Chapter 78

Dad—to Eli’s mild surprise—actually shut up.

“It’s not an exchange, Dad. Rob loves me. I know you find that really hard to believe, but he does. He loves me, and when you love people, you want to support them. That’s all it is. There’s not some sordid sex slavery shit going on, or whatever you think.”

“Eli, for God’s sake—”

“No,” Eli interrupted again. “I’m moving out. I am moving in with Rob. End of story. He’s going to come pick me up this evening and we’ll get my stuff up to the flat.”

“As if I’m going to allow it!”

“And you’re going to stop me how exactly?” Eli demanded. “It would be illegal for you to even try—I’m twenty-one, and—”

“And you are walking into exactly the same scenario as Jenny did with Greg!”

“Rob is nothing like Greg.”

“Rob is exactly like Greg, Eli. I know he’s turned your head so you can’t see it, but—”