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It’s been a week since the last time I saw Rhys. I’ve driven along the street he told me he frequents sometimes, but he wasn’t there. I’ve reached out to some people to see if I can find out who Tony is and what kind of operation he runs. I have a meeting set up with a private investigator tomorrow to see if he can help me.
If I thought Rhys just didn’t want to see me again, I’d let it go. But his fear was so palpable. He’s terrified of Tony. He stopped seeing me out of fear that Tony would find out.
With that hanging over me, I’m finding it hard to concentrate on anything else. I mess up a spreadsheet I sent to accounting, so I have to redo it. I place an order for the wrong machine. I’m not surprised when Cam leans into my office at noon and tells me we’re leaving for lunch.
Instead of going out to eat, Cam takes me to his apartment. It’s in the same building as mine but a few floors up. It’s nice to live so close to him. Sometimes I miss living with him. I remember being fourteen and terrified of Dad finding me. Cam had stayed up with me so many nights, promising me that I was safe.
“What’s going on with you?” Cam asks, pulling ingredients from his fridge and starting on making two sandwiches.
“Nothing.” I move around him and grab two water bottles to put on the small circular table next to his bay windows.
“Hmm.” Cameron puts just a little mustard on my sandwich. “What happened with Rhys?”
“Nothing happened with him.”
“He was here, and now he’s not. Something obviously happened.”
I twist the cap off my water bottle and take a sip while I try to decide how to answer him. It’s not like Cam would tell anyone I paid a prostitute, but it feels weird to say it out loud. Because that’s not really what Rhys is. If Tony made him start when he was fifteen and still controls him now, Rhys isn’t a prostitute. He’s a victim of human trafficking.
“The reason Rhys and I saw each other again is because at the party, Phil hit him across the face when they were in the hallway.”
“What?” Cam whirls around from his spot at the counter to look at me. “Are you serious? I’m going to fucking kill that guy. Why am I just now hearing about this?”
“Because Rhys didn’t want to make a big deal about it.” I hesitate, playing with the cap from my water bottle before admitting, “Phil had paid him to be there.”
Cam stares at me. “Tell me you didn’t pay Rhys to—”
“Of course not.” I scratch the back of my neck. “I mean, I did pay him, but we didn’t do anything. I-It was obvious he didn’t want to go be with other people.”
Cam’s mouth drops open. He’s squeezing the mustard bottle so tightly that some of it has popped up over the top. “I don’t give a fuck. Hiring a prostitute is illegal, Parker. Christ, what the hell were you thinking?”
“He’s scared, Cam. He answers to—”
“I don’t care,” Cam interrupts. He slams the mustard bottle onto the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. “I know it makes me sound like a monster, but I don’t give a damn about that guy. And if he answers to someone dangerous, I don’t want you involved.”
“I already am. So you can save the lecture.”
“Why does it matter so much to you?” Cameron asks. “Rhys obviously survived before you. He’ll survive without you.”
“If I were in his situation, would you say the same thing to me?”
“Of course not.” His voice softens, and he takes a step closer to me. “But don’t pretend like I don’t know this is something personal. So what is it? Did you know Rhys before you met him at the party?”
“No.” The word comes out through gritted teeth. I don’t want to talk about this with Cameron. I want him to just accept that I have to help Rhys. But if I were him, I’m keep pressing too. So I’m not surprised when Cam just keeps staring at me with his arms crossed, waiting for me to fold.
The silence stretches for a long time, broken only by the sound of my heat kicking on somewhere in the apartment. And when that happens, Cameron uncrosses his arms. Takes one more step toward me. “Who did it, Parker? Who hurt you like that?”
My throat feels as though it’s trying to close. How am I supposed to talk about this with my brother? I’ve never told anyone. Rhys is the person I came the closest to telling, and even then, I couldn’t do it.
Now, looking back at Cameron, I wish I’d talked to Rhys about it. Then maybe I wouldn’t feel this pressing need to tell my brother.
“I, um… I don’t want to talk about that,” I finally say.
“You can tell me, Parker,” Cam says, all traces of anger gone from his voice. “Whatever happened, it’s okay.”
I fold my hand into a fist, letting the water bottle cap dig into my palm. “Nothing happened. Someone just tried to.”
His tone darkens. “Who?”
