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 losthis 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.