Page 15 of Taste of Addiction

She glares at me through her artificial ultra-black eyelashes. “Good morning to you too, Angela. I’m here because Graham was very worried about me and always tries to keep me safe. We go way back, as you know. And I’ve been dealing with a stalker which, quite frankly, isveryserious.”

I give her a nod. There’s not too many things I dislike more than fake sweet. This applies to candy and a person’s personality. I hate to be cavalier about her woes, but a small fraction of my mind thinks she fabricated her fear to gain Graham’s attention. Do I have proof? Well, no. A strong suspicion? Absolutely.

“So you’re staying here?” I ask dumbly.

“Yes, Angela. I’m staying here where it’s safe for me. Trust me, I enjoy my space, so sharing a roof with you will definitely be challenging for me.”

I want to yell that I was here first. I want to tell her to go sleep outside. And I want to strangle Graham for thinking that putting us together was a good idea. Can the day get any worse? Maybe if I was forced to watch videos of the two of them together, then maybe it just could.

Ugh, just the way she says his name—like she has some hold on him—just makes me want to claw her eyes out. I will, too, if she messes with me and causes me to break. Today, of all days, I am almost on the verge. The way things are progressing now, I give it forty-eight hours before I throw her down. That’s being generous.

I let out a long labored breath. I guess I should have heeded the universal warning to be careful what you wish for. Because my desire to have company here has blown up in the form of the one person I would choose last to coexist with. Lovely.

I catch Collins’s eyes as he disperses with the other men, and I think I see a glimmer of sympathy behind his otherwise stone-like expression. I imagine he has known Sophia longer than he has known me, assuming he has worked for Graham longer than three months. While I do not know his feelings toward her, I would like to hope he would choose my side in a fight. With the way my personality clashes with Sophia’s, it is pretty much a guarantee that there will be a battle. Let the best girl win.

I turn on my heel and decide to skip the coffee I am craving and head back to my room to be alone. Before I can make it a couple of yards, Sophia is clicking her tongue and drawing attention to herself. I swallow and choose to ignore her. I can be the better person—at least in the first thirty minutes.

“Angela, darling?”

I roll my eyes and sigh.Just let me leave. I turn back around and see Sophia leaning her stick figure against the island. “What is it, Sophia?”

“I was just going to say that I’m glad you’re back on your feet after the incident.”

I furrow my brow. What is she talking about? “Which incident are you speaking of, Sophia?” I am genuinely confused. Is she referring to the drugging that Mark put me through in the hotel room? Or the riot at The Shack? I have no idea what information she is privy to so she will have to enlighten me.

“You know, the one where you tried to slit your wrists in some dramatic suicide attempt in front of Graham’s building.”

“What?” My question is barely audible to even my own ears. It is like I am stuck in an underwater tunnel and running out of my oxygen supply. My throat closes at a rapid speed until I can no longer breathe.

“You know, the stunt to gain his attention? I meant to say,kudos, it worked. He might be under your thumb now, but he won’t stay there forever.”

My stomach contracts and my jaw tics. Is that the rumor that is floating around? Or is she just nasty enough to construct it on her own? I want to defend myself. To share with her the truth about the picture frame breaking. But what good would it do? So I muster as much strength as I can to maintain my own composure and just leave. I head to my room to suffer alone.

And I do. As soon as the door slams shut, I fall to the floor with my back sliding down the smooth surface. Damn her. How can she be so flippant about me getting hurt? What happens if Iwastrying to cause self-harm? It was almost like she wished it.

It makes me really wonder what Graham ever saw in her. We are such polar opposites on looks and personality and how we see the world. It is a mindfuck to think that he can be attracted to each of us individually when we are so vastly different.

I allow my heart to break, but I do not shed a tear over Barbie Bitch. My mind goes to a dark place, and I stay there just long enough to remember how it feels. What it looks like. How alone I am. But then I climb out. I am strong—even when I am at my weakest. I cannot allow another person to push me down and gain power over me.

I move to my knees and pick myself up off the floor—metaphorically dusting myself off in the process. I walk over to my personal fridge and remove the bowl of leftover fruit. I drag myself into the bathroom and draw a bubble bath. I have the rest of the day to endure, so I might as well do it with a fresh body.

When my skin is wrinkly and my body is relaxed, I get out of the tub, dry off, and put on yoga pants and an oversized cable-knit sweater.

I flop down on the bed, pull the blankets over my body, and take a nap. Maybe when I wake up, the day will be over and I’ll be one step closer to being able to leave.

The sound of an incoming video call wakes me up. It is now three o’clock and I missed lunch. I answer Claire’s call and laugh when my screen focuses so I can see her face.

“Nice costume,” I giggle. She is dressed like a unicorn.

“Ethan is really into dress-up.”

“This is information I could afford not to know.”

“Well, he is becoming very needy about it too,” she adds, ignoring my comment entirely.

“I needed the laugh, so thanks,” I say. She is wearing a horn headband, bright-colored makeup, and a rainbow tutu.

Claire straightens her headband which seems to be a bit top-heavy. “I figure at the very least, you would see this and it may brighten your day. Oh no, did I just wake you up? You were sleeping, weren’t you? Do you even know what day of the week it is? I’m sure it feels like Blursday. You’re completely living my dream life right now. Like soaking up this lifestyle of the Rich n’ Lazy.”

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