Page 88 of Maddening Fixation

That alone made him refreshing.

Most friendships in my life eventually unraveled.

The men usually mistook kindness for invitation and wanted something more than friendship.

Others quietly drifted away after realizing what came with knowing a Sokolov.

Bodyguards. Rumors. Danger.

Egor had stayed.

Whether out of stubbornness or genuine affection, I still wasn’t entirely sure.

I checked the time.

Six o’clock.

Exactly when the picnic was supposed to begin.

I sighed and pushed myself to my feet.

Perhaps a few hours surrounded by ordinary conversations would be enough to silence the chaos in my head.

Leaving the room, I climbed the stairs to my bedroom.

The house felt unusually empty.

Even the staff moved quietly after everything that had happened.

Inside my room, I stopped in front of the full-length mirror hanging on the wardrobe door.

The woman staring back at me looked exhausted.

My cream silk blouse was still neatly tucked into my tailored charcoal trousers. I’d chosen the outfit that morning because it felt appropriate for lawyers and condolences, not outdoor picnics.

Normally I’d change.

Today I couldn’t summon the energy.

“It’ll do,” I murmured to my reflection.

Running a brush quickly through my hair, I touched up my lipstick more out of habit than vanity, grabbed my handbag and keys, and headed downstairs.

The evening air greeted me the moment I stepped outside.

Cool. Fresh.

Far easier to breathe than the suffocating atmosphere inside the house.

My car started with a familiar purr.

As I pulled through the estate gates, Florida’s evening traffic unfolded before me in ribbons of headlights and glowing storefronts.

Usually driving helped clear my thoughts.

Not tonight.

Every red light became another opportunity for my mind to return to the same impossible conclusion.