Meryl's POV
The digital clock beside the bed glowed nine-fifteen in the darkness. My throat felt parched, and the space next to me remained empty and cold. Andre had promised he would return tonight, sworn he would be here with me, yet I found myself alone once again.
I had already gone through my evening routine, taken a long shower, forced myself to eat something, and even managed to drift off for a while. But now consciousness had pulled me back, and still no sign of him. I fought against the spiral of anxious thoughts threatening to consume me, but the battle felt futile. Every fiber of my being ached for his presence.
More than anything, I craved the security of his embrace while I slept. I longed to hear his voice in the darkness, those tender words that reassured me of his devotion. I desperately needed him to remind me that I was protected, cherished, desired. And yes, perhaps I also wanted to feel him inside me in the depths of the night, claiming me completely.
