Page 56 of Addicted

“This is your room,” I said, looking at Ishmael.

He stepped inside and his eyes went wide.

There was a king-sized bed with a flatscreen across from it, a desk, a chair, and a full walk-in closet.But what really got his attention were the video game consoles already set up: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch. All of them connected to the TV with the controllers lined up on the entertainment center.

“No fucking way,” Ishmael breathed.

I smirked.

“Bathroom’s through that door,” I said, nodding toward the en-suite. “Closet’s over there. Everything you need is already here.”

Ishmael turned to look at me, and for the first time since I’d met him, I saw genuine gratitude in his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said. “For real, man. Thank you.”

I nodded.

“I think I’m gon’ love it here,” Ishmael added.

Indie shook her head, laughing softly.

“You just bought his loyalty with some video games,” she said.

I shrugged. “Whatever works.”

Ishmael was already walking over to the consoles, picking up a controller and turning on the PlayStation.

“Get settled,” I told him. “I’ma show your sister something else.”

He barely looked up, already absorbed in the screen.

I turned to Indie and nodded toward the door. “Come on.”

I led Indie down the hall to the master bedroom. My bedroom.Ourbedroom now.

I pushed open the double doors and stepped aside, letting her walk in first. An Alaskan king bed sat at the center of the room, covered in high-thread-countsheets and a plush comforter. The headboard was custom-made, the frame solid wood.

To the left was a sitting area with a comfortable couch, two chairs, and a coffee table set up overlooking the backyard. The pool and landscaping provided a serene view, laid out like something out of a resort. To the right were two doors, one leading to my walk-in closet, the other to hers. And straight ahead was the en-suite bathroom.

Indie walked slowly into the room, her eyes taking in every detail. She ran her hand along the edge of the bed, then walked over to the windows, staring out at the view.

“Okay I knew you had money,” she said finally, turning to look at me. “But I didn’t know you had it likethis. I can’t even imagine what it cost to build something like this.”

I walked further into the room, closing the distance between us.

“Don’t worry about all that,” I said.

She stared at me, her expression unreadable.

“You like it?” I asked.

Indie looked at me like I was crazy for asking.

“Who wouldn’t? This is the type of place people imagine they could have but don’t ever get.”

I nodded slowly. That’s exactly what I wanted her to understand. This wasn’t a dream. This was real. And it was hers.

Indie walked around the room, exploring. She opened the door to the bathroom and gasped. I followed her in. The bathroom was just as luxurious as the rest of the house. His and hers sinks, both with marble countertops. A jacuzzi tub big enough for two, positionedunder a window with a view of the backyard.