Chapter 21 #2
“I think so,” I answer her last two questions.
It’s only been days, Nina. Things could change. You need to be careful.
As soon as I see Georgi, standing in the middle of the foyer and talking to Santino, the warning to be cautious falls on deaf ears.
Just like my daughter, I’m so desperate for everything he said to be real, I can’t keep up my defenses.
I just want one person I can trust to protect me, and I want that person to be Georgi Torrisi.
He glances in our direction, and while still talking, he gestures for me to come closer.
“Just make sure they all know. I want this day to be perfect.”
“On it,” Santino replies before smiling at us. “Morning, ladies.”
“Morning,” I reply. “My daughter doesn’t speak English.”
“Shit,” The guard mutters before waving at Simi. She returns it with a big smile.
“That’s something we have to rectify. I’ll find someone who can teach Simi English so she’s ready when it’s time for her to go to school,” Georgi says, as if it’s the simplest thing on earth, and he’s not talking about way into the future.
He’s really serious about us staying with him.
The thought hits me over the head again.
I’m still processing the emotions Georgi evokes in me when he wraps his hand around the back of my neck and leads me to the elevator.
“Are you ready to get all the toys you want, malkata mi printsesa?” he asks Simi.
“Yes!”
She pulls her hand out of mine and squeezes between Georgi and me before holding her hands up so we can each take one. I watch as his fingers engulf her small ones, and it shifts something in my chest.
Clearing my throat, I keep my eyes downcast. I don’t even try to process all the emotions I’m feeling. I just let them flood me and turn my stomach into a fluttering mess.
When the elevator doors open, and we step into a basement, I easily count twelve men.
Just as panic tightens my muscles and fear trembles through me, Georgi picks up Simi, holding her with his right arm while he places his left around my shoulders. I move closer to him, and walking toward an SUV, my eyes are trained on my shoes.
Santino opens the back door, and Georgi nudges me forward so I’ll get in first before he follows with Simi.
It’s a normal thing for other people, but to me it’s huge. He didn’t shove me, and it felt as if it was a protective move.
When his left thigh presses against my leg, I scoot up so I don’t rub against his wound, but then Simi steps on the painful area, and I quickly pull her off Georgi. “Careful, Simi! Georgi has a big owie.”
“I’m sorry,” she says while sitting down on my lap.
“It’s okay.” He brushes his palm over her hair, then locks eyes with me as he leans in very close. Once again, I freeze, and when his shirt tickles my nose and I get lungfuls of his cologne, a kaleidoscope of butterflies goes crazy in my stomach.
Then he tugs the seat belt over us and clicks it in place before he pulls back and grins at me.
Georgi knows I’m attracted to him.
I quickly turn my head the other way while my cheeks grow warm.
“How long still?” Simi asks as Santino starts the engine.
“Twenty minutes,” Georgi answers. “The toy store is nearby, but with traffic, it will take a while.” He tugs at her sleeve. “Tell me which toys you want.”
My daughter doesn’t hesitate. “The castle! The bear is too big for me. I want a baby bear.”
Not wanting Simi to get out of hand and ask for too much, I tell Georgi in English, “You have to give her a limit so she knows she can only pick two or three things.”
He shakes his head. “There’s no limit. I’ll buy the whole store for her if that’s what she wants.”
“Should I tell one of the men to come with a truck?” Santino asks.
Georgi gives him an impressed look. “That’s a good idea. Yes.”
I gape at the men. “Are you serious?”
Georgi’s eyes lock with mine. “Dead serious.” Turning his attention back to Simi, he switches to Bulgarian. “My princess gets anything she wants.”
“Yay!”
Oh my God.
I sit in a stunned silence while Simi bounces on my lap.
“That counts for you as well. Anything you want, Nina. Don’t give me any shit about filling your closet.”
When I saw Georgi in the bar, I found him devastatingly handsome, and during his captivity, it didn’t lessen. In fact, his strength and endurance made him even more attractive. He lost his mind with anger during the rape, and he saved Simi. He’s been so kind and even loving to her…and me.
Don’t, Nina. Not so fast.
But I need it. Desperately.
You’ve only known him a short time, and he’s a capo of the Cosa Nostra. He could be putting on an act, and as soon as you let your guard down, he’ll…
No. Not Georgi. He could’ve killed me while I was tending to his wounds and after I set him free. He could’ve beaten me after I tried to escape. He could’ve raped me last night. Instead, he was gentle and patiently kept repeating that we are safe with him.
It’s only been days!
It feels like so much longer.
“There it is!” Simi exclaims as she squirms out of the seat belt. “Look, Mama!”
When Santino parks the SUV, Simi tries to open the door, but Georgi leans into me and pulls her away. “Wait, malkata mi printsesa.” He points at Santino. “You always wait for him to give a nod before you’re allowed to get out. Understand?”
“Okay, but can he make quick?”
Georgi chuckles, then tells Santino. “You need to move faster, Santino. We have an excited kid in the back.”
“Shit. Sorry.” He shoves the door open and checks the area while talking to the other guards via earpieces, before he opens the back door and nods. “It’s all clear.”
“Yay!” Simi’s eyes are so wide as Georgi climbs out with her still in his arms.
My eyes land on the gun tucked into the waistband of his pants as I scoot over the seat and get out.
Georgi’s standing with his back to me, and I could easily reach for it and start shooting, but he doesn’t seem worried at all.
He doesn’t view me as a threat.
We walk to the entrance, and when Georgi puts Simi down, she runs into the store and climbs into the display by the window.
“Oh, God!”
Before I can dart forward, Georgi grabs hold of my arm and shakes his head.
A store assistant rushes in Simi’s direction, but Santino intercepts her.
“My employer would like you to close the store for a few hours.” He hands her a black credit card.
“Whatever the little girl wants goes on this card. A truck will be here soon for you to load everything.”
“I…Uhm, I need to check with the manager,” the woman says before walking to the counter.
“Don’t worry.” Georgi grips my chin and nudges my face up so I’ll look at him, but I keep watching the woman to see if we’re in trouble. “Nina, eyes on me.” His firm tone has my gaze snapping to his. “Stop worrying. Look at your daughter. You’re missing how happy she is.”
I glance over my shoulder, and seeing Simi happily playing with the castle, opening and closing the little doors and lowering the drawbridge, my heart is overcome with an emotion I haven’t felt before.
“Afternoon, Mr. Torrisi, I’m Edward Pembroke. Thank you for choosing our store to spoil your daughter. We’d be honored to close the top floor for you and bring your daughter whatever her heart desires,” a man says, and my attention is pulled away from Simi.
Georgi points at the castle. “Start with that.” As the manager moves to walk toward Simi, Georgi catches him by the arm and shakes his head. “No men go near my child.”
“I understand, sir.” Mr. Pembroke gestures to the female attendant to come closer. “Madeline will assist your daughter.”
“Madeline will assist Nina. Our daughter doesn’t speak English.
” Georgi corrects the manager before walking to Simi.
He looks ridiculously big as he maneuvers through the display to get to her.
“They’ll bring the castle to you, malkata mi printsesa.
We’re going upstairs because that’s where princesses do their shopping. ”
“Really?” Her little legs kick with excitement as she glances around at all the toys with sparkling eyes. “There’s so much, Georgi.”
Hearing the awe in her voice makes my eyes burn with unshed tears.
“This way, Nina,” Madeline says, a friendly smile on her face. “Would you and your husband like anything to drink?”
I shake my head, and not knowing how to correct her, I keep quiet and just return her smile.
Holy shit, is this really happening right now?