Page 23 of Taste of Addiction

He nods and keeps his pace, forcing me to keep moving forward as well. We approach the forest. The rustle of leaves and the crunch of twigs break beneath our feet. Naked trees sway with each gust of wind above us, creaking like the joints on an elderly person.

I am surprised Collins didn’t give me much fuss when I told him I wanted to go for a walk. Maybe he is starting to accept that I need fresh air for my own sanity. If the walls were feeling like they were closing in on me before, the acceleration tripled with the introduction of Sophia to the house. I hate to think that Graham picked out her wardrobe and bedding and hygiene products. What I think is only special for me may not be at all. This might just be how he operates in general.

The patch of trees clears and the field opens up. It is peaceful here. I am able to think. I half expect to find Sophia lying in my spot, only because she has infiltrated most of my hangout places since she arrived here, tainting them with her nastiness. But I am alone out here, except for Collins, who stays along the border to give me my illusion of freedom.

I find the softest tuft of grass and lie down on my stomach to rest. I kick up my feet behind me and cross them at the ankle, resting my chin on my hands. I wonder what this place would look like in the spring. Would there be wildflowers and birds chirping a pretty melody? Would bunnies be frolicking through the field? Or would there be a crazy ton of mosquitos waiting for a human to arrive?

My phone buzzes with a new text message, and I pull it out of my coat pocket to see that Graham has sent me a picture—of his cock. Wow, my first real-life dick pic. I swallow hard at the sheer size of him. How could I forget? But I do. It has been a week since I have last seen him. Touched him. And my body is thirsty for a taste.

I roll to my back and hold my phone up into the air above me to snap a picture of my face. Then I snap another of my mouth making an O shape. I send him both. The first one I send with the caption—Wish you were here. The next one with—I hope you still fit inside my mouth.

I get a text back immediately.

The Boyfriend: Fuck, Angie. How can you be wearing layers upon layers and still be so fucking sexy that it makes me get even harder?

I smile over his message. I love that I have some effect on him still. He sure has one on me.

Angie: Why are you sending me dick pics while you are at work? Doesn’t seem very productive.

I send him my message with an emoji with a tongue sticking out.

The Boyfriend: I am horny and hoping you will send me something to get me by until I can see you.

Angie: Maybe later. Busy enjoying the fresh air. Chat later.

The Boyfriend: I will be patiently waiting.

Angie: Ha, when have you been patient about anything in life?

I slide my phone back into my pocket and hang out in the grassy field until my teeth chatter from the cold. I pick myself up off the ground and make my way to Collins, who escorts me back to the house.

I amble to the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove for tea. I dig through the fridge and find some hummus when I hear the clicking sound of heels behind me on the tile. Who even walks around a house in dress shoes?

My eyes close for a few seconds.Please, just leave me alone.

I continue pulling out pita bread and raw veggies from the drawer, ignoring Sophia behind me. I move back to the stove to check on the kettle and measure out the appropriate amount of loose leaf tea for the diffuser. I add the metal contraption to my mug and pour the boiling water over it.

“Nice shirt,” she sneers.

Like before, I choose to ignore her. I focus on making myself something to eat and fixing my mug of tea. Movement from the corner of the room catches my eyes, and I turn to see Collins hovering in the shadows. My shoulders instantly relax. At least he will be able to act as referee if Sophia refuses to leave me alone.

“You’re like beer and I’m like champagne,” she says with a smirk.

Think I don’t know this already? I have pretty much said the same thing to myself since the very beginning. I smile to myself. Mainly because I know it will piss her off. And if I am going to work hard at being the better person, I need to at least have a little fun while I make the effort.

“You think this is cute, huh? Keeping Graham tied to you but never letting him fully be himself?”

She marches toward me, grabs my elbow to turn me toward her, and yells into my face, “Answer me!”

Collins bolts from his corner and charges toward us, and right before he can separate us, I wind my arm back and swing it forward with as much force as I can get to—

Thwack!

“Ahhh!” she yells, as Austin, who seems to appear out of nowhere, pulls her back and away from me.

But I follow them, throwing my hand at her cheek again, this time open. I am about to get a third hit in when gentle hands bind around me, tugging me in reverse.

“Miss Chantel, go to your room and stay there until I tell you otherwise,” Collins directs, his voice stern next to my ear.

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