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)
“Raya, Santino, you can both turn in for the night. I can’t sleep with you staring at me,” I tell them. Santino’s watchful gaze flicks to Nina, and to set him at ease, I say, “She’s half my size. She won’t hurt me.”
He doesn’t look happy, but waits for Raya to give my hand a squeeze before leaving with her.
When the door shuts behind them, I look at Nina again and ask, “How are you holding up? Do I need to get you a doctor?”
She keeps her head bowed, her focus on her daughter as she softly replies, “I’m fine.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.” I continue to stare at her until I’m unable to hold the question back. “Has it happened before?”
Her features tense even more, then she nods.
My eyes flick to the sleeping girl. “Where’s her father?”
Nina freezes and doesn’t even blink for a few seconds before she replies, “He’s dead. A long time ago.”
She’s lying.
I look at Simi again. “Is Anton the father?”
This time, Nina’s eyes fly to mine, and panic flashes over her face. “No!”
Fuck. She denies it with such vehemence that I can’t help but think she was forced to give birth to her rapist’s child.
When I look at Simi again, Nina repeats, “No, he’s not.”
“She’s your spitting image,” I mention.
Nina brushes her hand over her daughter’s hair again.
Needing to say the words to her, my voice is hoarse. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything to stop him.”
She closes her eyes, the trauma of what she’s been through rippling over her beautiful features. It makes her look so fragile that for a moment, my body moves before I can think it through.
Every muscle throbs, and just as I place my hand on her shoulder, she jerks. I realize the last thing she probably wants right now is for a man to touch her.
Still, I give her shoulder a squeeze, hoping it offers her some comfort.
Pulling back, I say, “I’ll watch Simi if you’d like to go shower.”
Nina shakes her head, and when she speaks, her voice sounds hollow. “I’ll wait until she wakes up.”
Nodding, I lean against the pillows, suppressing a groan. After a few minutes of trying to fall asleep, I give up and look at Nina again.
“Who was the man on the third floor?”
“Ivan. He always guarded Simi.”
Interesting that the kid had a guard, but not Nina.
“And the woman?”
Hatred tightens Nina’s features. “My father’s whore who took care of Simi.”
I tilt my head as the puzzle pieces begin to lock into place. “Did they keep you away from your daughter?”
Nina’s eyes dart to mine again, and there’s another flash of panic in them. “I want my daughter with me at all times.”
“I never planned to separate you.”
She stares at me for a moment, then says, “I don’t trust you…or any of this.”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “That will change with time.”
Nina lifts her hand and brushes some of her hair over her shoulder before resting her palm against her neck. “Why did you bring us with you?”
“There’s nothing in Bulgaria for you except more danger and trauma,” I answer honestly.
“We will be fine on our own.” Her mouth sets in a stubborn line I haven’t seen before, and it makes me smirk at her. Anger ignites in her brown irises. “We’re not your property. You don’t get to make decisions regarding us.”
“I do.” My smirk grows more cocky because I like seeing the fire burning in her. It’s so much better than the empty hollowness or ungodly fear. “You’re coming with me.”
Her eyebrows pull together, and she gives me an incredulous look. “Why? You don’t even know me?”
“I know more than you think, Nina.” Remembering something from the day she lured me out of the hotel, I add, “What was it you said? If you can catch me, you can have me.” I let out a chuckle. “I caught you.”
When I meet Nina’s eyes again, the fire is gone, and the fear is back. “You’re scared of me,” I state the obvious.
She turns her attention to her daughter, and some of her silky hair falls partially over her face as she says, “You kidnapped my daughter and me. What do you expect?”
I’m quiet for a moment while I think about how to handle this situation because she’s right. I am kidnapping her and Simi. They’re going back to New York with me.
What I’ll do with them once we’re there, I’m still unsure about.
I don’t want to give Nina too much rope because she might just hang me with it, so I end up saying, “Good. That means you understand the kind of man you’re dealing with.”
Nina’s head whips up, and her features draw together with desperation. “You can’t do this to me. Please…just let us go.”
She’s one to demand that of me after she lured me into an ambush. I haven’t forgotten about that.