Page 14 of Rebellion

Anisimov eyed him. “Well, when I just tried to talk to her about that, you acted like I was threatening her.”

Yeah, he had acted like that. He hadn’t been able to help himself. It seemed he didn’t like anyone scolding her.

Anyone but him, that was.

Anisimov frowned slightly. “It’s not your job to worry about Sofia. I will take care of her. And Oleg.”

That last part sounded like an afterthought.

“Why do you let her date him?” Colm gritted out. Oleg wasn’t worthy of Sofia. Anyone could see that.

Anisimov raised his eyebrows. “Why? Because he’s not you? Because you think you are worthy of her?”

Anger stirred, but he kept it locked up. He wasn’t here about Sofia and he needed to remember that.

“I’ll go get the package the boss sent over.” Colm turned to walk out the back door. He took the time to calm himself. If there was one thing guaranteed to set him on edge, it was the idea of someone abusing a woman or child. But the thought that Sofia might be in trouble was almost more than he could bear.

Over the years, he’d learned how to hide his emotions. He was expected to be staunch, tough, and unemotional. Seen but not heard. So, he always tried to keep his actual thoughts and feelings to himself.

He’d do well to utilize some of that control now. With the A4 envelope Rogan had given him in hand, he walked through the back entrance and into the storeroom.

It was tempting to go through the front to try and catch a glimpse of Sofia. But he had to push that need aside. Right now, he had to concentrate on business.

Anisimov was on his phone, but he quickly hung up when he saw him. He opened the envelope and glanced inside, a satisfied smile crossing his face.

“Good, tell Rogan I said thank you and that I’ll settle up with him later.”

Colm didn’t know what was in the envelope. It wasn’t worth his job, or possibly his life, to look. He knew what Rogan did to those who betrayed him; they quickly disappeared. Not that Colm had it in him to be disloyal, anyway.

“I’ll tell him.”

“I heard he’s got a woman living with him.”

Colm just waited. It didn’t surprise him that Anisimov knew about Miller. Like Rogan, Anisimov knew that knowledge was power.

But what purpose did he have in mentioning Miller to Colm? Was it some sort of threat?

Because Rogan wouldn’t welcome anything that threatened Miller, so unless Anisimov wanted a war on his hands, he’d back off from the direction he was taking.

“No need to look at me so suspiciously.” Anisimov raised his hands. “I’m a friend, you know.”

In so far as it benefited him. Colm was under no illusions that Anisimov took care of himself and his own first. He’d throw Rogan and the Cavans under the bus if it meant saving his own hide.

“Really,” Anisimov stated. “It suits me with no purpose creating problems between us. I just heard a rumor and wondered if it was true.”

“She’s a guest. Nothing more.” Colm knew Rogan didn’t want Miller linked to him, even though their relationship seemed to go beyond just friendship. Miller had had an extremely tough time. “I need to get going.”

Colm turned to walk away.

“You should stay away from Sofia. She is not for you.”

Yeah, well, Colm tended to disagree. He planned on having her. Eventually.

And once he did, he planned on damn well keeping her.

4

“Sofia.”

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