When he drew back, the world felt oddly weightless. Violet stared at him, wide-eyed, her lips tingling, her breath trembling out in a stunned rush.

“William…” It was barely a whisper, her mind still reeling from how beautiful the kiss had been—how she had never expected it, never imagined her closest friend could feel anything like that for her.

And then the fear rushed in, cold and sharp.

“But… your parents—”

He silenced her with a fierceness she had never seen in him.