His Last Chance at Redemption

‘Is that what this is?’

‘Obviously not.’

‘Leo, people in relationships talk to each other and not just about safe topics. They talk about real issues. Like this. Only you won’t discuss anything personal. You didn’t even tell me it was your birthday!’

‘What the hell is the problem with that? It was the day I was born. Get over it. I have.’

Lexi barely registered the harshness of his tone, still stung by how little she knew about him. And on the one hand that was completely normal. They had known each other for little more than a week. The problem was that if he asked her she would tell him anything and it scared her when he wouldn’t do the same for her. ‘I guess it just showed me how little of yourself you really share with me,’ she said testily.

He shook his head. ‘You don’t understand.’

‘No, you’re right, I don’t,’ she fumed. ‘I don’t understand why you haven’t told Ty you’re his father and I don’t understand why you won’t tell me who Sasha is. You called out her name again last night, just so you know.’

He looked momentarily stunned and she figured that he hadn’t remembered the dream after all. ‘I’ve told you Sasha is not important.’

And neither, it seemed, was she.

‘If that was really the case then you wouldn’t mind talking about her.’

‘Chort vozmi, Lexi. Sasha is not a woman. Sasha was my brother.’

His brother?

‘You have a brother?’

‘Was. I had a brother. He died when he was three.’

Ty’s age.

‘How old were you?’

He looked distinctly uncomfortable. ‘Ten.’

The time he had said his father went to prison. Lexi swallowed, not sure she wanted to find out the two were somehow connected, but unable to stop herself from asking, ‘How did he die?’

Leo blew out a frustrated breath and closed his eyes briefly before staring back at her. ‘He got in between my parents arguing one day and my father backhanded him into the wall.’

‘Oh, my God.’ Lexi’s hand flew to her mouth.

‘I told you there are some secrets you’re better off not knowing, angel,’ he sneered, walking through the doorway to the sitting room.

His voice was so cold, so clinical, and Lexi knew his brother’s death still cut deep. As it would.

She followed and sat on the sofa, her hands cupped between her knees as he made coffee. ‘That was why your father went to prison. Why you got into fights,’ she said softly. ‘I’m so sorry, Leo. You must have been devastated.’

The muscles in his back tensed but he didn’t say anything.

‘And your poor mother,’ Lexi continued, unable to comprehend how bad she would feel in the same situation. ‘She must have been so overcome with guilt and grief … Was it any wonder she couldn’t look after you properly after an event like that? It would have been so difficult.’

He flicked a switch on the coffee machine and the sound of hot water hissed into the room. Then he turned and pinned her with a hard stare. ‘She didn’t want to take care of me. But I was glad. I couldn’t wait to get away from her either.’

Lexi was shocked by the harsh vehemence of his words. ‘Why?’

His eyelids lowered to half-mast. ‘You planning to finish this interrogation any time soon, angel? I need a shower. With you in it.’

Lexi stared at him. Was this the best it would be between them? Was this all he had to offer? More secrets?

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