Page 87 of Shattered Altar (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“Jesus Christ, Liv!” Rob explodes. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m trying to save your life!” she yells back at him.

“And I’m trying to save yours!”

I look between them both with amusement. “It’s cute that you think either of you have the power to save one another. The only one who has any power here is me.”

“I’ll recuse myself from the fucking investigation, okay?” Rob gasps desperately. “I’ll leave you alone. Just… just don’t do this. Let her go. Let her leave with me.”

“I’m doing you a favor by letting you leave at all. Now,” I say to my men, “bring him over here. I want dear Agent Lawrence to have a good view of the ceremony.”

He struggles as they pull him forward, a bull raring to get out of his cage. I’m not worried even if he does. He’s a big guy in his own right, but I dwarf him all the same.

And even if I didn’t, I was built by the Bratva. He was built by the system. We are not the same.

“Olivia,” I say, holding out my hand for her. “Come.”

“Don’t do it, Liv!”

She takes a deep breath and slips her fingers into mine, ignoring her brother. I curl my hand around hers with satisfaction and coax her forward to the table.

She’s trembling, trying to process the fact that this is really happening. It’ll hit her later. When she’s alone in her room and she’s got nothing but the voices in her head to keep her company.

We make an odd party standing around the table. The priest takes the center position in front of the paperwork. I stand with Olivia on the opposite side. Demyan is on the left and Rob, held captive between two of my men, is on the right.

“No photographer at this wedding, huh?” Demyan chimes in with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“Unfortunately not,” I say, glancing towards Rob. “You’ll just have to remember the details, Robert. That way, you can describe them later to your mother and sister.”

“You bastard,” he growls. “This is illegal.”

“On the contrary, I’d say it’s all quite above board. Olivia is an adult and she’s voluntarily consenting to marry me. Aren’t you, Olivia?”

I glance towards her, but even the brush of my gaze is intense enough that she understands the part she has to play to satisfy me.

“Yes.” Her voice comes out raspy and strange. “I am.”

“She’s under duress.”

“Life is never-ending duress, Robert.” I smirk. “The only thing you have to decide is how you let it break you.”

“No one is above the law, you son of a bitch. No one is untouchable.”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

I nod to the priest, whose eyes have stayed steadfastly pinned to the floor. “Continue.”

He juts his chin at the paperwork. “Witnesses must sign,” he mumbles.

Demyan steps forward. “With pleasure.” He takes the pen lying on the table and signs his name at the bottom with flourish. Regular John fucking Hancock over here.

When he’s done, I give him a nod and turn towards Rob. “Your turn, Agent Lawrence.”

He laughs out loud. “You really are insane if you expect me to sign my name to that shit.”

“That’s exactly what I expect.”

Rob shakes his head. “No. No goddamn way.”

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