Page 74 of Maddening Fixation

I eventually found myself beside the lake, hidden behind a row of blooming lilac bushes. A single white daisy rested between my fingers as I absentmindedly plucked its petals one by one, content to watch the evening unfold from a distance.

That was when I saw him.

A boy dressed entirely in white walked toward the lakeshore.

He looked several years older than I was.

Nineteen, though I wouldn’t learn that until much later.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

His dark hair shifted gently with the evening breeze, while striking green eyes stared across the water with a sadness that seemed entirely out of place for someone so young.

Even then...

There was something about him.

Something quiet.

Something lonely.

I couldn’t explain why, but I found myself unable to look away.

I didn’t know his name.

I didn’t know he was Romeo Flynn.

I didn’t know he was the eldest grandson of the Flynn family.

And I certainly didn’t know that behind the wealth and prestige surrounding his family was a boy who lived with cruelty, abuse, and hatred every single day.

I only knew he looked...

Broken.

He stopped at the edge of the lake before slowly stepping into the water.

I frowned.

The lake was deceptively deep.

Everyone attending the gathering knew that.

Even experienced swimmers avoided venturing too far from the shore.

My fingers tightened around the lilac branch.

What was he doing?

He took another cautious step.

Then another.

The water rose to just below his knees before he finally stopped.

I released the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.