The Don's Dangerous Addiction

Before her appointment, Avery received an anonymous card.

No signature. Just one line:

"Experiment 047 is waiting for you. Don't disappoint him."

She turned the card over and back again. No clues.

047?A number for what?

She didn't know what it meant, but the feeling of being calculated in advance made her palms sweat.

She tucked the card into her pocket, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door to the estate.

"Take it off yourself, or I'll do it."

Dominic's voice came from the darkness. Low. Rough. The kind that made your blood run cold.

Avery stood still.

In the dark, every breath Dominic took carried an unnatural tremor, like something inside his chest was forcing its way out.

She could see the veins in his neck, pulsing at an irregular rhythm.

She curled her fingers tight. Her nails dug into her palms.

Lightning split the sky. It lit up his face.

Avery froze for a second.

His lips were grayish purple. Not normal poor circulation. This was Cardiopulmonary distress after physical depletion. His eyes were bloodshot. Likely from frequent sleep disorders. But his pupils were so dilated she could barely see his irises. Mania and exhaustion written on the same face, like two opposing forces tearing at one person.

She had seen faces like this in clinical practice. They were always difficult to handle.

She pushed down that second of shock and refocused on his breathing rate.

"Mr. Kessler, this isn't the time to discuss what I'm wearing. Your heart rate is over 180. If this continues, you'll die by your own hand."

"My last doctor. Your mentor."

He lunged forward.

"Right here in this room, he tried to send me to the afterlife with a micro bomb hidden on his body."

"You think I'll let you just... get close to me?"

His eyes traveled over her body. A sharp stare, as if trying to burn through the fabric.

"If you want your payment, prove yourself first." His voice dropped.

One hand hooked into her collar. The other waved a check.

Avery opened her mouth to argue. In an instant, her coat was ripped from her shoulders. Her sweater torn open. Her skirt fell.

When she stood before him in nothing but thin undergarments, exposed, reason quickly took over from humiliation.

Twenty thousand dollars.

The cost of a single session. Also the ticket to one cycle of her brother's specialized medication at the private sanatorium.

Ten sessions. A contract of life and death.

She couldn't leave this house until the final injection was administered. She couldn't refuse any of his orders.

Dominic's condition had become deeply strange. He was gasping for air, his head hanging low, almost resting on Avery's shoulder.

"Enough."

Avery stepped forward. Her cool palm pressed against his jaw and lifted his face.

"You're dying, Mr. Kessler. Step back. Sit down."

She didn't give him a chance to argue. She pushed him back into the sofa. Then she quickly pulled a syringe from her medical kit, found the right spot, and pushed the sedative in.

The scent of peaches seeped from her neck. His hand slid off the armrest. His fingertips brushed her throat by accident.

He didn't open his eyes. A distorted murmur escaped his throat.

"Is it... you?"

Before Avery could react, he lunged. His hand locked around her wrist like an iron cuff, yanking her hard against his chest.

"I killed so many people looking for you..." His voice broke against her ear, barely a whisper, but carrying a terrifying obsession.

Looking for who? Me?

Avery stood frozen. Her professional instincts fired off a few diagnostic terms in her head.

Hallucination? Or cognitive confusion from a new drug kicking in too fast?

But the sheer weight of that obsession chilled her spine. That level of subconscious projection usually meant he was identifying someone he had carved into his bones. Hate. Or craving.

The drug spread fast.

Ten seconds later, his full weight collapsed onto her. Dominic fell into a deathlike sleep.

Avery was trapped in his arms, unable to move. Just as she tried to push his heavy body off, her eyes landed on the inside of Dominic's wrist.

In the dim lamplight, an old, misshapen star shaped scar ran across it.

Avery's pupils contracted. The familiar chill of being dragged into an abyss washed over her instantly.

The outline of that scar was like a rusted key, forcing open a door she had locked for seven years.

A phantom pain shot through her wrist. It merged with the memory of that night on the gambling ship. The same crushing grip, the same force that pinned her to the wet deck. Salty air. The dizzying sway of the boat. Her own sobs swallowed by the sound of waves. Countless fragments came roaring back to life with that scar.

No. Impossible.

