Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112069 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
“You said Remy saved your life,” I murmured as I considered the many differences between Aleks and Remy. When Aleks had told me about Remy, I hadn’t known at the time that the young man was the boy I’d left behind. I’d been lost in my own grief about Gio at the time, so I couldn’t remember the details of what he’d told me. But there was one thing he’d said that I hadn’t forgotten. “You said he was a fighter.”
Never would there be a truer statement about Remy.
Aleks nodded.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember the rest of what you told me that night we talked,” I said.
Aleks dropped his eyes, a move that was something that had been ingrained in him for a long time. But he lifted them again almost just as quickly, and I felt so proud of him. I knew it was something he was working on to build up his self-confidence around people.
“I thought the first time we met was in this bathroom at one of the auctions. Someone had hurt him pretty bad,” Aleks said softly and I saw his eyes tear up. He moved closer to Vaughn, and not surprisingly, my brother put his arm around him and kissed his temple. “Remy wasn’t there to be auctioned off, but I guess he was supposed to be… entertainment for some of the customers while they waited for the auction to start. He, um… we don’t talk about the stuff that happened that night,” Aleks explained. “Dante told me that last part. Anyway, when I saw him in the bathroom that night, he was really upset. I wasn’t supposed to talk to anyone else, but I just wanted to make him feel better. There was this flower arrangement in the bathroom. It had some really nice blue irises in it, so I gave him one and told him what it meant… hope. Flowers… they always made me feel a little better, so I thought…” Aleks dropped his eyes again and said, “It was stupid. After what that man did to him, a flower—”
“Hey,” I said before my brother could respond to his lover’s comment. “Aleks, look at me,” I urged. I was glad when he did. “I don’t need to ask Remy to know it meant something to him… you were probably the first person in a long while to offer the very hope that none of you were allowed to have.”
Aleks considered my words for a moment, then nodded. “Dante told me that Remy and I had met before. We were both in the same house after I was taken. Remy recognized my birthmark.” Aleks pointed to a spot on his collarbone. “That’s how he knew it was me in the bathroom. But I don’t remember meeting him before that.” Aleks paused and added, “Remy and I don’t talk about those times. I’ve tried a few times, but he… he just wants to forget.”
Aleks looked so heartbroken that I said, “He said he used to act out certain voices for kids in those houses, Aleks. Do you remember someone doing that?”
Aleks stared at me a moment, then his whole body went stiff. He nodded almost frantically, but he couldn’t seem to find his voice. He turned to Vaughn. “I do,” he finally managed to get out. “Oh my God, I do,” he repeated. “I, um, didn’t understand English, but when the men took the TV away and told us to go to sleep, I couldn’t stop crying. This boy, he was three or four years older than me, started talking in this funny voice. I couldn’t understand the words, but it was that cartoon duck… the one who’s hard to understand and is friends with the mouse.”
“Donald Duck,” I said. “Gio always liked him.” Vaughn glanced at me with concern, but I didn’t hold his gaze.
“Yeah, him,” Aleks said. He slumped against Vaughn. “I can’t believe that was Remy. He never told me his name and he was gone the next morning.” Aleks fell silent for a moment. My brother was soothingly stroking his upper arm. Aleks dashed at a few stray tears, then looked directly at me. “Can I see him, Luca? Please?”
Even if I’d wanted to say no, I couldn’t. I wasn’t sure if Remy would be okay with seeing Aleks, but I owed Aleks everything. I couldn’t deny him this. And even if Remy didn’t agree, he needed it too.
I nodded. “He’s upstairs,” I said. Aleks seemed nervous as he and Vaughn followed me to the elevator. The worthless bodyguard Vaughn had kicked the crap out of was back at his station but when Vaughn passed, the man pretended not to notice him.
I really did need to hire better security.
The bodyguard waiting outside the room opened the door for me. I entered and saw a fully dressed Remy sitting on the floor in the living room with Violet. She was working on a bottle of milk at the same time that she was playing with her toys. My body reacted to the sight of Remy when his eyes met mine. He was clearly tense because he climbed to his feet and wrapped his arms around himself.