Addicted.

Addicted- Chapter Twelve

--         “It's what you choose to believe that makes you the person you are.” 

Chapter twelve- Unmitigated disaster.

‘’Welcome to my humble abode,’’ Ryder said as he opened up the door to his apartment for Vivian. She walked in.

Her mouth had opened up in shock, but she closed it when Ryder switched on the lights. Holy shit! She thought as she looked around in awe, ‘’Wow,’’ She muttered.

Ryder chuckled next to her, ‘’Yeah, always gets the girls impressed,’’ Vivian didn’t reply. She looked at the metallic wallpaper, the cream colored carpeted floor, the leather sofa set and the beautiful fireplace. The place looked like something which belonged in a small hut inRome, or five star hotel room. The dim lightning added more to the beauty and coziness.

As Vivian was looking around, Ryder went to the kitchen and started making coffee for the two of them. A lot had been going on Ryder’s mind, something which he could act upon only in the morning and surely couldn’t discuss with Vivian.

Even when he thought about telling her the possibilities of the things that were going to happen, her fear stricken face running out of the dark alley crossed his mind, and he thought better of it.

‘’How did you find me?’’ Vivian asked from behind, Ryder had failed to notice her presence; he was so deep in thought.

He turned back at her, Vivian was pretty calm now but her eyes had a haunted look in them, ‘’I was passing by, you know coming from work, I saw your car and the other one. I thought you got into an accident or something and then I found you running around.’’

Vivian reminisced the scene as Ryder talked about it, a shudder ran through her. She just nodded in response. Ryder handed the warm coffee to her and both of them made their way to the living room.

Vivian sat down on the leather couch which was as smooth as silk, the hot coffee warmed her cold fingers and she took a sip gladly. Vivian was in her own thoughts and Ryder didn’t interrupt her. Then she suddenly said, ‘’Why—How can I trust you guys?’’

‘’You cannot,’’ Ryder replied simply. Vivian waited for him to further elaborate, he didn’t.

Vivian turned to look at Ryder, who was sitting across her, ‘’Then I have every reason to walk away right now,’’

Ryder took a deep sip, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped it down, ‘’who exactly in this world can you trust, Vivian? You don’t have your parents anymore, just your brother. Who do you go to when you have an issue?’’

‘’How do you know my parents are dead?’’ She didn’t even flinch when she said the word dead.

Ryder shrugged, ‘’that’s beside the point. Answer me?’’

Vivian thought about it, she just had one friend Jennifer Parker and she practiced law inWashington. Vivian had no one inNew Yorkand now only she realized how very alone she was. She didn’t reply, Ryder understood the silence clearly.

He cleared his throat, sounding even deeper, ‘’I am not asking you to trust me or James,’’ Ryder said, Vivian had a weird sensation in her stomach at the mention of James, ‘’I am pointing out that you don’t have a choice,’’ Vivian felt like laughing like a maniac at Ryder’s word.  

‘’It’s all his fault,’’ Vivian said in a small voice. Ryder chuckled at that, ‘’From what I see, you both are to be blamed,’’ Then Ryder shook his head before Vivian could say anything, ‘’And discussing this won’t make the situation any better. But, if it makes you feel any better, blame him.’’ Ryder got up and left, and Vivian continued staring at the dark blue metallic wall which was lit by a dim yellow light. So, the gangsters had decided her fate. She was cornered at all the side. Vivian suddenly felt a pity on her brother; she realized how he had gotten stuck in this fickle game of the gangsters.