She held her breath, staring at that pale raised mark. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably. Scars like this were everywhere. But when Dominic tightened his grip again in his sleep, that exact crushing force that felt like it could shatter her bones... it nearly destroyed the last shred of her reason.

Too similar. Not just the scar. That violence that even sleep couldn't calm.

She pushed herself up, trying to free herself from his arm. Her gaze accidentally swept across the corner of the desk.

An envelope sat there. Sealed with wax. The wax stamp was a gold letter "D."

Avery's breath stopped.

That letter D.

Seven years ago, on the gambling ship. The black diamond ring that slipped off that man's finger. Engraved on the band was the same letter.

She stared at the envelope for so long she counted Dominic's breathing three times before forcing herself to look away.

Coincidence. There were too many coincidences in this world.

The rain outside had stopped at some point. The dead silent room held only Dominic's terrifyingly steady breathing. He still had her locked in his arms. The heat from his palm burned her skin. It hurt.

Avery couldn't break free. She lay stiff in his arms, eyes closed, shivering without meaning to.

The sun would come up.

She counted.

One.

Nine left.

Avery didn't know when she passed out.

When she woke, she was lying on the hard leather sofa.

Cold morning light filtered into the room, making it look like a giant operating theater.

No unnecessary decorations. Cold gray walls. Dark metal lines. The smell of rust and cold pine in the air pressed down on her chest.

Avery sat up sharply and looked down at herself in panic.

Her coat had been draped back over her. Even the button that had popped off was tucked neatly into her pocket. This level of meticulous, almost obsessive precision made her skin crawl.

Dominic sat in a black office chair by the window.

He had changed into a charcoal black suit. No tie. The top button of his shirt was open, revealing a strip of pale neck. He was staring at a computer screen, his bony fingers tapping the desk occasionally. His expression and demeanor showed no trace of last night's unraveling.

"Twenty thousand dollars."

His voice was flat. Detached. Magnetic. He opened a drawer, pulled out a check already signed, and flicked it across the marble desktop. It slid to a stop in front of Avery.

"That's for last night." He finally looked up. His eyes, like dry wells, reflected her pale, disheveled face.

"Due to side effects from the medication, I wasn't fully conscious last night. I trust the doctor understands that certain unprofessional noises don't need to leave this room."

He was drawing a line. And warning her.

Avery reached out and quickly tucked the check into her coat. The paper was light, but it crushed her pride with its weight.

"I understand." Avery took a deep breath and turned toward the door. "Since the first session is over, I'll follow the contract and come back at the next scheduled time."

"Who said you could leave?"

Dominic's voice wasn't loud, but it caught her steps like a cold iron chain. Avery turned and met his eyes. Watching. Cruel. Amused.

"I thought I made myself clear." Avery held up her professional mask. "My brother needs care at the hospital, and your condition has entered the observation phase."

"Observation phase means the doctor needs to stay within sight." Dominic set down his coffee cup. He crossed his long legs and leaned back, settling into a purely predatory posture. He pressed a button on the desk phone.

"The doctor will need to stay here until the ten sessions are complete." He spoke quietly into the phone, but his eyes never left Avery's face. They swept over her trembling lashes and stopped at the red marks on her wrist.

"Mr. Kessler, this is false imprisonment."

"No, Dr. Clair."

Dominic stood and walked toward her. His neatly pressed cuff hid the star shaped scar that made her tremble. All that remained was the sharp, aggressive scent of cold pine.

"It's called contract security. After all, if you really saw something you shouldn't have in this room last night, the only reason you're still alive is that you haven't cured me yet."

He stopped in front of her. Close enough for her to see the fine weave of his suit.

"Until the tenth injection, you're not going anywhere."

Dominic's long fingers ghosted over her cheek. He didn't touch, but the chill of death ran through her.

"Now, take a shower. That peach scent of yours... it's too loud."

Two black suited guards appeared at the door. Silent. Blocking her only way out.

Avery clenched the check and walked into the bathroom. The moment the door closed behind her, her phone buzzed.

An unknown number.

She stared at the screen and opened it.

A picture. Black background. White letters.

"Project 030"

Her thumb stopped over the screen.

A line of smaller text appeared below.

"You're already inside."

