and relief as she leapt off the bed and ran to him. A’shai embraced her tightly, wrapping his arms around her securely as she heaved tormented wails into his shoulder.

“It’s okay ma . . . it’s okay Liberty. I’m here now,” he whispered. She gripped him desperately as her body trembled fearfully.

“He’s going to kill me, Shai. I saw the urns . . . the other girls . . . he killed them,” she rambled.

A’shai looked over his shoulder and then turned to her, holding her face in the palms of his hands. “Shhh . . . shhh. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’m here now. I won’t let it,” he assured.

“Take me with you, Shai. Please . . . get me out of here,” she sobbed, clasping her hands together as if he could walk on water.

She was too frantic, and A’shai knew that they didn’t have time for a lengthy conversation.

“Calm down, ma. He’ll hear you. You have to give me a few days to get things in order. I have to leave but . . .”

Liberty cringed, her knees buckling slightly as she bounced up and down desperately begging him. “Shai, please noooo,” she cried. “Don’t leave me here. Take me with you . . . noooo. Please, Shai, please.”

A’shai could see the fear in her and instantly grew hot. “Does he hit you? Has he hurt you?” he asked, slightly raising his voice as he reached for his pistol.

“No . . . but he will do a lot worse if you don’t save me,” she said solemnly. “If you leave here without me, you won’t come back.”

“I’mma always come back for you Liberty. That’s my word, ma,” he said. He kissed the top of her head and looked into her face as the seconds ticked by. Knowing that he couldn’t remain with her for much longer without arousing suspicion he said, “I’m coming for you. I promise. When does he leave the house?” he asked urgently as he gripped her shoulders.

“He doesn’t . . . he never leaves. He watches me like a hawk,” she explained. She was so emotional that she could barely speak without yelling.

“Shhh . . . calm down, ma. Think. Is there ever a moment when he doesn’t have you under a scope?” A’shai asked.

“He runs . . . every morning he goes for a jog,” Liberty said.

“How long?” A’shai shot back.

“Half hour . . . an hour at the most,” she said.

“I’mma come back for you. Just be patient. I won’t leave L.A. without you,” he said. He kissed her cheek and then walked out of the room.

Liberty’s lips trembled so badly it appeared as though she had the shivers. When he disappeared from her sight she broke down. Her knees hit the floor, and she bent over in grief. She needed A’shai to come back for her this time . . . she needed to be rescued more than she needed the air in her lungs. He was her only way out.

A’shai sat down the block from Samad’s estate and watched as Samad exited his gates in full running gear. He waited until Samad was out of sight and then instructed the driver to pull the limo onto Samad’s grounds. He hopped out of the car and rang the doorbell. He was greeted by one of Samad’s many service workers. The maid stood before him.

“Samad is expecting me. I’m A’shai . . . his business partner from Detroit,” he announced.

“Mr. Sadat isn’t here, but if you are expected you can wait for him inside,” the woman replied.

A’shai followed her to the sitting room, and she motioned for him to have a seat. “He will be back shortly,” she stated. “I have many chores to do, but, please, if you need anything just call me. My name is Sarah.”

A’shai nodded and watched her leave the room. As soon as she was gone he slowly snuck up the stairs and headed for the bedroom that Liberty shared with Samad. He opened the door and found Liberty staring blankly out of the window. She was uncovered and in normal street clothes.

“Liberty,” he said, making her aware of his presence.

As if her ears were playing tricks on her she snapped her head to the right as she looked at him in disbelief.

“You came back,” she whispered as she rushed to him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him sensually as he hugged her, lifting her slightly from the floor.

“Get your things. Let’s go,” A’shai instructed.

Liberty rushed to the closet and grabbed the few pieces of clothes that she had that weren’t of Muslim heritage. She threw them into a small suitcase and A’shai grabbed it from her hands. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the house. They smoothly re-entered the car. “Drive,” A’shai called out to the driver. Liberty’s eyes widened in surprise when she noticed that the vehicle was loaded with weapons. It looked like an artillery closet with all of the different assault rifles and hand pistols.

Liberty was so afraid that she thought she would pee her pants. Being caught was not an option. The penalty would be too great if Samad knew of her insubordination.

“Relax,” A’shai said, sensing her apprehension.

A’shai gripped her knee and leaned in to kiss her cheek but was interrupted by the barrage of bullets that rained down on his car.

“Shai!” Liberty screamed as she covered her ears.

