[Inside the Royal Carriage—Continuation, Lavinia's POV]
I was still perched on his lap, my heart pounding so wildly it felt like it might leap into his chest. His arms circled me like iron, protective and unyielding, as if the world outside the carriage no longer existed.
I shifted slightly, trying to steady myself, but his grip only tightened. "Don't," he murmured, voice low, rough, and almost dangerous. "Just stay… like this. Don't move away from me."
My breath caught. His chin brushed against the crown of my head, his warmth wrapping around me until I thought I might melt entirely. It was overwhelming. Too close. Too much. And yet… not nearly enough.
"Osric…" My voice trembled, soft and uncertain.
"Yes, Lavi?" he asked, but his tone—controlled as it was—crackled with fire beneath.
I twisted the edge of his sleeve in my fingers, unable to meet his eyes. "…You're holding me too tightly."
