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)
“No.”
“I’ll come out,” she said at the same time as Sacha spoke. She sent him an exasperated look as he put his arm out to stop her from getting off the bed. “Aleksandr.”
“I would like to speak to Finlayson. And then I wish to see Oleg. Sofia needs to rest. At home. Where she belongs.”
Rogan shot his gaze to Sofia. “Is that what you want?”
Holy moly.
Was he trying to anger Sacha?
“Um, yeah,” she said. “Although I would like to see Colm and reassure him that I’m fine.”
She expected that after that, she likely wouldn’t see him again . . . and damn, that hurt.
“I will reassure him. I will get someone to take you home.” Turning, Sacha cupped the back of her neck and kissed her forehead.
In front of Rogan.
She wasn’t sure he’d ever shown her affection in front of someone else.
“You matter, Sofia. More than you’ll ever know.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she was so shocked that it took her a minute to realize that Igor, one of Sacha’s guys, was standing in front of her while Sacha and MacGuire were already gone.
23
Colm stared at the door intently.
Cillian sighed, shaking his head.
“What?” he snapped.
“All this over a woman? And that woman?”
“What do you mean by ‘that woman’?” he snarled, getting closer to the other man, who was still in front of the door.
“Nothing bad, it’s just. Fuck, you don’t choose the easy route, do you?”
“Get out of my way, I’m going to her.”
Cillian narrowed his gaze. “Nope.”
It seemed Cillian liked to do things the hard way too. As Colm reached for him, the door opened behind him and Rogan walked in. Followed by Aleksandr Anisimov.
Colm stepped back from Cillian and fought to pull his temper back under control. The door closed behind Anisimov, but Sofia wasn’t with them.
“Where is Sofia?” he demanded.
“On her way home,” Anisimov said.
Colm clenched his hands into fists. “I want to see her.”
“We’ll see,” Anisimov replied.
Colm stepped toward the other man, but Cillian quickly approached them, getting in front of Colm.
“Fucking calm down,” Cillian told him.
“I had no idea she was being abused,” Anisimov said.
“You should have,” Colm replied. What did he want? For Colm to apologize?
Not happening.
“You’re right,” the other man said, shocking him.
That was unexpected.
And it cut through his temper. He stepped back. Rogan shot him a look.
Right. He got it. He needed to chill.
It was hard to feel chill when Sofia was out of his sight.
When he didn’t know if she was scared, upset, in pain . . . any of it.
“I should have known, and that’s something I have to live with. Sofia and I have spoken about Oleg. I’m going to go and . . . deal with him now. And I thought you might like to come with me.”
He understood it was an order, not a question.
But he didn’t care.
Because fuck yes, he wanted to go deal with Oleg.
“Yes,” he replied.
Anisimov gave a nod of satisfaction.
“Wait. I want your reassurance that Colm is going to survive this. Without injury,” Rogan added.
Colm didn’t even care that much about his safety. As long as he got his licks in with that bastard, Oleg.
“I’ll return him to you,” Aleksandr said. “In one piece.”
“You don’t have to go,” Rogan said to him quietly.
“But I do. Don’t worry, I’m going to enjoy this.”
24
“Can we stop at my place to get my phone and handbag?” Sofia asked Igor.
The other man just nodded. He wasn’t much of a talker, but that was all right. Sofia wasn’t in the mood to talk.
They headed to her house and she walked in with Igor following behind her.
“Uh,” she said, turning to give him a confused look.
“The Pakhan doesn’t want you out of my sight.”
“Even to use the bathroom?”
His cheeks colored slightly. “I’ll wait in the living room.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”
After grabbing her handbag, which was still on the sofa where she’d left it, she rushed into the bathroom.
She did need to pee, which she took care of quickly, but then she grabbed her phone. Seeing that it still had five percent battery left, she sent a message to Colm.
Sofia: Hey, I just wanted to check in on you. I’m back home. I, uh, thanks for everything.
God, she sounded like a dork.
But she sent it off before she could second-guess herself. She wanted him to know that she was all right.
And she really needed to hear that he was too.
After waiting a couple of minutes for a reply, she knew she had to leave the bathroom. Stepping out, she followed Igor to the main house. He moved into the kitchen while she wandered upstairs.
After a long shower, she climbed into bed.
It didn’t take long until she drifted off.
Someone shook her awake.
What the hell?
What was going on? She let out a small scream, but a hand landed on her mouth.