HONOR ME

SEVENTEEN

SKYLER

"André is different."

The words came out before I could overthink them.

Dad made a strange groaning sound beside me.

My head snapped toward him.

"What's wrong?"

Concern immediately replaced my thoughts.

"I'm fine, dear."

He sniffed deeply, then cleared his throat.

"I've just got a little phlegm problem going on."

I narrowed my eyes.

"Little?"

"Don't sweat it."

He waved me off and stabbed another piece of pancake with his fork.

"You were saying?"

I relaxed slightly and leaned back in my chair.

"I ran from his house because..."

I stopped.

Because what?

Because I was scared?

Because I was hurt?

Because staying meant admitting I cared?

I didn't even know anymore.

Shame settled low in my stomach.

"Do you know what he feels?"

Dad looked at me.

"Have you ever asked him? Has he ever spoken about what he wants?"

I looked away.

"It was a contract marriage."

My voice lowered.

"You know how things like that work."

Dad shook his head slowly.

Then he chuckled.

A knowing smile appeared on his face.

"Pamela McCarthy."

I sighed.

"I came here to clear my head, Dad."

I looked at him.

"Can we not talk about her?"

He didn't argue.

He simply nodded.

Closing his eyes, he leaned back in his chair.

I did the same.

For the first time in days, I felt slightly calmer.

But peace didn't last long.

Because my mind returned to the one thought I couldn't escape.

Divorce.

“I’m thinking about a divorce.”

The words felt heavier once they left my mouth.

Dad didn’t speak immediately.

“I think Pamela will really be unhappy—”

“How about me?”

My voice cracked.

“Does my happiness not matter?”

Silence.

I waited.

Nothing.

No answer.

No reassurance.

Just quiet.

My chest tightened.

Maybe he didn't hear me.

Or maybe...

He simply didn't agree.

**ANDRÉ**

When I arrived home, the house looked untouched.

Almost as if no one lived there.

No movement.

No sound.

But that was impossible.

Not if Skyler was still around.

"Sky?"

I called out as I wandered into the kitchen.

Then I stopped.

The breakfast I had left behind was still sitting on the counter.

Untouched.

"Sky."

I called again, louder this time.

Nothing.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

I rushed upstairs and pushed open her bedroom door.

Empty.

"Fuck."

I didn't waste another second.

I was already rushing back to my car.

Second thoughts weren't an option.

I drove faster than I should have, ignoring every warning screaming in my head.

The entire drive was frustrating.

My hands tightened around the steering wheel.

Sweat gathered along my forehead.

The car suddenly felt too small, too suffocating.

I hated this feeling.

Not knowing where she was.

Not knowing if she was okay.

When I arrived at Pamela's house, I didn't even bother knocking politely.

"Skyler hasn't been here, André."

Pamela's voice was shaky.

"Have you called her?"

"She hasn't answered."

I ran a hand down my face, frustration building.

"She's probably f*****g mad at me."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"She won't pick up my calls."

I sat down, trying to calm myself.

"Where do you think she could be?"

Pamela looked just as lost.

"I swear, I have no idea, son."

Her breathing was uneven.

She was worried too.

"Don't f*****g lie to me, Pamela."

My voice rose.

I glared at her.

It was a trait I hated about myself, but lies were always obvious to me.

Especially hers.

She swallowed.

"Take your time, André. I..."

She hesitated.

"I think she might be with her father."

A humorless chuckle escaped me.

Of course.

"Address."

Pamela blinked.

"It's out of town, André. She only goes there when—"

"I want his address."

I cut her off.

"Pamela, let's not argue anymore, okay?"

My voice softened slightly.

"Just give me the address."

She stared at me for a moment before sighing.

"I'll text it to you."

An hour later, I was pulling up outside the place.

I stared at the house.

It was nothing like what Skyler was used to.

Quiet.

Simple.

Almost abandoned.

No luxury.

No unnecessary display of wealth.

She left all of that behind for this.

For a place that felt like peace.

Just when I thought I understood her...

She proved me wrong again.

I stepped out of the car and walked toward the door.

After a few moments, it swung open.

And there she stood.

Skyler.

Her eyes widened immediately.

The cup in her hand slipped, crashing to the ground.

"Good day, Mrs. Larsen."

I leaned against the doorframe, forcing a calm smile.

An older man appeared behind her, placing a protective hand on her shoulder.

I kept my expression neutral.

"Who are you, sir?"

The man's voice was cautious.

My eyes moved to Skyler.

I urged her silently to explain.

She blinked, then cleared her throat.

"Dad..."

She looked uncomfortable.

"This is André Larsen."

A pause.

"My business partner."

The words hit harder than they should have.

Business partner.

Not husband.

Not anything else.

Just business.

I stared at her, my expression widening slightly.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

The older man extended his hand.

"I'm her dad."

He smiled faintly.

"Call me Benson."

I shook his hand.

"André."

Before he could say anything else, I stepped inside.

The moment Benson disappeared into the kitchen, Skyler turned toward me.

"What do you want here, André?"

Her voice was quiet.

I lowered mine.

"To pick up my goddamn wife."

Her brows furrowed.

"Give your daddy an excuse and get into the car."

I held her gaze.

"You have five minutes."

"You—"

I shut the door before she could finish.

Her protest faded behind the wood.

**SKYLER**

"He's here for a reason, dear."

Dad's words hit me like a shock.

I scoffed, my head snapping toward him.

He had no right to make that decision for me.

I wanted to spend more time with him.

I had just gotten him back.

Dad chuckled softly and pulled me into a brief hug.

"I've still got plenty of life left in me, bear."

His voice was warm.

"Come around anytime."

He pulled back slightly and smiled.

"When your husband agrees."

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips.

