Deep Consuming Addiction

Chapter 71

✨The Quiet Between Messages✨

Elena Vale

Morning arrived quickly.

Elena woke before her alarm, sunlight already slipping through the curtains.

Her phone sat where she had left it.

She reached for it automatically.

No new messages.

She tried not to notice the small flicker of disappointment again.

“Focus,” she murmured to herself.

Work.

That had always been the easier place for her mind to live.

---

The federal office was already active when she arrived.

Phones ringing.

Printers humming.

Agents moving in and out of offices with files tucked under their arms.

Elena slipped into the conference room with her laptop just as Gareth walked in behind her carrying two cups of coffee.

He placed one beside her without asking.

“You look like someone who stayed up too late analyzing numbers,” he said.

She glanced at the cup.

“Thank you.”

“I figured you’d forget breakfast.”

“That’s disturbingly accurate.”

He dropped into the chair beside her.

“See? I’m learning your habits already.”

Elena gave him a brief sideways look.

“That’s a dangerous skill.”

The team filtered in slowly and the morning briefing began again.

Maps.

Transaction trails.

Names slowly connecting to accounts.

Elena walked them through the newest pattern she had uncovered overnight.

“If this account is acting as the secondary hub,” she said, tapping the screen, “then the transfers we thought were random actually follow a cycle.”

Gareth leaned forward.

“So they’re rotating the money.”

“Yes.”

“How often?”

“Every forty-eight hours.”

One of the senior agents frowned.

“That’s fast.”

“Which means they’re expecting someone to eventually find the trail,” Elena replied.

“And when we do?”

“They move it.”

The room fell quiet for a moment.

Then the agent nodded.

“Alright.”

He pointed toward the map.

“Then we move faster.”

The day passed quickly after that.

Meetings.

Data reviews.

Endless spreadsheets.

Elena barely noticed the hours moving until someone tapped the edge of her desk.

“You’re doing it again,” Gareth said.

She looked up.

“Doing what?”

“Staring at numbers like they insulted you personally.”

“They did.”

He chuckled.

“It’s six.”

Elena blinked.

“Already?”

“Time moves when you’re hunting criminals.”

She leaned back slightly, stretching her shoulders.

“Are you heading out with the team again tonight?” he asked.

“Probably not.”

“Work?”

“Always.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“You know, there are other things in this city besides financial crimes.”

“I’m sure there are.”

“You should let someone show you.”

Elena smiled politely.

“I’ll consider it.”

“That’s the same answer you gave me yesterday.”

“Consistency is important.”

He laughed and shook his head.

“You’re impossible.”

“Probably.”

He lingered a moment longer.

“Alright, analyst,” he said finally. “Don’t let the spreadsheets win.”

“I’ll try.”

He walked off toward the elevators.

Elena turned back to her laptop.

But after a few minutes her focus drifted.

She reached for her phone.

Still nothing.

Her thumb hovered over the screen.

Then she opened a new message.

Elena:

Busy day?

She set the phone down beside the keyboard and returned to the numbers.

But now she found herself glancing at it every few minutes.

Waiting.

Not for work.

For him.

By the time Elena returned to her hotel room the city had already gone dark.

Her shoulders ached from sitting all day, and her eyes felt heavy from staring at screens and transaction logs. She dropped her bag on the small chair near the door and slipped off her shoes.

The quiet of the room wrapped around her again.

It felt different tonight.

Not lonely exactly.

But noticeable.

She walked to the window, pulling the curtain aside slightly. The street below glowed with scattered headlights and the soft movement of people heading home.

Her phone buzzed softly in her hand.

A message.

She looked down.

Ari:

Still working

A small smile appeared without permission.

She leaned her shoulder against the cool glass.

Elena:

Just got back.

The three dots appeared almost instantly.

Then disappeared.

Then appeared again.

She could almost picture him staring at the phone the way he sometimes did when he was choosing his words.

Finally—

Ari:

Long day?

She stared at the message for a second.

