Chapter 23
Georgi
After spending hours on my feet, the muscles in my shoulders have locked up again. It feels like they’re on fire.
At least Nina and Simi have clothes.
I glance at all the shopping bags my men are carrying in, the entire foyer filled with boxes and toys.
On the way home, Simi fell asleep, and Nina looks like she’s about to pass out.
“Have the men take everything out of the boxes and remove them,” I tell Santino. “I’m heading to my room.”
“Okay. Get some rest,” he replies, already turning around to hand out orders.
I place my hand on Nina’s back and nudge her toward the stairs.
Suddenly, she pauses. “Wait. Go get the first aid kit.”
I shake my head. “You’re tired. It can wait.”
Her mouth sets in a stubborn line I haven’t seen before. “No, it can’t. You’re in pain.”
The idea of Nina tending to me is too good to pass up, and I quickly go to the kitchen.
When I return, I find her waiting where I left her, vigilantly watching the men as they move around the penthouse.
I place my hand on her back again, and she jerks before swinging to me. As soon as she sees I’m the one touching her, she visibly relaxes and begins to climb the stairs.
She feels safe with me.
The corner of my mouth lifts as we head to my bedroom, and when I shut the door behind us and switch on the light, dimming it so it’s not too bright, my thoughts return to our conversation in the office.
I had no intention of telling her I’m in love, but one thing led to another, and now that the cat is out of the bag, I can’t say I regret it.
“Place her on my bed,” I murmur.
I watch as Nina lays Simi down before coming back to me to grab the first aid kit. “Sit. Do we have painkillers?” She instantly goes into nurse mode, her tone even bossy.
I like it.
Grinning like an idiot, I take a seat on the sofa that’s situated by the windows. “You’re the only painkiller I need.”
Her head snaps up, and her cheeks turn pink.
As I unbutton my shirt, my eyes remain locked with hers, and it could just be me, but just like last night, something shifts until it feels like every particle between us is vibrating.
Nina moves closer so she stands right in front of me, and when I take the shirt off, she leans in to help. Her hands feel perfect as they brush over my skin, and before she pulls back, she presses a kiss to my cheek and whispers, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, angelche moe.”
The way I say the endearment makes it clear it’s possessive and intimate, and I see the surprise on Nina’s face before she quickly schools her expression.
After that, she doesn’t make eye contact again and silently cleans my wounds before giving me a massage that, once again, leaves me with a hard-on.
When she’s finished, and I lean back against the sofa, I don’t hide my physical reaction to her. I want her to know that even when I’m turned on, she’s safe with me.
Nina notices instantly as she begins to gather the soiled gauze. When she scurries off to the bathroom, I get up and follow her. As I shut the door so we can talk in private and Simi doesn’t wake up and overhear us, Nina’s eyes flit to my face.
“I’m attracted to you, and you just turned my body to jello with your magical hands. I’m going to get hard a lot around you. It’s normal.” I tilt my head, keeping hold of her gaze. “But I won’t do anything about it, so you don’t have to fear that part of me.”
She stares at me for a moment longer before whispering, “But you want to.”
“Yes, but there’s something else I want more.”
“What?”
“Well, actually two things. First, like I said last night, I want you to want me. I won’t touch you until you feel the same way about me and give your consent.
Not because you feel it’s your duty, or that you want to please me.
You have to be turned on by the thought of me touching you, of me taking you in my bed, not repulsed by it. ”
“You don’t repulse me.”
Thank fuck.
“Until then, just ignore it if you see I’m hard for you.”
“It’s kind of hard to ignore.”
I lean back against the counter with his and her sinks. “Unfortunately, my cock doesn’t come with an off switch. I’m sorry if it makes things difficult for you or brings up bad memories.”
I’m surprised when she shakes her head. “Don’t apologize.
As you said, it’s a natural reaction.” She comes to stand right in front of me and hesitates for a moment before admitting, “I only associate rape with Anton. I didn’t fear the guards would sexually assualt to me because I knew he’d kill them.
” She lets out a sigh as if she’s frustrated with herself and lowers her gaze to my legs.
“I thought it was something you might do, and when I approached you last night, it was because I hoped it would give me some control. If it was my choice, it wouldn’t hurt so much, you know? ”
“I get it.” The urge to comfort Nina surges through me, and I grip the counter on either side of me to keep from reaching for her.
