It’s only been days!
It feels like so much longer.
“There it is!” Simi exclaims as she squirms out of the seat belt. “Look, Mama!”
When Santino parks the SUV, Simi tries to open the door, but Georgi leans into me and pulls her away. “Wait,malkata mi printsesa.” He points at Santino. “You always wait for him to give a nod before you’re allowed to get out. Understand?”
“Okay, but can he make quick?”
Georgi chuckles, then tells Santino. “You need to move faster, Santino. We have an excited kid in the back.”
“Shit. Sorry.” He shoves the door open and checks the area while talking to the other guards via earpieces, before he opens the back door and nods. “It’s all clear.”
“Yay!” Simi’s eyes are so wide as Georgi climbs out with her still in his arms.
My eyes land on the gun tucked into the waistband of his pants as I scoot over the seat and get out.
Georgi’s standing with his back to me, and I could easily reach for it and start shooting, but he doesn’t seem worried at all.
He doesn’t view me as a threat.
We walk to the entrance, and when Georgi puts Simi down, she runs into the store and climbs into the display by the window.
“Oh, God!”
Before I can dart forward, Georgi grabs hold of my arm and shakes his head. A store assistant rushes in Simi’s direction, but Santino intercepts her. “My employer would like you to close the store for a few hours.” He hands her a black credit card. “Whatever the little girl wants goes on this card. A truck will be here soon for you to load everything.”
“I…Uhm, I need to check with the manager,” the woman says before walking to the counter.
“Don’t worry.” Georgi grips my chin and nudges my face up so I’ll look at him, but I keep watching the woman to see if we’re in trouble. “Nina, eyes on me.” His firm tone has my gaze snapping to his. “Stop worrying. Look at your daughter. You’re missing how happy she is.”
I glance over my shoulder, and seeing Simi happily playing with the castle, opening and closing the little doors and lowering the drawbridge, my heart is overcome with an emotion I haven’t felt before.
“Afternoon, Mr. Torrisi, I’m Edward Pembroke. Thank you for choosing our store to spoil your daughter. We’d be honored to close the top floor for you and bring your daughter whatever her heart desires,” a man says, and my attention is pulled away from Simi.
Georgi points at the castle. “Start with that.” As the manager moves to walk toward Simi, Georgi catches him by the arm and shakes his head. “No men go near my child.”
“I understand, sir.” Mr. Pembroke gestures to the female attendant to come closer. “Madeline will assist your daughter.”
“Madeline will assist Nina. Our daughter doesn’t speak English.” Georgi corrects the manager before walking to Simi. He looks ridiculously big as he maneuvers through the display to get to her. “They’ll bring the castle to you,malkata mi printsesa.We’re going upstairs because that’s where princesses do their shopping.”
“Really?” Her little legs kick with excitement as she glances around at all the toys with sparkling eyes. “There’s so much, Georgi.”
Hearing the awe in her voice makes my eyes burn with unshed tears.
“This way, Nina,” Madeline says, a friendly smile on her face. “Would you and your husband like anything to drink?”
I shake my head, and not knowing how to correct her, I keep quiet and just return her smile.
Holy shit, is this really happening right now?
Chapter 22
Nina
I’m sweating from all the exercise I’m getting in as I follow Simi around like a shadow.
My child has been shopping for two hours, and I don’t see her stopping anytime soon.
