Dahlia's POV
I studied Bill sitting across from me, his face pale and drawn. The sharp edges that once defined his arrogant demeanor had dissolved into something hollow and broken. Dark shadows pooled beneath his eyes like bruises, and his hands trembled as he reached for his coffee cup.
In the span of days, Bill had transformed into someone unrecognizable.
"You sure you came to the right person?" I kept my voice steady, though curiosity gnawed at me.
Something had shattered him completely. The wariness in his bloodshot eyes told me he was running from more than just his demons.
His lips curved into what might have been a smile if it weren't so brittle. "I need help."
A shiver ran through his frame, and he pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders. Catching himself in the vulnerable gesture, he grabbed his coffee with both hands and whispered, "Help me get clean."
The words hung between us like a confession.
