Page 17 of Rebellion

“What betters?” she snapped back.

Oh God.

What was she doing?

You. Idiot.

He grabbed her hair and shoved her head back. Tears sprung unbidden, and she had to fight hard not to let them drip down her cheeks.

Don’t show him your pain.

Oleg was a leech who fed on pain and fear rather than blood.

But it was so hard; the pressure on her back was almost too much to take. Her breathing became shallow, gasping pants.

“Let. Me. Go.”

“No.” He deliberately seemed to breathe right over her face.

She gagged.

God. That was so bad.

“I am your better, Sofia,” he told her in a low voice. “And you do well not to forget that. I am your superior in every way. You just a stupid, useless slut. Aren’t you,Kukolka? Now, you gonna get down on your knees and apologize for disrespect and lies to your cousin. You know, I near fucking vomited when he started going on how wonderful you are. Are you, Sofia? We both know that not true, don’t we?”

She had no idea how he knew her darkest secret. Or how he’d gotten that video of Aleksandr.

Oleg knew too much. Unfortunately, that meant she had to put up with him. But the agreement was that they’d only pretend to be together. She wasn’t going to sleep with him.

And how long do you think it will be until he changes his mind? Until he forces you.

It was her turn to feel nauseous.

“Your cousin never shuts up! He said how fucking undeserving I am. We both know the truth, don’t we, Sofia?” He moved his other hand to her jaw, tightening his hold until she let out an involuntary whimper.

“We both know you a disloyal slut. So you lucky I keep your secret, right? You should do your best to keep me happy.”

But they both knew that the reason Oleg hadn’t told Sacha her secret wasn’t because of her. He liked their arrangement too much to want the truth to come out.

He enjoyed having this hold over her. He also liked the power and privileges that being Sofia Anisimov’s boyfriend brought him.

She shook her head with a grunt, and he let go of her.

“I will not,” she told him, proud that there was no waver in her voice.

“You will,” he spat out. “Get on your knees.”

Gross. Spittle landed on her face and she flinched, her stomach rolling over.

“No! And we both know you won’t tell Aleksandr anything.” She never called him Sacha in front of Oleg or any of his men. It just felt wrong for some reason. “You like this arrangement.”

“Do not think that give you any power, Sofia. It doesn’t. I’m building backup plan.”

What did that mean? What backup plan?

Before she could question him, he shoved her to her knees. Pain stole her breath as licks of agony raced through her back.

Oh God.

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