The drive felt endless. Alessia wasn’t sure if it was the distance or just her thoughts, echoing louder, heavier, impossible to shake. She sat quietly, hands clenched in her lap, replaying every moment from the night.
His voice. Those words. The way he looked at her, like he already knew what she’d do.
Her jaw tightened. He didn’t know her, didn’t get to decide anything for her.
But then she glanced at her hand the one he’d held. Her fingers curled, as if his warmth still clung to her. Annoying, unwanted, unforgettable.
She turned her head away, watching the city lights flicker past. This wasn’t about him. It couldn’t be. It was about her family, her father, everything she could lose.
The car slowed and stopped. She barely registered the door swinging open.
“Miss Moretti,” the driver
