Page 55 of Shattered Altar (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“The truth,” I say, cutting her off. “Women are all the same. They say they want dependable, they want safe. But it doesn’t hold their attention for long.”

“That’s not true.”

“No?” I ask, giving her a knowing smile. “Let’s see: your last relationship lasted scarcely nine months. He designed software for gaming companies. Enjoyed brewing craft beer in his free time. How deliciously exciting.”

She gapes at me in shock. “You’ve been digging around in my past?”

“I make it my business to know things. Especially things I own.”

She shakes her head, not taking that bait. “What did you do to him?”

“Do to him?” I scoff. “As if your boring fucking ex-boyfriend was worth a fraction of my time. He wasn’t worth yours, either.”

“I’d rather have him than you,” she spits.

I smile and push myself off the wall, then take a few steps back, putting some space between us. My cock is definitely not happy, but I ignore that and focus on the larger point.

“Would you, Olivia?”

Her eyes glide down my body. She tries to control the instinct, but she fails miserably. And by the time she’s averted her gaze, I’ve already noticed.

I tilt my head to the side. “How was he in bed?”

She looks instantly mortified. “I am not answering that question.”

“Let me take a wild guess: he probably didn’t fuck you until the fifth or sixth date, am I right?” I ask. “And even when he did, he probably didn’t fuck you at all. I bet he tried to make love to you. Tell me—was that satisfying? Did it make your toes curl? Did it make your eyes roll back in your head? Did you moan his name?”

She looks down, her cheeks flushing with color. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

I feel like a kid with a new toy. There’s something about this woman—I want to push all her buttons and watch her explode. She’s so reserved, so turned in on herself, that I want to see what happens when I rip her wide open.

“Because you’re embarrassed about what you settled for?”

“Lionel was a good guy,” she says defensively. “He… he treated me well.”

“Pity it ended so quickly, then.”

She narrows her eyes at me. She knows I see right through her bullshit. “So he was a little boring. Who cares? It doesn’t mean I want a man who treats me like crap.”

“What about a man who is your equal?”

“Are you implying that’s you?”

“Not at all. I have no interest in being anything to you. I’m simply curious.”

The fact that I’m curious at all is unprecedented, but that is lost on Olivia. It doesn’t matter. I can have my fun with her and deal with her brother at the same time.

Two birds. One stone.

“He was twice the man you are,” she snarls.

“He was half the man on his best day that I am on my worst. And besides—if he was so impressive, why aren’t you with him anymore?”

“I… decided to focus on my career,” she stammers in the most transparent lie that’s ever been told. “Anyway, what about you? What happened to your last relationship? Did she just decide she doesn’t like murderers?”

I laugh at that one. “What makes you think I want a relationship?” I saunter a little closer to her again. “I can have any woman I want, Olivia. What would I do with a commitment I don’t intend to keep?”

“See,” she says, “that’s one thing Lionel has over you. You may be bigger and stronger and richer. But he’s kind. Honest. Loyal. He’s capable of commitment.”

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