Then instead of typing back, she pressed the call button.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Then his voice came through.

“Elena.”

Just hearing it made the tension in her shoulders ease a little.

“Hi.”

She sat on the edge of the bed, tucking one leg beneath her.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“Busy.”

“That sounds vague.”

“It was.”

She smiled faintly.

“And you?” he asked.

“Also busy.”

A quiet pause settled between them.

Not uncomfortable.

Just… familiar.

Then he asked quietly,

“Did you go out again tonight?”

She blinked slightly.

“No.”

Another pause.

“Why?” she asked.

“Just wondering.”

Elena leaned back against the headboard.

“The team invited me,” she admitted.

“But I stayed and worked instead.”

“You don’t know how to relax.”

“I do.”

“When?”

She thought about that.

“…occasionally.”

A faint sound that might have been a laugh came through the line.

Then silence again.

But this time it felt heavier.

Elena tilted her head slightly.

“You sound strange.”

“I’m thinking.”

“That’s usually dangerous with you.”

“I’ve been told.”

She hesitated.

Then asked quietly,

“What’s on your mind?”

The silence stretched a moment longer.

Then Ari said calmly,

“You met someone named Gareth.”

Elena straightened slightly.

The name caught her off guard.

“Yes.”

“How well do you know him?”

She frowned.

“He’s on the task force.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

Elena stared at the wall for a second.

“How do you know his name?”

Another brief silence.

Then Ari answered honestly.

“Someone sent me a photo.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“A photo?”

“Of the team at the bar.”

Understanding settled slowly over her.

“Oh.”

“You were sitting beside him.”

“Yes.”

A quiet tension sat in the line now.

Not anger.

Something else.

Elena spoke carefully.

“He was being friendly.”

“I’m aware.”

“He flirted a little.”

Ari didn’t speak.

She continued honestly.

“I didn’t encourage it.”

Still silence.

She exhaled softly.

“Ari.”

“Yes.”

“You could have just asked.”

“I did.”

She smiled faintly despite herself.

“That’s not what I meant.”

The quiet stretched again.

Then he said slowly,

“I told you I trust you.”

“I know.”

“But I also don’t enjoy the idea of another man flirting with you.”

His voice was calm when he said it.

Matter-of-fact.

Elena felt warmth spread through her chest.

“That sounds suspiciously like jealousy.”

“It might be.”

She laughed quietly.

“I didn’t realize you admitted things like that.”

“I usually don’t.”

She leaned her head back against the wall.

“He’s just a coworker.”

“I assumed.”

“And you’re still the person I call at night.”

That earned another small silence.

Then his voice softened slightly.

“I noticed.”

Elena smiled into the quiet.

Outside, the city lights flickered beyond the window.

“How long are you staying there tonight?” she asked.

“Not long.”

“You should sleep.”

“So should you.”

“I sleep better when you’re here.”

Her heart did a small, traitorous thing in her chest.

“That sounds like a problem.”

“It is.”

She laughed again.

Then neither of them spoke for a moment.

The quiet stretched between two cities.

But neither one seemed in a hurry to end it.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

The silence settled into the call, but it wasn’t empty. Elena could hear faint sounds on his end — the quiet rustle of movement, maybe the shift of a chair.

She pictured him in his office pacing the way he sometimes did when something was on his mind.

“You’re still there,” she said softly.

“I’m listening.”

“To what?”

“You breathing.”

Elena smiled faintly, her fingers brushing absently along the edge of the blanket.

“That’s a strange hobby.”

“I’ve had worse.”

Another quiet moment passed.

Then Ari asked,

“Did you have fun?”

She thought about the bar.

The laughter from the team.

Gareth leaning back in his chair, watching her.

The way her mind had still drifted toward her phone more than once.

“It was… nice,” she admitted.

“You sound uncertain.”

“I’m not used to going out with people from work.”

“You spend most of your time buried in numbers.”

“That’s not entirely fair.”

“It’s mostly fair.”

She huffed quietly.

“I did talk.”

