Page 121 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

Demyan smiles. “I figured you’d say that. What do you have in mind?”

“Something that will annoy him,” I muse. “I need him rattled. I need him compromised.”

“Do you have to be so obnoxiously cryptic all the time?”

“It keeps things interesting.”

“Yeah, foryou,” he mutters just as someone knocks on my office door.

“That’ll be Jen,” I say. “Let her in.”

He heads over to open the door. Meanwhile, Michelle and Manny return onscreen, exposing expensive white veneers as blinding as the sun when they smile.

Jennifer bowls through as soon as Demyan opens up. “Have you spoken to Olivia?” she blurts immediately.

“Good to see you, too.”

“Have you talked to her or not?”

“About what?”

“Don’t play dumb; it doesn’t suit you. The wedding,” she says pointedly. “Does she know?”

“Of course she does. She’s attending.”

“No way.” Jennifer’s eyebrow flies up on her forehead. “You’re allowing that?”

“I’m not going to stop her, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Demyan frowns. “Is this part of your plan?”

“I have some thoughts,” I admit. “But I need to have a chat with our new friend first.”

“Why?” Jennifer asks. “You don’t strike me as the kind of guy who believes in quid pro quo.”

“I’m not. Which is why I only tell him shit I don’t care about. I have to make it look like I’m playing by the rules.”

Demyan scoffs. “You’ve never met a rule you liked.”

“Sure I have: all the ones I’ve made.”

He rolls his eyes, but I focus on the worried look on Jennifer’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“I know he’s supposedly our ally and all now,” she says cautiously. “But can we really trust him? Especially when we have other options.”

“This is the fastest one,” I point out.

“But he’s—”

“I know what he is,” I interrupt. “I’m willing to take the risk.”

“Can’t believe we’re in bed with the fucker,” Demyan growls, looking like he just swallowed something foul. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Calm down, the both of you. Demyan, you agreed early on that this was a good thing. And Jennifer, you brought him in.”

“I did no such thing. He cornered me,” she retorts. “He’s been tailing me long enough to know who I worked for. I was just the messenger.”

“Regardless, I have a handle on the situation. I just need you two to have my back.”

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