My plan is to offer him money. A lot of money. I have come up with a sum that I believe will be sufficient to get him to leave me alone, and I’m willing to go as high as twice that amount if I must. Or even higher if I can somehow guarantee he will be out of my life for good.

My refrigerator is filled with food, but I have no appetite. Ironically, all I can stomach for dinner is a few of the saltines I ate that first night Luke came to help me set up the security system. And even those churn around in my belly.

It isn’t until past nine that the doorbell rings.

The chimes echo throughout the house. I’ve been sitting on the sectional sofa, chewing off the better part of my fingernails, and at the sound of those chimes, I want to regurgitate all the saltines I ate. Suddenly, I wish I had asked Luke to stay. I don’t want to do this alone.

But I have no choice. EJ isn’t going away. Not until he gets what he wants.

I open the camera app on my door, and I see him standing there. His blond hair is gleaming in the porch lights, and his hands are shoved into his pockets. I try to read his expression, but the camera angle is wrong. I take a deep breath and force myself to stand up. I walk over to the door, wiping my sweaty hands on my slacks.

I undo the locks slowly. I crack open the door and there he is. Standing on my front porch, a big grin splitting his face. I am seized with the sudden urge to scratch his eyes out until there’s nothing left but two hollow sockets. I ball my right hand into a fist.

“Aren’t you going to ask me to come in, Doc?”

I step aside, allowing the door to swing open. He steps into my house, and my stomach sinks. I thought I’d never have to see him again. I had been counting on it.

“You don’t look so good, Doc,” he says. “You coming down with a cold or something?”

“What do you want from me?” I hiss at him.

He throws back his head and laughs. “You’re acting like you don’t like me very much.”

Like all narcissists, EJ can be incredibly charming when he wants to be. Most people like him when they first meet him, but they all eventually see through his act. I disliked him immediately. I only continued our sessions because his mother begged me. Now I regret it.

“Let’s get this over with.” I fold my arms across my chest, trying not to let on how much I’m shaking. “I’ll write you a check right now. How much do you want?”