Emily’s POV
Damien held me tightly, like he wanted to fold me into himself — as though, if he could, he'd tuck me into his soul and lock the door forever. His grip wasn’t just physical; it was emotional, desperate. Like someone who feared that if he let go for even a second, I’d disappear.
We stayed like that for what felt like forever. Maybe thirty minutes passed. I couldn't tell. The only sound in the room was his shallow, labored breath and my own heartbeat pounding like a drum in my chest. I could feel his heart, too — it thudded violently against my cheek. That sound, that rhythm, had once made me feel like I was imprisoned. Now it just confused me.
I tried to move, shifting slightly.
“Let me go,” I whispered, not because I wanted to escape, but because the closeness was starting
