When I struggle to pick up the first aid kit from where it’s lying on the floor beside the armchair, Nina darts up and comes to help.
My eyes drift over her stunning features as I say, “Can you see if there are any painkillers?”
She digs through the kit and pulls some out, checking something on the box before taking two from the foil strip. When she hands them to me, I walk to the bathroom and pour myself a glass of water. While I’m swallowing the medication, I look at my reflection in the mirror.
Christ.
My left eye is swollen, all dark blue and purple, and the cut Nina stitched up on my cheek is going to leave a scar. My bottom lip is torn up, and there’s a variety of colors all over my torso and arms. The beard I’ve grown covers whatever marks are on my jaw.
I turn my head and look at the wound I got when they knocked me out at the hotel. It seems to be healing okay.
When I roll my shoulders, they ache something fierce, and as I glance down at my arms and wrists, Nina comes to stand in the doorway.
“I agree with your father. You should go to the hospital. I’m not a trained professional.” She glances over her shoulder at the bed before looking at me again. “And they can give you something stronger for pain. Those pills won’t help much.”
“I’ll be fine. There’s no time for a pit stop at a hospital.” I walk closer to her, once again noticing the massive size difference between us.
Her gaze drops to the fresh red mark on my arm that I got when I hooked it around the banister to stop our fall, and a foreign emotion flashes over her face.
“Come, lie down so I can massage your back and shoulders,” she says, still stuck in healer mode.
Not giving her time to change her mind, I do as I’m told. Tucking a pillow beneath my head, I get as comfortable as possible and rest my arms beside me.
I barely feel the mattress move as Nina climbs on. “I don’t have the salve with me that I used previously, but I found lotion in the bathroom.”
“That works for me.”
When her hands settle on my shoulder blades, my eyes drift shut. Nina rubs softly at first, but after a minute or so, she begins to dig into my stiff muscles, and I have to use all my concentration so I don’t groan from how fucking amazing it feels.
The pain I experience when she focuses on a stubborn knot of muscles is bearable because it’s always followed by intense relief.
At some point, she alternates between my arms, shoulders, and lower back, and as she practically turns me to jello, I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 12
Nina
Even though I’m exhausted and feel very nauseated with a dull headache, I find so much joy just looking at Simi.
She stirs, and as she stretches and yawns, the corner of my mouth lifts.
“Morning,milo moe,” I whisper as I press a kiss to her warm, rosy cheek.
“Mama!” She’s instantly awake, and sitting up, a happy smile spreads over her face. “You really got to stay with me while I slept.”
“Shh…” I put a finger in front of my lips. “Georgi is sleeping.”
When we glance at him, it’s to see he’s watching us, a tense expression on his face.
“Sorry,” I say quickly. “We didn’t mean to wake you.” Picking up Simi, I move off the bed and a safe distance away. “Ah…can we get some of our clothes. I’d like to…clean up.”
Georgi moves, his features straining even more from the intense pain he must be in.
When he pulls the sheet off the bed and keeps it wrapped around his waist, I feel a burst of thankfulness.
He opens the door, then grins at someone. “Stop stressing about me and bring Nina and Simi’s belongings.”
“I just got you back,” I hear Santino reply. “Deal with the fact that I’m going to guard your ass twenty-four-seven going forward.”