She stared at the words. Her heart beat twice. She tried to take a screenshot.

The screen went black.

The message was gone.

Morning light poured through the floor to ceiling windows and spread across the cold grey marble floor. Pale. Like an operating room light.

Avery sat up, her body aching. Her eyes swept the room.

No photos. No plants. No decoration at all. Grey white walls, metal trim. So empty it made her chest tighten.

Last night's memories crashed back. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Sensor lights in the hallway flicked on as she walked, then died behind her. Every door looked the same. Quiet. Endless. Like being sealed off from the world.

At the end of the hall, two black suited guards blocked her way.

"Mr. Kessler said you shouldn't wander around."

Avery stopped. "I need access to Mr. Kessler's complete medical records. I can't make a treatment plan without his full history and medication records. That means going back to my clinic-"

"Anything your clinic has, we have here."

The guard cut her off.

"And any resource Mr. Kessler needs for treatment? We have it here too. Just tell us what you need."

Her fingertips went cold. All the arguments she'd prepared died on her tongue.

After changing, the guards led her to the study.

The study was dim. Dominic leaned back in a leather chair, dark circles under his eyes. A coin turned slowly between his fingers.

When he heard her footsteps, he didn't even look up.

"Come here."

Avery walked over. Her phone sat on the desk, sealed inside a clear plastic bag.

She reached for it. His hand landed on the bag first.

"My caretaker might call the police if she can't reach me."

"The police?" He finally looked up, eyes sliding over her face. "Are you threatening me?"

"Stating a fact."

He stared at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled. The smile didn't reach his eyes. He tapped the bag lightly with his fingers.

"Fine. You can call." He tilted his chin toward a small black box on the corner of the desk. A red light glowed on it. "Speaker. I want to hear every word."

He leaned back. The coin started spinning again. "After you're done, you're going to tell me why you planted a listening device in my car last night."

The air froze for a heartbeat.

Avery's face didn't change, but her heart dropped. He knew. He'd known all along.

She was silent for three seconds. Then she tore open the bag, turned on speaker, and dialed her caretaker, Kate.

"Avery! Where are you-" Kate's voice cracked, like she'd been crying.

"Kate, listen." Avery cut her off. "I have an urgent project. I'll be gone a few days. Follow Protocol Three for the 'patient.' Tell Julian I'll pay the fees on time."

"Got it, but someone came by today..." Kate lowered her voice. "Said he was your colleague. Asked which school Dorothea goes to. I didn't tell him, but he waited downstairs for a long time before leaving."

Avery's fingers tightened on the phone. "What did he look like?"

"Mask and hat. I couldn't see his face. Avery, I'm scared-"

"Follow the protocol. Don't open the door."

She hung up.

She set the phone down and looked up. Dominic's eyes were on her.

"A child?" His eyes narrowed."I planted the device because my mentor told me to." Avery took a deep breath. "He said your previous treatments all fell through. He needed to know your real condition."

"You think I believe that?"

"You don't have to. But it's the truth."

"Wenger." He repeated the name like he was tasting it. "Your mentor. The one who recommended you to me."

"Yes."

"So he planned to use you as a pawn from the start?"

"I'm not a pawn." Avery's voice steadied.

"I agreed to the listening device because I need to track your progress. A patient who won't cooperate? The best treatment plan in the world is worthless. I need data. Not his trust."

Dominic watched her for a long moment. Then he stood, walked around the desk, and stopped right in front of her.

"Interesting." He tilted his head down, voice low.

"But I don't like being played for a fool. I'll deal with Wenger. As for you-"

He stepped closer.

"The listening device? You owe me one."

Avery didn't move back. "How do I pay it back?"

"You'll find out soon enough." He stepped away. "Now go get ready. First official treatment starts in ten minutes."

He turned toward the door. As he passed her, he paused.

"And by the way. What's Protocol Three?"

Avery didn't answer.

He didn't wait. He pushed the door open and walked out.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, then faded.

Avery stood there, palms slick with cold sweat.

Protocol Three was the last line she'd left for her caretaker. When Dorothea's episodes became uncontrollable, use a strong sedative and lock the door from the outside. The last resort she never wanted to use. The only way to keep her daughter from hurting herself.

