“Why are you ignoring me just because I’m younger,” he said, annoyance slipping into his voice but he tried to keep it down, “yet you choose to go out with that bastard?”

He took your hand carefully, wiping away the dried blood on your palm. The skin was scraped raw, still stinging from the fall. His jaw tightened, but his touch stayed gentle and almost too gentle, as if he was afraid to hurt you more than you already were.

You had chosen someone older, thinking it would make things easier. Thinking distance would dull the feelings you had for Kael. You were wrong.

That man’s rough shove had sent you stumbling, your palm hitting the ground hard enough to tear skin and pride alike. And now here you were being cared for by the very person you were trying to push away.

You did it to run from him, Kael Easton. From the junior who loved you too honestly, too deeply.

A sudden drizzle broke the silence. Rain began to fall, soft and unexpected, as Kael slowly tightened his grip around your hand...refusing to let go.