Hailey's POV
The car ride felt longer than it should have.
Not because of traffic, or distance, or the late hour—but because of the silence. It sat between us like a third body in the back of the SUV, heavy and unmovable. I pressed myself against the cool glass of the window, staring out at the blur of streetlights as Singapore slid past in streaks of white and gold.
Kingsley sat beside me, close enough that I could feel the heat of him through the expensive fabric of his coat. Too close. Every breath he took seemed amplified in the narrow space, every subtle shift of his body a reminder of how aware I still was of him, no matter how much I wanted to shut that awareness down.
He moved his hand once, slowly and tentatively.
His fingers brushed the edge of my sleeve.
I pu
