‘I told you that this had to be different or I would walk away,’ I remind him, shuddering with an emotional inhale, and Alexi lowers his hands slowly. Deliberate, precise movements that have the strange effect of helping me settle too. He’s being careful not to antagonise me and something in his manner is helping me come back down to Earth.

‘I know … I heard you … loud and clear.’ Alexi sounds softer, indulgent maybe. He probably just wants me to stop drawing attention to us and get back in his car, but I’m still wringing myself out, riding the tears and painful stabs to my heart.

‘I will...