Page 200 of Maddening Fixation

The silky fabric clung to every curve, ending high on my thighs, while the plunging neckline left little to the imagination.

Perfect.

I pulled it on with jerky, impatient movements, dragging the zipper up harder than necessary before fastening a pair of strappy black heels around my ankles.

Every motion carried the same simmering fury.

I didn’t even glance at the mirror.

I already knew exactly what I looked like.

The dress was far too revealing for a married woman.

Then again...

Could I honestly call myself one?

This marriage was nothing more than a prison built on lies, obligation, and resentment.

It had never felt like a real marriage.

Not for a single day.

Grabbing my keys, I headed for the front door.

Minutes later, I was behind the wheel, speeding toward Club 007.

The moment I pulled onto the road, I cranked my favorite playlist to its highest volume.

The car filled with pounding bass and heartbreak-soaked lyrics that seemed to echo everything I couldn’t put into words.

I sang along at the top of my lungs.

My voice cracked more than once, but I didn’t care.

If I sang loudly enough...

Maybe I wouldn’t have to hear my own thoughts.

Maybe I could drown out the image of my helpless mother.

Maybe I could forget Romeo.

Forget Yarina.

Forget the impossible choice the Flynn patriarch had forced upon me—kill Romeo or watch my mother die.

The decision hung over me like a death sentence.

The music swallowed everything else.

I barely noticed the passing traffic as the city lights blurred beyond my windows.

Before I realized it, I had reached the club.

I parked, switched off the engine, and released a long, weary sigh before stepping out.

Club 007.