ADDICTED

18

LEAH

I wasn't sure what I would do, but I knew I couldn't let James win.

He couldn't bully me into staying with him. I didn't know why he felt so strongly about it or felt the need to get involved. It was my problem, totally unrelated to my job.

Maybe he was just worried this ordeal would distract me from my work. I had my doubts, though.

He didn't operate from the kindness of his heart and I knew that wasn't his angle now.

Regardless of his reasoning or intention, I was in a tricky situation. I had no choice but to relocate somewhere with my cat. I refused to board her either. She had survived so much with me and I knew a kennel would cause her anxiety.

The problem now was this limited me to very few options. I had trouble finding an animal-friendly place in my budget before. This place was like a gem about rocks.

Still, some place out there had to fit my criteria. I couldn't fathom living with my boss slash ex's brother. That spelled drama. Drama that I didn't need and certainly didn't want.

We deplaned and while waiting for our luggage at the luggage belt, I perused houses for sale or rent in Chattanooga. I may not have known much about who broke in or why, but I knew I would never sleep a wink in that apartment again.

My mind raced with all the uncertainties. Who would do this to me?

My apartment was the only one ransacked, according to my landlord. The police weren't sure if the vandal also stole from me because the place was a wreck. I needed to look over everything and determine what was missing.

I managed to find a few places that would do for now and submitted interest requests to the realtors. By the time we got our luggage and started outside to find a taxi, a faint hint of nausea was moving through me. I had a lot of decisions to make in the coming days.

Although I wanted to fight James on staying at his house, I had to admit I was relieved he volunteered to come with me. I didn't want to be there alone.

What if the vandal thought I would be home? What if they came back while I was there alone?

We didn't know enough yet to determine if this was just a random break-in or if I was somehow targeted. Maybe someone figured out I would be gone for the weekend, so they decided to strike.

But how? How could anyone know that?

My car was still parked out front. I had privacy curtains and blinds on all of the windows. Maybe it was truly random and I was just unlucky.

Something in me knew that wasn't the case, though. An invisible weight closed in on my chest, the feeling of being hunted that I was all too familiar with. Nothing about this sat well with me.

James knocked my knee with his in the backseat of the Uber. My gaze swiveled up to his steady, unapologetic face.

"It's going to be alright, Leah," he said softly.

The way he assured me just now, the brush of his knee against mine, felt genuine. He sounded like he meant it. He believed things were going to be alright for me.

I figured part of that was because he also believed I would be staying with him now, where he could keep a watchful eye on me.

Although I wanted to believe James was offering me a roof over my head out of kindness, I suspected it had more to do with power and control. I refused to let myself be dependent on a man, no less a Muller man.

What would he want in exchange for staying with him? I of course would have to recompense him if I had no choice but to take his offer. But what if he didn't want money?