Read Online Secret Paradise (Kimani Romance) by Dara Girard - Free Book Online
Authors: Dara Girard
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this place. If you want to mess with staff, find someone else’s.”
“But you choose the best,” he teased.
Lucian found no humor in his brother’s remark. He lifted his shirt sleeve, baring his scars. “Let me be a lesson to you. Don’t be fooled by a pretty face and a soft body. She doesn’t see you. She sees a ticket out. A target. She’ll use your heart against you and come between us. Don’t let that happen. Stay away, little brother.”
“Not every woman is like Alana.”
Lucian rolled down his sleeve. “I know.” He met his brother’s gaze. “Some are worse.”
Kay hated having to take the mysterious phone calls by the cove at night, but her contact gave her no choice. She stood and heard a motorboat that went back and forth between the mainland and the island, and then she heard the call of a night bird. When her phone rang, she jumped, then answered and heard the disguised voice on the other end.
“The designer’s staying ten days,” the voice said.
“I know. I heard.”
“But she may not last that long.”
“She’s not like the rest.”
“That’s good. She may be useful to us. Did you do as I asked you?”
“Yes, but don’t you think it’s risky with another person here?”
“No, it’s even better.”
“But if she sees me—”
“Make sure she doesn’t.”
“I’m always careful, but with another person around, it could make things complicated.”
“Not if you do what you’re told. Having her here will make things harder for Kontos. He can’t keep track of everything and this designer is perfect. Have you looked at her?”
“Yes. I just don’t think—”
“I’m the one who thinks, not you. Don’t back out on me and don’t disappoint me.”
Chapter 7
A piercing scream shot through Nikki’s pleasant dream that night and startled her awake. She blinked in the darkness, then reached for her lamp. Bright light flooded the room, eradicating the darkness, but the screams continued. She grabbed a robe and rushed into the hallway, nearly knocking over Kay.
“What’s happening?” she asked as the other woman rushed down the hall.
“It’s just Callia.”
Nikki followed Kay into Callia’s bedroom and saw the young woman twisting and turning in a bed so large, she appeared as small as a six-year-old child. She moved as if her bedsheets were trying to strangle her. Her face was wet with sweat; her eyes squeezed shut as though she were in mental anguish. Kay stood next to the bed and raised her hand to slap her.
Nikki grabbed her arm. “Don’t you dare do that.”
Kay looked at Nikki, anxious and confused. “I always do it this way. It will help her get out of her nightmare.”
Nikki looked at her with disgust. “There’s another way to do it. A kinder, less violent way.”
Kay yanked her arm away. “Let me do my job! I know her better than you do.”
Nikki shoved her aside. “I will not let you slap this child.”
“He’s dead!” Callia screamed. “She killed him.”
“You’re letting her suffer,” Kay said, waving her hands.
Nikki took one of Callia’s shoulders. “He’s all right, Callia. He’s right here.”
“She’s come to kill him,” she said, tears escaping from under her eyelids. “Now he’s dead and I saw her!”
“No, he’s safe in bed. Just like you. You’re safe.” Nikki shook Callia awake. “Open your eyes. It’s all a dream.”
Callia’s eyes slowly fluttered open, but Nikki knew she wasn’t with them. She kept her voice calm. “He’s safe.”
“He’s safe? But I saw her here. She was standing in the main room with me, wearing the—” Callia shook her head. “She’s come back and the fire—”
“She’s still in a dream state,” Kay interrupted, clearly annoyed and angry. “You’re not helping.”
“Leave her to me,” Nikki snapped.
“Mr. Kontos won’t like this.”
“Well, he’s not here to complain right now, so be quiet.”
“The child is mad. She lost her mind that
“But you choose the best,” he teased.
Lucian found no humor in his brother’s remark. He lifted his shirt sleeve, baring his scars. “Let me be a lesson to you. Don’t be fooled by a pretty face and a soft body. She doesn’t see you. She sees a ticket out. A target. She’ll use your heart against you and come between us. Don’t let that happen. Stay away, little brother.”
“Not every woman is like Alana.”
Lucian rolled down his sleeve. “I know.” He met his brother’s gaze. “Some are worse.”
Kay hated having to take the mysterious phone calls by the cove at night, but her contact gave her no choice. She stood and heard a motorboat that went back and forth between the mainland and the island, and then she heard the call of a night bird. When her phone rang, she jumped, then answered and heard the disguised voice on the other end.
“The designer’s staying ten days,” the voice said.
“I know. I heard.”
“But she may not last that long.”
“She’s not like the rest.”
“That’s good. She may be useful to us. Did you do as I asked you?”
“Yes, but don’t you think it’s risky with another person here?”
“No, it’s even better.”
“But if she sees me—”
“Make sure she doesn’t.”
“I’m always careful, but with another person around, it could make things complicated.”
“Not if you do what you’re told. Having her here will make things harder for Kontos. He can’t keep track of everything and this designer is perfect. Have you looked at her?”
“Yes. I just don’t think—”
“I’m the one who thinks, not you. Don’t back out on me and don’t disappoint me.”
Chapter 7
A piercing scream shot through Nikki’s pleasant dream that night and startled her awake. She blinked in the darkness, then reached for her lamp. Bright light flooded the room, eradicating the darkness, but the screams continued. She grabbed a robe and rushed into the hallway, nearly knocking over Kay.
“What’s happening?” she asked as the other woman rushed down the hall.
“It’s just Callia.”
Nikki followed Kay into Callia’s bedroom and saw the young woman twisting and turning in a bed so large, she appeared as small as a six-year-old child. She moved as if her bedsheets were trying to strangle her. Her face was wet with sweat; her eyes squeezed shut as though she were in mental anguish. Kay stood next to the bed and raised her hand to slap her.
Nikki grabbed her arm. “Don’t you dare do that.”
Kay looked at Nikki, anxious and confused. “I always do it this way. It will help her get out of her nightmare.”
Nikki looked at her with disgust. “There’s another way to do it. A kinder, less violent way.”
Kay yanked her arm away. “Let me do my job! I know her better than you do.”
Nikki shoved her aside. “I will not let you slap this child.”
“He’s dead!” Callia screamed. “She killed him.”
“You’re letting her suffer,” Kay said, waving her hands.
Nikki took one of Callia’s shoulders. “He’s all right, Callia. He’s right here.”
“She’s come to kill him,” she said, tears escaping from under her eyelids. “Now he’s dead and I saw her!”
“No, he’s safe in bed. Just like you. You’re safe.” Nikki shook Callia awake. “Open your eyes. It’s all a dream.”
Callia’s eyes slowly fluttered open, but Nikki knew she wasn’t with them. She kept her voice calm. “He’s safe.”
“He’s safe? But I saw her here. She was standing in the main room with me, wearing the—” Callia shook her head. “She’s come back and the fire—”
“She’s still in a dream state,” Kay interrupted, clearly annoyed and angry. “You’re not helping.”
“Leave her to me,” Nikki snapped.
“Mr. Kontos won’t like this.”
“Well, he’s not here to complain right now, so be quiet.”
“The child is mad. She lost her mind that
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