“I’m okay.”

Behind them, in the third row, sat a younger man with a thin face and close-set eyes. Instead of a suit, he wore a polo shirt and he was typing on a laptop balanced on his knees.

“This is Eric, one of my associates,” said Ridley.

Eric nodded but continued typing.

Ridley took off his sunglasses. “I’m sorry to sneak up on you. First of all, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday. There was absolutely no reason to involve the police, for Christsakes. Total overreaction. I’m going to be straight with you: My son is a fucking idiot. He has had literally every advantage. He’s good-looking, he’s athletic, he’s intelligent. But he’s a fucking idiot. Especially when it comes to girls, and especially when it comes to Claudia Castro. He’s been with other girls. I know that for certain. But he wants the one he can’t have. And she knows exactly what she’s doing, stringing him along. And this has been going on for years, okay? Have you met her family? Mom, sister?”

Trevor shook his head.

“Well, let’s just say she comes by it honestly.”

Ridley paused. For effect? Behind him, Eric’s clicking continued. The car stopped for a yellow light. What street were they on?

“After you left yesterday, Chad and I had a talk. I’m very, very sorry he sent you that video. Like I said, he’s an idiot. And impulsive, which is at least as bad. What kind of work does your father do?”

“What?”

“Your father. What’s his job?” Trevor hesitated. Ridley didn’t care about his father, and Trevor suspected that if he didn’t say anything, the man would just keep talking. He was right. “I’m an attorney. And I don’t hide my work from my son. The fact that he would record himself having sex and then pass it around … I mean, it’s just insane. But that’s what Claudia Castro does to him. Have you shown the video to anyone else?”

“No.” Trevor straightened his shoulders. Did he just blame Claudia for what Chad had done?

“Right, why would you? Again, I’m sorry you had to see that. And like I said, I understand why you did what you did yesterday. If someone had shown me that of my girlfriend…”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Okay, well, your whatever. I’m saying I don’t blame you. Chad will pay for this, I assure you. There will be consequences at home. Strings will be tightened significantly. But I don’t believe—and I hope you don’t believe—that one mistake should ruin a boy’s life.”