A Chip and a Chair (Seven of Spades, #5)(21)

Slumping in his chair, he pressed his hands to his face. He didn’t care if McBride chewed him out for this. He wouldn’t work for a Nazi sympathizer under any circumstances.

After gulping down half of the bottle of water he kept on his desk, he closed his eyes and focused on the physical sensations created by the sudden spike in his gambling cravings: the quivering in his muscles, the warm and wriggling excitement in his belly. Breathing slowly, he let those sensations wash through him, picturing them as literal waves-rising and falling, peaking and subsiding. He “surfed” the urge, neither fighting it nor giving in, just riding it out.

The technique settled him down enough to make it through the rest of the day. Fortunately, he already had a therapy appointment scheduled after work, one which Levi would be joining.

He decided not to tell Levi about Cassidy and Bishop until afterward. Levi was stressed out enough about the appointment as it was.

Dominic’s email to McBride summarizing the situation was answered an hour later with a terse response, stating that she’d spoken to Cassidy herself and had decided to terminate the contract due to incompatibility with the firm’s principles. That was an enormous relief, and he was able to concentrate on his other cases without further distraction.

In the early evening, he drove to the tidy office park that housed his therapist’s office, along with several other independent medical practices. Levi was waiting in the lot, leaning against his car and absorbed in his phone. He was still dressed in his entire prim charcoal suit-unlike Dominic, who’d stripped out of his jacket and tie in the elevator on the way out of work.

Dominic parked his truck next to Levi, then hopped out and kissed him in greeting. “You could have gone inside, you know. It’s hot out here.”

He laughed at the arch look Levi gave him. It could have been 110 degrees in the parking lot, and Levi wouldn’t have gone into the office alone.

Levi was always awkward around strangers and in unfamiliar situations, unless he was in the thick of a case, but he was more tense than usual as they settled onto a couch in Roberta Caruso’s waiting room. He held his hands in his lap, rubbing his thumb repeatedly over the fingers of his other hand.

Dominic leaned over to whisper in his ear. “You don’t have to do this. If you’re too uncomfortable, it’s okay for you to leave.”

“No. Your therapist thinks I should come to a session, so that’s what I’m doing.”

Dominic kissed Levi’s cheek and squeezed his hand. Then he smiled broadly at the startled man watching them from across the room.

Roberta came to fetch them a few minutes later. She was an older woman, the grooves around her eyes and mouth attesting to good humor and a life well-lived. Dominic had immediately responded to her air of maternal warmth, which reminded him of his grandmother.

Once they’d entered her cozy office and exchanged introductions and pleasantries, she waved them to a loveseat. Levi sat painfully upright next to Dominic, like a man on trial.

“How has your week been, Dominic?” she asked.

“Uh . . .” He glanced sideways at Levi. “Stressful.” He left it at that, knowing Roberta would be well-aware of current events, and unwilling to get into it further when Levi was already on edge.

“And how has that affected your gambling cravings?”

“It’s definitely made them worse. I haven’t gambled, though.”

Briefly, he filled her in on how he’d handled his gambling urges over the past week while she gave him her full attention and took the occasional note. As the minutes passed with neither of them focusing on Levi’s presence, Dominic sensed him slowly relaxing.

“How’s it going, living together?” Roberta asked.

“It’s great.” Dominic smiled at Levi, who gave him a smaller but no less genuine smile in return.

“Has it put any pressure on your recovery?”

“No. If anything, it’s made things easier. I feel more . . . accountable now, I guess.”

“And you, Levi? How do you feel about the change?”

Seeming surprised at being addressed, Levi said, “Oh, um-I think we made the right decision.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Roberta looked to Dominic, who nodded. “Levi, the reason Dominic and I wanted you to join us today was because we’ve been discussing the possibility of getting you more involved in his recovery.”

Levi leaned forward slightly, his expression solemn. “I’ll help any way I can.”

“I know you already provide a great deal of emotional support, which is excellent. But it may also help for you to take a more practical role as well.”

“Like what?”

“With gambling disorders, one of the most important treatment measures is limiting the individual’s access to money.” She straightened her pad on her knee. “Of course, Dominic’s case is a little unusual, as he’d already taken some of the recommended measures before entering treatment, and his debts had been cleared by Mr. Barclay.”

A subtle wince crossed Levi’s face. He was even more uncomfortable with the fact that his ex-boyfriend had paid off Dominic’s debts than Dominic was himself.

“Dominic and I have discussed additional measures he could put in place, though, and that’s what we’d like to talk to you about.” Roberta gestured for Dominic to take over.