Page 194 of Maddening Fixation

My first instinct was to drive straight back to the Sokolov mansion and find out whether the Flynn patriarch was bluffing.

I reached for my keys, then stopped.

What if that was exactly what they wanted?

What if driving back meant walking straight into another trap?

If they had managed to take my mother despite the mansion’s heavy security, then I couldn’t assume I was safe either.

My pulse hammered in my ears.

God...

What had happened to the security at our family estate?

No one should have been able to get inside.

Not unless something had changed.

My father’s disappearance had left our household vulnerable.

With its leader gone, cracks had formed in the fortress we had always believed was impenetrable. People who would have never dared challenge us before were suddenly bold enough to strike at the very heart of our home.

My mother...

She wasn’t just vulnerable.

She was gravely ill.

A stroke had stolen so much from her already. She depended on medication, routine, and constant care.

Who kidnaps a woman who couldn’t even care for herself?

The thought of her lying somewhere frightened, helpless, and without her medication sent ice flooding through my veins.

Unable to stand still any longer, I climbed out of the car and walked into the bungalow.

My thoughts were so tangled that I barely noticed the silence inside.

I had expected to find Romeo.

Instead, Keegan was sitting comfortably in the living room, watching television.

The moment he saw me, he switched it off and stood.

Without saying a word, he walked to the dining table, picked up two pills that had already been set aside, poured a glass of water, and brought both to me.

“What is this?” I asked, eyeing the tablets suspiciously.

“Emergency contraception.”

His tone was matter-of-fact.

“Romeo doesn’t like taking chances. He instructed me to make sure you take it.”

For a moment, I simply stared at him.

A dull ache spread through my chest.