Page 20 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“This changes everything. I can’t take you now, but I won’t go far. You may not always see me,” he whispers. “But I’ll always be watching.”

He dips his head down and touches his lips to mine in a feather-light kiss. Then he pulls away and starts striding for the door.

“And,” he adds, “I’ll be back soon to reclaim what’s mine.”

I desperately want to tell him to stay. To wait with me. Not forever—just for ten more minutes. I think I’ll be strong enough to say goodbye to him in ten minutes.

But the thought of making such a vulnerable request is the only reason my mouth stays shut. Because at the end of the day, I’m still a coward. Still a romantic looking for love in all the wrong places.

But as my hand settles over my stomach, I decide it doesn’t matter. If this precious life inside of me is the prize for all my suffering…

I’ll take it.

5

OLIVIA

OLIVIA’S SUITE AT THE IMPERIAL

“Where have you been?”

I jerk to a standstill just before Mia walks into my line of vision.

“Sorry, munchkin. Didn’t mean to scare you.” She seems more curious than apologetic.

“No, it’s…” I brush my hair out of my face. “It’s fine. I just didn’t expect to find anyone in my room.”

“So where were you?”

“Nowhere,” I say, a little too quickly.

She raises an eyebrow. “Are you up to something, Livvy?”

I’m not a great liar under the best of circumstances, and Mia especially has always been able to see right through me.

But the stakes are too high to show all my cards. Even to her.

It’s not all about Aleks, either. If he is right, my baby could be in danger. Especially if Hargrove finds out Aleks was on the premises.

“I just needed to get out of this room,” I tell her, trying to laugh off my weirdness. “Get some fresh air.”

“There’s a sky garden a level up from here,” Mia tells me.

“I prefer my gardens on the ground.”

She smiles, but I can tell she’s not totally buying my excuse. “You were gone a long time.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Well, it’s a big building. And I just got here. It’s confusing. What’s the big deal? Are you the walking police?”

Her own eyebrows arch in surprise. I get it—I’m not usually so sharp. But I’m not about to apologize, either.

Things have changed. For all of us.

“No big deal,” she says smoothly. “I was just worried about you.”

“Worried about what, exactly?”

“Everything,” she says. “You’re my baby sister. My first instinct is always to protect you.”

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