Where it all began

Something in his gaze made my pulse pick up, something dark lurking in its depth. “Those scars,” he murmured. “Did your Alex create them?”

Oh. Now I understood the look. “No,” I said quickly and without thinking put my hand on his. His eyes cut down to our hands then back up to me. “He never hit me. He wouldn’t. He adores me.” That sounded vain, but it was the truth. Alex was certainly a violent man, but not to me.

Jaxon chuckled. “I can see why he does.” I bit my lip, surprised by his words. “Who gave you those scars then?”

“When I was young, I loved to climb trees. We had a few old tall trees in our garden. I loved to climb them. I wasn’t supposed to, but I snuck out all the time. One time I didn’t pay enough attention and fell down. I broke a few bones and got cut up by a thorn bush beneath the tree. That’s it. Dad cut down all the trees after that.”

“You make it sound as if Richard is a good father, which contradicts the opinion I’ve gathered on him as a human being in genera