Chapter 19
Nina
While I’m changing back into my jeans and T-shirt, my hands shake so much I have to pause and breathe through the emotions spinning wildly in my stomach.
Georgi doesn’t want sex with me unless it’s what I want.
The thought is life-altering. It bends the brutal reality that’s been my existence for nine years until its hold on me threatens to snap, the first tendrils of trust curling through my heart.
Whatever Georgi expects of me will be easy to give. No beatings. No using Simi against me. No rape. Anything else pales in comparison, so I hardly care. I’ll obey whatever rules he sets without hesitation.
I quickly wash my face and pat it dry before I check on Simi to make sure she’s still sleeping. Hurrying out of the bedroom, I settle a hand over my stomach that feels like it’s doing cartwheels.
When I come down the stairs, there’s no sign of Georgi in the living room, but then I hear a clinking sound, and I follow it to the kitchen.
As I enter the room, Georgi stops stirring the cup of coffee, and turning around, he comes right at me.
My chaotic emotions scatter everywhere, and I gasp when his hands settle on my waist, and I’m lifted into the air.
I’m set down on the marble top of the island, and before I can steady myself, his abs press against my knees as he bends forward, placing his hands on either side of my hips to cage me in.
Shit!
He leans down until we’re eye level, his hazel irises alight with a possessive look that holds my gaze captive with such intensity, it’s impossible to escape.
“Time to talk, Nina,” he says, his tone firm. “Your life is about to change. Everything you’ve ever known. Your routine. Who you obey. What you eat and drink. How much time you get with your daughter. Sleeping.” He shakes his head hard, his eyes narrowing on me. “It all changes today.”
My first instinct is to feel fear, but before it can flood me, he says, “No one will ever keep Simi from you again. If she needs you, you go to her, day or night. You don’t ask permission to be her mother. She is yours, and she will not be used to control you. Understand?”
The words hit so deep I can only stare.
Lifting his hand, he waves it through the air. “This is your home now. Yours and Simi’s. I was serious when I said I’m not letting you go, so you need to make yourself comfortable.”
It should sound like a threat, but it doesn’t. I’m not being told to remain in the basement until I’m called for.
Georgi’s gaze lowers, sweeping over my jeans and T-shirt before returning to my face. “Is this all you have to wear?”
Heat creeps into my cheeks. “We don’t have much.”
His jaw clenches in a way that makes it clear my answer upsets him.
“We’ll take care of that tomorrow.”
I hesitate before asking, “Uhm…how? I don’t have money.”
Georgi’s eyes sharpen on me, and it feels like I just said something wrong, almost as if I insulted him.
“Nina, I will take care of all your needs. When I say we’re getting something for you or Simi, it means I’m paying for it.
We will get you a hell of a lot more clothes and whatever toys Simi wants.
Don’t question it ever, and don’t worry that I’ll expect something in return. You are my responsibility.”
Again, emotions explode in my chest because in mere seconds, Georgi is turning out to be the prince Simi wanted with all her heart.
We stare at each other for a long moment before I dare to ask, “Why would you do all of this for us and not expect anything in return?”
He lets out a heavy breath, and his expression softens slightly.
“I care about you, Nina, and I will lose my fucking mind if anything bad ever happens to you again.” He shrugs, then admits, “I’m not going to lie.
You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.
Yes, the attraction is there, but what sealed the deal for me was witnessing your determination to survive. Christ, I’m in awe of you.”
Stunned, I gape at Georgi as he shifts my entire world on its axis.
This big man, who was strong enough to free us, cares about me.
He lets out an incredulous-sounding chuckle, then adds, “And Simi is fucking adorable. I’ve already fallen in love with her.” His expression darkens in a split second. “What’s her last name?”
My voice trembles as I answer, “Pavlova. Simona Pavlova. I named her after my mother.”
“It’s a beautiful name, mishle.”
My chin begins to quiver from the tentative happiness creeping into my heart. “What are your rules?” I want to learn them so I won’t do anything to upset him.
