“There’s no we! You’re just some rich, spoiled little girl who doesn’t understand a thing about the real world. You’re going to get us all killed!” His hands curl into fists at his sides. “You’re playing mind games with me, aren’t you? He sent you, didn’t he?”
“What are you talking about?” I gape at him.
“Raphael. You wouldn’t have gotten permission to see Isaac just for sex. You’re in Raphael’s inner circle. This is a test. Admit it!” His lips curl. “You were pretending to be different all this time, but you’re not. You’re like them. This turns you on, doesn’t it? Torturing me like this!” He falls to his knees in front of me, his eyes pleading. “Please don’t do this. Raphael has Jade with him and if you tell him you’re not happy with me...” He swallows. “Please. I can’t... I can’t...” His breathing is labored, and he looks pale. “I can’t be responsible for another life. Not after Heather.”
I crouch down and gently place my hands on his face.
He flinches slightly.
“Caleb, look at me.”
His eyes slowly meet mine.
“I’m not working with Raphael. I want that sick son of a bitch behind bars. Do you understand?”
He just looks at me, his eyes pooling with tears, but he blinks them back.
“I swear I just want to help. I went for Isaac because I knew you’d never tell me the truth, and the cops can’t take Raphael down without evidence. I just wanted to record an interview or a testimony against Raphael, but Isaac told me why that wouldn’t work and he had another idea. He wouldn’t let me... He wouldn’t let me change his mind.”
Caleb sits back on his heels, his gaze rooted to the ground. “The cops won’t help us,” he finally says. “I’ve been fucked by a few.”
“I know one who isn’t like that. He’ll help us. And once we have the evidence, we can show it to the whole world and Raphael won’t have anywhere to hide.” His blackmailing schemes gave me lots of ideas, actually.
“Why should I believe you?” His eyes are filled with distrust. “What do you get from this whole thing? What do you want?” He searches my eyes. “If you want a slave of your own, all you have to do is pay enough money.”
“I don’t want a slave. I want to free you. If I’d known the truth, I’d never have slept with you. I’m so sorry. It never occurred to me to think that you could be... I don’t know what to say. There are no excuses for what I’ve done.”
“For what you’ve done?” He snorts. “What would your cop say if I told him I was having sex with a beautiful rich girl and enjoyed it, but I couldn’t tell her no so I’m pressing charges? Maybe, congratulations?”
“What I did was wrong and nothing can change that. Let me help you. Let me at least do this right.”
“If you want my forgiveness, you have it,” he says. “What I am isn’t your fault, but I think I know what you really want.” He looks up at me. “If Raphael let you in, that means you know about the video.” His lips curve upward. “You know I took it without your consent.”
“That’s not what...”
“You want that video destroyed, don’t you? Just say it. I’ll do it,” he says. “You don’t have to give me false hopes and dreams. I know there’s no life for me outside.”
I want to tell him that I don’t give a shit about the video, but that would be partially a lie, and I don’t want to lie to him. “It’s true that I don’t want that video to ever see the light of day, but this isn’t about that. If you get your life back, none of that matters, especially if Raphael goes to jail.”
“If Raphael goes down and I don’t get killed in the process, I’ll probably go to jail for prostitution and who knows what else,” he says.
“That won’t happen. I won’t let it,” I say. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He shakes his head. “I won’t help you. You can say whatever you want, and I can’t know if you’re lying. I just... I don’t trust you. I can’t. I won’t let anyone else die because of me. Not ever again.” He gets to his feet and starts toward the door. “Please don’t call for me anymore. This time I mean it, or I’ll tell Raphael everything.”
“You won’t,” I say, running after him and getting in his way. “Not if you want Isaac to live.”
He stares at me, his lips parted. “Is that a threat?” he asks softly.
“No, a promise. I’ll save Isaac. I’ll get him far away from Raphael or anyone as sick as him. I’ll find out where Raphael plans to sell him and I’ll get him to safety, okay? If you tell Raphael about this, he’s going to kill him before the auction even happens.”
He chews on his lip for a moment, his eyes troubled. “Okay,” he finally says. “Save Isaac, and I’ll do whatever you want me to.”
“Deal.” I want to pull him into my arms and tell him that everything is going to be okay, but I know I can’t. Not until this is all over and he and the others are free and safe.
Caleb sits in the living room, staring at the TV show that Helen put on. Raphael seems to have calmed down after Isaac was taken, so he’s rewarding Helen’s good behavior by letting her watch her favorite show. The wide smile on Helen’s face makes Caleb nauseous. He’s glad that she’s finally happy, but everything feels so wrong. He taps his fingers against the armrest, wondering if what Lilith told him is true.
When Jade walks in, her face serious, Caleb catches her attention and waves her over. The guards are carefully watching them, but one of them is more focused on the TV screen than on anything else.
