Ruby's POV
Find my parents? The suggestion made my stomach clench with dread.
"We already searched for my mother," I said, the familiar ache settling in my chest. "That led nowhere. She might already be gone."
Jimmy shifted uncomfortably, clearly regretting his words. "Oh God, I'm so sorry. What about your father then?"
"Absolutely not."
The rejection burst from my lips before I could stop it.
My father represented everything vile in this world. A degenerate gambler who chose alcohol and cards over his own family. A violent drunk who used his fists to solve problems. A selfish monster who cared about nothing except money and his own twisted desires.
I was convinced he'd trade his own daughter for the right price.
My mother had been this radiant, beautiful woman full of warmth and laughter. I still couldn't fathom what made her marry such a worthless piece of trash. But I understood completely why she disappeared. Running was the bravest thing she ever did.
