Matheww was halfway through reading an email when a loud, piercing scream shattered the silence.
He shot up from his chair, his heart pounding. Without thinking, he rushed to his apartment door, yanking it open.
In the hallway, Andrea was crumpled on the floor, crying and pointing shakily toward her apartment.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded, crouching beside her.
“Just... inside,” she stammered, tears streaming down her face.
He furrowed his brow. “What’s in there? Is someone inside?”
She nodded frantically, still pointing.
Adrenaline pumping, he pushed past her and stepped into her apartment. His eyes scanned the room, searching for an intruder. Everything looked normal until his gaze landed on the couch.
“What the...” he muttered, stepping closer.
A small cat lay tangled in a crumpled nylon bag on the couch, its breathing shallow. Blood was smeared across the fabric.
Matheww moved cautiously, pulling the nylon away to examine the cat. Its body was limp, its fur matted with blood. He crouched down, stroking it gently as its chest rose and fell one last time before going still.
“Damn it,” he whispered.
Standing up, he grabbed a towel from the nearby chair and carefully wrapped the lifeless animal.
He glanced toward the kitchen, deciding he couldn’t leave the mess as it was. He quickly found the sink and washed the blood off his hands, the water swirling red down the drain.
When he returned to the hallway, Andrea was still trembling on the floor.
“It’s gone,” he said softly.
Her tear-filled eyes widened. “Gone? You mean...?”
He nodded. “It’s dead.”
Andrea’s face crumpled, and fresh sobs shook her body.
Matheww sighed and crouched beside her again. “Come on. Let’s get you up.”
She shook her head violently. “I can’t... I can’t go back in there.”
“Fine.” He slid an arm under hers and helped her to her feet. “You can stay at my place for now.”
Andrea clung to him as he guided her into his apartment. Once inside, he settled her onto the couch and straightened up, brushing his hands off.
“Excuse me for a second,” he said, turning toward the door.
“No!” Andrea grabbed his wrist, her eyes wide with panic. “Don’t go. Please.”
He hesitated, frowning. “I need to dispose of the cat—”
“Don’t!” she cut him off. “Don’t leave me alone.”
He sighed, sitting down beside her. “Alright. I’ll handle it later.” Pulling out his phone, he dialed the maintenance office.
“Hello? Yeah, it’s Matheww Cross in apartment 4C,” he said into the phone. “Did anyone come into the building in the last hour? Besides me and my neighbor Andrea?”
The person on the other end responded quickly.
“No one? You’re sure?” Matheww asked, his brows knitting together. “Alright. Thanks.”
He ended the call and set his phone on the coffee table, leaning back. Andrea was still trembling, clutching a throw pillow tightly to her chest.
“Who do you think did it?” Matheww asked, breaking the silence.
“I... I don’t know,” Andrea whispered. “But I don’t think it was random. Someone wanted to scare me.”
Matheww studied her for a moment. “You’re terrified of cats, aren’t you?”
Andrea nodded, her voice trembling. “I’m allergic. And scared. I’ve been like that since I was a kid.”
Andrea stared at him, her chest heaving. Finally, she looked away, her fingers tightening on the pillow.
A tense silence settled between them until she finally spoke. “I can’t go back to my apartment tonight. Can I sleep here tonight, please?”
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. “Then don’t.”
“Where am I supposed to sleep?” she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
He gestured to the couch. “Right there.”
Her jaw dropped. “You want me to sleep on the couch?”
“Why not? It’s comfortable enough,” he said with a shrug.
Andrea glared at him, her anger flaring again. “You have a whole bedroom! Why can’t I sleep there?”
Matheww smirked, leaning back casually. “Because only women who give me pleasure share my bed with me.”
Andrea’s mouth fell open, and her face turned scarlet.