Page 94 of Taste of Addiction

Once we are in his office, I relax on the couch and enjoy my breakfast. Graham sits at his desk and rummages through files and documents that are situated in the corner. I throw away my wrappers and settle in at the conference table with my new laptop that Graham got for me, my notepad with the start of my newly revised article for Dr. Williams, and a list of agency girls who have been drugged.

“Graham?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I get a list of all the girls in the Entice database?”

He looks up from his computer screen and eyes me with concern. “I don’t want you involved anymore. I need you completely disconnected from all of this. Mentally and physically.”

“You said so yourself that I have this ability to see things from a different perspective. Maybe I can help.”

“You are striving to be an investigative journalist who wants to report on a case that is ongoing with the FBI. This is a direct conflict.”

“Well, is the FBI even considering—”

“Stop,” he interrupts. “Please.”

“I think someone is drugging me. In addition to my own bad choices.”

“What?” He gets up from his desk and moves over to me.

“When Dr. Lucian ran my blood, there were a lot of substances in my blood and urine.”

“Where have you gotten the pills you were taking?”

“At first, they came from an old prescription that a doctor gave me for my injuries endured from the car accident. But then, I would get my refills from a classmate who had an injury. Or from bottles I found at a party. Some came from your supply you had stored in the filing cabinet.”

Graham’s eyes grow dark as he absorbs all of this information I am dumping onto him. I don’t think I ever really admitted my persistent behavior to him on how I would acquire my fixes. And now that I'm trying to get clean, all of my shady methods are glaring back at me. I hid behind my research and used it to mask my poor choices to those around me but also myself.

“You could have killed yourself or overdosed. All the pills I had in my possession have been for the purpose of trying to decode the chemicals and origin. I would have some girls, who I hired through Nic, work for me undercover in the agency to gather evidence.”

I remember him divulging this information. At the time, I thought his gambling with other people’s lives was too risky. Now, I am desperate to figure out how everything ties together. I am angry. Exhausted. And nervous about what this means for my future career.

“I was gathering my own evidence too. I just didn’t know that we were basically working against each other, despite having a common goal.”

“No more. I beg you. I need you clean. Healthy.”

“I promise you I won’t take any more pills. I am done. I think back to how I got to this stage in my life and am disgusted with myself. All these bad choices I’ve made and yet somehow, you have managed to stick by me in my despair. I feel like I am trying to find some good out of the ashes of my life.”

Graham pulls me up into his arms. “I’m always here for you, Angie. You are it for me. And just remember, your choices don’t define you. You have the power to change.”

His soft kiss to my forehead makes me melt into his arms. His phone buzzes on his desk, which he ignores. Then there’s a knock at the door.

“You’re being summoned,” I playfully tease.

“Has to be by someone other than Kylie. She knows better than to interrupt me when you are here.”

“Yeah, she is probably terrified of seeing her boss caught with his dick in someone.”

His fingers tip up my chin. “Not someone.” He wiggles his eyes. “You.” His mouth captures mine and I melt a little more. Pulling back, he stares into my soul. “There will never be anyone other than you, sweetheart. You are my life.”

The knocking persists, but this time louder than the previous round.

“Sheesh,” I mutter. Way to ruin the moment.

“Let’s see who I’m going to fire today.”

“Graham—”

---