ALEXANDER
I stepped out onto the balcony quietly.
The doors slid shut behind me with a soft sound, sealing off the room and whatever remained of that unfinished call.
Faye didn’t turn when I came out, even though I was sure she knew I was there.
She stood near the railing, both hands resting against the edge, shoulders squared. The wind moved through her hair in slow, uneven strands, lifting it away from her neck before letting it fall back into place.
For a moment, I said nothing.
I simply watched her.
From this angle, the light caught along the side of her face, tracing the line of her cheek and jaw. The irritation she carried earlier had softened into something quieter.
She thought I didn’t notice these things.
She was wrong.
The wind shifted again, stronger this time, pushing
