Chapter 8

River grew up in a rather strict household alongside his older sister, his temperamental father and his indifferent mother. He wholeheartedly believed that the only reason he did not go insane in that household was because he had his caring and capable older sister by his side. He was home-schooled for the most of his childhood, only ever knowing the company of his sister. But in a blink of an eye, everything changed.

He was left in the care of Griffin Hayes, a tall and heavy-built man with gentle eyes. River watched as his family got into a car and left Rosecliff, they left him behind. He was shoved into situations that he never experienced before while living with Griffin, but with the patience and care the older man showed River, the more he adapted.

He found a friend and father figure in Griffin and soon River’s grief-stricken heart of watching his family leave him was starting to heal. River met his cousin, Maddison Attwood, and soon met Luis Santos as well. In thei