Tieran likes to give me privacy when I initiate whatever high he brings me. The moment it all kicks in, the moment the buzz sends me soaring, is when he knows I’ll come looking for him anyway.
I pop two into my mouth, lean back against the bathtub and close my eyes as they start to dissolve on my tongue.
Mm,I think happily. I’m not entirely sure what the hell these are, but work faster than the others. I wrack it up to not having had a good meal in the past couple of days, though he’s done his best to bring decent food home.
Half-eaten club sandwiches and love.
It’s what we’ve been living on, and I’ve been pretty okay with it so far. Besides, the only thing I’ll only ever need to survive is my brother, and I have him.
I swipe at my nostrils before I set the baggie down next to me on the dirty, cracked tiles, close my eyes, and inhale a deep breath.
Not the best move,I think as I almost immediately start to cough.There has to be mold in this fucking room somewhere.
“Knock, knock.”
I smile as the bathroom door is slowly pushed open. Tieran chuckles, “Did I get you some good shit this time, Hens?”
“I’m slowly finding out,” I reply, my eyes still closed. I rub the spot next to me on the floor, but Tieran scoffs as he shuffles forward.
I listen to the sound of him lowering the lid on the toilet, then slight creek of the uneven bowl as he sits down.
“I had enough dirt on me today,” he explains dryly.
My eyes fly open and I give him an even look.
“Who did you fuck?”
“What?” he asks as he forces confusion onto his face.
“For these fucking tabs? Who did you fuck?”
My tone is accusing, and I know we’re headed for another go ‘round of me being angry that he’s whoring himself for my addiction, him swearing it meant nothing, apologizing, and swearing it’s the last time.
“Hens—”
“God, I fuckinghatewhen you do this, Tieran!” I shout as I scramble to my feet.Whoa.The instant rush of standing up while this shit works its way through my system almost drops me back onto my ass.
“You know what? You’re right,” he begins evenly as he stands up. “Next time, I’ll just crack the ol’ vault open, take out a few million, and get your smack that way. Sound good?”
“Don’t you dare make this out to be my fault!” I scream at him, balling my hands into fists at my side. “I’m nother.I’ve never asked you to fuckanyoneforanything!”
I watch as his jaw squares.
He looks angry enough to hit me right now, though he never has. Tieran usually takes the fists I throw wildly at him, then goes to bed bruised and angry, but he’s never raised a hand to me.
Not even in self-defense.
“You know what? We both need to calm down. Do you want the bedroom or the bathroom?” he asks as he edges closer to the door.
“No, you don’t get to walk away every time I’m angry,” I snarl as I lunge at him and grip him by his shirt.
Tieran looks at the door for a moment, then sighs as he turns his attention back to me. He patiently pries my hands away off, then walks out of the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
Fuuuuck.
I wobble slightly on my feet as the high sets in a little deeper. I rub my temples slowly because I need to be clear-headed if I’m going to win this argument.
My body lurches forward as my hand wraps around the doorknob, and I inhale a steadying breath.