Secret Paradise (Kimani Romance) by Dara Girard Page A

mainland to take care of some work.”
    “No,” Callia said with a fierce shake of her head. “Uncle Lucian sent us away because he knew she would come.”
    “You don’t know that,” Basilio said in a harsh tone.
    “Yes, I do. No one was in the house. No one else talked about escaping the fire. That means that everyone was sent away. Uncle was all alone.”
    “But you didn’t know that then.”
    “I knew something wasn’t right. I wanted to go back, but you didn’t let me.”
    “But you went back, anyway,” Basilio said. “And Lucian still blames me for that.”
    “I swear I don’t know how it happened. I went to sleep and then woke up in the house.”
    “He suspects someone drugged us and took Callia back.”
    “Us?” said Nikki.
    “Yes, I have a shaky memory of that night.” Basilio turned away to look at the sea, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. “There’s no use looking back. Alana was the cause of the fire and she’s gone for good. Now there’s nothing to worry about.”
    Nikki wanted to believe him, but the look on Callia’s face made her question his blasé attitude. She sensed there was more to the story than he was telling her. But she didn’t want to spoil the day.
    “I’m sure you’re right,” she said.
    “I know I am,” Basilio said with a broad smile. “Let’s go below deck and get some lunch.”
    Lunch was a welcomed diversion that consisted of a Greek salad; imam bayildi , or stuffed eggplant; and tomato pilaf—the fresh tomatoes lending a lovely pink hue to the rice—which were accompanied by more greens, yogurt cucumber sauce and smoked fish in almond sauce. One look at the appetizing feast wiped away Nikki’s nagging thoughts. After the filling meal, Nikki returned to the sundeck and closed her eyes. But when she did, she saw Lucian’s face, and behind him a fire roared.

Chapter 9
    S he was his dream and his torment, Lucian thought as he stood at his bedroom window and gazed down at Nikki, who stood on her balcony, looking sublimely serene and beautiful. For an instant he imagined showering her with rose petals, being beside her and gathering her close, pressing his mouth to hers, but he let those thoughts quickly fade away, knowing he could never be close to her. He saw her lift her head and take a deep breath and imagined her inhaling the scent of the sea and the fragrance of the flowers around her. Lucian briefly closed his eyes and imagined saying her name in the manner he wished to—as her lover. Nikki. My darling Nikki.
    He opened his eyes and saw her turn her head, but he knew it was from the sound of the breeze whispering through the leaves, not because of him. She’d never answer to his call. He glanced down at his scarred hand, seeing its deformed ugliness. How could he have thought to reveal himself to her?
    She created beauty. Was beauty. All she could offer him were apologies and pity. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—let himself get close again. Seared in his memory were the sound of her aborted scream and how she’d recoiled from his touch. At that moment he’d wanted to feel her soft skin against his even more. To have her desire him as a woman desired a man. But he’d been foolish to dream—foolish to hope. He’d been without a woman too long, Lucian tried to convince himself, and she’d just triggered a weakness. That was all. She was just a brief infatuation. She had to be.
    Keeping her away not only kept him safe, but it kept her safe, too. He knew there was more to the night of the fire, and he was getting close to exacting his revenge. But there were still more things to do, and one more puzzle piece to uncover. No, he could pay to have a woman pretend to find him handsome and alluring, pay to keep her face from curling in disgust. He knew money could purchase a lot of things, and he also knew what his money couldn’t buy. Lucian pressed his hand against the window and gazed at Nikki one more time before he turned away.
    Basilio lay in