Page 19 of Taste of Addiction

“Got it.”

“Graham won’t tell me the details why you are hiding out here, but I’m sure he is blowing things out of proportion. I must give you credit, you really have him confused. Playing the victim and probably not in any real danger at all. But, that’s Graham for you. He’s always trying to put out the fires you seem to start.”

I turn to walk away, not having any words that will penetrate her skull. I just want to get back to my food. I barely make it three steps when my arm is tugged, making me whip around. “Let go of me and never touch me again.”

“Always so dramatic.”

I pull my arm from her hold and ignore her comment. I don’t have time for this right now. I just want to eat and go relax. I need to forget that Sophia is here and forget that Graham is an idiot to think that this was a viable solution for protecting us both. I would carry my food back up to my room but do not want to give her the satisfaction of believing she is forcing me out of my original plan. I sit down and take the first bite of my sandwich. It is delicious.

In my periphery, I see Sophia adding ingredients to the blender for her health shake. I munch on my food, but the saltiness makes my mouth yearn for something to quench it. I get up and search the fridge for something good and settle on a bottle of pineapple juice. I crack through the protective seal and take a sip to verify that it tastes as good as it looks on the label.

I shut the fridge and pivot. Coldness covers my torso, seeping into my clothes as I stare into Sophia’s satisfied eyes. I look down at the green smoothie coating my pajama shirt. Dammit. My nose twitches. My heart races.

“Oops, sorry,” she deadpans.

I look at the hand she uses to hold her cup, and the sparkle of her fake engagement ring nearly blinds me. Why is she wearing it around here, flaunting it in my face? She notices me eyeing it and smiles her knowing smile. My vision blurs and when it returns, I see only one color.

Red.

I take the hand not holding my juice and push her—hard.

“Ouch,” she says, stumbling back.

“What’s your problem?” I ask her. Push. “What have I done to you?” Push. “Why do you keep getting in my face?” Push.

“You’re just a distraction to Graham,” she blurts out, pushing me back this time. “A temporary one!” Her smoothie drops to my feet.

I have had enough of her shit. I throw my drink at her face, and it hits her nose and then splashes all over her hair, her dress, and her feet.

“This is cashmere,” she whines. Then she darts toward me and grabs my hair.

“Bitch!”

I grab fistfuls of hers and tug as hard as I can, as we slide to the floor from the stickiness of the spilled drinks. Sophia lands on top of me and smacks my face with her open hand. I cry out and then flip her on her back, sit up while pinning her down with my weight, and then smack her back. Hard. Two hands pull me off her so fast that I don’t even have a chance to execute another. She deserves one more.

“Hey!” I yell, as Austin sets me off to the side.

Owen helps Sophia up and she looks ragged. Good.

“Angela attacked me!” she lies. There she goes, always playing the victim. “I should sue her.”

As soon as Austin lets his guard down, I charge forward and knock her back again. We become a blob of arms and legs as the men try to separate us again. I hate that Sophia has turned me into a violent person, but I feel mentally rejuvenated after physically expressing my feelings toward her. My head is clear. My body is drenched in healthy slime. Yuck.

When the men are sure I am not going to go on another rampage, I am released and able to go upstairs to shower—again. This will make a total of three times today I have either taken a bath or shower. A new record. I snap a selfie of my appearance to send to Claire, with the caption—Should have seen the other bitch.

I see several notifications, all from Graham. And all that I choose to ignore. I am so over today.

I dry off and get dressed in yet another lounge outfit. At this rate, I am either going to have to start doing laundry or run out of clothes. Graham blows up my phone with what I’m assuming is his reaction to the report about me attacking Sophia in the kitchen. I hide his notifications and open up Claire’s messages.

Claire: Wow. Why do I always miss all the fun?

Claire: How did Graham react? He better choose your side. Everyone needs to know how much of a bitch that woman is.

I message her back.

Angie: I’m ignoring that man.

Claire: Ohhh, ballsy you are.

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