Page 63 of Rebellion

Arnie shrugged. “No problem. I’ll just shoot you through him. No great loss.”

“What?” Oleg yelled, looking furious. “You cannot do that!”

“Watch me. You were just a means to an end. It was always him I wanted,” Arnie replied, staring directly at Rogan.

The desire to smile caught her by surprise. But she couldn’t help it.

The look on Oleg’s face was priceless.

He totally hadn’t seen that coming.

Not so great being the one who is betrayed, is it, asshole?

It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

“You waited long enough,” Rogan replied.

Sofia felt eyes on her and glanced over to see Colm gesturing at them to move away. Her eyes widened and she glanced from Rogan to Arnie.

But Colm narrowed his gaze at her and mouthed the word, ‘go.’ Miller resisted her push, but she managed to tug at her, and slowly, they shuffled toward the door while Rogan kept Arnie occupied.

Oleg was too busy spluttering in rage and terror to notice what they were doing. She didn’t know where Anton and Pavel were. They seem to have disappeared.

Arnie shrugged. “I’ve been with my uncle’s gang. I had no reason to come back here until now. But now the Seven Sinners need me. I know you want me dead. It was only a matter of time before you found out I was back. It is you or me. I choose me. Say goodbye to your girlfriend. Don’t worry, you’ll see her soon.”

Miller tried to launch herself toward Arnie with a cry, but they were too far away. And all she was going to accomplish was to get hurt. So Sofia clung to her, closing her eyes with a sob as she attempted to pull her closer to the door.

A gun fired.

Miller screamed.

Sofia held her breath.

Oh God.

Please don’t let anyone be hurt!

But when she opened her eyes, confusion filled her. Because not only wasn’t Rogan dead on the ground, but Arnie was.

And there stood Cillian, Rogan’s other bodyguard. Where had he come from? Miller slid away from her with a cry of terror mixed with relief while Sofia sat up, shaking.

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.

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