Andre's POV
Every step away from that bedroom felt like tearing pieces of my soul from my chest.
Meryl lay curled beneath the sheets, her bare skin still flushed from the hours we'd spent tangled together, her breathing soft and even in sleep. The scent of her lingered on my clothes, in my hair, marking me in ways that went deeper than any claim I could make. I'd left a note on her pillow, something simple about missing her already, knowing she'd wake with that shy smile that made my heart slam against my ribs.
Walking away from her was agony. But this meeting couldn't wait any longer.
The drive to Caesar's estate felt endless, my hands gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles went white. I kept telling myself this was for her, for Gavin, for the future I wanted to build where she wouldn't have to hide. Where our son could carry my name without shame.