Something dark flits through his eyes, but instead of frightening me, it makes my pulse race faster.
“You want my rules?” he asks, leaning in even closer until the heat of his breath brushes over my skin. “Rule number one. You don’t run from me.”
Possession is woven tightly through the words, and they shouldn’t, but they warm my heart.
“Secondly, you don’t go anywhere without clearing it with me first. If I don’t know where you are, I’ll assume something is wrong, and I’ll tear this city apart until I find you.”
A tremor moves through my body at the promise of violence in his tone.
“Third, you’re never alone with another man.”
My brows draw together. “Will they try to hurt me?”
Georgi lifts his hand to my face and brushes his fingers over the bruises on my cheek and lip.
“I won’t allow you to be alone with another man, besides my dad and Santino, because you are mine, Nina.
I’m a very overprotective man, to the point that it’s made my sister unhappy.
After what happened in that fucking basement and Simi almost dying…
” Rage moves like a shadow over his face. “I won’t take risks with your safety.”
The words hit with such force that my breath catches.
He really wants to protect us?
I’m so overwhelmed I can’t even put into words what I feel, knowing we will be safe.
Georgi must see the emotions on my face, because he leans even closer and his tone is rougher as he spits out, “You don’t belong to Boris or Anton.
No one uses you. No one hurts you. No one touches what’s mine.
” Again, he forces his anger down and visibly becomes calmer.
“And if someone is insane enough to try, I will kill them.”
Every word from him acts as a soothing balm to my raw soul, but still cautious, I beg, “Is this real? Please don’t say these things only to yank them away from me.”
He lifts both hands and frames my face. “This is very real, Nina. As real as the bond we formed in that basement. I’m going to take care of you the way you took care of me.”
His expression turns so gentle, it fills me with certainty.
“When something scares you, tell me. If you have questions, ask them. If you need anything, come to me. You don’t have to carry things alone anymore. I want to help you.”
Silence has kept me alive for so long that it feels wrong to be open about what scares me.
His forehead hovers close to mine, his entire body surrounding me until the world feels reduced to the tiny space between us.
“I’m scared I’ll upset you,” I admit softly.
“If that happens, I won’t hurt you, no matter how angry I get. I think I proved that already, Nina. I didn’t punish you for the part you played in me ending up shackled and tortured.”
My eyebrows pull together. “I’m so sorry about that, but…”
“But what?”
“I regretted it at first, but not anymore. I know that’s wrong, but if I hadn’t lured you into the trap, you wouldn’t have been there to save us.”
“I understand.” He tilts his head, then asks, “Do you want to talk about the rape?”
I have one question, and my throat strains when I ask, “Why did you look?”
A hurt expression cuts into Georgi’s features.
“You cried, and I just couldn’t…” He turns his head, too late to hide the torment flashing through his eyes.
“I couldn’t leave you alone in that moment.
” Taking a deep breath, his gaze returns to mine, but his voice is hoarse as he says, “I wanted to give you all the strength I had in me.”
I suck in a quivering breath, then a first tear slips free. Georgi wipes it from my cheek, and the tenderness in his touch is my tipping point.
I clutch at his shirt like he’s the only thing keeping me upright, a broken cry slipping free before I can admit, “You being there made it so much worse.”
Sobbing, I scoot closer when his arms wrap around me, and for the first time in way too many years, I look for comfort in a man’s arms.
Georgi holds me as if I’m precious, and when he presses a kiss to the side of my head, another broken shard of me eases back into place.
He doesn’t lose his temper or become impatient but just holds me for as long as I need.
That’s when it truly sinks in that I can trust him.
My fingers free his shirt, and I wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him back. “Thank you!” I cry, finding a safe place in the man I betrayed. The man who’s supposed to be my enemy, but who has done so much more for me in a single day than my father has done for me in all my life.
Georgi tightens his hold on me, and I spread my legs so he can stand between them. It allows him to engulf me fully as he presses my head into the space beneath his chin.
