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“You don’t think he’ll try to find you, do you?”
“No. He hated having me there. The only way he’d let me stay is if I went along with what he wanted.”
“You sure I can’t kill him?”
“No!” She pulls away. “Easton, you promised.”
“So he just gets away with it? What if he’s doing this to other girls? Your dad and this guy could be luring girls in, making them think they’re getting a sales job and then forcing them to do shit they don’t want to do.”
“I thought about that. The girl at the front desk wasn’t much older than me. She seemed okay with the job, but what if it’s because she doesn’t have a choice? I’m not the only girl without money and a place to live. When you’re desperate, you’ll do almost anything, and guys like my dad know that.”
“Maybe my mom could do something. She used to work in criminal justice. She knows people who might be able to shut the place down.”
“Yeah, she told me.”
“Wait—you told my mom this?”
“It was when I was sick. I wasn’t fully aware of what I was saying. She was asking me questions and it just came out. I’ve been thinking about what she said, about going after that guy, the one who was going to give me the job. I want him to get in trouble, but I don’t want to be involved. I don’t want to see him again, or my dad. What do you think I should do?”
“I can’t tell you that. It’s your decision. But I know you could do it. I think the only thing holding you back is whatever feelings you have for your dad.”
“I hate him. I don’t care what happens to him.”
“Part of you does. He’s your dad. You want to believe he’s good. You want to believe he’ll change and stop doing this.”
“But he won’t. He’ll never change. Rita will grow up and he’ll get her doing it. Her mom already does. She won’t care if her daughter does it.”
“Who’s Rita?”
“My dad’s girlfriend’s kid. I babysat her when I was there. She’s gonna grow up with guys like my dad and that other guy making her work for them, making her think she doesn’t have any other options.” Nova looks up at me. “I think I need to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Go after that guy. Shut down his business. I don’t know what I’ll have to do, but I want to find out. I want to talk to your mom about it.”
“So you’re saying we have to go back to my house.”
“Not tonight, but tomorrow.”
I sit down on the couch, my anger rising as I think about having to face my parents. I don’t want to see them, and I don’t want to talk to them.
“Easton, I know you hate them right now.” Nova sits next to me. “But think about all the good things they’ve done for you.”
“That stuff doesn’t make up for what they did. I don’t know if I can ever forgive them.”
“You will. I have, and I’m the one that got stuck growing up with Ted.”
I look at her. “Why would you forgive them? They destroyed your life.”
“But that’s over now. Ted’s gone, and I’m with you. I’d rather think about that than what happened 12 years ago.”
Then she’s a better person than I am. I’m not ready to forgive my parents. And I’m not sure I can trust them.
27
Nova
“I don’t wantto go in there,” Easton says when we get to his house.
