|Draven’s POV|
Her words stay with me, even as I try to focus on the present. Casmira's pain, her vulnerability—it's etched into the air between us, heavy and inescapable.
I didn't expect her to open up like this. I didn't expect her to trust me with her deepest wounds, to show me the cracks she tries so hard to keep hidden. And now that she has, I feel... protective. Possessive, even.
Her tears, her hurt, her strength—they're all mine to safeguard.
The kiss lingers in my mind as I pull back slightly, studying her face. Her cheeks are flushed, her lips slightly swollen, and her eyes, though still glassy from tears, hold a spark that wasn't there before.
"I meant what I said," I tell her, my voice low. "You're strong, Casmira. Stronger than they'll ever understand."
She looks at me,