“I’m impressed.”

“You’re very sarcastic tonight.”

“I miss you.”

The words came out calmly.

Simply.

But they landed in her chest like something heavier than he probably intended.

Elena went quiet.

Her fingers stilled on the blanket.

“You miss me after a few days?” she asked lightly.

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

She looked toward the window again.

“That seems fast.”

“You were sleeping beside me four nights ago.”

“That’s true.”

“You’ve made the penthouse quieter.”

Her lips curved again.

“It was already quiet.”

“Not like this.”

She could hear him moving again on the other end of the line.

“What are you doing right now?” she asked.

“Sitting at my desk.”

“Working?”

“Thinking.”

“That’s still dangerous.”

“It usually is.”

She stretched her legs out across the bed.

“You should be sleeping.”

“I told you.”

“Yes, yes,” she murmured. “You sleep better when I’m there.”

“That’s correct.”

Elena hesitated.

Then said gently,

“You’ll survive a few more days.”

“That remains to be seen.”

She laughed quietly.

The sound softened the tension that had lingered earlier when Gareth’s name came up.

Ari spoke again after a moment.

“Did he walk you back to your hotel?”

Elena blinked.

“You’re still thinking about that?”

“I’m thorough.”

“Yes,” she said slowly. “He walked me back.”

Silence.

“Ari.”

“Yes.”

“You know I can take care of myself.”

“I know.”

“But I still don’t like it.”

“No.”

She sighed softly.

“You’re impossible.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“From me.”

“And others.”

Elena leaned her head against the headboard again.

“You didn’t ask the important question.”

“What’s that?”

“Did I invite him inside.”

Another brief pause.

“Did you?”

“No.”

“Good.”

She laughed again.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Possibly.”

He was quiet again.

Then he said something that made her heart shift slightly.

“I’m not worried about you choosing someone else.”

Elena’s brow furrowed.

“Then what are you worried about?”

His voice lowered a little.

“That someone might try.”

The honesty in the words surprised her.

For a man like Ari — controlled, guarded — it was rare for him to say things like that aloud.

“You’re not exactly easy to compete with,” she said lightly.

“That wasn’t the point.”

“I know.”

Another quiet stretch followed.

Then she asked softly,

“What would you do if someone tried?”

Ari didn’t answer immediately.

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm again.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“I trust you.”

The answer came so simply that Elena felt it settle somewhere deep inside her chest.

She looked down at the phone in her hand.

“You say that like it’s easy.”

“It is.”

“For you?”

“For us.”

Her throat tightened slightly.

She hadn’t expected something so steady from him.

Especially not after seeing a photo of her sitting beside another man.

“You’re very sure of things,” she murmured.

“I am.”

“And if I give you a reason not to be?”

Another pause.

Then he said quietly,

“You won’t.”

The certainty in his voice left no room for argument.

Elena felt a warmth spread slowly through her chest again.

“You’re very confident tonight.”

“I know you.”

She smiled faintly.

Outside, a car passed below her window, headlights sliding briefly across the ceiling.

“You should sleep,” he said again.

“You should too.”

“Stay on the line for a minute.”

“Why?”

“So the room doesn’t feel as quiet.”

Elena lay back slowly against the pillows.

“Alright.”

For the next few minutes neither of them spoke.

But neither of them hung up either.

The hotel room was quiet when Elena ended the call with Ari.

She sat there for a moment with the phone still in her hand, staring at the dark screen after it went silent.

The room felt too still.

The hum of the air conditioner filled the space, and the faint glow of the city lights filtered through the curtains.

She leaned back against the pillows slowly.

Talking to him always did this to her.

It shifted something inside her.

Before Ari, distance had never bothered her. Work trips were routine — cities blurred together, hotel rooms all looked the same, and she filled the quiet hours with research and case notes.

But now the silence carried weight.

Her mind kept replaying his voice.

Come back soon.

She turned onto her side and placed the phone on the nightstand.

Sleep eventually found her, but it came lightly.