Page 93 of Rebellion

The nightmares.

The way Oleg’s voice got into her head. Telling her how worthless she was.

Useless.

Not good for anything.

Except a fuck.

Sofia knew she shouldn’t let Oleg get to her... but sometimes it was hard to see how she could repair the damage he’d done, even though she’d tried as hard as she could to tune him out.

Colm wasn’t Oleg.

She knew that. But what if she got caught up in the moment and forgot who was holding her, who was kissing her? What if she reacted badly without meaning to?

No, Colm needed someone with less baggage. Someone worthy of him.

And she hadn’t even touched on her damaged back or her other secret.

“Baby, look at me.”

She opened her eyes.

“I don’t like that look on your face. Tell me what’s going on inside your head. You keep everything to yourself and that’s not healthy.”

“An Anisimov has to keep up a standard. An Anisimov cannot break down, and certainly not in front of others.”

He gaped at her in shock. “Who told you that? Your cousin?”

Crap. She hadn’t intended to say that.

“No! My, uh, my father.”

“Is that why you rarely tell people how you’re feeling? Because you think you need to keep up your family’s reputation as cold robots?”

“That’s not my family’s reputation!” she protested.

He just stared at her.

“I guess,” she admitted. “And I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You could never be a fucking burden.”

He said that now . . .

“Sofia, I don’t like the way you’re thinking, but I also know I don’t have time to convince you. Luckily, I plan to have all the time in the world to show you just how precious and amazing and worthy you are.”

God.

She wished they had that.

“I also don’t like that you barely eat. I’m this close to taking over again and ordering you to eat.”

“I don’t think that will work anymore,” she told him.

“You don’t?” His voice sounded . . . curious.

“No, last night I was in a... in a different mindset. I don’t think that I can let myself go there again.”

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