Alice blushed. Zech might feel a light tremble in her hand at this forbidden physical contact. She wasn't used to being so close to a man. Noah had been her first and only, and the one positive thing she could say about Tobias was that he hadn't forced himself upon her. On that frightful wedding night, he had shown her her own bedroom, wished her goodnight and had gone into his own room, leaving her both crying for relief and dumbfounded.

Mr. Meijer was a handsome man, but she knew he was a bully and the way Noah had treated her had taught her enough about men to know what they wanted and how they would treat her afterwards.

Yet she did not withdraw her hand and move away like she knew she should. Tobias would want her to. Her father would want her to. And she could choose to do otherwise. She had some power.

And so she let him lead her fingers to the keys and followed his example, though she kept her eyes on the keys and dared not look up. Her heart was pounding. Her knee pressed back against his.