Coming down the stairs, I don’t see Nina anywhere, and check the kitchen before I head down the hallway. When I reach the doorway to my office, I find her standing by my desk, a wistful expression on her face as she stares at one of the photos.
Lifting my right hand to the top of the doorframe, I slowly stretch the aching muscles in my arm and shoulder, my eyes locked on the tiny woman who’s taken my life by storm.
Tonight went much better than I expected. Nina opened up to me, and I feel we covered a lot of terrain.
But getting her to trust me is only step one. Now she needs to become comfortable in my space while I hunt for Boris and Anton. Once I make them pay for what they did to us, I’ll be able to offer Nina the vengeance she needs to find some kind of healing for the hell she survived.
Only after that, she might be able to form a relationship with me. I’m hoping for friendship.
As soon as I think the thought, a disgruntled expression settles on my face.
That’s the biggest fucking lie I’ve ever told myself.
I’ve been shoving my attraction toward Nina way fucking back because of the rape, but it hasn’t lessened.
No, it’s multiplying by the second.
Seeing how strong she is for her child. The way she keeps getting up after every brutal blow. The hope in her eyes.
It all makes my feelings for her grow rapidly.
But what really made a difference was when she looked for comfort in my arms. She wanted my arms around her, and that shifted things.
I’ll give Nina all the time she needs, but once she’s ready, all bets are off.
Right now, I’ll be what she needs, but the time will come when I’ll push for a romantic relationship.
Nina’s body jerks hard, her head snapping up, a startled gasp bursting over her lips. “Oh…uhm…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to–”
I shake my head to silence her, and lowering my arm, I gesture down the hallway. “I said you can explore. You did nothing wrong.”
The expression on her beautiful face eases as she comes toward me.
Wanting to see if she tenses up, I don’t move out of the way, and Nina has to brush past me. I’m surprised when she actually stops close to me and lifts my shirt to look at my ribs.
“God, it looks even worse, Georgi. You should get professional care.” The worry in her tone warms a spot deep in my heart that’s never been touched by a woman who’s not related to me.
I don’t have issues, I’m just very selective about who I let in because in the past, Raya tried to get to know whoever I was fucking, and that didn’t sit right with me at all.
She’d get attached, and it would hurt her when I dropped the woman.
Since I bought this building and moved my sister into the apartment beneath mine, I haven’t brought any women home.
I either fuck them at their place or a hotel.
And it’s always just fucking.
My eyes drift over Nina’s delicate features, and I know with dead certainty that it will never be the case between us. Withmy attention locking on her mouth, especially the scab on her bottom lip, I think of something that’s never been my thing.
A kiss.
Growing up, my mom was very affectionate, peppering my cheeks and forehead with kisses. I loved every single one. When Raya got older, she also started giving me a kiss on the cheek to thank me for something.
To me, a kiss means love, so it’s the one thing I’ve never given a woman.
Christ, this is uncharted territory for me. I’ve done just about everything sexual with a woman, and I have a very high sex drive, but for once, it’s not at the forefront of my mind.
Shoving the thoughts away, I walk down the hallway, Nina following close behind me.
