Page 105 of Maddening Fixation

Determining whether I was friend...

Or enemy.

I spoke before he could ask.

“My name is Juliet Sokolov.”

His expression remained unreadable.

“I’m the eldest daughter of the Sokolov family. I was driving when a trailer nearly hit my car. I swerved off the road.”

I gestured toward the damaged sedan parked nearby.

“Your boss appeared out of nowhere, opened my car door, and ordered me to drive him here. He was bleeding badly, and it was obvious he wouldn’t stay conscious for much longer if I did nothing. I managed to stabilize the bleeding as best I could while waiting for you to arrive.”

I met his gaze.

“That’s all.”

I deliberately spoke my surname first.

In our world, names mattered.

A nameless witness could disappear without consequence.

A Sokolov...

That was another matter entirely.

Hurting me would ignite a war neither family could afford.

The man’s eyes narrowed.

Then widened.

“Sokolov...”

He repeated it quietly.

Recognition flickered across his face.

“Juliet?”

The way he said my name made my heartbeat quicken.

“You know who I am?”

He stared at me for another long moment.

Then something resembling disbelief crossed his features.

“So...”

A slow smile appeared.

“You’re the Juliet.”

I frowned.