Stay by Emily Goodwin Read Free Book Online Page A

charge much. Then I met Zane, and he said he could get me like twice what I was making if I worked with him." She yanked on her ponytail and shook her head. "And he did. But it didn't last long. He started taking it. Then I, like, got into some trouble with my stepdad and got kicked out. I didn't have anywhere to go, so I called Zane, and I've been here ever since."
    “How old are you?”
    “I just turned fourteen.”
    "Aren't your parents looking for you?" I blurted.
    Lily's innocent eyes flashed like blue glass. "We're not all lucky enough to have nice families like you," she spat.
    "Sorry."
    "Nah, it's not your fault," she recovered. "My mom has too many issues and my stepdad likes to drink. And cheat. And hit. I've, like, run away so many times they probably figured that's what happened."
    "Do you want to go home?" I asked gently.
    She shrugged. "What do I have to go home to?" Her eyes glossed over and she stood up, making a big deal of stacking the cards and pushing the chairs into the table.  
    "What about you?" I asked Phoebe.
    "I want to come to United States," she stated. "Thought I got modeling job. Nate pay for everything, even got me visa." She shook her head. "I don't think visa real."
    "It's not all bad like this," I felt compelled to tell her.
    "I know. Bad parts and bad people where I'm from too." She gave me a small, pressed smile. "It's been six months. Lily here almost year. Rochelle even longer. Other girls come and go. We don't know why we stay."
    "Rochelle says it's because the clients like us, like regulars. I've seen the same girls in the clubs. They just don't live in one of Nate's houses," Lily explained.  
    "Clubs?" I inquired.
    Phoebe nodded. "Dance clubs, strip clubs, whatever they called. Less touching when work there. I like it better."
    "Until they get you backstage," Lily added ruefully.
    “Does it end?” I whispered, asking a question I already knew the answer to.
    “Not well,” Phoebe answered just as quietly.
    “There has to be a way,” I pressed.
    Phoebe shook her head. “I try. Many times. And no.”
    I ground my teeth and forced back tears, refusing to believe that I was never leaving this place. “People are looking for me,” I said suddenly, my voice too full of hope. “When they find me, you will be found too.”
    “ If they find you,” Lily corrected. She pressed her full lips together and shook her head, causing red ringlets to fall into her eyes. “Why would they even think to look here?”
    “I don’t even know where we are,” I blurted.
    “Somewhere near Des Moines,” Phoebe told me. “But out in country.”
    “There is nothing around this house,” Lily went on. “For miles, literally. It’s like a century old farmhouse, restored, obviously. I think the land is, like, historical or something. Nobody does anything to it.” She shrugged and then yawned. “I’m so tired,” she mumbled and pushed herself off the bed. She kicked off her heels and stretched her feet before moving to another cot and pulling back the covers. “Addie,” she said softly. “I wish I had something to say to make this better, but I don’t.” She gave me a sympathetic smile and got into her bed.
    “What’s going to happen to me?” I asked.
    Lily looked at Rochelle, who shook her head. “I don’t know,” Rochelle spoke. “Girls like you haven’t been here before. Nobody looked for us.” Her brown eyes narrowed so slightly I almost didn’t see it. With a huff, she rolled over, wincing when she moved her foot. Phoebe got up and went to another cot as well. She wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and leaned against the wall. Beneath the layers and layers of makeup that was applied to her face, I could see the dark circles that pulled down on her eyes. Just what had they been forced to do for the last three days?

CHAPTER SEVEN

    LATER THAT DAY, when the sun began to glow a reddish haze, the basement door opened. Zane clunked down the stairs.
    “Time for work,