“Get down!” he shouted as he pushed her to the floor of the vehicle and grabbed one of the assault rifles. The windows in the limo shattered as Samad’s goons drove beside them, firing relentlessly. A’shai came up blazing as he pulled the trigger of his AK. “Drive this mu’fucka! Go!” he shouted in the midst of the all out gun battle. A’shai noticed that the car was zig zagging back and forth, making it hard for him to let off a clean shot and when he glanced at the driver he discovered why. His head was blown half way off and the car was going at full speed with no one to control it. “Hold on!” he said as he crouched over Liberty and waited for the impact as the car rammed through the showcase of a store front. Customers screamed and ran in every direction as A’shai and Liberty gathered their bearings. Slightly dazed by the impact the couple sat up as A’shai peered out of the back of the car. The goons were pulling to a stop in front of the store. “Let’s go!” A’shai said as he pulled Liberty from the car. He handed her the .9mm in his waistline and they made a run for the back door figuring if they got lost in the frenzy it was hard for them to be spotted. A’shai knew that one of Samad’s men would be waiting for them at the back exit so he came out shooting first. He had no time for questions and when he hit one of the goons dead in the forehead he felt no remorse. They ran back out to the busy city street and luck was on their side as A’shai raised his hand and stopped a cab.

Scratches covered them from the impact of the crash and A’shai could see the cabbie peering at them suspiciously. “There’s a big tip in it for you if you mind your business, fam,” A’shai stated. He looked out of the back window making sure that no one was following them before turning to check on Liberty. “You okay?” he asked.

She nodded her head as her shaky hand gripped A’shai’s gun. “Let me see that, ma,” he stated as he gently eased it out of her fingertips.

A’shai gave the cab driver directions to the private airstrip and when they saw the plane, both of them let out a sigh of relief. They were home free and once they were back in the city of Detroit, Liberty would be safe behind the protection of Baron’s organization.

A’shai held Liberty’s hand as they ran up the stairs of the jet. He went to greet his pilots and stopped when he saw the two white men slumped over the control panel with two bullet holes in the backs of their heads.

“Oh GOD, Shai . . .” she gasped as she covered her mouth. “He’s going to kill me. I shouldn’t have left!” She was beginning to panic, and A’shai grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

“I’m going to get you out of here. Trust me, ma!” he stated aggressively, adrenaline pumping through his body.

She nodded her head and he disembarked the jet with her right behind him. When they got to the bottom of the steps they saw Samad’s Audi A8 pull up. Liberty froze like a deer in headlights as time—for her—stood still. A’shai pointed his gun at the car as Samad emerged from the vehicle.

“A’shai, my good friend. It seems we have the same tastes in women,” he commented as he got out and lit a cigar.

A’shai wasn’t looking for conversation. He was fully prepared to go out blazing on Liberty’s behalf and as he gave Samad the screw face he pointed his gun unwaveringly. A’shai didn’t hesitate. He fired, spraying bullets everywhere and killing the bodyguards that had stepped out of the car with Samad. What Samad didn’t know was that A’shai had a marksman’s aim and was a killer at heart. Samad reached for his waistline, but A’shai fired a shot so close to his head that it halted Samad instantly.

Samad’s hands shot into the air. “Calm down, A’shai. This . . . we can work this out.”

“Put your keys on the ground,” A’shai stated.

Samad did as he was told and then said, “You are going to ruin your father over one bitch?” he asked.

“Get on the ground,” A’shai said.

Samad smirked and then put both knees in the dirt. “It doesn’t matter where you take her. I’m going to find her . . . I’m going to find you both and when I do, you’ll wish that you never saw her pretty face,” Samad threatened. As A’shai walked up on Samad he wanted to put a bullet through his brain, but he thought of the backlash that he would get from Baron.

“You’re going to die for some pussy, A’shai,” Samad stated.

A’shai hit him forcefully with the gun, knocking him out cold and then grabbed the keys to the Audi. He opened the door for Liberty and instructed her to buckle up, then ran to his side of the car and drove away, leaving one of the West Coast’s biggest drug bosses bleeding in the dirt.

A’shai and Liberty drove to the nearest bus station and caught a long ride back to Detroit. As the bus pulled away from the station Liberty began to bawl silently, putting her face in her hands to muffle her cries. A’shai reached over and wiped away her tears as he leaned into her ear.

“I love you, Liberty. Nobody is ever going to harm you again. I promise you on my life. I will die before that happens,” A’shai stated.

“What did you do?!” Baron barked as he stood before A’shai. He had never raised his voice at his son before, and Willow looked on in shock but didn’t interrupt. “Do you know what this has done? What you have done? All over a girl.”

“She’s not just some girl,” A’shai responded calmly as he stood before his father.

“Do you know the danger you have put yourself in? She has to go back! You will not be affiliated with her,” Baron demanded. He was so furious with A’shai that he couldn’t control the tone of his voice. This was by far the stupidest thing that A’shai had ever done.