Page 59 of Love Fire

“When we break in,” Nate says. “Don’t you think we should look like we belong?”

48

ERIN

Trying to fight back against the high of iridescent is not easy. I want to give in as the euphoric warmth spreads across my body. It’s like I’m being welcomed home. The iridescent is a familiar, safe, and tempting feeling. I want to give in, but I know where that path leads.

It’s like trying to not fall asleep while in a comfortable bed after staying up all night. It’d be so perfect to give in. But I have to fight. I focus on my breathing. In and out.

It’d be dangerous to submit to the drug even if I was safely at home. But I’m far from home. Hank smirks down at me as I struggle against my restraints.

“Yeah,” he says. "I bet that feels good, doesn’t it, junkie.” Hank crouches down to get eye level with me. “Now, who else have you been leaking information to?”

I grit my teeth. The euphoria from the drug is starting to win but I need to keep fighting. If I give in, I’ll loosen up and might reveal something. I can’t risk putting Brent, Nate, Alessandro, or anyone else in danger.

“What a disappointment.” Hank looks down at me with disdain as he slowly slips more rings on his fingers. “You had such potential. And you threw it all away for some fucking lizards.”

Hank slaps me across the face with the back of his hand. I could feel each one of the rings on my cheek. The sting cuts through the iridescent for a moment before it is numbed by the drug.

“Now,” Hank continues. "Tell me everything. Who have you been talking to? What have you told them?”

I stay silent and receive another back of the hand slap from Hank. I look around the interrogation room. Guards stand around watching, some even seem to be smiling. My father must be paying a lot for their loyalty for them to be this excited to see a traitor tortured.

“Come on, Erin. Do the right thing here.” Hank paces around me. Once again, I say nothing and brace myself for another hit. He doesn’t leave me waiting for long.

This time, I wince at the sharp edge of one of the rings. My face throbs with pain. It must have cut open my cheek as blood is slowly leaking down my face. Hank’s expression grows to annoyance as I still refuse to give up any information.

This process continues for what feels like an eternity. Hank asks me a question he knows I won’t answer. I don’t answer. He hits me. Then we repeat, all while I fight back the growing iridescent high. I can’t see my reflection anywhere, but I’m sure I must look rough.

The more I fight against the drug, the more my face hurts from Hank’s hits. The sharp pain dazes me for a moment and the iridescent takes the opportunity to tighten its grip on me. Ironically, the more I fight the drug, the more my body hurts and the harder it is to fight.

I know I can’t win. That is a lost cause. But I can hold out for a while. Make this as time-consuming and frustrating as possible for Hank and my father.

However, it seems Hank is already frustrated. He wipes my blood from his fingers and glares. “I remember when you were a kid, Erin. We couldn’t get you to shut up. Now that we actually want you to speak…”

He shakes his head and walks over to the bag of iridescent he used to get me high. He grabs the whole bag and brings it over. Hank reaches in and grabs a big handful of the powder.

“Maybe you just need another hit.”

“Hey boss,” one of the guards says. I have no idea which. I’m too focused on fighting the drugs I already took and ignoring the pain. “I think that might be too much for a girl her size.”

“Shut up, DeMotts!” Hank yells. “This little bitch used to snort this shit all the time. Everyone knew. I bet she could go through two of these bags in a weekend. Now, hold her head back.”

A pair of hands wrap around my hair and pull. My head is yanked back and I’m looking up at the ceiling, Hank smiles down at me.

“Don’t… You…” I only manage to mumble out that much. Hank has no idea what he’s doing. I haven’t done iridescent in four years. My tolerance has changed. This could kill me.

“Shut up,” he says. “Your chance to talk is over. Let’s see how this treats you.”

Hank begins dropping his handful of iridescent directly into my nose. I try to hold my breath but Hank won’t have any of that. He uses his other hand to hold my mouth shut. It’s not long before I’m forced to inhale all of it.

There is no fighting this drug now. The pain from the torture fades entirely as the pleasant warmth wraps around my body like a hug. This is the drug I remember. Why would I ever quit?

I feel like my body lifts up off the chair, out of my restraints. Iridescent feels like no other drug. A full body ecstasy vibrates within me. I’m on top of the world. I may have enjoyed being sober, but I haven’t felt this good in years.

As my euphoria hits levels, I’ve never dreamed of, I feel a new scarier sensation. My chest tightens. My body trembles out of control. The last thing I think of is Brent before it all goes black.

49

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