But right now, her mind was stuck on something else.

The person in the mask. The one who asked about Dorothea's school.

She turned. Her eyes caught the corner of the desk. The little red light was still on.

Recording.

Every word she'd said since walking in had been recorded. Including the part where she admitted to the listening device.

The door opened again.

Dominic stepped back in, tossed a folder on the desk, and stayed in the doorway.

"You said you need data." He paused.

"That's Wenger's medication and lab records from the last seven years. Look at page thirty eight."

He didn't explain further. He left.

Avery stared at the folder. She walked over and opened it.

Page thirty eight.

Just one black and white photo. Poorly printed. An interior shot of a lab. A row of numbered tags hung on the wall. Her eyes landed on one of them.

030.

Her fingers stopped moving.

030... She'd seen that number somewhere in Julian's records too.

She didn't have time to figure out what it meant. She flipped straight to the last page.

Unlike the others, this page had no photos. Even the table was handwritten. Neat handwriting.

Three columns: Name, Number, Notes.

Her eyes scanned down and stopped on the seventh row.

Avery St. Clair.

She thought she'd misread. She brought the folder closer and looked again.

No mistake. The birthday matched too. That was her.

The Number column was blank. The Notes column had four words: Candidate A.

Next to it, smaller handwriting, darker ink than the rest. Like it had been added later.

"Blood match rate 99.7%. Unique antibody profile. Can neutralize residual compounds in Subject 047. Recommend long term observation. Do not eliminate."

The back of her neck went numb. The numbness crawled down her spine.

Avery stared at those words. A ringing sound filled her ears. Everything in the study felt far away. Only those words stayed, burned into her eyes.

What did all this mean?

She had no idea.

But her hands were already shaking. She didn't notice until the edge of the folder cut her fingertip. A thin red line.

BANG-!

A dull blast ripped through the air. The whole hallway trembled. The floor to ceiling windows cracked with a sound that made her teeth ache. Avery dropped to the ground on instinct, arms over her head.

The folder fell from her hands. The last page flipped face up, pinned under shattered glass.

"Everyone, on guard!"

The ringing drowned out everything.

Red emergency lights flickered on and off. Smoke filled the hallway. Guards shouting. Gunshots. Footsteps. All of it blending together.

A hand reached down from above and grabbed Avery's wrist. The grip was so hard she stumbled forward.

"Get up."

Dominic's voice came from above her. He wasn't looking at her.

He pulled her deeper into the hallway. Avery had no choice but to follow. Her medical bag slipped from her hand. She instinctively tried to look back-

"Leave it."

He pushed open a door at the end of the hall, shoved her inside, and locked it behind him. The room was dark. A storage closet, maybe. The gunfire continued outside, muffled now by the walls.

Avery leaned against the wall, gasping for air. Dominic stood by the door with his back to her, listening.

Her eyes landed on his shoulder blades. His shirt was torn. A shallow cut bled beneath it, still seeping.

"You're hurt."

"A graze."

"I'm a doctor." Avery's voice steadied. "Let me see."

Dominic turned his head and looked at her. Emergency light slipped through the crack in the door, cutting a sharp line across his face.

"You're a psychiatrist."

"I'm an MD. I can handle a minor wound."

She stepped forward. Her knees felt weak, but her fingers didn't shake. She bent down and found the first aid kit in the corner, opened it, and pulled out antiseptic wipes and tweezers. Quick movements. Like she'd done it a thousand times.

Her eyes went back to his wound.

"It's not deep, but there might still be debris inside. If I don't clean it, it'll get infected."

He didn't sit. He just stayed against the wall and turned slightly, exposing the wound.

Avery stepped closer. When the antiseptic touched the cut, Dominic's muscles tensed for a second.

He didn't make a sound. Didn't even change his breathing. But she saw it. His fingers clenched once, then relaxed.

She used the tweezers to pull out a small piece of debris lodged near the surface. Small. Not deep. But when it came out, the blood flowed faster.

She stopped it quickly and bandaged the wound. As the gauze wrapped around his shoulder blade, her fingertips brushed his skin for a moment.

It was hot.

"Done."

She stepped back.

