I’ve never seen Violet lose control.
Until now.
But I see it.
I seeher.
“You came,” she says, her voice softer than usual.
“I did.” My voice is surprisingly steady, despite my nerves firing away like they’re at war.
“Why?”
And there it is. My opening.
The only chance I have to tell the truth—and hope I can make this right.
“I can’t stay away from you.”
I swallow, staring at the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.
The woman who hid in my brother’s bushes but couldn’t stay there when I fell.
The one who took in a scared, stray kitten because she knew I already loved her.
The one I almost walked away from.
I step forward, closing the space between us. “I shouldn’t have let you go.”
Her breath catches.
“I don’t need time. Space. Or distance.” My hands shake as I lift them to cup her face. “I just want you.”
“Drew,” she breathes. Tears well in her eyes, but I hold up my hand, needing to get this out.
“I was wrong. About everything.” I clear my throat. “I thought if I stepped back, I’d figure it out. Make it make sense.”
Her gaze stays locked on mine, waiting.
“But I was only lying to myself.”
I take another step forward, needing to be closer to her. Needing to feel her warmth. Her presence.
To everyone else, Violet is untouchable. Controlled. A little terrifying.
But to me, she’s warmth and safety.
She's the first person who looked at every messy part of me and stayed.
“The truth is, I was scared. Not of you. Not entirely,” I admit, a small smile curling my lips.
Then I grow serious. “I was afraid of getting hurt.”
A flicker of hope crosses her face before her expression turns guarded.
“But I realized... you’re the last person who would ever hurt me.”
She inhales a shaky breath, as if she were hanging on my every word, too afraid to breathe.
