Page 155 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“Yes.”

“Stationed outside the hotel?”

“All ten of them,” he confirms.

“And our ally?”

“Has been informed. He’s waiting in the wings.”

“He is to move on my signal only.”

“I made that abundantly clear,” Demyan mutters. “He wasn’t happy about it.”

“He doesn’t have to be. He just has to follow my orders.”

Demyan snorts. I can’t help but smirk. It does feel intensely satisfying to issue orders to this unexpected asset. Feels almost karmic, in a sense.

“Are we going to The Imperial?” Olivia asks.

“Yes,” I answer. “It’s time for a little family reunion, don’t you think?”

“It’s disgusting how calm you are right now,” she snaps. “I caught you red-handed being a fuckingpredatorand you’re still looking down at the world from your high horse like you’re untouchable.”

I chuckle. “I expected you to be smarter than this.”

“You’re an asshole,” she hisses.

“I never pretended to be otherwise.”

“Demyan!” Olivia says, her tone turning imploring. “You have a kid. A daughter, right?”

He nods once reluctantly, white-knuckling the armrest.

“How can you be involved in something like this?” she demands. “The girls Aleks takes, they’re only children.”

“Olivia…” Demyan starts softly.

I can feel the explanation coming, but I stop him in his tracks. “She’s already made up her mind, Demyan,” I snarl. “What’s the point in trying to change it now? She wants to cast me as the villain, so let her.”

“Iwantto cast you as the villain?” she asks, sounding hurt. “Do you even hear what you’re saying? You have no idea how hard I defended you. I believed you, Aleks. I believedinyou. But now, you’re asking me not to trust my own eyes. It’s too much.”

The monolith of The Imperial appears just ahead, blotting out the sun and casting shadows over the street below.

“Jesus,” Demyan mutters, leaning forward to look through the windshield. “That is one ugly building.”

I laugh viciously. “One would think the man who owns it has something to prove.”

We come to a stop. I get out of the car, open Olivia’s door, and unclasp her seat belt. “Get out.”

“You can’t just walk in there,” she says, looking uncertain.

“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

“Aleks—”

“Come on,” I urge. “They’re expecting us.”

“Hargrove?”

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