Dominic looked down at the bandaged wound and rolled his shoulder. The gauze didn't shift.

"That bullet," he said. "It was meant for you."

Avery looked at him and didn't answer right away.

Her mind was already working.

Meant for her? With explosives?

She wasn't a security expert, but she wasn't stupid. The villa's windows were bulletproof. The hallway had motion sensor lights. Every corner had cameras. If someone just wanted to kill her, one sniper bullet would have been enough.

The moment she walked out of the study would have been the perfect time.

Using explosives meant they wanted to cause chaos. They wanted to break through the house's defenses.

They wanted him.

She looked at Dominic.

"It wasn't meant for me," she said, her voice steady. "It was meant for you."

Dominic's gaze froze for a fraction of a second.

"I was just collateral damage," she went on. "Or maybe I'm a variable. Something they couldn't control."

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"You're smart."

"I'm a doctor. Doctors need logic."

He looked at her but didn't respond.

The gunfire gradually stopped. Dominic took a call, said a few words, then hung up and looked at her.

"Come with me."

He led her through the hallway into a windowless room. Grey walls. Metal table and chairs. Like an interrogation room. One table, two chairs. A camera on the wall.

He pressed a remote. A screen on the wall lit up. Security footage from every corner of the villa.

"Sit."

Avery didn't move. Her eyes were fixed on the dark screens.

"Three entry points blown." Dominic leaned against the table, watching her. "Two bulletproof windows shattered. They used military grade explosives."

Her fingertips went cold.

The door opened. Drake walked in and placed a phone on the table.

"Boss, we just intercepted an encrypted order." He kept his head down. "Sent to East Pier. Someone's telling them to tamper with your shipment tonight."

Dominic's eyes darkened. "Source."

"The signal came from north of the city. Same encryption as the warehouse incident last time."

"Stay on it. Don't alert them."

Drake nodded and left.

Avery stood there and heard the whole conversation.

Explosion. East Pier. The same night.

She didn't say anything. But she put the two things together.

Right before Drake left, he paused. He pulled out a clear evidence bag and placed it on the table.

"Found at the explosion site. Dug it out of the wreckage. Doesn't belong to the villa."

Dominic glanced down and said nothing. After Drake left, he picked up the bag and emptied the contents onto the table.

A ring.

Black diamond. The letter D engraved on the inside.

The ring was old. The edges showed signs of wear, but it had been cared for.

Avery's breath stopped. She recognized this ring.

No. She wasn't sure it was the same one. But the one she remembered also had the same letter on the inside.

Something exploded in her head.

That night on the casino boat seven years ago. She had been drugged. Her memory was broken. A lot of things were blurry.

All she remembered was moonlight coming through the porthole, falling on the scar on the inside of the man's wrist.

Star shaped. Jagged edges. Raised slightly.

She had stared at that scar for a long time. She didn't know why she remembered it.

Later, he got up. A ring slipped off his finger and fell onto the sheets. She didn't make a sound. After he left, she picked it up and looked at it in her palm.

Black diamond. A letter on the inside.

D.

Avery had kept that ring. Not long after, she sold it.

Eight thousand dollars. The pawn shop owner looked at her like she was an idiot.

But that money paid for her brother's first round of treatment.

"You know this." Dominic's voice pulled her back.

"I've seen something like it."

"Where?"

She didn't answer. Her fingers were shaking. She hid her hands under the table, not wanting him to see.

Dominic watched her for a few seconds. His eyes slid from her face to her hands, hidden beneath the table. He paused for a moment.

Then he put the ring back in his pocket and didn't push.

"Today's attack. Wenger did it."

Avery's head snapped up. "My mentor?"

"Yes."

"He has no reason to-" She stopped. A huge contradiction flashed through her mind, like a thorn stuck in her throat. "If he wanted to kill you, why send me to treat you?"

Dominic looked at her. He didn't answer right away.

Silence stretched between them. She could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.

"Don't you think that doesn't add up?" Avery's voice steadied. "He recommended me to take over his work. He sent me to treat you. And at the same time, he's blowing up your house. What does he actually want?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know. But those two things don't fit together. The logic is wrong."

