Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 426(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Mercifully, the little girl seems oblivious to the danger a woman with oddly identical features is facing. She wiggles to get out of her mother’s captor’s hold before racing across the room that’s so stifling hot, I’m sweating as much now as I was when I woke up on the floor of my room in a pool of blood.
“дядя.”
I don’t understand the word the little girl speaks, but I’m reasonably sure it isn’t Father. Master Rudd had many children. None of them referenced him that way.
My heart pains for Lera when she is demanded to let go of Ghost’s leg. “Now, Lera!” When she fails to pay Kirill any attention, he orders one of his goons to move in.
“Touch her again, and I will kill you.” Ghost’s growled words leave no room for argument. He means every word he speaks, and it has me confident I am on the right team.
Against the pleasure of his boss, the goon steps back from Ghost with his hands raised in the air.
I realize part of Ghost’s threat is for me when he gathers up Lera then uses his spare hand to guide me out of the room. He mumbles several curse words under his breath during the seemingly long walk back to my room.
Once we enter, he places Lera down, then shuts the door. “My left pocket,” he murmurs in Russian.
Lera’s adorable face lights up before she rushes for Ghost’s jacket hanging over the couch.
“Do you always walk around with jellybeans in your pocket?” I ask when she pulls out four small packets.
He waits for the color on Lera’s cheeks to cool a smidge before replying, “I do when home. Lera is diabetic. Stress can cause her sugar levels to drop.”
He shifts on his feet to face me head-on when I ask, “Who is she to you?”
“She is my niece.” I peer at him weirdly when a smirk I haven’t seen him wear once the past four months notches his lips high before he nudges his head to the mattress. “Bed.” My groan isn’t audible, but Ghost hears it. “Now, маленький ягненок.” It dawns on me that his bossy nature is how he shows he cares when he snaps out to Lera, “One more, then put them away. Слишком много сладостей заставит ваш желудок урчать, как медведь.”
I slant my head to hide my smile with my hair when Lera pleads, “Two?” She holds two fingers in the air to amplify her request. “And one for Mama.” I’m a stranger, yet I still recognize her lie a mile away. Her eyes are as gluttonous now as mine were months ago.
When Ghost dips his chin, she digs through the bags of candy until she finds three pink jellybeans, then she stuffs the bags back into his pockets and skips to my side of the bed. She peers at me in silent question before twisting her torso to interrogate her uncle in the same manner.
“Katie, this is Lera.” After tugging her closer to my bed, Ghost adds, “Lera, this is Katie.” His accent is thicker when he says Lera’s name. “She is…”
When words elude him, I say, “Pleased to meet you.” When I offer her my hand to shake, she leaps onto my bed and throws her tiny arms around my neck.
Her hug melts my heart and pricks my eyes with tears.
It is the kindest gift I’ve been given over the past eight years.
“Thank you,” I murmur when she hands me one of her jellybeans. “But I thought that was for your mama?”
I realize her English isn’t as strong as Ghost’s when she shifts her eyes to him so he can translate what I said. When he does, she pops one jellybean in her mouth before tightening her grip on the remaining one.
“Oh, we’re sharing?” She can’t understand me, but my tone alone gets her nodding. “Okay.” While ignoring the tears welling in my eyes, I slip the jellybean between my lips and moan like it is the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted.
It very well could be.
“Yum.”
Lera giggles like the small child she is before turning her begging eyes to her uncle.
“One more,” he concedes only two pleading beats later.
I’m out of line with my questioning, but with it being the only thing taking my mind off my thumping head and aching insides, I run with it. “Where is her father?” It is obvious Ghost is her only male role model, so it has me curious as to where her father went.
“He is here,” Ghost answers, his focus not on me. “But he doesn’t want her.” He returns his eyes to me. “He doesn’t want daughters.”
Putting two and two together, I murmur, “Kirill.”
Ghost doesn’t answer me, but his stiff jaw tells me everything I need to know.
The already stuffy conditions grow worse when he asks, “Did he do tests as stated?”