Hardin's POV

I sat on the swirling chair in my office, with cocaine in front of me, ready to be sniffed. Anything to get Freda out of my mind for a moment, but nothing was working. Each time I tried to get her off my mind, it was as if I was not trying at all. I hated the way I felt as I swirled on the chair from side to side. I poured some whiskey into the glass cup and downed everything at once, making a squinting face in response to how hot the whiskey was in my mouth.

Lowering my head to bring my nose level with the...