Page 40 of Faith
A tear rolled down her cheek, and Nina let it fall. She hated Gwendolyn. But Gwendolyn was the only person Nina had for twelve years. She was the one Gwendolyn turned to. What did it mean if she was dismissed without a thought?
Nina hated that she wondered. She hated that Gwendolyn still had power over her. Power that kept her tied to the woman who ruined her life.
Nina squeezed her eyes shut and pushed out the tears. She brought the anger to the front and reminded herself of the abuse. Nina touched her throat, the sting of her bruises making her gasp.
Gwendolyn did that. Without a care in the world for Nina. Gwendolyn would have killed her if she didn’t have a reason to keep Nina around. It happened often.
There was no love there. Gwendolyn didn’t know how to love. She knew how to hate, and that was the lesson Nina needed to hold on to. She would need it if she ever faced Gwendolyn again.
Because if she was ever in the same room as Gwendolyn again, they wouldn’t both walk out. Nina had to make sure of that.
“You think she’s okay?”Zeke asked Montgomery when Nina rushed up the stairs.
“Nina? Yeah, why?” Montgomery continued cutting up the chicken, oblivious to his sister’s emotions.
“She was upset. She ran out of here like she used to when we would talk about girls when we were younger.”
Montgomery snorted. “She was jealous because she wasn’t getting dates and we were talking about girls we were screwing. She’s not a kid anymore. Fuck.” Montgomery sobered with his last thought, running a hand over his face. “I can’t believe it’s been twelve years.”
Zeke nodded. “Yeah.”
Montgomery looked at the stairs. “Should I go talk to her?”
Zeke shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“I hate this. She feels like a stranger, but she’s not. She’s still Nina, but she’s not the Nina we remember.”
“There are some things that haven’t changed,” Zeke said.
Montgomery chuckled. “Yeah. She still loves carousels. And the beach. And food. Some of the women are so thin… Some ofthem were so sick when we found them, we weren’t sure they would survive.”
“But they are. We’re taking care of them, and they’re going to get the help they need. Far away from Gwendolyn Lennox.”
“What are you talking about?” Nina asked, her voice shaky and scared.
Zeke and Montgomery turned to face her together. Zeke hadn’t heard her come down the stairs, and judging by Mont’s face, he didn’t either.
Mont exchanged a look with Zeke, but Zeke didn’t know what they should tell her either.
“Some of them are okay? They’re alive?” Nina asked.
Zeke nodded.
“And you’re protecting them?” she asked Montgomery.
Mont inhaled and moved toward her. He guided her to the couch, leaving Zeke to finish dinner.
Zeke picked up the knife and drew it through the piece of chicken as Montgomery explained what was going on to Nina.
“We agreed to help out with some of the women who were in the first house that was raided. Some went to rehab, but some were okay without it. But all the women are being watched.”
“By your company?”
“Not all, but some, yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Can I see them?” Nina’s voice was small with hurt.
Zeke looked at the siblings on his couch, a sight he never dreamed he’d get to witness. Even with the pain in her voice, he knew they made the right decision to keep the truth from Nina.
