Alex swallowed. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to talk about that." Alien things were fair game, but Alex knew Michael had a past that was just about having a shitty childhood. In a lot of ways, Alex could relate. The one moment of violence that Michael had seen from Alex's father had been unique in that it had been the most brutal he'd ever been, but raised hands had not been a new thing in the Manes household.

Maybe that's why knocking him out with his crutch had been so satisfying.

"But I'll listen if you want to tell me."