Page 41 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

She walks over and rummages through it. “You still haven’t told me where we are.”

“It’s one of my safehouses,” I explain. “I have properties all over the city. Some are in use and others aren’t. This one is currently inactive.”

“Oh. I see. It’s nice.” She finds her phone and pulls it out. But when she glances down at the screen, her eyes go wide. “God-fucking-shit-dammit.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’ve got, like, a hundred missed calls from Mia and Rob.”

“Heaven forbid.”

She throws me a dirty look and holds the phone up to her ear. “Hello, Mia? Yeah… Is Rob with you? He called me a bunch of times, too. No… everything’s fine. I just… I needed to get out for a bit.”

Her expression is harrowed. I can tell she doesn’t like lying to her siblings. “Just a drive. I wanted to… to… shop,” she says, glancing towards the duffel stuffed with clothes.

She hasn’t noticed what else is waiting for her in there.

“Jesus Christ, no, I don’t need security, Mia. Don’t be ridiculous… No, I do understand all that. I just… I was feeling a little claustrophobic, that’s all. I’m fine, I already told you. I just got caught in the downpour and decided to wait it out in a restaurant in town.”

Her lies are getting better, smoother and more seamless. I wonder if she sees how my world is clawing her into its depths, little by little.

“I’ll be back soon, okay? Don’t panic… That really won’t be necessary. I’ll get a cab back. You guys are overreacting… I’m hanging up now.”

She drops the phone onto the bed with a sigh and slumps down right next to it.

“Fun chat?”

She glowers in my direction. “They panicked when they couldn’t find me.”

“That’s new,” I say sarcastically.

“It’s my fault,” she retorts. “I should have left a note or something. I just… I didn’t mean to be gone for so long. What time is it, by the way?”

“Almost four.”

“Fuck me,” she breathes. “I’ve been gone most of the day.”

“We drove for a long time.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t realize I was supposed to. You don’t have to check with your siblings before you leave the house, you do know?”

“No, of course not. But they’re on edge.”

“Worried I’m going to get my villainous hands on you?” I chuckle.

“Worried you’re going to fuck with my head is more like it.”

“Don’t they trust you to be your own woman?”

Olivia laughs bitterly. “I’m the baby sister. They think they know better.”

I stroke my chin and lean against the doorframe. “And do you agree?”

“Maybe I used to.” She bites at her lower lip. “Not anymore.”

“Then you need to show them that. Stand up. Make yourself heard.”

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