Her eyes widen with wonder. “Wow. Am I special, too? Like a princess? If I fall again, will you catch me again?”
“Yes,” Georgi answers. He chuckles as he leans down. “You’re very special, and it definitely makes you a princess, that’s why you get to have whatever you want for breakfast. We’re flying on a plane to my castle, and princesses need a good breakfast.”
When I see Simi fall in love with Georgi, my heartbeat speeds up drastically, and fearing for what damage it will do to her when she realizes he’s not the prince she’s been waiting for, I scoop her into my arms and stand up.
“That’s enough talk of princes and princesses, because you need to bathe and get clean for breakfast.” I force a fake smile on my face so I don’t upset Simi.
“Nina, what do you want to eat and drink?” Georgi asks after struggling to his feet.
“I’m fine.”
Since my mother died and my life turned into a nightmare, I’ve lived on one meal a day and only water. I’m used to it.
I’ll let Simi have whatever they’re willing to give her, but I’m not taking more than the absolute basics. At some point, I’ll have to pay the price, and the only debt I’m willing to suffer for is anything that makes my daughter happy and keeps her safe.
I don’t matter.
Georgi’s eyes lock with mine, and I can see he’s not pleased with my reply.
“I’ll have the housekeeper fix you something,” he says as he walks to the door. “You need to eat as well.”
“Yes, Mama. The flight to his castle is going to be long,” Simi chips in.
He pauses and asks, “Any allergies I should be aware of?”
I shake my head, and when he finally shuts the door, I let out a relieved breath.
Everything in me wants to warn my daughter not to trust Georgi and to be careful what she says, but I’ve never seen her like this. So happy and excited.
I set her down again and let water into the tub. I keep testing it make sure it doesn’t get too warm. “Come feel if the water is okay,” I tell Simi. She leans over and carefully pokes her pointer finger into the tub, then grins at me again. “It’s perfect.”
She takes hold of her shirt and pulls it over her head, and I help her take off her shorts.
Lifting Simi into the bath, I try to inspect every inch of her for bruises without her noticing.
When I find a brown blemish on her thigh, I ask, “How did you get this?”
“I bumped into the coffee table.”
I exhale a breath of relief, then grab the bodywash and loofah.
Simi sits down in the water, then looks at me with wide, innocent eyes. “I like our prince.”
Shit.
“Uhm…”
“Bubbles!” She scoops some off the loofah, and I take the out I’ve just been handed and begin to wash her. She continues to scoop up the bubbles from her skin and blows them into the air.
Some land on my forehead, and laughter falls over her lips, the kind that comes from the belly.
I stare at my daughter as she enjoys her bath, just drinking in the happy sight.
“Your belongings are outside the door,” Georgi says, drawing my attention for a second.
“Sit still,” I tell Simi, and keeping an eye on her in case she slips, I quickly rush to the door and grab the three trash bags. Hauling them inside, I shut the door again and open the bags so I can find Simi’s clothes.
Every document I come across, I set aside and finally pull out a tracksuit set and a T-shirt, along with clean underwear.
