Alex
The bitterness burned in my chest, eating away at my restraint. Hearing my son speak about that bastard with such love and adoration felt like a knife twisting in my gut.
A little boy’s innocent words shouldn’t have this much power to wreck me, but they did. It wasn’t Valen’s fault, though. It was Byron—the lying, manipulative prick who had stolen my life, my family and my place.
I clenched my jaw. The muscles in my face were tightening until they ached. Showing my feelings wasn’t an option. I swallowed the bitterness, but it tasted foul, like bile clawing its way up.
I turned my head away from Valen, pretending to focus on nothing in particular. If I didn’t, the raw pain in my eyes might betray me. The weight of Alexis's gaze on me didn’t help. She always knew, even without me
