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)
“Fuck!” I snap, and holding my hand out to Dad, I say, “Give me your phone.”
Dad digs the device out of his pocket and hands it to me. “Call your mother while you’re at it. She’s sick with worry.”
“Let’s go,” Atanas says, signaling with a wave to all the men that we’re leaving.
I dial Rosie’s number and wait as it rings.
“Hi, Uncle Renzo. Is Georgi okay?”
“It’s me,” I say. “I’m fine. I need you to use every fucking skill you possess to find Anton Belinksi.”
“On it.”
I stop at the nearest SUV and open the back door, then tip my head, indicating for Nina to get in while I end the call with Rosie and press dial on Mom’s number.
As I climb in beside Nina and Simi, the call connects, and Mom answers, her tone exhausted and emotional. “Any news?”
“Hey, Mom. I’m fine. I’m with Dad.”
“Oh my God!” she cries, then she dissolves into a fit of tears, and while she sobs, my tone is comforting as I say, “I’m okay, Mom. Just a little banged up and down a few pounds. Once I’m home, you’ll need to feed me.”
“Anything you want. Jesus, Georgi.” Her voice disappears.
Dad gets into the front passenger seat, while Fabrizio, one of Dad’s guards, slips in behind the steering wheel. He’s like a second father to me, and I’m glad to see he came along.
“I love you,” I murmur affectionately to Mom, and it only makes her cry more. “I’m okay.”
“Did…did they…” She clears her throat. “How badly are you hurt?”
“I still have all my body parts,” I say to ease her worst fears. “Just two bullets and a few beatings. Nothing serious.”
The SUV begins to move, and as we leave Boris’ property in a convoy, I don’t look around but instead glance down at my forearm. Even though the bleeding has slowed down, I’m starting to feel very lightheaded.
“I want you to come home now,” Mom whimpers. “I need to see you and hold you.”
“I just have a couple of things to wrap up this side. Two or three days at most.”
“I love you so much, Georgi. For the sake of my sanity, keep Dad and Santino with you all the time.”
I grin at the back of Dad’s head. “I don’t think Dad will let me out of his sight anytime soon. Don’t worry. I’ll be home before you know it.”
“What is he saying?” I hear Simi whisper to Nina.
“He’s telling his Mama he loves her,” she replies softly to her daughter while gently rubbing the little one’s back.
“I have to go, Mom. Talk to you soon.”
“Love you!”
“Love you too.”
I end the call, and as I lean forward to hand the phone back to Dad, it slips from my hand, and my vision tunnels.
“Uhm…he’s lost a lot of blood. Is there anything I can use to tie around his forearm?” Nina asks as she moves Simi to sit beside her.
I slump back against the seat, my head lolling in Nina’s direction so I can look at her.
Her lips move, and she scoots closer to me. I feel her soothing touch as she takes hold of my left arm, and I think the corner of my mouth lifts.
Chapter 10
Nina
Georgi drifts in and out of consciousness, then he mumbles, “Dad...”
“I’m here, son,” Mr. Torrisi says as he leans partially over the seat so he’s able to reach Georgi and pat his knee.
“No one…” Georgi fights to open his eyes. “No one touches…Nina and Simi.”
“Okay,” Mr. Torrisi’s eyes flick to me, and I bristle under his dangerous gaze.
“They stay…with me,” Georgi says, his voice barely audible, then he leans into me while I’m pressing a bunch of tissues to the wound on his forearm. His forehead rubs against the side of my neck as the SUV goes over a couple of bumps in the road.
As silence falls around us, and Simi leans into my other side, I struggle to shove all the memories of what happened today into the rotting pile of nightmares that are in the deepest, darkest corner of my soul.
I’ve had plenty of bad days before, but this one has shot past watching Mama die, having Anton forcefully take my virginity, the four miscarriages, and being kept away from Simi.
No, this one far surpasses them all. Being raped in front of Georgi made it a million times worse, and when Ivan dropped Simi, I almost died right then and there.
The god-awful hours flash through my broken mind. One devastating scene after another, the only good part being when Georgi risked his life to save Simi.
God. This man.
I have no idea what he’s made of. He’s incredibly strong, and I’m scared to hope. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a part of him that’s good. After all, he jumped over the banister to get to my little girl.
Making sure the other two men aren’t looking at me, I turn my face slightly, brushing my cheek against Georgi’s forehead.