Page 23 (1/2)

"Axel, no one should be spoken to like that," Lexi said quietly, and it was the only ti act

Never breaking Levi’s gaze, I shook my head at Lexi "Let hi tiray eyes lit with fire, and I was sure if he had a gun, I’d be taking a shot of lead to the head He leaned down farther "Work at your fucking fish ive you You’re nothing but trash"

Levi walked out of the house, and I sat at the table, still gripping rip

"Axe, fuck, he shouldn’t have said all that about Ma him off, washed my cup out in the sink, and placed it on the drainer

Closingdevastation washing through ht" I looked up to see Austin and Lexi watchingpity It only pissedoff the counter, I walked past , "If I could trade places with Mamma, I’d do it in a heartbeat I deserve to be dead I ain’t never done nothing good inthe coldit down on the large chunks of gray-veined Pavonazzo marble that I wouldn’t need on this sculpture With each blow I felt each one of Levi’s words striketorn apart

What the hell have I done to that kid?

I’d fucking destroyed hiuy asdestroyed hi at the clay cast I’d created as a te, I took h the center, two clay pieces crashing to the floor

The ha at my side I panted with exertion, the ht of the tool

I re at the marble Before I knew it, I’d picked upout a new outline A certain i it life

I worked like a crazed man Hours and hours passed as I chipped at theforave way to the black of night and a strong wind pelted the long s of the studio overlooking the Sound

Muscles aching, body exhausted, I took a step back, assessing the sculpture I had to turn away I couldn’t bear to look at it