by Girard, Dara
“Good,” Nikki said, starting to walk again. Over the past several years she’d become invested in Lucian’s recovery. She’d been just as thankful as J.D. and Monica that he’d pulled through.
“This isn’t a physical problem. It’s his house. He’s been able to rebuild, but the interior is a problem.”
“I’m there,” Nikki said without hesitation. This was the answer to her problems. She knew it. Already a sense of excitement had replaced her restlessness.
“You haven’t let me finish.”
“You don’t need to finish,” Nikki said, picking up her pace. If she were five years old, she would start to skip. “You need me to help him design his place, and I’m up to the challenge.”
“I’m glad, but there are a few things you should know.”
“I’ll find out when I get there.”
Monica hesitated. “He’s not the easiest man to work with. Especially now. He uses a cane and J.D. says he can be very impatient and domineering.”
Nikki brushed her sister’s concerns aside. “I’ve dealt with that type before. Don’t worry about me. I need a change and this is just the kind of project I was waiting for. Nothing can stop me from seizing this opportunity. Give me the details when I get home. I’ll call you.”
“But—”
“Bye.” Nikki hung up the phone and released a little squeal of delight. This project was just what she needed. She’d finally get a chance to see inside the elusive Lucian Kontos’s island mansion and meet the man. She wasn’t sure which intrigued her more.
“Nikki!”
She spun around at the sound of her name and saw Benjamin running toward her. He was the kind of man who looked good in front of a camera and behind it. He had an easy smile and a great body. He moved with practiced grace, which made you feel comfortable around him. He was also the kind of man who was easy to say yes to, which was why Nikki hadn’t broken up with him months ago.
“I’m so glad I found you,” he said, giving her a quick hug.
Nikki stared at him, stunned, and annoyed that he felt and smelled so good. Whatever he asked her, she had to say no. “What are you doing here?”
“I was in the area when I called and I spoke to Abby and she told me you’d gone for a walk. I thought you’d end up here, but I wasn’t sure.”
Damn. Even her walks were routine. “Benjamin,” she said slowly. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m doing what I should have done years ago.” He got down on one knee. “Nikki—”
She tugged on his sleeve. “Get up. Don’t do this,” she said as some passersby stared.
“Marry me.”
Nikki knelt in front of him. “I don’t want to get married. I just got a great assignment and that’s where my focus is right now. My career.”
“We don’t have to get married right away.”
“Benjamin.”
He seized her shoulders. “I don’t want to lose what we have. It wasn’t until this moment that I realized how much you mean to me.” His brown eyes melted into hers. “Please say yes.”
Saying yes to him had always been so easy. It had also been fun. She’d never regretted a moment. He was a good man. Could she get a better one? Could she find someone else who allowed her to have her own life? Who didn’t make demands on her time? Was it right to break up something just because she was bored? Maybe she was being too hasty. Just say yes. “Yes,” she said, but the moment she did, her answer felt wrong. She didn’t have the courage to take it back.
He kissed her. “I love you. We’ll make each other happy.” He grabbed her hand and slipped on a ring.
“Benjamin, wait,” she said, amazed by the large stone. “I may have—”
“I know it’s a big decision, but we’ll make it work.”
“How much did this cost you?”
“Doesn’t matter. You’re worth it, and I’ll spend the rest of my life telling you so.”
“This is all happening so fast.” She started to take the ring off. “I can’t say yes to this. Let me think some more.”
Benjamin covered her hand. “No pressure. Just think of it as a gift and nothing else. I want you to wear it so that wherever you go, you’ll think of me.”
Nikki grinned. “Is that all?”
“No.” His tone grew serious. “I want other men to know who your heart belongs to.”
Her heart. Did her heart really belong to him? Had it ever belonged to anyone? It didn’t matter. At least it was a change in their relationship, taking it to a deeper level, and she had to appreciate that. She wanted to tell him so, but her thoughts drifted to new island adventures, which she knew was her answer to everything.
Monica hung up the phone and stared at her husband, who was giving their son, Markos, named after the doctor who’d helped save Lucian’s life, a piggyback ride, while their daughter, Starla, busied herself with her coloring book.
“Well, that was fast,” J.D. said, surprised.
“She said she would do it.”
“Did you tell her about—”
Monica shook her head and clasped her hands. “She wouldn’t let me explain anything. She agreed before I even asked the question.”
“So she doesn’t know about—”
Monica shook her head again. “J.D., she doesn’t care, and when Nikki wants something, nothing else matters. She’s ready to do this.”
“She’s going to be in for a big surprise.”
“Nikki can handle Lucian. I hope he can handle her.”
J.D. grinned. “Lucian can handle anything.”
“Did we just mix dynamite with gunpowder?”
J.D.’s grin grew. “All we can do is sit back and watch the fireworks.”
Chapter 3
Yes, this was paradise. Nikki stood on the balcony, a slight breeze blowing the white cotton skirt she wore. It blended with the top she’d gotten from a local woman on the mainland. She’d stopped there for the day and roamed the market to get a feel of the culture. She saw some of the women wearing white skirts and patterned tops and asked one of them where she could purchase a similar outfit. The old lady in the store looked at Nikki, confused, so speaking in broken Greek and with a flash of money, she was able to make her request understood. The woman took the money, while still shaking her head, but left and came back with the two items Nikki wanted.
