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)
“Three juices,” Georgi mutters, sounding angry. I cringe into myself, and to make matters worse, he reaches over and begins to cut my filet into smaller pieces.
When he brings a slice of beef to my mouth, my face goes up in flames. “I’m going to eat!”
“Open,” he orders, the expression on his face telling me he’s out of patience.
My lips part, and as he feeds me, I feel a weird mixture of embarrassment and an aching sense of being cared for.
Both are very unsettling. I can’t help but wonder if he felt the same when I gave him water.
Before he can spear another piece of food, I pick up my fork so he’ll see I will continue feeding myself.
“Is it nice, Mama?” Simi asks.
“Yes.” I bring a slice of steak to her mouth. “Taste.”
She takes the bite. “Mmm-mm…yummy.”
“You can have some of mine, malkata mi printsesa,” Georgi says. “Your mama needs to eat all her food.”
“Okay.”
As I eat more, I have to suppress a groan. God, it’s delicious. I only have two more bites of the steak before I eat all the vegetables and roll. I’m not used to consuming meat and don’t want to upset my stomach too much.
Georgi seems pleased when I set down my fork, and he even gives me a smile. “Thank you.”
He’s thanking me for eating?
My jaw almost drops, and once again, an ache spreads through my heart because it feels dangerously close to being cared for.
It touches a need in me that I’ve been trying to smother since my mother died.
The flight was incredibly long and exhausting.
I’m so proud of Simi. She handled it much better than I did.
As we’re being driven into New York, Simi and I stare out the window at the tall buildings. Everywhere we look, there are yellow cabs honking their horns while people rush along the sidewalks.
Normal people.
For a couple of seconds, my eyes touch on a tall woman who’s wearing a gorgeous gray dress and high heels. She walks with her chin held high, and people look back to get another glimpse of her.
What is her life like?
“Mama,” Simi whispers while pressing her finger to the window and leaving a print. “Look.”
I follow her gaze, and my breath catches.
There’s a huge toy store on the corner, its display glowing like something from one of Simi’s fairytale books. A stuffed bear in a red bow stands by the entrance, so tall it nearly reaches the ceiling.
A pillar covered with pictures of fairytales towers beside it, painted carousel horses gleam under tiny lights, and a castle made for dolls sits in the center, its little windows lit as if royalty lives inside.
Pretty little ballerinas spin inside music boxes while a miniature train circles a snowy village.
“Mama,” Simi gasps. “That bear is bigger than Georgi.”
“It might be,” I agree.
Her nose nearly presses to the glass. “It looks like the princess castle book.”
“It does,” I whisper.
Simi twists in her seat to look at Georgi. “Is that your castle?”
His mouth curves. “No, malkata mi printsesa, but I’ll take you there tomorrow.”
My heart clenches so painfully that my body stiffens and my eyes water.
Simi beams, already believing him and building a dream of how wonderful tomorrow will be in that innocent mind of hers.
Fear crawls through me because Georgi shouldn’t make promises to my child unless he means to keep them. Simi has known too much disappointment already.
If he gives her this dream and takes it away, it will break her heart.
Simi chatters about the giant bear and the castle she wants to see, while new worries fill my mind.
Up until now, Simi has been deprived of a lot, but what if Georgi’s tactic is to taunt her, letting her see things she can never have?
God, I know you’ve forsaken me, but please, she’s an innocent child. Don’t do this to her.
The prayer feels empty, as if it doesn’t float past the roof of the SUV but falls flat on the carpeted floor where it will be trampled by Georgi’s leather loafers.
I don’t take notice of our surroundings anymore, and when the vehicle stops, it feels like we’ve arrived at a prison.
Georgi climbs out, and I can’t keep hold of Simi as she squirms out of my arms and scurries across the seat to get to him.
“Wait for me!” she says, her voice pitched with excitement.
He hooks his large hands beneath her armpits and lifts her off the seat.
I quickly get out, and as I aim to dart around the back of the SUV to get to Simi, Raya steps in front of me.
No!
She smiles as if we are friends, and as her lips part, I hear nothing of what she says. Santino comes to stand behind Raya, probably ready to stop me if I try anything, while Georgi walks away with Simi.
They’re taking Simi from me!