Page 236 of Maddening Fixation

He was already gone.

No one was coming.

The pain in my stomach intensified until it felt like fire tearing through my body. Every breath sent another wave of agony through me.

I pressed both hands against the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

But the warmth kept slipping through my fingers.

My baby.

My baby.

“No...”

A sob escaped me.

“Please...”

I didn’t care about myself.

I didn’t care about Romeo.

I didn’t care about the marriage, the trust fund, or any of the battles I had been fighting.

I just wanted my child safe.

Black spots danced across my vision.

The room tilted sideways.

My strength disappeared.

And as darkness swallowed me, the last thought I had was a desperate prayer.

Please... don’t take my baby.

Chapter 11

JULIET

When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I noticed was the pain.

A dull, throbbing ache pulsed through my stomach.

Then the memories came rushing back.

The flash of the knife.

Yarina’s face.

The warmth of my blood spilling beneath me.

And Romeo—carrying her away without looking back, leaving me to bleed out alone.

My breath caught.

I tried to sit up quickly, but something tugged painfully at my arm.