Chapter 45

Alexi, the sweet, grey-eyed, handsome boy in those pictures, did not deserve that. He was an innocent little kid who had done nothing back then to be punished for. She should have loved him no matter what. She should have pulled him closer because of his flaws and reassured him. He didn’t ask to be different. It wasn’t his fault.

“She put you on this path. Gino is right. She maybe didn’t force you to follow your father, but all the bricks were laid in the years leading up to it.” My voice is stern, but he takes my hand in his and interlaces our fingers snugly like he did last night.

“No, she didn’t. That night did. It showed me what I was capable of. I asked my father to take me under his wing with his men. I wanted to be useful where my behaviours could be a gift rather than a curse. I wanted to belong somewhere that she would never get involved. She didn’t push me there, it was my choice, and he said no.”

He may not see it, but Alexi still craves her acceptance e