Meryl's POV
"Get in."
Andre's tone was ice cold, commanding in that way that made my skin crawl. His sleek car had materialized in front of me like a predator cutting off escape routes, just as he always managed to do.
I stood frozen on the sidewalk, wrapping my arms around myself defensively as his piercing stare bore into me.
"No," the word tumbled out before I could stop it. "I told you already. I want absolutely nothing to do with you anymore."
His eyes turned black as midnight, that familiar dangerous glint flickering in their depths.
"You can tell me that once I know you're safe," he said flatly. "Curse my name all you want after I'm certain you're not wandering these streets like you have nowhere to go."
"I don't want your damn sympathy," I snapped back, venom dripping from every word. "Go straight to hell, Andre. Just disappear from my life."
He remained perfectly still. Didn't even blink. That motionless intensity made everything ten times worse.
