Page 59 of Shattered Cradle (Makarova Bratva Duet)

“Jennifer.”

“Rob,” she grits, as though it takes monumental effort to say his name at all. “Rob called him. I heard Hargrove mention a hospital and your name. Then he got the hell out of there. I figured I’d come here and get the lowdown from you.”

She’s trying to make it sound casual, but Jennifer doesn’t drop by for just anything. She doesn’t want me to see how worried she is.

No matter what she says, she cares about this family. They’ve managed to wheedle their way past her barriers.

“We just came from the hospital,” I inform her.

“We?”

“Olivia and I.”

Her eyes widen. “She’s back here?”

“She’s back here,” I confirm.

“Not sure that will be a check in the ‘Innocent’ column for you,” Jennifer remarks, pursing her lips up.

I shake my head. “She chose to come this time.”

Jennifer’s eyes bulge. “Damn. Something big must have gone down for her to have picked you over them.”

“Is it really so crazy to believe?”

She smiles. “You’re a very handsome man. Charming, sexy, rich, the works,” she acknowledges. “But I know Liv. And I know her family. It’s ride-or-die with them.”

“People change.”

“Not these people,” she says firmly. “Rob has always been fiercely protective of his sisters.”

“Apparently, that doesn’t extend to his sister’s children.”

She stops short. “Excuse me? What are you talking about?”

“You might as well know,” I grimace. “Olivia is pregnant.”

“With a baby?”

“No, with a crocodile,” I snap irritably.

“And you’re the father?”

“Christ, you’re slow today.”

“Jesus, Aleks!” She slaps my arm. “Congratulations. I mean, I should congratulate you, right?”

“Not many people have. Her family was at the hospital trying to force her to abort.”

Jennifer looks immediately horrified. “Are you serious? Rob wouldn’t do that… would he?”

I roll my eyes. “He’s not the saint you think he is, Jennifer. He and that bitch sister of his dragged Olivia into Hargrove’s hospital so that they could force her into an abortion she didn’t want.”

“Jesus.” She shudders.

“They nearly succeeded, too. But Olivia had the forethought to call me for help.”

“Of course,” she breathes. “Of course she’d choose you after that. They practically pushed her into your arms.”

---