Page 130 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

A burst of laughter almost escapes my lips, but I manage to hold it back just in time.

Olivia glares daggers at me. “Marriageissacred. And thanks to you, I was robbed of it.”

“Well, this isn’t exactly the event to turn things around for you. That man’s vows mean nothing,” I whisper to her. “He’s a liar. Whatever he promises now, he’ll break later.”

“For my sister’s sake, I hope not.”

The ceremony finally ends. Mia and Hargrove are declared husband and wife. They kiss like they mean it and cheers fill up the massive hall.

Everything happens in reverse. The couple are led through doors at the back of the room and out into the reception hall. The wedding party follows. Then, row by row, the attendees proceed after them.

“Let’s get out of here,” Olivia says, grabbing my arm and trying to pull me in the opposite direction of the crowd.

“Get out of here?” I ask. “We haven’t congratulated the bride and groom yet.”

“We don’t need to. I already spoke to Mia before the ceremony. There’s no need to stay.”

“Embarrassed to be seen with me, wife?” I ask.

She glares, but I ignore her and pull her into the reception hall. She nearly trips over her heels, but she comes with me, trying and failing to control the discontent on her face.

There are lots of famous, important people at the ceremony. Like a gossip magazine come to life. But if Olivia is impressed, she gives no impression of it. She looks like she’d rather be anywhere else on the entire fucking planet.

“Ah, there they are.”

She spins around and plants herself in front of me. “What are you playing at, Aleks?”

Before I can speak, she adds, “Stop smiling at me like that.”

“I can’t help it,kiska.You make me smile.”

Her nose wrinkles in confusion. “I don’t know if you’re just screwing with me or if you’ve suffered blunt force trauma to the head, and honestly, I don’t care. I don’t want you pretending like we’re some happy couple.”

“If Mr. and Mrs. Hargrove can do it, why not us?”

“Aleks, for the love of God, please just tell me why.”

I sigh. Fine. If she wants answers, I’ll give them to her. But she is certainly not going to like them.

“Isn’t it obvious? There’s going to be major publicity when we leave this reception.”

Her face screws up in concentration. “And?”

“And once it becomes common knowledge that Aleksandr Makarova is brother-in-law to Donald Hargrove, anything that hits me negatively will affect him, too.”

She frowns, trying to follow my line of thought. “But—”

“The shit he’s trying to pin on me is big, Olivia. Guilty by association is a thing, you know. Especially since powerful men tend to protect each other’s secrets. He wants to take me down? Well, it’s not going to be that simple.”

“Have you even thought about my sister?”

I raise my eyebrows. “She didn’t really think about you, did she?”

“As ifyoucare about my feelings.”

I lean in until my lips brush against her ear. “Maybe I do, Olivia. Maybe I care more than you’ve ever even begun to realize. Maybe I—”

I glance up at that moment and make eye contact with none other than Hargrove.

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