Endings are just beginnings

[tess_ocean]

There was no easy way of doing this, Tess mused as she started to carefully zip up her clothes in the suit carriers. Most people leaving in the dead of the night, would hurriedly throw their belongings into a suitcase or bag, but Tess was painstakingly layering tissue paper between the garments. She had time to kill, at least an hour, before

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[pilotlightisout]

The tip may have been sufficient to purchase the young man's discretion, had he worked for anyone other than Terry Benedict. But there was not a single employee that worked in Benedict's hotels, that did not understand his need for complete loyalty.

Had Tess not been so foolish as to verbalize her request to the boy, then perhaps he would have presumed her to be taking a late flight out of Vegas for a vacation or business trip of some sort. But this was not the case. The rookie bell boy had alerted his immediate superior, who in turn had alerted his and so the messages had rapidly climbed the hierarchical ladder. Until, not ten minutes after her cases had been left in the hotel lobby, Benedict himself had received the call.

How unfortunate that this event had occured almost simultaneously to him watching the CCTV footage of Tess' with her ex-husband at the MGM Grand.

"Tess," he greeted her solemnly as he entered their apartment. There was little emotion in either his voice or his expression. Cold eyes met hers with an intense questioning stare.

[tess_ocean]

Tess was under no illusion that he didn't already know, or at least had an idea. If only for the fact she'd been acting out of the ordinary since earlier that day. First she'd cancelled their dinner arrangement, and now she was stood awkwardly awaiting his return, as if already she didn't belong here.

As she returned his eye contact, the tone of his voice and the severity of his gaze confirmed her thoughts. Tess took a moment to take a deep breath, a vaguely apologetic look in her eye.

"Terry," she greeted him in return, an uncomfortable smile trying to force its way on to her lips. "We need to talk."

[pilotlightisout]

"No Tess." He gave nothing that could be misconstrued as emotion or regret. To say he gave off anything less than a stony exterior as he slowly and very deliberately walked towards her, would be an understatement.

"You need to talk," he said as he neared her. The words were almost whispered, a low growl simmering under the surface, yet the threatening air they conveyed was, in contrast, very clear.

[tess_ocean]

"We don't need to make this any more unpleasant than it already is Terry." Her voice wavered a touch, yet Tess didn't move from her spot, much as his closeness made her feel uncomfortable. The undertones of unspoken threats were fuel to stand her ground and only exemplified that there was never any future for them.

It seemed there was no need for a prelude or warm-up, Terry was more than aware of what was happening here.

"I'm sorry," she offered, true regret visible in her eyes, despite his coldness.

[pilotlightisout]

"You're sorry?" Benedict said dryly, tones heavy with mockery, looking at her with disdain.

"You're leaving me for a lowlife thief and a liar, and you're sorry." His lips twisted into a wry smirk as he let out a cutting snort. "I don't blame you Tess, I'd be sorry too."

Benedict turned from her, walking away to pour himself a Scotch, leaving her standing there. His back to her as he poured, he spoke with that same threatening air, calm, calculated and cold. "You're making the biggest mistake of your life Tess."

[tess_ocean]

It didn't surprise her that he'd seen the security camera footage. And although she'd called Danny much the same during their separation, hearing Terry say it so scornfully, so arrogantly, tried her temper. She'd said it because she was hurt by Danny, hearing it from Terry, and in such a supercilious way, took everything she had not to bite.

"No Terry." Tess shook her head as she picked up her purse off the couch and carefully placed her key on the coffee table. She wished to God she wasn't so hurt by this, seeing Terry for what he really was, was a revelation that was not pleasant at all. To think she'd felt guilty about leaving him, that she'd wanted to do this right and fair for his sake. He was nasty, cold and arrogant, she'd have been doing herself a favour even if there had been no Danny.

"It's clear now, that you were the biggest mistake of my life."

Her hand was already on the door handle, quietly she opened it, stepping out into the hallway as she pulled it gently to behind her. The door closed with the faintest of soft clicks. She let out a long slow shaky sigh, then smiled as she walked, comforted by the thought of the man who was waiting for her.

[pilotlightisout]

"It will become clearer Tess," he said with a calculating sneer as he turned to see the door close behind her.