Alexander started the car as we drove out of the compound and onto the road. His hand gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead, occasionally darting to glance at me. 

I sat curled slightly toward the window, my cheek resting on my palm as I watched the morning light stretch thin across the windshield. All I could think about was last night. Not because something happened, but because it almost did. And that somehow made it even more unforgettable. 

It all started when we turned off ...