The caught.

RYAN

The sound of Violet’s laughter floated up the stairs, light and melodic, tugging at something deep in my chest. She was back. Finally.

I leaned against my bedroom door, staring down at my phone, rereading her text. It was a simple reply, but it was enough to remind me of how much I hated the distance between us. Every moment she spent out of my sight felt like a test of patience I wasn’t built for.

I hadn’t been able to focus on anything while she was gone. Not my emails, not the mind-numbing updates from my college, not even the gym. All I could think about was her—sitting in that diner, smiling at her friends, giving them a version of herself that I selfishly wanted all to myself.

It was irrational. I knew that. She deserved her space, her friends, her freedom. But the thought of her being with anyone else, laughing, sharing parts of herself that I hadn’t earned yet, drove me insane. And then there was Luke.

I clenched my fists at the memory of him. I trusted Violet, but the idea of Luke trying to work his way back into her good graces after everything he’d done made my blood boil. He didn’t deserve her forgiveness.

The door to her room clicked shut, and I knew this was my chance.

I stepped out into the hallway, the soft creak of the floorboards beneath my feet betraying my movement. Her light was on, a faint glow spilling out from under the door, and I could hear her humming quietly to herself.

God, I missed her.

Without overthinking it, I turned the handle and slipped inside.

Violet froze mid-hum, her wide eyes meeting mine as she sat cross-legged on her bed, a book in her lap. Her cheeks flushed instantly, a soft pink that made her look even more beautiful.

“Ryan,” she said, her voice a mixture of surprise and exasperation. “You can’t just—”

“Yeah, I can,” I interrupted, shutting the door behind me. “You’ve been gone all day. You don’t get to just waltz back in here and expect me to wait until tomorrow to see you.”

Her lips parted, probably to scold me, but no words came out. Instead, she just stared at me, her eyes softening as her shoulders relaxed.

I crossed the room in a few strides and sat down beside her on the bed. She smelled like vanilla and something floral, and it took everything in me not to pull her into my lap right then and there.

“You had fun?” I asked, keeping my tone casual, though my eyes lingered on hers.

She nodded, setting her book aside. “Yeah, it was nice. Luke’s staying in New York for college. NYU.”

I grunted in acknowledgment, though the mention of his name made my jaw tighten. “Good for him.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “You’re jealous.”

“Damn right, I am.”

She laughed softly, the sound like music to my ears. “You don’t have to be. Luke’s... just Luke. And I’m here. With you.”

Her words disarmed me, and for a moment, I just stared at her, trying to memorize the way she looked in this light—relaxed, happy, mine.

“Still,” I said, leaning closer until our noses almost touched. “Don’t make a habit of leaving me behind, okay?”

Her breath hitched, and I could see the way her pulse quickened at her throat. “Okay,” she whispered.

“Good,” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Because you owe me.”

She raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a playful smile. “Do I?”

I nodded, shifting closer to her on the bed. “You do. For making me go an entire day without this,” I said, brushing my thumb lightly over her bottom lip.

Violet laughed softly, leaning back just enough to pick up the book she’d been reading. “I was busy. Besides, you’ve survived worse, haven’t you?”

“Barely,” I muttered, eyeing the book she now held like it had personally wronged me.

She caught my gaze and smiled knowingly. “What’s with the look? It’s just a book.”

“Just a book?” I echoed, feigning offense. “You’d rather spend your time with that than me?”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t hide the grin tugging at her lips. “For your information, it’s a really good book. You’d like it.”

“Try me,” I challenged, leaning back on my elbows. “What’s it about?”

Her eyes lit up as she launched into a summary. Something about a girl who discovered she had powers—terrifying, uncontrollable powers she never asked for. One day, a sudden accident exposed her abilities, and everything in her life changed. People she trusted turned on her, and she was forced to leave her old life behind.

She was sent to an academy of supernaturals, a hidden school where people like her learned to control their gifts. But it wasn’t just about mastering her powers—it was about preparing to fight evils she never knew existed. The academy wasn’t just a refuge; it was a battleground, training her for a war she didn’t even understand yet.

Her excitement was infectious as she described it, and for a moment, I just watched her talk, marveling at how effortlessly beautiful she was when she got lost in something she loved.

“So?” she prompted, nudging me with her foot. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re a nerd,” I teased, earning a playful shove from her. “But a cute one.”

She shook her head, biting back a smile. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re stalling,” I said, reaching out to grab her wrist and pull her closer. She fell forward, her hands landing on either side of me as I smirked up at her.

"What do you want Ryan?"

"To see you"

"But you saw me earlier" she countered and I let out a scoff.

“Not like this,” I murmured, sitting on the edge of her bed. I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her breath hitched, and I knew I had her.

“Ryan...”

“Shh,” I whispered, leaning closer. My fingers traced the line of her jaw, down to her neck, where I felt the rapid thrum of her pulse. “You miss me, don’t you?”

She hesitated, biting her lip. That hesitation was my undoing.

“Say it,” I urged, my lips brushing against her temple. “Tell me you missed me as much as I missed you.”

“I...” Her voice was barely audible.

“Violet.” My hand cupped her chin, tilting her face toward mine. “Say it.”

Her gaze locked with mine, and for a second, it felt like the world had narrowed to just us. “I missed you,” she finally admitted.

“That’s my girl,” I said, my voice thick with satisfaction.

Her cheeks flushed, and she tried to look away, but I didn’t let her. Instead, I leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss that was slow and deliberate. She melted against me, her hands gripping my shirt as if I were the only thing anchoring her.

“You drive me crazy,” I murmured against her lips.

“Good,” she shot back, her voice breathless yet teasing. “Someone has to keep you in check.”

I chuckled, pulling her closer until she was straddling my lap. Her cardigan slipped off her shoulders, and I let my hands roam, savoring the feel of her skin beneath my fingertips.

“Ryan, this is... we shouldn’t,” she said, her words contradicting the way she arched into me.

“Tell me to stop,” I challenged, my lips trailing down her neck.

She didn’t.

Instead, her hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. My control was slipping, fast. Her soft gasps, the way she moved against me—it was intoxicating.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” I admitted, my voice a mix of desperation and desire. “You’re all I want, Violet. All I’ll ever want.”

My lips found hers again, more demanding this time, and she responded with equal fervor. I groaned into her mouth, my control slipping further. She was intoxicating, every soft moan, every touch, every kiss unraveling me completely. I shifted her onto my lap, my hands gripping her thighs as she settled against me.

My hands slid under her blouse, and the soft moan she let out nearly made me lose it. My fingers barely brushed the curve of her waist when the door flew open with a loud bang.

“Violet!”

We both froze. Lisa stood in the doorway,her gaze darting between us. Her expression quickly hardened,a mixture of shock and disapproval. Violet shot off my lap, her face a mix of panic and embarrassment as she tugged her blouse back into place.

Well… holy shit.