Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
She watched as Miller and Rogan spoke before Rogan helped Miller up. He was so careful with her. So kind and caring.
I want that so badly.
“Colm, show Sofia to a guest room, please.” Rogan turned to give Sofia a firm look. But there was a hint of kindness in it. “Please don’t leave without letting someone know. You’re not a prisoner here, but until your cousin is out of the hospital, I feel responsible for you. If something were to happen to you under my watch, he’d kill me.”
Sofia nodded. Sacha wouldn’t be forgiving if she was harmed while under Rogan’s care. Even if she still wasn’t sure she should be here.
But she was at the end of her tolerance. She’d hit a wall and just needed to get away from everyone before that wall crumbled.
And everything came out.
“Don’t worry, Boss,” Colm told Rogan. “I’ll make sure she stays put.”
“I’ll put some of my clothes into your room,” Miller told her.
Miller and Rogan walked out as Sofia glared at Colm. “You’ll make sure I stay put?”
“Yeah, Squirt. I will.”
She nearly winced at him calling her Squirt. It seemed deliberate.
A reminder that she was no longer his ‘baby.’
She was glad she hadn’t looked up the translation of Mo leannan. It would have hurt worse knowing what it meant and that she’d likely never hear it again.
“I don’t think that’s up to you.”
Colm raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then you obviously don’t know how this works. At the moment, you’re in my territory. You’re under my command. And that means you do as I tell you to.”
“And if I don’t?” she challenged.
His jaw seemed to tighten. There was a tick on his cheek. “You don’t want to find out.”
A shiver ran through her at the memories of all the times she’d gotten into ‘trouble’ with Oleg.
“Sofia? Hey, Sofia. Look at me. Look at me, baby.”
“Please don’t call me that,” she said hoarsely.
His head flicked back, his face filling with surprise and then hurt for a brief moment before it grew cold again.
Sofia wanted to cry. She wanted to beg him to show her how he really felt. But the words were stuck on her tongue.
How did she do this?
How did she let this man in?
Give him everything and trust that he wouldn’t twist that? That he wouldn’t turn it all against her?
She couldn’t. Because she couldn’t afford to trust him. She’d trusted the wrong person once and it had nearly ruined everything.
However, she did know that Colm would never hurt her physically.
Colm wasn’t the sort of man who had to harm a woman to make himself feel better. Or who gave into his rage. Or needed to control someone else through physical intimidation and force.
He was already intimidating without the need to be an asshole. Besides, people seemed to defer to him naturally.
“Of course.” He stood from where he’d been crouched in front of her.
He’d gone so cold.
Don’t cry.
You can’t let anyone see you break.
“I will show you to your room. But I should warn you that you will not be able to leave. This is for your safety, not because you are a prisoner.” He was at the door by now and held it open, waiting for her to get up. To move.
Sofia stood carefully as her back had seized up. She knew she was going to be in a world of trouble tomorrow.
The best idea was to keep moving, even though the pain could be agonizing.
She didn’t have any medication with her to ease the pain either. She couldn’t remember where her handbag was, but unless Oleg had taken it when he kidnapped her, it was likely back at her place.
“I need my phone,” she muttered.
“After you’ve slept, we’ll take you to see Anisimov and then you can retrieve it. There’s only a couple of hours until dawn.”
Right.
Which meant she was probably better off not even sleeping.
He headed toward the stairs and she followed him.
She was entirely overloaded, to the point that she could barely function.
One foot in front of the other.
Get somewhere private.
Sofia wasn’t sure how she’d managed to get herself up the stairs, but she breathed out a small sigh of relief as she did. Colm turned to glance at her, but she didn’t meet his gaze. She was too busy holding herself together.
When they reached a door, he held it open for her so she could slip inside.
“There is an attached bathroom. I’m in the bedroom next to you. I’m a light sleeper.”
Right. Message received.
If she tried to get out, he’d hear her.
The truth was that she wasn’t going anywhere tonight.
“Hear me?”
“Yes, sir!” she said sarcastically.
His gaze narrowed, heat flaring. “Don’t push me, Sofia. I’m holding back because I know you don’t want me and you’ve been through a lot tonight. But I am close to the edge too. And being a brat might push me over.”