Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Between Wolves in a Carriage

[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."

He chuckled, deep and low, the sound rumbling through his chest and into me. "Too tightly? No, Lavi. Not nearly tight enough." His breath tickled my ear as he whispered, "You’re mine. I’ve been dying—aching—to hold you like this. Do you have any idea how much I’ve endured to kiss you like this for real?"

Heat flared in my cheeks. I tried to turn away, but his fingers caught my chin, tilting it up. His brown eyes—fierce, unwavering—captured me, burning with possession and something deeper, something that made my heart stutter.

"You’re mine, Lavi," he said softly, each word deliberate, heavy with promise. "Mine to protect. Mine to guard. Mine... always. Tell me I’m right."

My lips parted, but no sound would come. My throat closed, too full of emotion, too unsteady. So instead, I did the only thing I could—I buried my face in the curve of his shoulder, hiding the blaze of red that had consumed me.

His laugh came again, but softer this time, gentler, curling around me like velvet. He pressed his cheek against my hair, his grip firm on my waist as though anchoring me to him.

"Shy again?" he murmured, voice rich with amusement. His arms tightened. "Good. Be shy... but only for me, Lavi. No one else should ever see you like this."

That made me smile. I snuggled closer, letting the steady thrum of his heartbeat calm the wild pace of mine. His warmth seeped into me until I felt as though I belonged nowhere else but here—in his arms, on his lap, surrounded by him.

Then his voice dropped, deeper, rawer, threaded with emotion that shook me to my core. "I love you, Lavi. So much it feels like madness."

The words struck me like lightning, sparking through every corner of my being. My chest tightened, my throat ached, and still—I smiled, brighter than ever, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders and holding him as if I’d never let go.

"I love you too, Osric," I whispered against his neck, the words trembling but true. "So much... so, so much."

His embrace tightened once more, as if he’d heard every ounce of meaning in my words and vowed never to release me. And the time? It had stopped for us.

Knock. Knock.

We jerked apart instantly, hearts still tangled, breaths uneven. Osric’s brows furrowed as his jaw tightened.

"It must be the driver," he muttered, his voice low and clipped.

I nodded quickly, smoothing my skirts as if they could disguise the wildfire on my face. Osric opened the door, his expression darkening the instant he saw who stood outside. His voice dropped to a growl.

"...You."

Curiosity got the better of me. I leaned forward and peeked from behind his broad frame—only for my eyes to widen.

"Oh... Rey?"

"Hey there, Princess." His grin was lazy, mocking, and infuriatingly confident.

I blinked, utterly caught off guard. "What are you doing here?"

He swung himself into the carriage without hesitation, plopping down as if it were his own. "Had some work nearby. Saw your carriage and thought—why rent one when you’re right here?"

I blinked, still processing. "Work? What kind of work?"

He sighed dramatically, slumping back like a man carrying the weight of kingdoms. "The work you gave me. About Caelum—" He stopped mid-sentence. His gaze sharpened, narrowing on me like a hawk spotting prey.

"Princess..." His tone shifted, suspicious.

"...Hmm?"

"Why," he drawled, leaning in closer, "is your lipstick smudged?"

. . .

. . .

"Wha—WHAT?!" My hands flew to my mouth in horror. I scrambled for my pouch, desperate for a mirror, but all I found inside was a gleaming dagger. Useless!

"Hold still. I’ll help you," Rey said smoothly, his hand already reaching out, thumb hovering dangerously close to my lips.

Before he could touch me, Osric’s hand shot out, iron-clad around Rey’s wrist. His voice was cold steel. "Don’t. Touch. Her."

The air between them crackled. I blinked at both of them, caught like a rabbit between wolves.

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