Cass’s brows pulled together. “I didn’t say you weren’t.”
Rick’s jaw clenched. He felt his body tense as anger built inside. “Cass—”
Cass took a small step closer, cautious now. “Rick, why are you here?”
He stared at her. She was acting as if he was the problem that needed handling. As if he was some mess she’d left behind. As if she could stand in front of him and do better, and he was supposed to be fine with it. He was anything but fine with it.
Rick heard his own voice, calm and flat. “You’ve moved on.”
Cass blinked. “What?”
“You left,” Rick said.
Cass stared at him, then let out a breath that sounded tired. “I didn’t leave you. I left the job. You know how it is.”
Rick took a step closer. “You didn’t even call.”
Cass’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t answer.”
Rick felt his anger burning inside. He kept his hands at his sides, but his fingers flexed inside the gloves. “You didn’t call.”
Cass held his gaze, and this time there was no pity, only irritation. “This is why I didn’t call.”
Rick’s vision narrowed to Cass and the rage inside. “Cass—”
Cass shook her head, sighing. “Rick, you need to go.”
Rick didn’t move. “No.”
Cass’s voice tightened. “Now.”
He stared at her and felt his anger rising. He looked at her and let her see it. He saw the flicker of fear cross her face, then disappear.
Cass took another step back, putting space between them without turning her back to him. “Rick,” she said, low and controlled. “Leave.”
When he didn’t, her eyes flicked to the door. The smallest shift of weight, like she was deciding whether to go for it. Rick moved before she did.
Cass made a short sound, more surprise than anything, and then she fought. Harder than he had expected. Her hands came up, nails scraping at his coat, trying to reach his face. Rick grabbed her hands, causing Cass to hit the bedside table with her hip.
Rick shoved her toward the bed. She stumbled, caught herself, then went down awkwardly, hands sliding across the duvet. Cass turned her head to one side, trying to get her mouth clear so she could breathe.
“Rick—”
Pushing her onto her back, Rick leaned his weight on her, wrapped his fingers around Cass’ throat and squeezed. He leaned in close, close enough to hear her breathing change. Close enough to feel the panic build when she realized what was happening.
Cass thrashed hard, trying to shake Rick off. Rick tightened his hold and forced her back down. Her hands clawed at him again, weaker this time. One hit his shoulder. Another scrabbled at his sleeve, searching for anything that would change the outcome. Her strength faded the longer Rick strangled her.
When she stopped moving, Rick didn’t move at all. He simply breathed and waited. Cass lay still beneath him, her face turned into the pillow, hair spread messily across the sheet. One arm was bent at an odd angle, fingers curled halfway as if she’d been about to grab hold of something and didn’t get the chance.
Rick slowly eased back. He watched her, waiting for a sign she was still alive and faking it, only there was no movement from her at all. He sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on her. The anger that had been burning inside him only a minute ago was gone now, leaving behind a cold quiet in its place.
Lifting his head, Rick looked around the room. The lamp was slightly crooked. The duvet was rumpled. A water bottle layon its side on the nightstand, still capped. Nothing else looked disturbed.
Rick stood, adjusted the lamp with two gloved fingers, and smoothed the duvet once, more out of habit than care. He didn’t touch anything he didn’t have to. Rick glanced around the room one final time before walking away from the bed.
At the door, he paused with his hand on the handle and listened. There was nothing but the building’s hum. No footsteps in the hall and no voices outside. He pulled his hood back up, checked his gloves, then stepped out and closed the door behind him with a soft click.
Walking down the corridor, Rick kept his pace steady. In the stairwell, the cool air felt good against his face, and he went down without looking back. Outside, the city carried on. Rick moved into the flow of it and let his mouth curve into the smallest smile.
