Page 28 of Addicted

He shook his head once.

“Nah, it ain’t.” He took another bite. Then he glanced down at the plate again. “The cornbread…” he said, like he didn’t even mean to say it out loud.

I raised an eyebrow. “What about it?”

He leaned back in the chair slightly, still looking at it. “My grandmama used to make it like this.”

That caught me all the way off guard. Because Stone didn’t talk like that. He didn’t offer shit up like that. Ever.

“Yeah?” I said, trying to keep it light.

He nodded once.

“On Sundays,” he added.

That was it. Just those two words. But it said enough. I didn’t know what to do with that, so I didn’t do anything. I just took a bite of my food like we were having a normal-ass dinner.

After a second, I looked up at him again. And the way he was looking at me… it wasn’t the same.

Not like he was about to take something. Not like I owed him something. He looked like he was trying to figure me out. I didn’t like that shit either.

“What?” I said, my voice was sharp and almost defensive.

He shook his head and grabbed his fork again. “Nothing.”

But it damn sure didn’t feel like nothing at all.

***

Day sixteen started like all the others. I woke up alone. Showered. Ate some fruit and toast. Sat on the couch and turned on the TV.

But today felt off.

Today, I was mad. I’d been mad all day, actually. From the moment I opened my eyes, I could feel theanger simmering in my chest, building with every hour that passed.

I needed to see my brother. I needed to call Aurora. I needed to get back to my fucking life. I needed to figure out what the hell was happening with my condo. I had bills to pay and if I didn’t pay them, Ish wouldn’t have anywhere to live. Stone said he had men watching the place, making sure Ish stayed out of trouble, but that didn’t mean my bills were getting paid.

What if they evicted us?

What if Ish came home one day to find all our shit on the curb?

The thoughts spiraled in my head all day, making me more and more agitated as the hours crawled by.

By the time the sun started to set, I was pacing the living room like a caged animal, my hands clenched into fists, my jaw tight.

I heard the car pull up outside and I knew it was Stone. Good. I was ready for his ass today.

I stomped into the kitchen and started making myself a sandwich. Not because I was hungry, but because I needed something to do with my hands before I broke something.

I heard the front door open, heard his footsteps in the hallway. And then he was there, standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing that same cold, expressionless stare he always wore.

That look.

That fucking look that said he didn’t give a single fuck about anything or anyone. That said he was unbothered by the fact that he was keeping me captive and ruining my life.

Seeing it now just made me snap.

“I need to see my brother.” My voice was loud, sharp, cutting through the silence of the house. “I need to see my best friend. And I need to get back to my fucking life, Stone.”