Page 158 of Devil's Bargain

Rick’s door is ajar, so I push it open and step inside.

He stops channel hopping and sits up on the bed as I pull his t-shirt off and reach for my dress on the floor. I put it on and search for my shoes. I find one underneath the bed. The other one lies discarded by the door.

“What are you doing?”

I bend down to do the straps. “I’m leaving.”

“You don’t have to go just yet.”

“I do. My friends are looking for me.” I brush my fingers through my tangled hair and hunt for my phone, but it dawns on me that I don’t have one anymore.

Rick gets off the bed and walks up to me, brushing his fingers over my throbbing cheek. “What happened?”

I can’t look at him. “I didn’t check where I was going.”

“You’re lying to me.”

I blink rapidly to stop my tears from falling and step out of his arms.

My feet carry me over to the door. “I’ll see you later.”

“What? That’s it? I’ll see you later?”

I squeeze my eyes shut before swiveling on the spot. “Yes, Rick. That’s it!”

“But I thought after last nig—”

“You thought what? That we’re a couple? You went down on me, Rick. That’s it!”

“That’s it?” He looks like I’ve gutted him. “That’s fucking it?! What? Didn’t it mean anything to you?”

It meant everything to me.“No, Rick. It didn’t”.

“You played me all this fucking time?!”

I can’t hold back my tears. “I told you from the beginning that we can’t be together!”

“You made me fall for you! I’m in fucking love with you, April!”

My heart breaks in two. I’m bleeding out. “Rick…”

He shakes his head and scoffs. “Jesus fucking Christ! I never thought you were this fucking cold!” He starts pacing. “I’ve been so fucking stupid! Of course, you are! You’ve been fucking two guys while I’ve been falling for you.”

“Don’t!” I spit, balling my fists. “You’ve been fucking that Madeleine girl this whole time, so don’t pretend that you’re some fucking saint!”

“AT LEAST SHE DOESN’T FUCK OTHER GUYS!” he roars.

I rear back.

“Fuck!” He sinks down on the bed, resting his elbows on his thighs and dragging his hands through his hair.

“I should go.”

He doesn’t look up, so I open the door and step outside into the hallway. I’m strangely numb as I make my way downstairs, past the kitchen and the grand dining room. My emotions lie in a puddle of blood in Rick’s bedroom. I’m now nothing but an empty shell.

Opening the front door, I step outside, squinting in the sunlight. Just as promised, a black town car is parked up at the bottom of the steps. I get inside and strap on the seatbelt, watching Rick’s house grow smaller in the distance as we drive away.

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