When I finally manage to calm a little, I say the words again. “Thank you so much for not dying, for freeing us, for offering all those wonderful things, but mostly...” I pull back and use my palms to wipe my cheeks dry. “Thank you for caring. It’s been so long, I have forgotten how good it feels.”
“You’re welcome, moeto hubavo mishle.”
I scoot further back so I can meet his eyes and say, “I was surprised when I heard you speak Bulgarian. Especially without an accent.”
“It’s because I am Bulgarian. By heritage. My biological parents died in the fire…the one I relived under the drugs. Not long afterward, Raya and I were adopted.”
My jaw drops, and once again I gape at him. “Really? I thought you were Sicilian.”
“Not by blood, but in every way that matters.”
My teeth tug at my bottom lip, and when Georgi’s eyes lower to my mouth, I instantly free my lip.
“Uhm…it doesn’t look like your family and friends are happy that you took Simi and me.
” When it sounds like I’m complaining, my eyes widen, and I ramble, “I understand why, though. They must be very angry that I lured you into that trap. I hated every second of it and felt terrible. I did it against my will. It was either you or Simi. I’m so sorry. ”
Georgi presses his index finger to my lips, stopping me.
“Yes, they’re upset because of what happened, but all that matters is that I understand why you did it. You were as much a prisoner as I was.” When the panic in me retreats, he continues, “They will all get to know you, and things will get better. Don’t worry about it, Nina.”
I tilt my head as I look down, my line of sight focusing on one of the buttons of his shirt. “You don’t know me either.”
“Let’s solve that problem now. Tell me about yourself.” He moves away from me and pulls a stool closer, taking a seat.
Georgi doesn’t look comfortable at all, and when I jump off the marble top, he reacts incredibly fast, catching me before my feet can even touch the ground.
“Christ! You’re so fucking tiny. Don’t ever do that again. You could’ve hurt yourself,” he snaps while steadying me on my feet, and as he lets go and turns away, I see the flash of pain ripple over his face.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to say, let’s go sit on the couches, so you can be more comfortable. I also want to clean your wounds.”
“I need to shower first.” He waves a hand over the kitchen. “Look around the penthouse and familiarize yourself with where everything is while I clean up.”
“Okay.”
My eyes track Georgi as he leaves the kitchen, and for a couple of minutes I stand still, replaying everything he said.
God, I hope this is real.
My footfall is soft as I walk over the dark tiles toward the sunken living room. The leather couches form half an oval shape, all facing the black stone wall that stands free in the middle of the room. An electric fire burns beneath a large TV.
I trail my fingers over the expensive leather of the couch as I walk to the towering windows, looking at all the city lights that shimmer like a field of stars.
I can feel the wealth all around me. I might have lived in a mansion, but it pales in comparison to this penthouse.
I walk toward the dining room, running my fingers lightly over the polished table, imagining a candlelight dinner, the flames reflecting off the crystal. I picture Georgi sitting at the head of the table while Simi makes him laugh.
The thought is so tender it catches me off guard.
As if I’m running away from it, I hurry down the hallway until I reach his study, and the moment I step inside, I feel as though I’ve crossed into some private part of him. The scent of his cologne is strong in here.
Without realizing what I’m doing, I inhale a deep breath.
There are several books, and looking closer, I see they’re thick, beautifully bound catalogs of expensive watches, Bugatti, and Sotheby’s auction catalogs.
I glance around, noticing things I didn’t see when I was in here earlier. There’s a computer and framed photos on his desk. Moving closer to peek at them, I find myself staring at the happy memories, Georgi chose to display where he works.
One is of his parents in a kitchen. His mom is cooking, and his dad is watching her with a loving expression on his face. The other is of Raya in a beautiful gown. I think it’s her prom photo.
The last is of all four of them posing for the camera.
They look happy.
I realize why he’s so different. He was raised in a loving home.
That’s what I want most for Simi.