“Thank you, Georgi.” Her eyes lift back to my face, and I see that she means the words. “My body hasn’t felt like my own for years. I dissociated from it, and I don’t know how to reconnect.”
I take a deep breath before reaching out to her and placing my palm against her cheek. “Feel that?” When she nods, I ask, “How does it make you feel?”
Her cheeks flush, and I brush my thumb over her pink skin. “Be honest, Nina. There’s no space for embarrassment between us.”
I can see it takes courage for her to say, “It makes my stomach flutter when you touch me.”
“I think you’re still very much connected to your body, Nina. You dissociated when that fucker touched you because that’s the only way you could escape. But your body is still yours.”
I pull my hand away, but she grabs hold of it and brings it back to her cheek. Turning her face into my palm, she closes her eyes. I give her the time she needs, and when a soft smile curves her lips, it feels like I’m given a glimpse at heaven.
“You’re right,” she whispers, then her smile crumbles, and she lets out a sob. “It feels good.”
With my hard-on gone, I pull her against me, and leaning down, I brush my hand up and down her back. Nina tries to lift herself higher, and it has me picking her up. Turning, I set her down on the counter before folding myself around her.
She grips me tightly, her breath exploding against the side of my neck. “You’re the angel, Georgi.”
We’ve just returned from the Cosa Nostra’s hospital, and I’m struggling to calm down, rage coiling in my chest until it feels like I might snap.
I should’ve taken Nina sooner, but with everything that’s happened, I forgot. First, there was the shopping and getting everything they needed, then Nina and Simi spent days unpacking all their clothes and converting two rooms into theirs.
They had so much fun, and I got lost in watching them come out of their shells while my body healed.
I thought Nina was doing well. She hasn’t even had nightmares, and I think it’s because Simi sleeps by her. I’m a little worried about how Nina will handle Simi sleeping in her own bedroom once it’s ready.
Christ, I thought getting them used to their new lives was the most important thing for them, and it completely slipped my mind to get Nina the medical care she should’ve received immediately after being raped.
I fucked up, and I can’t ever slip up like that again.
Nina shoots me an angst-ridden look for what must be the hundredth time, and not wanting her to worry that I’ll fly off the handle, I turn around and stalk back to the elevator.
“I’m going to check in with Raya,” I say, my tone too harsh, the rage simmering in every word.
As soon as the elevator doors shut, I lift my hand and grip the back of my neck while a growl rumbles from my chest.
The doors ping open, and when I walk into Raya’s apartment, I see her sitting out on her balcony, typing on her laptop. She only works at home over the weekends.
When I step into the doorway of the open sliding doors, her head snaps up, and the moment she sees the look on my face, she darts to her feet.
“What happened?!”
I shake my head and walk to the ledge. Leaning over it, I stare at the traffic below and begin to count all the yellow cabs as I try to gather my thoughts.
Raya comes to stand beside me and rubs her hand up and down my back while giving me the time I need.
I have no idea how time passes before I say, “We were at the hospital.”
Raya turns her body to face me, her hazel eyes filled with worry and questions.
“I should’ve taken Nina the instant we got home.” Shaking my head again, I step backward and lift my hand to the back of my neck, where tension is knotting all the muscles. “Fuck, it’s bad.”
I was standing outside the room with Simi while Dr. Milazzo and the nurse gave Nina a full check-up. She was last. I already had mine, and Dr. Milazzo cleared Simi.
What I overheard gave me chills.
Nina told them she’s had four miscarriages, and she thinks she might be infertile because, since then, she hasn’t fallen pregnant again.
The haunted tone of her voice will follow me into my nightmares.
Four miscarriages. No medical care.
She had to deal with it herself in that fucking room in the basement.
Nina has to see Dr. Milazzo again once all the results come back. Only then will we know the true extend of her physical state.
Her mental state? I’d like to think she’s doing better and that I’m helping her heal.
“Georgi?” Raya places her hand on my bicep, drawing me out of my thoughts.
It’s not my place to share any of Nina’s past, and as I lock eyes with my sister, I say, “I can’t tell you.
I just needed to come here until I calm down.
