“Our routes and contacts. Which ports we used, and what the meeting with Atanas was about.”
“And?”
A frown forms on Georgi’s forehead as he locks eyes with his father. “And what?”
“Did you tell them anything?”
Georgi’s quiet for a moment, then he turns his head to look at me. “When you drugged me, did I give any information?”
I quickly shake my head. “No. You were quiet at first, but then you slipped into a hallucination or bad memory about a fire.”
His eyes narrow slightly. “What did I say about it?”
I swallow hard, keeping my eyes on him. Looking at the other men is just too unnerving. “Ah…you said you couldn’t wakethem. I don’t know who. You called for Raya and turned very aggressive when the guards or Boris came near you.” A breath quivers over my lips. “You lunged at me.”
His expression darkens. “Did I hurt you?”
I shake my head. “No, I jumped out of the way before you could get to me.”
“Good.” He exhales a relieved breath that leaves me utterly stunned.
He looks genuinely glad that he didn’t hurt me.
“Are you okay reliving that night?” Raya asks.
Georgi nods. “I can’t remember what I saw while I was drugged.”
“Hold up,” Adriano mutters. “She drugged you?” He levels me with such an intimidating look, I shrivel into my seat.
Oh shit.
“She had no choice,” Georgi informs them. “Whatever part she played in my abduction, captivity, and torture was to keep her daughter safe.”
“Yeah? That makes me worry about what else she would do,” Augusto says. “Like killing you in your sleep?”
“No.” The word bursts from me in a surge of panic. If they think I’m a threat, they’ll kill me right now.
Georgi lets out a chuckle. “Seriously. You think this five-foot-nothing woman can take me down?” Another chuckle. “Please. That’s insulting. Besides, she could’ve tried last night, and she didn’t.”
“There’s always tomorrow,” Adriano mutters. “Maybe she let you take her so she can get a front row seat to how the Cosa Nostra operates.”
NoNoNo!
The humor vanishes from Georgi’s face, and he leans forward, his tone harsh. “You have no fucking idea what she’sendured in that house of horrors. Back the fuck off. I won’t have any of you scaring her.”
The tension in the air thickens so much that it makes my fear spiral out of control.
Right now Georgi is defending me, and it has me doing something I would never do under different circumstances. I press close to him and try to hide behind his right arm.
He instantly notices, and lifting his arm, he wraps it around my shoulders, turning his body to block out everyone else.
Dropping his voice to a whisper, he says, “Shh…I won’t let anything happen to you.” He pulls me closer into a hug, and I’m filled with so much desperation and fear, I clutch his shirt in my fist and beg, “Please. I’ll do anything you want. Anything. Just don’t let them kill me. Don’t let them hurt Simi.”
“Hey…” He takes hold of my chin and nudges my face up so we can make eye contact. “Don’t worry about shit like that. You are safe, Nina. I swear to all that’s holy, you and Simi are safe with me.”
I give him a pleading look, as I continue to clutch his shirt, then he leans into me and presses his forehead to mine.
“Deep breaths. You’re going to hyperventilate. There’s nothing to fear. I’m right here, and with the shackles gone, I can and will protect you.” He rubs one of his large hands up and down my arm and over my back. “Just take a deep breath for me.”