C97 Back to the beginning

"Ready for this?" Alexander asked, his voice slicing through the silence in the car. His eyes remained on the road, turning occasionally to glance at Bernice.

Bernice blew out a breath and watched as the Italian countryside whizzed by them. The flutter of nerves felt like fingers closing in on her chest. "As ready as I'll ever be," she returned, though little conviction was laced in her tone