Andre's POV
The sound that dragged me from sleep cut straight through my chest like a blade. Soft, broken sobs that made every nerve in my body scream with alarm. My eyes snapped open as my hand instinctively swept across the mattress, searching for her warmth, only to find cold, empty sheets.
I turned and my heart stopped.
Meryl was huddled on the far edge of the bed, her back turned to me, shoulders trembling as she pressed her palms against her face, trying desperately to muffle her tears.
"Meryl," I breathed, immediately moving toward her, my hand reaching out to comfort her. The moment my fingers grazed her bare shoulder, she recoiled like I'd struck her.
"Don't you dare touch me!" The words ripped from her throat, raw and bleeding. Her eyes were swollen, red-rimmed, wild with pain as she scrambled away from me, clutching the sheet against her naked body. "Stay away from me, Andre! Just get out!"
