Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
"I'm not very close to anyone in my family, with the exception of Ellie."
"Ellie?"
"My little sister," I answer. "Are you an only child?"
"I have two brothers and two sisters."
"That's a lot of kids," I say. "I have a younger brother as well. I thought three kids was a lot."
"You're the oldest? I'm stuck right in the middle. My parents had the girl then boy pattern down to a science."
"My parents only had kids because it was expected of them," I mutter, looking away when I realize I've probably said too much.
Who wants to hear about the poor rich kid who didn't get enough love from his family? Not me, that's for damn sure. I don't care how much it has shaped my adult life.
"Do you like to swim?" I ask before she can grill me about my childhood.
"I don't have many friends with pools," she says. "I work a lot too."
"I can't recall the last time I went for a swim," I muse. "Probably years."
"You haven't gotten in yet?"
I shake my head. "I met you my first night here, and you know what happened next."
"I'm sorry about turning off your alarm clock last night," she says, before chewing the inside of her cheek.
Although she's not looking at me, I can see the regret shimmering in her eyes.
"We're going to do our best to find your friend," I assure her.
"I can't get over how those women see marrying a man they don't know as an escape."
"I think it's because we come from a place of privilege as US citizens born into a relatively free world. I'm no expert on the dynamics of their home countries, but if they're here and willing to marry someone they don't know and possibly face unforeseen abuse, it must be pretty bad back home."
"I think they were tricked like me," she replies. "I thought, oh, I can sign this contract, and just walk out if I want to later, but they weren't going to let that happen. And when they threatened my friend, Morgan, I knew I couldn't just leave and risk putting her in more danger."
"The crazy thing is, there are places all over the country like that warehouse. They trap people, mostly immigrants, into marriage for sale, labor, and all sorts of stuff with the promise of either making them citizens or threats that keep them where the traffickers want them. It's modern-day slavery, and it's much more prevalent than a lot of people want to believe."
"I find it fascinating and crazy," she mutters as she shifts her weight on the bench.
"Is that why you put yourself in danger by going into that warehouse?"
Instead of answering immediately, she pulls in a deep breath, as if she's not really sure why she did what she did.
"Maybe?" she answers honestly. "I never imagined that they had women trapped there. Those women go grocery shopping. They come and go from the house they live in. They aren't handcuffed or being dragged around by chains."
"But they're no less captives than if they were."
"Exactly," she says. "It's insane, and not how those sorts of places are depicted in the movies I've seen."
"Maybe Hollywood depicts them as bound by chains and gagged because most people can't imagine being able to go grocery shopping and not ask for help. People who have no real idea of how some of these places work can't put themselves in that same position and understand just how much control these types of organizations have."
When she grows silent, I turn my eyes to her, wondering just how long she's been watching the side of my face.
"Is this what you and your team do? Help women who can't help themselves?"
"Sort of," I answer, still not sure if I've told her too much.
"Like heroes," she whispers, and the edge of awe in her voice doesn't exactly hit me in the best way. I have no idea why I find it so hard to be proud of what I've done in my life to help others. If anything, I get angry at those who sit idly by and do nothing, even when evil is right in front of their faces.
"I've never claimed to be a hero."
"Doesn't make what you do any less heroic. Why do you do it?"
I shrug, pulling a weak smile from her lips as if she anticipated my reaction.
"It's just the right thing to do," I answer honestly.
"And that's what makes you a hero, Ellis Burke."
Chapter 20
Kaylee
The entire day has been weird.
After our conversation last night by the pool, Ellis and I walked to the room we're currently sharing.
I showered and got into bed, and then he showered and did the same.
There wasn't a word spoken. There was no conversation about us sharing a bed.
We didn't whisper in the darkness to continue our conversation. We just rolled over in opposite directions and fell asleep.