Chapter 697

A lighter and glass straw kept it in place, and the surface of the thin metal was charred black. A pill bottle sat to the side. I walked over to it. It was oxy, but the prescription wasn’t written out to Katie. It was a name I’d never seen before. I knew she was in trouble. She never smoked anything. Never a cigarette. Not even the casual pull on a THC vape. She always declined.

I heard the toilet flush, and when the bathroom door opened, a slice of light spilled into the bedroom. Katie saw me and yellow flashed in her eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she snapped.

She was no longer spaced out. She was on fire with rage.

"I should be asking that of you," I said calmly.

"This is my fucking room," she said. "Get out."

"It’s my fucking house," I said, still maintaining an even, if firm, voice.

"Fine, then I’ll get the hell out and do whatever I want," Katie said.

She marched i