Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85834 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 429(@200wpm)___ 343(@250wpm)___ 286(@300wpm)
“I promise.”
Her mouth curves up in a happy smile, as if she hasn’t suffered horrible ordeals today. “Yay. Finally. I’m so happy, Mama.”
When she closes her eyes and snuggles even more against me, I struggle not to break down and cry.
That something so small as me sitting with her while she sleeps is enough to make her happy.
“Can I get you something to drink or eat?” Raya suddenly asks in my language.
It reminds me that Georgi also knows Bulgarian, and I only have the luxury now to be surprised by the revelation.
I shake my head and brush my hand over Simi’s hair.
“Shit, Georgi got blood on the covers. I’ll go get fresh ones quickly.” Raya walks to the door, then stops to look at me. “Please don’t try to run.”
I stare at her for a moment before I nod. Watching her leave, I hear the shower turn off.
Resting my eyes on my sleeping baby, I’m wildly tossed between reeling from the hell we’ve been through and fearing what the future holds for us.
I’m not stupid. I’m in enemy territory, and God only knows what they’re going to do to me in retaliation against my father.
Hearing movement behind me, I glance over my shoulder, and seeing Georgi, my eyes sweep over his powerful body. He has lost weight, but not enough to take away from his muscled build.
Now that he’s clean, all his bruises seem feverish. Knowing I have a job to do, I get up and take everything I’ll need from the first aid kit.
When Georgi sits down on the other side of the bed, I keep glancing between his arm and Simi as I carefully disinfect the bullet wound and the raw gashes around his wrists.
I can feel his eyes burning on me, but I don’t dare meet them. Hearing Raya return, I don’t pay her attention.
After I stitch Georgi’s forearm, I smear salve over his raw wrists before wrapping clean bandages around them. My attention shifts to the cut on his chest, and relief loosens something inside me when I see it isn’t as bad as I feared. I quickly clean it before checking his older wounds, making sure everything is clean and that nothing is infected.
At least the wound on his thigh is healing and hasn’t torn open again, and seeing that eases some of the worry coiled inside me.
I check his ribs, and noticing the bruising is much darker on his left side, my gaze finally darts to his face. “I think you have broken ribs.”
He shakes his head, his eyes flicking over my face. When I see the questions forming, I withdraw completely and gather the soiled gauze.
“Get up so I can take off the dirty covers,” Raya says, drawing Georgi’s attention away from me.
I grab the first aid kit and set everything down on an armchair, then hurry around the bed to get to Simi. I carefully take the soiled covers off her, then help Raya put the fresh covers over the bed before gently tucking in my baby.
I lovingly brush my hand over my baby’s hair and press a soft kiss to her temple.
This is the longest I’ve been allowed to be with Simi.
As the realization hits, intense pain and relief surge through me like a devastating wave.
“Lie down, Nina,” Georgi whispers.
I’ve been conditioned to obey all orders, but being in the enemy’s nest, I shake my head.
Georgi lies down, getting comfortable on the other side of the bed, then says, “It’s been a long day. You must be tired.”
I shake my head again, not taking my eyes off my daughter. I have no idea how long I have with her, and I’m not wasting a second.
Chapter 11
Georgi
Dad is in and out of the room, Raya sits in the armchair, and Santino stands guard near the door.
Nina hasn’t moved from where she’s sitting by her sleeping daughter. Taking in the ugly bruises that are forming on her face, I’m reminded of what she went through in the basement.
I’m not surprised she broke down. Honestly, I expected it to happen much sooner.
I know she doesn’t trust me, and she’s scared shitless, but that will change with time because I have no intention of letting her go.
Not because she’s Boris Pavlov’s daughter, but because I can’t. Just like with Raya, I need to know where Nina is at all times.
I can’t explain why. I’m fucking tired and in too much pain to care to look deeper.
I stare at her until my eyes fall shut, and as I drift between sleep and being awake, my thoughts are haunted by the horrible images of Nina being raped.
Suddenly, I remember Martin taunting Nina, telling her Anton is there and for her to get ready.
My eyes pop open, and as my sight focuses on her pale face, I realize tonight might not have been the first time that fucker raped her.