“You sure? Because you don’t know everything I’ve done.”
Hm. This is not the first time I’ve heard Ant say that, and we’ll need to talk through it at some point.
Javier surprises me with his level of understanding. “Everything you’ve done to heal is because you were hurting. Doesn’t make everything right, but it makes it understandable. It’s important to know that you will heal in cycles. Sometimes you’re actively progressing, sometimes you’re actively resting, and both are important.”
“How do you know all that?” Ant asks, looking up with hero worship in his eyes.
“Even though I hoped you hadn’t been sold to traffickers, I knew it was the most probable scenario. I started looking into it, started talking to people who had survived it so I would know how to help you if I ever found you.”
Based on Erik’s report from Wimberley, there’s more to the story than that, but I appreciate his discretion.
Ant switches out the curry brush for the soft-bristle brush and starts the process all over again. “Is that why you help now? Because you saw what happened to people?”
Javier nods. “Real human beings enslaved by others. Charlie often works with the people who have been victims of these large distribution systems. I work from the other end of the problem. I destroy whatever means the traffickers are using to take people. If they’re putting ads in the newspaper, I follow up on them. If they’re moving people from one country to another, I take them out on the road. I make it very, very expensive to keep operating.”
“Does Charlie know what you do?”
“He ran anextensivebackground check on me. Found out things I didn’t know he could find out.”
Ant absentmindedly brushes Cupcake’s broad chest. “I kept a list, and Erik says he’s creating a dossier for every name on it.”
Javier’s expression is…complex. If I had to guess, he’s stifling the urge to run over to Erik’s house and demand the information. Hell, there are days when I see Ant struggling, and I want to track down every single person who hurt him and paint the earth red with their blood.
Alright, killer. Slow your roll.
“Yeah, they’re very good at background checks,” Ant says with a smile.
“Do you mind if I ask what Erik is going to do with the list?” Javier asks, struggling to keep his tone light.
“A better question is whatI’mgoing to do with the list,” Ant says, popping his brows.
I go to intercede, but Javier, again, knows exactly what to say.
“I’m here for you, whatever you need. Just know that revenge always takes its pound of flesh. If you make your life about revenge, it will only take you to a dark place. If you make your life about service and improving the problem, you will still go to dark places, but you will have a way out.”
“That’s what Charlie was trying to say too. I want to go on these ops with them, and they won’t let me. I know it’s because I look young and inexperienced, but…”
“You know more about this than they do.”
“Exactly.”
“It’s not about your knowledge, nephew. It’s about your humanity. Look at me,” Javier says, gesturing to himself. “I’ve made this my life’s work. I’m like the Lone Ranger. Absent a sidekick.”
“I’ll be your sidekick.”
“I know you would. However, I want better for us. I want to help, but I also want to remember there is a world outside of human suffering. I’ve maybe forgotten that over the years.”
Ant takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, setting aside the brush. “I sometimes forget about that too.”
Javier grins. “Not sure why, but this reminds me of growing up with the family business. For generations, the Hernández family has worked leather. At first, it was saddles, but we eventually added belts, boots, wallets, purses, sandals. When I was a kid, this was deeply embarrassing.”
I nod. “Bet you’d give anything for those simple days again, wouldn’t you?”
Javier takes a long, hard look at Ant, his face creased by emotion. “I absolutely would.”
Ant lowers his chin. “I’m sorry I ruined everything.”
Javier and I make sounds of protest at the same time, practically talking over ourselves to reassure him he was not the one who did the ruining. I’m a little shocked to find he actually feels that way after spending so much time with people who reassure him of his worth.