Dominic was quiet for two seconds. He tapped his finger on the table. Light. But in the silent room, it was sharp.

"How long have you known Wenger?"

"Six years."

"Do you think you know him?"

Avery didn't answer.

Six years. She had studied under him for her PhD. Done research. Written papers. He was her mentor. Her guide.

When she was struggling the most, he gave her a teaching assistant job so she could take care of her brother while studying.

But she really didn't know much about him...

Dominic's voice was flat. "Wenger isn't the man you think he is. He was my doctor for years. I trusted him. My medical records, my condition. He knew everything."

He paused.

"And then he had someone blow up my house."

Avery didn't speak. Her fingers gripped the edge of the table. Her knuckles were white.

"A doctor who worked for me for years suddenly wants me dead. Aren't you curious why?"

"Why?"

"Because someone's behind him." Dominic's voice went cold. "He's not the mastermind. He's just a pawn."

"Then why don't you just-"

"Just what? Kill him?" He cut her off. "The man is already dying. What's the point?"

Avery froze. "Dying?"

"Pancreatic cancer. Late stage. He doesn't have long."

She stared at him. A ringing sound filled her head. Wenger had never told her. His pale face. His shaking hands. His more frequent time off lately. All those details rushed back, snapping together like puzzle pieces.

"So you're keeping him alive to find out who's behind him."

"Yes."

"And me?" Avery's voice tightened. "Are you keeping me because I'm his pawn too?"

Dominic looked at her. He didn't deny it.

"You're his student. He trusts you. Or at least, he thinks he can control you. As long as you're here with me, he feels safe."

"So you're using me too."

"Yes." His tone was flat. "Just like he's using you."

Avery's fingernails dug into her palms. Pain spread from her palms to her wrists, but she didn't let go.

"I need Wenger's complete medical records," she said. "The one you had-"

"Destroyed in the explosion."

Her head snapped up. "What?"

"The archive room was in the blast zone. Most of the paper records burned." Dominic's voice didn't change. "The electronic backup is with Wenger. His server. His encryption. I can't get it."

Avery stared at him, trying to read his face. His expression was a wall. Nothing showed.

"You need the records to treat me," Dominic said. "Wenger has the records. If you want them, you have to go to him."

"You want me to go to Wenger?"

"Yes."

"You locked me in this house yesterday. I couldn't even walk down the hallway alone. And now you want me to willingly go to the man who just blew up your house?"

Her voice came out louder than she intended. She felt it. Her emotions were spilling over.

Dominic watched her. His expression didn't change, but she knew he was studying her.

"Do you have a better idea?"

She didn't answer. She didn't.

"Aren't you afraid I won't come back?"

Dominic looked at her for two seconds.

"You'll come back."

Avery fell silent.

She knew he was right. In this city, no one could escape his reach. Her brother was in the hospital. Her clinic was downtown. Her daughter-

Her daughter.

Her blood went cold for a moment.

Dominic pulled something from his pocket and tossed it onto the table. Her phone.

"Twenty four hours," he said. "Don't disappoint me."

He turned and walked toward the door.

Avery grabbed the phone. The screen lit up. More unread messages piled on top of each other. All from Kate, her caretaker.

The latest one, sent two minutes ago.

"Someone broke into the house. Dorothea has been taken."

Avery stared at those words. Her heart missed a beat. The phone nearly slipped from her hand.

Her head went blank. She headed for the door on instinct. A guard blocked her way.

She shoved the phone screen in his face. "My daughter was taken. If you stop me now and something happens, you can explain it to your boss."

The guard hesitated for a second. His radio crackled.

Dominic's voice came through. Just two words. "Let her go."

Avery ran out of the villa.

The door to her house was open. Kate sat on the couch. When she saw Avery walk in, she stood up and started crying. "Two men came. Said they were your colleagues from the clinic, here to check on the child. I let them in. And then Dorothea just-"

Avery didn't let her finish. She ran straight into her daughter's room.

The stuffed rabbit was still on the bed. Crayons scattered across the floor.

She spun around the room. On the windowsill, a piece of paper weighed down. Not Dorothea's handwriting.

"The child is safe. It's time for you to come find us."

She gripped the paper. Footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Dr. Clair. Come with us."