Page 160 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

The realization has me taking a step back, trying to shield my body. Not for my sake, but for the sake of my child.

No matter what happens, I have to survive this.

“It’s over,” Hargrove intones. “We have concrete proof now.”

“Do you?” Aleks asks. “Where is the girl?”

“What?”

“The girl you ‘saved’ from my home. Where is she now?”

“Like we said,” Hargrove says impatiently, “she’s safe.”

“Aleksandr,” Yulia says, moving forward, “I… I’m sorry… I just couldn’t do it anymore. Not after learning what you—”

“Oh, cut the shit, mother,” Aleks snarls. “The whole martyr act doesn’t suit you.”

“You can hate me, but—”

“I’ve never needed your permission to do that.”

She blanches, but regroups quickly. “But don’t take your anger out on Olivia. Let her come here, to her family. Leave her out of this.”

“Liv.”

I look at my brother. It’s the first time he’s spoken. His voice rings out too loud in the unnaturally quiet room.

“You chose him once before. You walked over to him and away from us,” Rob continues. “Don’t make that mistake again. Come to me.”

He stretches his hand out. I want more than anything to close the gap between us.

But I can’t make my legs move.

“Liv,” Rob says again. “Come.”

Why can’t I move? Why won’t I go? Everything I’ve needed to see has been shown to me. The evidence that was promised, hidden behind a locked door. Undeniable.

I found it. I saw it. I know.

So why can’t I cross the room?

“Before you ask her to make a choice, maybe we should give her all the information, Robert,” Aleks suggests, delaying my decision. “That’s fair, wouldn’t you say?”

“You’re wasting our time, Makarova.”

“On the contrary, I’m just making sure there’s no room for doubt,” Aleks says. “The girl who you say you found in my house… I’d like to see her.”

Hargrove scowls. “Olivia, do you hear this? He wants to meet the girl he abducted, raped and drugged? She’s seen enough of him, I think.”

“She deserves to tell her story,” Aleks replies calmly. “And if I am indeed her captor, then I’m sure she’ll have no problem saying so if it means putting me away for life. Wouldn’t you say, Hargrove?”

“I’m not traumatizing the girl by bringing her out here,” he retorts. “I’m not putting her within your reach just so you can kill her to keep her silent.”

Aleks shakes his head. “I came here to kill only one person today, Hargrove. Just one.”

Hargrove’s eyes narrow as he grins. The effect is unsettling, and for some reason, it makes me want to move closer to Aleks. There’s an uncomfortable feeling stirring in my gut. I’m trying to ignore it, but I can’t seem to concentrate on anything else.

“In case you haven’t noticed, you’re sorely outnumbered, Makarova,” Hargrove points out. “There’s three of you and there’s, well… a lot more of us.”

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