Page 44 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“I meant what I said, Olivia,” I tell her fiercely. “If there’s anything at all you need, you call me.”

She nods. And then, without looking me in the eye, she makes off towards the hotel.

I watch her walk away from me.

But goddamn… everything about it feels wrong.

11

OLIVIA

As I push open the door to my suite, I expect to be bombarded with questions and accusations from every member of my family.

But the room is empty.

Maybe they’re finally learning I can take care of myself,I think. Of course, about three milliseconds after that thought crosses my mind, the doorbell rings.

I quickly tuck the duffel Aleks gave me out of sight. Before I can answer, I hear a click and the door opens.

“I was just coming,” I complain as Rob and Mia come striding into the room. “You didn’t need to break in.”

“Sorry,” Rob says, not sounding all that apologetic. “We were anxious to see you.”

But I notice that Mia doesn’t offer any apology. In fact, she doesn’t seem very sorry in the least. She fixes me with a contemplative stare.

“Where have you been?”

“I already told you, I wanted some fresh air.”

“There’s fresh air right here in this building,” she says. “I don’t understand why you’re acting as though we’re stuck in some prison. It’s a five-star hotel, not Azkaban.”

“Have you ever thought that it just might be?” I ask, matching her tone fire for fire.

“Alright, let’s all just calm down,” Rob says quickly, putting himself between the two of us.

His face is taut with anxiety. He’s not used to being in the middle. Usually, Mia and I are on one side, teasing him about something or the other.

But this time, the atmosphere is not light or jokey. It’s prickly with tension, heated close to boiling with all the things we’re desperately trying not to say to one another.

“Calm down?” Mia rounds on Rob. “She’s the one who is acting like a child!”

“Me?” I say incredulously. “All I did was go out for a walk! Was I supposed to have you sign a permission slip?”

“You’re acting like you want to get away from us.”

“Not you,” I clarify. “I wanted to get away from this damn building!”

“What’s wrong with it?” Mia demands.

“It’s not home!” I snap. “That’s what.”

“Stop it,” Rob barks. “Both of you. Mia, she’s not a child. She’s been through a lot and you need to be sensitive to that.”

“Thank you, R—”

But before I can get my thanks out, he interrupts, “And Liv, considering everything we’ve been through lately, you should understand why we might be anxious when you suddenly disappear. Tonight was important to Mia. And you blew it off.”

That’s when it hits me. “Wait, are you talking about dinner? With Hargrove?”

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