Chapter 76

• I stood, staring off into the distance. My vision had already blurred as I couldn’t bring myself to be present. The whole bratva had come out to Aleksei’s funeral. My breaking point had been Lec’s soft sobs from where he stood a few soldiers down from where I was standing. Keenan was next to me but he was on duty. Despite that, he had tears streaming down his face as well. Marek and the others were a few rows ahead, closest family up at the front.
• Aleksei didn’t have anyone left. His parents already passed and even his sister passed at a young age. They were burying him next to his sister, apparently at his request. Tears slipped out but I didn’t bother dashing them away. I wanted to turn around and leave. I didn’t belong here. I felt like I was a fraud in the middle of his true family.
• My hesitation had cost him his life. I shouldn’t have stopped. I should have been faster. I should have been stronger. I could have. I could have and I wasn’t. The scene continued to reply in my mind and I could think of thousands of ways I could have saved Aleksei. Sucking in a breath, more tears spilled out. He was right there. He was within my reach. He’d been so close and I failed.