Page 161 of His Addiction
“I’m nearly ready,” she called, reaching for her perfume.
She grabbed her trainers from under the bed and shoved them into a tote, followed by the old photograph stuck to the mirror on the dresser.
Harry wore a proud smile that day, his arm around her shoulders as she held up her first ever rosette.
Confident footsteps moved through the loft…stopping at the bedroom door.
“I told you, I don’t need any hel?—”
The words lodged in her throat when Niall appeared, smirking like the devil himself, framed in the doorway.
Her heart plunged like a stone, taking her smile with it.
He leaned against the frame, arms folded across his pale blue shirt while his gaze slithered over her.
“Moving somewhere, Shan?”
“Why are you here? Does anyone else know you’re back?” The words tumbled out in a breathless rush, her lungs tight.
Niall unfolded his arms, rubbing his palms together fast, like he was trying to start a fire. There was a strange gleam in his eyes, a twitchy joy stretched too tight across his pale face.
“Just Bucky,” he said, acting cool. The frictionstopped, and he slipped a hand into his jeans pocket. “I always hated that asshole…but today? He’s a fucking legend.”
He pulled his hand out, dangling a small bag of white powder from his fingers.
Her blood ran cold.
“He’s a dealer?” she whispered, her heart thumping faster.
“Fuck, Shan, the guy thinks I needed a bump to help with the grief,” Niall grinned, “he gave me this as a gift. I think he’s trying to win me over so I don’t fire him.”
Her pulse thudded in her ears. Jamie was outside, waiting at the chopper.Close, but not close enough.
“I couldn’t be bothered with rehab,” Niall continued, treating it like a joke as if all the money his dad had paid for the facility didn’t matter. “Amsterdam, though…yeah, that was a way better retreat.”
He chuckled.
Keys jingled as he dug into his other pocket. Metal scraped, plastic crinkled.
Then he used his teeth to rip the pouch open, the gesture feral. With a practiced flick, he balanced a mound of coke on the length of a key and inhaled it up his nostril with a long, greedy snort.
Shannon’s throat closed.
“What the hell do you want?” she hissed.
Her gaze darted to the doorway. He was blocking it. Narrow frame or not, he stood like a wall. If he attacked her again, she didn’t know if she’d have the strength to fight back, let aloneescape.
“You didn’t keep your promise, Shan.” His voice dropped, slick with resentment. “Gracie told me you haven’t been staying here. She said McGrath’s been sniffing around my yard, trying to replace my da.”
Something cold slithered down her spine.
“She’s been keeping a close eye on you,” he added, like it was something she should thank him for.
“Has she been in here?” Shannon’s voice broke. “Going through my things? Fucking with my head?”
Niall shrugged. “I paid her well to fuck with you a little and keep an eye on things.”
His pupils blew wide, her breathing coming in bursts.
