Page 35 of The Addict

Picking up a brush that sat on the side table, I combed the knots from my hair, trying to make myself look half presentable. I was ready to get out of here and see if Chelsea would make true on her promise to help me get my items from the bar. I wanted to go home and put this all behind me.

Making sure that the dress was properly smoothed down, I took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

NOAH

I groaned.

4:50PM. Already?

Fantastic.

Rising slowly to ease my pounding head, I shuffled to the bathroom to clean up. Frankly, I hated the way I smelt after being outside all night. Had the situation yesterday been a bit different, I might’ve taken a shower then.

Maybe alongside the red headed beauty. The same one who had visited my dreams.

Delane.

I preferred cold showers. Especially this morning, after recalling how Delane had dropped her clothes in front of me, exposing her subtle breasts and bare skin for my view—I needed the cold water to calm me down. I relished the way my muscles tensed under the icy water.

After I was finished, I changed into casual blue jeans and a black button up t-shirt from my walk-in wardrobe. Straightening the collar of my shirt, I walked up to my drawer by instinct and opened it.

A craving. Something to ease my migraine.

Tell him.

Last night, I had almost told Damian. I didn’t know what had come over me then, but part of me had wanted to reveal to my big brother what I was struggling through. Then I remembered how much he pissed me off on a daily basis, and knew he’d never understand me or my choices.

I pulled out my weed and favorite red lighter, flicking the side and watching the flame spark before I lit the blunt.

“I’ll stop.”

“I want to believe you, Noah.”

I placed it to my lips and breathed in deeply, trying to savor the light headed feeling and taste, but it seemed as though I was breaking a promise, destroying a vow with each puff.

He doesn’t even have to know.

I growled in frustration and crushed the flame down, straight into my dresser. I pitched the un-burning bud back into my top drawer and walked out of the room before I went searching for something stronger.

Before I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I heard her. That sweet, sing-song voice rolling through the air around me. I found myself taking the stairs down in twos, nearly tripping over myself to get to the bottom.

Once I turned around the railing I looked to the right, into the kitchen, and there she was.

She was wearing a yellow sundress that I was sure I had seen before, her red hair brushed neatly to cover most of her bruises, though the ones near her eye remained visible. They looked worse today, I thought bitterly. In my mind I knew that her injuries would soon heal, and I considered suddenly: Could she be any more beautiful than she is now?

She saw me and looked up, her face blossoming with that smile I had rapidly become so fond of, causing me to lose my breath.

“Hey, Noah.” She did a little wave. “Your mom convinced me to help make pancakes and eggs. Would you like some?”

I nodded instinctively, but I didn’t even really hear the question.

Mom poked her head around the corner and grinned as I approached. “Delane is a pretty good cook, darling.” She winked at me, and I rolled my eyes, hoping Delane hadn’t seen.

I followed the scent of food into the kitchen until I was next to her. I watched as she poured the pancake batter into the already hot pan.

She leaned over to me. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was until your mom asked,” she whispered, and in that second, I noticed that I was hungry as well. My stomach growled audibly and Delane laughed. “Don’t worry. It will be done in a few minutes.”

I was thinking of something witty to say to her when the phone rang in our office room. My mother relinquished the eggs and trotted to the beckoning ring.