I nodded and hugged him again.

The thought of leaving him once more felt like a physical ache.

Like I was being forced to say goodbye all over again.

"I'll be back."

I whispered the promise against his shoulder.

"With my grandchildren, of course."

He added, trying to lighten the mood as he teased me.

Dad laughed softly.

━━━━━━ ✧ ━━━━━━

As I buckled myself into the car, André locked the doors and let out a heavy sigh.

"You can't run, Skyler."

His tone was unreadable.

I couldn't tell if he was angry, hurt, or simply trying to hide whatever he was feeling.

"I wasn't trying to run."

My voice was quiet as I stared at my father's house through the window.

"I just wanted to see my dad, André."

A humorless chuckle escaped him as he started the car.

"Couldn't you have at least let me know?"

I hesitated before asking.

"Last time I checked, I don't need the approval of my business partner to see a family member."

The car came to an abrupt stop.

The sudden movement threw me forward, and I instinctively braced myself against the dashboard.

When I looked at him, André was already staring back.

His expression had changed.

He wasn't amused.

He wasn't playful.

He was hurt.

Slowly, he reached for my left hand and lifted it.

A self-satisfied smile tugged at his lips, but his eyes told a different story.

"Business partners don't put rings on each other's fingers."

His thumb brushed over the ring.

"Business partners don't carry each other's last names."

"Are we not business partners, Larsen?"

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

The effect was immediate.

His entire expression shifted.

He hadn't expected that.

"Don't explain the rules to me, André."

I pulled my hand away.

"I'm only sticking to the script."

Silence.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

The kind that made it difficult to breathe.

Neither of us moved.

Neither of us dared to say anything else.

For some reason, he still wasn't driving.

And if we weren't going to talk...

The least he could do was take me home.

Gathering my courage, I looked up, meeting his gaze.

Lust filled eyes just staring at me like I was something out of space.

"Are you going—"

Before I could finish, he tilted in his seat, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned in, capturing my mouth in an uncalled-for kiss.

It began as a brief, hesitant touch on the corner of my lips.

He pulled back, searching my eyes for… something. Consent?

"f**k!" I unbuckled my own seatbelt and cupped his face, kissing him back with a ferocity that surprised me.

His tongue glided smoothly, expertly against mine. My fingers tangled in his hair as his strong arms urged me closer.

Breaking the kiss, I rubbed my thumbs across his lower lip.

"André..this could..we’re business..." He tugged my hair, pulling my head back. Our lustful gazes collided.

"You are mine, you hear me. Mine to hold, mine to love, and mine to fuck."

Then, I shifted, moving until I was straddling him.

"That's right, baby," he whispered against my lips, before his mouth trailed down my neck, his kisses invading my senses, moving towards the swell of my breasts.

I began to grind slowly, wanting more but trying to maintain a semblance of control.

"Baby. I don't have a condom in here," he rasped against my lips.

I kissed the corner of his mouth, still grinding, and licked my way to his ear.

He groaned, throwing his head back. He was hard beneath me, and I suspected I was about to rip his f*****g jeans.

"I'm on birth control," I whispered into his ear.

He made another low sound when I tugged on his hair.

"You are gonna be the death of me." He rolled up the tinted windows and adjusted his seat for more space.

I reached between us, unbuckling his belt. He pulled down my zipper and peeled me out of my dress.

My bra was transparent, as were my panties. He smiled and unhooked the bra effortlessly.

I pulled his t-shirt off and hummed, a sound of pure satisfaction. "You want this?" he asked.

He seemed to want to take it slow, but my throbbing core demanded the opposite. I ran my hand through his hair.

"f**k me, André. f**k me better than Louis," I whispered, licking his ear.

He chuckled, reaching between us. My panties were shifted, and then he was inside me, filling me completely.

"Fu-ck," I moaned, burying my face in his chest. He grumbled low in his throat, a sound that was both rough and affectionate.

I could practically feel his smile against my skin. I, on the other hand, was struggling to accommodate the fullness of him.

"Move," he grumbled, and I began to move, slowly at first. "That's a good girl," I whimpered softly.

My moan became a louder sound when he began to thrust upwards. "s**t," I gasped. "Tell me about Louis."

I gasped again as he slammed into me. Blinking back tears, I pulled on his hair. He sank his face between my breasts, sucking on my skin. His rhythm intensified, his thrusts growing stronger. I knew I’d be sore everywhere.

"Fu-ck. Ahh—"

"Too much?"

He took one n****e into his mouth, suckling hard. I moaned and jerked when his finger found my c**t.

"This is just to let you know—" He pinched my c**t, swallowing my screams with a wet kiss. "Louis will never f**k better than me."

He growled, moving harder and faster. He released my nippled pop sound and chuckled softly.

"So f*****g tight. Louis owns a toy… not a d**k, baby."

I let out a cry when he pinched my c**t again.

"André, I moaned, my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

"André, I'm gonna come." He planted both palms on my hips, holding me firmly, then stopped moving. What was he doing?

He smiled at my frown and my attempt to move.

He was punishing me when I desperately wanted to come. "f**k, André. Please, no, don't do this.”

"No more running away," he stated. I nodded and tried to move again.

His hold on me was stronger than I expected.

"Say it, Sky."

"No run—" He cut me off by thrusting into me.

I looked at him, and it was then I fell in love with him all over again.

André was goddamn beautiful, and all it took was s*x with him to realize it. He was f*****g with my head.

"No." Thrust. “More" Thrust. "Running." Thrust. I moaned, throwing my head back as my orgasm hit me unexpectedly, rushing in like a wave.

I cried out, burying my face in his neck. A few more thrusts, and he groaned out his release.

"Fuck.I felt him twitch inside of me.

"God," I cried.