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other’s presence she could tell that he remembered her.

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