I don’t want to scare Nina. She’s….” The full force of how much I love her rocks the foundation beneath my feet, and I suck in a sharp breath while looking at the buildings across the street. “I love her.”
Raya’s eyes go wide as saucers. “Holy shit!” Utterly stunned, she says, “Wow. I…I…well, that’s a first for you…and me.”
“Yeah. It totally caught me off guard.” I walk to one of the outdoor sofas and take a seat.
Once Raya sits down, I continue, “A lot of shit went down in the basement where I was held, and Nina was the only light in the darkness. She risked her life for me and… we bonded in a way I’ve never bonded with another soul. ”
“Are you sure it’s love?” she asks, the worry back on her face.
I lock eyes with my sister and nod. “It’s love.
The attraction was instant. The moment I laid eyes on her, I was mesmerized.
Every other woman I’ve been with was a fleeting thought.
An itch to scratch.” I tap my index finger against my temple.
“I think about Nina constantly. Not once have I tried to fuck her. It’s so much more than that.
I want to watch her all the time. I want to fix all her broken pieces.
I want to make her smile and laugh. I need to make her feel safe.
” Letting out a sigh, I lean back. “The list is endless. One second, I don’t have a care in the world, and the next, this tiny woman takes my life by storm.
” I turn my eyes back to Raya. “I want to kiss her.”
My sister’s eyebrows practically fly into her hairline. “Wow, you’ve got it bad.” A smile threatens to form on her face, but she suppresses it. “Never thought my playboy brother would fall in love. The women of New York are going to go into mourning.”
I let out a chuckle before getting serious again. “I’m in awe of Nina. Fuck, Raya. She…she’s so fucking strong. The shit she survived for years…” I look down at my cuffs, and unbuttoning them, I begin to roll up the sleeves.
“Georgi!” Raya gasps, her tone horrified.
I haven’t been wearing bandages for the past three days, so all the healing wounds are visible.
“It doesn’t look so bad anymore,” I mutter.
She comes to sit beside me and gingerly takes hold of my left arm. Her chin begins to tremble as she inspects the scabs and scarring left behind from the shackles.
The stitches from the bullet wound will come out soon. Dr. Milazzo sang Nina’s praises, saying if she ever wants to work, he’d love to have her at the hospital.
Nina looked physically ill at the idea and couldn’t even respond.
I told Dr. Milazzo it would never happen.
“Jesus.” She sucks in a sharp breath. “What did those bastards do to you?”
I meet her horrified eyes, and pulling my arm free, I lift my hand to cup her cheek. “It was nothing I couldn’t handle. Just the usual beatings.” I pull her closer and press a kiss to her forehead.
I’m not lying. The beatings and even the drugging were regular shit I’ve already mentally recovered from.
What that fucker did to Nina in front of me was the worst torture I was forced to endure in that fucking basement.
That will stay with me for life.
I pull back and gesture at the laptop. “How are you coping with running the business?” I have complete faith in Raya, but I need to get back to work.
“Everything has been finalized with Atanas, and we’ve started moving shipments along the new routes that I divided between him and us. So far, there are no hiccups.”
I pat her back, giving her a proud smile. “You did good, Raya.”
“I know.”
“I’m going to need you to run everything for a while longer,” I tell her. “I’m going to focus all my attention on hunting Boris Pavlov and Anton Belinski.”
“Rosie hasn’t found anything yet. She thinks they’ve gone underground. They know you’ll be looking for them.” She shakes her head. “This might take months, if not years.”
Climbing to my feet, I say, “Then that’s how long you’ll run things, Raya. Finding them and taking revenge is my priority. I won’t rest until they’re dead.”
The uncontrollable need for vengeance pours through me like hot lava, and when I stalk back into the apartment, Raya comes after me. “Where are you going?”
“To Rosie’s.”
“Do you want me to check on Nina and Simi?”
“No.” I press the button for the elevator, and when the doors open, I place my hand on the one to keep it from closing. “Find a teacher who can give Simi English lessons. She needs to learn the language.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
I shake my head as I step into the elevator. “Just give Nina another week before you start building a relationship with her. Take it slow.”
Raya nods. “Be safe out there.”
I let the doors shut and press the button for the parking level.