Page 113 of Rebellion

“Um, well, he cared for me after Oleg kidnapped me. He even sat up all night to watch me when my back was playing up, and every time I had a nightmare, he’d touch me, and apparently, I’d stop frowning and fall back asleep.”

And she was probably saying too much.

“He’s a good man; he deserves someone who isn’t broken like I am. Who doesn’t make mistake after mistake.”

“Sofia, you’re too hard on yourself,” he said quietly but firmly. “You are not broken, and I do not like you saying that about yourself. Believe me, he doesn’t deserve you.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “Even if he was interested in me before, I don’t think he is now.”

“Really? Were you not here just before when he looked like he was about to tear me limb from limb over you?”

She bit her lip. “He was just upset over Oleg.”

“Iam upset over Oleg. Finlayson looked like a man who would raze this city to the ground if someone looked at you wrong.”

She bit her lip. Was he right?

Suddenly, the door opened and Rogan MacGuire stepped in.

“Have you forgotten how to knock?” Aleksandr said dryly.

“I don’t knock,” Rogan said arrogantly. “Also, I have friends coming to dinner tonight, and Miller is all worked up about it. So I’d like to get done here so I can get back to her. I also don’t appreciate being escorted out of a room.”

Jesus.

Did he come in here looking for a fight?

“I don’t appreciate being accused of letting someone abuse my cousin.” Aleksandr stood with his arms over his chest. “What do you want, MacGuire?”

“I came in to check on Sofia. Colm is worried about her. He’d like to see her.”

“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.

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