Page 45 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

My sister’s eyes flash when she turns to me. “Donnie,” she hisses. “How many times do I have to tell you his name is Donnie?”

“I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal. Why on earth is this dinner so important to you?”

“Because we were going to make an announcement tonight,” she says.

“We?” I ask, looking between her and Rob. “Who’s we?”

Rob looks away from me immediately. I have a bad feeling snaking up my spine. It makes me feel foolish for ever leaving Aleks. The last six or seven hours might not have been perfect, but at least I felt a level of comfort with him that I no longer feel with my own siblings.

I’m too nervous to talk to Mia, so I look my brother in the eye. “What’s going on?”

Mia jumps between us anyway. “I’m engaged!” she cries, throwing her hands up in frustration. “There! Are you happy now?”

I stare at her in shock. “You… you’re engaged?”

“That’s right.”

I shake my head. “I didn’t even realize you were dating someone.”

“It’s new. Very new, in fact. But it’s right for me, Liv,” she says. Her voice softens, wavers. “I’m happy about this. And I’ve been waiting to share this news with my little sister.”

Instantly, I feel horrible. Guilt churns in my stomach. “Oh Mia, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I guess I was just waiting for the right time. You’ve been through a lot, and I was trying to be sensitive to that. I didn’t want to suffocate you with my news like I didn’t care about you and what you’ve been through. I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t worried about you.”

I reach forward and grab her hands. “How could you even think that?” I ask. “You’re my big sister. And if you’re happy, that’s all I care about. I wish you’d told me sooner.”

“Well, I’m telling you now.”

I nod, a smile falling across my face. “Do I get to meet him soon?”

“Actually, you’ve already met him.”

I frown, trying to run down a list of the people I’ve met since arriving here. The only people I’ve really met are the hotel staff, a few security guards who do their best to blend into the wallpaper, and…

I stop short, staring at Mia. “Wait—you don’t mean… not Hargrove, Mia.”

“Donnie,” she corrects. “And yes, that’s exactly who I mean.”

The smile melts off my face. I drop Mia’s hands as though they’re on fire. Disappointment and hurt pool in her eyes, but I can’t find the energy to hide how I feel.

“Mia…”

“You have got to be kidding me, Liv,” she says icily. “Can’t you even pretend to be happy for me?”

“I… I just…” I swallow down the panic that’s creeping up my throat. “I’m processing.”

“What’s to process?” she asks. “I met a man, and we fell in love.”

The little pieces of this puzzle are starting to fit together. Why else would this man offer up three hotel suites to a family he owes nothing to? Why else would Mia be his staunchest defender?

I got it all wrong. After Mom made that comment about Hargrove being handsome, I assumed that maybe there was something brewing there. That maybe my mother was starting to move on after Dad.

But Mia? That hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“He’s… he’s so much older than you, Mimi. He’s Mom’s age. Dad’s age.”

She shrugs. “Age is just a number. And anyway, I tried dating men my own age. It never worked out. Donnie and I have a real connection. It transcends silly stuff like that.”

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