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)
Colm had moved to grab Arnie’s gun, holding it on Oleg, who was now as pale as a ghost. Sofia dragged herself up onto her feet, ignoring Colm’s look as she stood there in shock.
Keep everything on lockdown.
She could hear people talking, but it was all she could do to stop herself from falling apart.
You have this.
You’re strong.
She wasn’t, though. She really wished Colm would wrap her up in his arms like Rogan was doing with Miller just then.
Sofia just wanted to feel safe. And to have someone she could completely let go with and not worry about them betraying her.
To know that they would always take care of her. Accept her for who she really was. Protect her from the rest of the world.
She wanted a safe place.
And she wished Colm could be that.
But, right now, she wasn’t safe. She couldn’t let go. And she had to keep herself locked down.
So when Colm walked over to her, she had her emotions tied down tight and was staring up at him numbly.
She was aware of a low throb in her back. Being tied up had strained it and trying to get out of the ropes had probably injured her further. Or maybe it was from getting up and down off the floor.
But there wasn’t time to worry about that now.
“Come, I’m taking you and Miller home,” he told her brusquely.
So, no hug for her.
You pushed him away, idiot.
She nodded numbly as they collected Miller, who was reluctant to leave Rogan. Something was playing in the back of her mind.
“Sofia! Sofia!” Oleg yelled as they left the room.
“Ignore him,” Colm barked, making her jump.
Pain radiated up her back.
Hold it in.
“Colm? Are you all right?” Miller asked, staring up at him.
“Sorry,” he rasped. “I’m . . . worked up.” He cleared his throat. “I need to get you both out of here. Just do as I say, okay? I can’t have anything else happen to you.”
Because Rogan would kill him.
She got it.
“I wasn’t going to reply to him,” she said quietly. “He’s dead to me.”
Miller shot her a look, but she ignored it. Sofia ignored everything until they got back to Rogan’s house. Well, she assumed it was, as she’d never actually been here before.
She was too stuck in her head to pay much attention to her surroundings.
Numbness was her friend.
“Sofia? Do you want a change of clothes?”
She glanced up at Miller. Then, at her surroundings. Huh. She seemed to be in a living room, sitting on a comfortable, dark green sofa.
When and how had she ended up sitting down here?
Okay, you have to get it together.
“No, thank you. I should go home.” She felt ill at the thought of going back to the estate. Especially with Aleksandr still in the hospital.
Shit.
She needed to call him.
This really seemed like something she should tell him in person, though.
First, she’d need to judge whether he was well enough to handle what she had to say.
And whether he could forgive her for the things she’d kept from him.
Well, you only have to tell him the reason you were dating that pig.
He wouldn’t like it.
But she had done it to protect him.
The other secret was safe now. Oleg couldn’t tell him about what she’d done. Not when he was about to die.
Her secret would die with him.
So why didn’t she feel relieved?
Perhaps it was because Sacha was still going to flip. Or maybe it was because everything had changed so suddenly and she was having trouble trying to keep up.
Being free from Oleg was all she’d wanted. Yet all she felt was wrong . . . dirty. The way he’d touched her.
Sofia’s whole body shuddered in disgust, and just the memory sent panic through her whole being, leaving her weak and nauseous once more.
Keep it together.
14
“You aren’t going anywhere,” Colm barked, obviously having heard her last statement, as he walked into the room carrying a tray. He set it down on the coffee table, and she couldn’t help but stare down at it in surprise.
Hot chocolate and cookies?
Tonight felt more like a bourbon and . . . and more bourbon kind of night.
“Colm,” Miller said warningly.
“No one is going anywhere.”
Maybe she’d just go straight to the hospital and get this over with. But it was late . . . after midnight if the wall clock was correct and Sacha needed his rest.
Colm grunted. Then, a blanket was placed over her. Sofia gave a jolt of surprise, nearly hissing in pain as her back protested.
“You’re cold. I can see you shivering.”
She was?
Huh. She hadn’t even noticed.
After giving Miller a blanket, he moved to the window to stand silently.
Maybe she should insist on leaving again. But it seemed pointless. So she just stared at the hot chocolate and tried to get her confused brain to put everything together.
Sofia wasn’t sure how long they sat there until Rogan entered the room and sat on the sofa next to Miller, pulling her onto his lap.