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)
Hearing the awe in her voice makes my eyes burn with unshed tears.
“This way, Nina,” Madeline says, a friendly smile on her face. “Would you and your husband like anything to drink?”
I shake my head, and not knowing how to correct her, I keep quiet and just return her smile.
Holy shit, is this really happening right now?
Chapter 22
Nina
I’m sweating from all the exercise I’m getting in as I follow Simi around like a shadow.
My child has been shopping for two hours, and I don’t see her stopping anytime soon.
Lifting my hand, I brush my palm over my forehead while I stop to catch my breath. Simi is currently fixated on a child-sized electric carriage.
A freaking actual carriage.
And she’s wearing a crown and princess dress, which she insisted on changing into the instant she laid eyes on them.
“Nina,” Georgi calls, drawing my attention to him. As soon as I glance over my shoulder, he says, “Come sit.”
His tone tells me it’s not a request, so I obey and walk to where he’s comfortable on a couch and take a seat beside him.
“You need to focus on relaxing. I can understand it’s a lot to take in all at once, but you’re missing out on the fun part.”
He’s right.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my gaze already looking for my child. In the space of a few seconds, she’s disappeared, and two men are carrying the carriage away. “She’s gone!”
“No. She’s on a rocking horse.” Georgi points to the other side of the floor.
I swear it’s so big you could fit an entire house in here.
Simi plays with the horse for a little while before scurrying off and running around the store, before stopping by a display with Steiff collector animals. She points at the biggest bear that’s too high for her to reach, and Madeline quickly takes it off the shelf and hands it to her.
“Look, Mama!”
“I see, milo moe.”
“He needs a family,” she states, her eyes moving over the collection.
“Madeline, give her one of each,” Georgi orders.
“Yes, sir.”
“Simi, we’re taking the whole family,” he informs her before pulling his phone out of his pocket.
“Yay!” my child shrieks before twirling in circles with the big bear she’s still holding onto.
“Hey, Mom… No, we’re fine… Out shopping… Okay… Sure… Love you.” He ends the call, and I notice how he glances right at Simi as if he knew exactly where she was while he wasn’t looking at her.
Santino comes toward us and leans close to Georgi. “The truck is full. Vinny and some guys went to offload everything. They’ll be back in an hour.”
Georgi nods, then looks at the time on his wristwatch. It looks just as expensive as the one Boris smashed to pieces.
My tongue darts out to wet my lips and search for Simi again while nervous tension fills my stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Georgi suddenly asks.
I turn my head to him and quickly reply, “Nothing.”
“You’re tense, Nina. Tell me,” he insists.
“It’s so much.” A breath quivers over my lips. “The toys must cost thousands of dollars.” My hand flutters as my anxiety spikes. “You’re doing so much.”
“Why is that a bad thing?”
“It’s not.” I wipe my palm over my forehead again, sucking in deep breaths of air.
“Santino, eyes on Simi. I’ll be ten minutes.” Georgi takes my hand and pulls me to my feet before leading me to the stairs. He finds the manager and asks, “Is there an office I can use?”
“Of course, Mr. Torrisi. This way.”
We follow the manager, and as soon as we step into the office, Georgi shuts the door. He bends and grips my hips, lifts me, and sits down on a chair with me on his lap.
He presses my head against his chest before wrapping his arms tightly around me.
“Shhh… Take a moment to just focus on your breaths,” he says in a very calm tone. “You’re overstimulated. Count your breaths and only listen to my voice.”
Noticing that my body is trembling, I close my eyes and do as I’m told.
“Breathe in…and out. It’s just us. I don’t want you to think about how much things cost. I want Simi to have everything. Her smiles and laughter are worth every dollar I have to my name.”
My body melts into Georgi’s, and my breathing slows down.
Once it quiets inside of me, I admit, “I’m scared.”
“Why?”
“It’s only been days, Georgi.”
“Us?”
I nod and turn my face more into his chest.
I feel his breath on my hair before I feel him press a kiss to the top of my head. “What about us scares you?”
“That this is all an act, and as soon as I let down my guard, you’ll become just like the rest of them.” Once the first fear is out between us, the others follow before I can stop them. “That you’re not in your right state of mind because of the torture, and you’ll realize you’ve made a big mistake by taking Simi and me. That you’ll change your mind next week, or next month, or next year. That it will become too much for you to have some woman and her child living with you.” My voice fails me, and I grip his shirt in my fist.