The city passed in a blur of lights and motion, but Xander wasn’t really seeing any of it.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter than he realized, his knuckles pale against the leather.
He didn’t have a destination, just the hum of the engine, the whisper of tires against asphalt, and the hollow weight in his chest that refused to go away.
He’d told Ava he needed space to breathe. Truth was, every breath since leaving the house was like hot air.
He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t stop seeing that message; Dinner was exceptional because of you. Xoxo.
It looped in his mind like a static wave, louder each time until it was all he could hear.
He tried to remind himself of the truth he knew. Ava wasn’t reckless. She wasn’t cruel. She had always been grounded, focused, and loyal.
Bu
