Page 187 of Shattered Altar (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“It’s… complicated,” he says vaguely. “But I need you to trust that I’m doing this to protect you.”

“Protect me from what? From who?”

“From the person who’s trying to frame me for his crimes. If he wants to hurt me, that means he could try to hurt you, too.”

“But we’re not really married. I’m not your real wife. I’m nothing to you.”

“He doesn’t know that.”

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. My heart is pounding hard. I thought Aleks was what I had to fear.

Looks like my nightmares are only just getting started.

“How long will this take, Aleks? When will I have my freedom back?”

He meets my eyes. “When he’s taken care of. When I’m sure you’ll be safe.”

That’s no timeline. None at all.

But somehow, I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on his last few words. Words that suggest I’m more to him than just a tool he was planning on discarding once he was done with me.

“Does it matter to you that I’m safe?”

I don’t expect him to answer, but he does. “Yes,” he whispers. “More than I know how to say.”

My heart is thudding hard. I can feel it over every inch of my body, in my scalp, in the soles of my feet.

“Aleks?” I whisper. My voice shakes with nerves.

“Yes, kiska?”

“What do you feel for me?”

There’s one fraction of a second where it seems like he might actually answer the question. His eyes soften and his lips part and the words are right on his lips. I feel everything or I don’t feel a damn thing, I’m not sure. I’m also not sure which of those two I’d rather hear.

But at least it would be something. At least it would put an end to this infinite torture.

Then his jaw slams shut and the moment disappears. Swallowed up by the anger and trauma that fuels him.

And I feel like a fool for ever thinking it could be different.

His gaze steels over again, then flickers away from me. Aleks gets to his feet.

“Rest up,” he says softly. “I’m leaving on business now. I’ll send the doctor around in a few hours to check on you.”

“Aleks, wait—”

He doesn’t stop. He marches out of the room and shuts the door hard, leaving me with nothing but the silence pounding in my ears.

I still don’t know what to feel or what to do about any of it.

The man who just left.

The life in my womb.

The future that awaits us all.

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