Page 85 of Rebellion

What was wrong with her?

Reaching out, he grasped her chin, lifting her face.

“Please don’t,” she whispered.

He ran his finger over her cheek. Hmm. “Why do you think I covered you up?”

“Urgh, I don’t know.”

“You have an idea, though, don’t you?”

She shrugged, breathing out deeply. “Maybe you didn’t want to look at my tiny, nonexistent boobs.”

An angry noise escaped him before he quickly stifled it. Her eyes were wide as she gaped at him.

“You’re not to talk about yourself like that,” he warned her.

“Or you’ll punish me?” she whispered.

“Yeah. And I might not wait until you’re mine because that shit upsets the hell out of me. You’re amazing, lass. Stunning. Smart. Kind. Hard-working. The only time I can see you ever messed up was when you chose that ass-pig.”

“Ass-pig?” she asked.

To his surprise, her lips curled up at the edges. He started to relax slightly. He realized he was a bit concerned that he was coming on too strong.

“Ass-pig.”

“He is that. Or was? Is Oleg . . .”

Colm tilted his head to the side. “You want to know?”

“I have to.”

“He’s being held prisoner. Anton and Pavel were caught trying to sneak away. They’re with him. Arnie too.”

Concern filled her face. “What will... what will happen to them?”

“You cannot tell me that you’re worried about that ass-pig,” he growled at her.

Because that bastard, Oleg, in no way deserved her concern.

“No,” she whispered. “No, the only thing that concerns me about Oleg is that he’s still alive. I want him dead. Can... can that happen?”

He eyed her in surprise. That wasn’t what he’d been expecting her to say.

“You want me to kill him for you, baby?”

“I... I don’t know. I don’t want you to have to do it. But I don’t want him to still be breathing.”

He wondered why. Why now? Because he’d kidnapped and threatened her? Sure, that was enough of a reason. But he worried that there was something more, a greater motive.

That perhaps... he’d done something worse to her.

“Did he hurt you?” he growled.

Her eyes rose to his in shock. “H-hurt me? What do you mean?”

He stiffened as rage filled him.

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