14. So reckless

Don Antonio's POV

The phone call had been a shock to the system. Little Alexa in trouble with the law? It was a scenario I'd never considered. The girl I'd watched grow from an intelligent child to a stunning young woman, now entangled in a mess of her own making. My mind raced, a whirlwind of emotions and concerns swirling within me.

I'd arrived at the police station feeling disoriented. I was angry at her reckless disregard for her own safety, and so worried for her well-being. But the sight of her, tear-streaked and vulnerable, deflated the anger. What remained was a deep-seated concern.

Her confession, delivered in a broken whisper, painted a picture of a young woman lost and desperate. The details of the night, the near-miss, the alcohol. She was the unfortunate protagonist.

I’d listened, my heart pounding in my chest. Each word she uttered was a dagger twisting in my gut. The girl I'd often seen as carefree and spirited was now a fragile being, teetering on the edge of a ridge.