Claire couldn't believe how close that had been. Or that Alex was starting to comprehend his crimes because of her.
Just now she had seen more emotion on his face than she had the entire time they were together. He was starting to think of his victims as people by comparing them to her. That was a lot of responsibility to take on at once, which was why she tried to make him feel better.
She hadn't realized he was even capable of understanding the dichotomy of good and bad when it came to people's characters. He had done some truly terrible things—most of which she didn't even know about—but it was because he had been brainwashed into them since he was a baby.
Claire meant everything she said to him; it wasn't only to make him feel better. She really thought he had potential.