Nikki didn’t care that the woman thought she was odd. She liked the loose-fitting style and wanted to feel a part of the land and culture and immerse herself in it. That meant shedding her typical New York clothes for bright colors and soft cotton fabrics that let her skin breathe. She turned her face to the warmth of the sun, which sat high in the cloudless blue sky. She loved the consistent warm weather, as well as the silence around her. She could actually hear her heart beating. There were no car fumes, flashing traffic lights or pounding footsteps on concrete.
The journey had been long, but she’d been treated like a queen—from her ride in Kontos’s private jet to the luxury hotel on the mainland, where she stayed for a night until arrangements for transportation to the island could be made. There were only two ways to reach it: by boat or by helicopter. She’d first spotted the mansion as she sailed high over the water. As they approached the island, it came into view, the greenery seeming to make way for the soaring cliffs and the majestic structure, which appeared like a magical castle created out of the rock by a bolt of lightning from the gods. It was both wild and tamed, elegant and frightening. Nikki instantly fell in love.
She had never been in love before but could imagine these were the symptoms—racing heartbeat, breathlessness, a feeling as if she could float on a cloud. Yes, she was in love and she never wanted to come down. She stared at the magnificent structure with lust. There were so many things she could do. A feeling of rightness settled over her.
A driver met her once the helicopter had landed, and drove her to the mansion, which was even more amazing when seen from the ground, with its vine-laden steel balcony rail
ings and sconces. This was where she was meant to be. When she was a little girl, she’d seen a postcard of a castle in Spain and imagined decorating every room. This was that dream coming true. Nikki rested her arms on the balcony railing and looked out at the landscape, spotting other villas along the cliffs and some down near the water. The wind carried the scent of the sea, which mingled with the aroma of fresh flowers. The island was a study in tranquility, but she couldn’t say the same for the house. Once she’d stepped inside, she felt an emptiness. Despite the elaborately decorated hallways, the rooms she was hustled past were bare and sat neglected, with the eeriness of an empty tomb. Although the house had been rebuilt, there seemed to be a dark energy of melancholy that still lingered.
However, someone had taken care to make sure that her room was comfortable, with its expansive poster bed covered with expensive bedsheets and silk pillows, but that same care and attention hadn’t gone into the rest of the house. She hadn’t met the owner yet or Callia, but Nikki wasn’t concerned. She knew there was plenty of time for that. She could just roam about a bit and get ideas.
Nikki had started to turn from the balcony when she glanced down and saw a man running, then another, followed by a third. Their movement and expressions told her that something was wrong. She went to the hallway and saw one of the household staff frantically grabbing a blanket.
“What’s wrong?” she asked her.
“I don’t know. I just have to get these,” the woman said. Then her small, wiry figure hurried down the stairs and out the door.
Nikki followed. She wasn’t as nimble as the woman as they made their way through the dense brush. Suddenly, the woman stopped and Nikki saw a crowd of people looking down into what appeared to be a tunnel. She glanced up and saw a man standing a few feet away. His back was turned to the excitement. Aside from his apparent disinterest, he was a hard figure to miss, dressed in light khaki trousers and an orange shirt, his hand gripping a wooden cane. But he leaned on it as if he didn’t really need it. He wasn’t what she’d expected. For a man who shied away from cameras, he looked like he would relish the attention.
Nikki walked over to him and then noticed the young woman by his side. She fit Monica’s description of Callia. An older woman stood beside her and cast Nikki a curious glance but remained quiet.
“Mr. Kontos?” Nikki said, prepared to introduce herself.
He turned around.
Nikki blinked. He was beautiful. Exquisite. An Adonis dipped in honey. Every line of his face was perfection.
She held out her hand. “I’m Nikki Dupree.”
He gave her hand a firm handshake and flashed a beautiful smile. “We were wondering when you’d get here. Sorry we didn’t meet you at the house, but there’s been an incident with one of the caves.”
“Caves?” Nikki said with a frown. “It looks like a tunnel to me.”
“This island is full of underground caves and tunnels, so be careful. Don’t go and explore them, or you could end up dropping six feet down and could find yourself being swept out into the sea.”
Nikki turned back to the crowd. “Is that what this is about? Someone fell in?”
“Yes,” Callia said.
Kontos rolled his eyes. “Not someone. Something. Pauline. That’s Callia’s kitten.”
“She threw her in,” Callia said.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” Kontos said in an indulgent tone.
Callia scowled. “She hated cats.”
“And she’s not here. Don’t make things up.”
“I’m not making it up.”
“Who are you talking about?” Nikki asked.
“The ghost,” Callia replied.
Kontos waved his hand. “Ignore her.”
“But I saw—”
“Quiet.”
Callia shifted from one foot to the other. “Please let me go close and see—”
“No,” the woman beside her said. “You’re to stay right here.”
“But—”
“Listen to Kay,” Kontos said.
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Callia grumbled.
Nikki looked at the other woman, who was heavyset, with a nervous energy. Her eyes shifted back and forth, as if they didn’t know where to settle. Callia was going on fifteen now. That seemed old enough for her to look after herself. Why would she have a babysitter?
Nikki was about to ask why Callia thought someone had thrown her cat in when the young woman pointed with excitement.
“Look!”
Nikki turned and saw a massive form appear out of the cave—a head first, then gigantic forearms covered with muck and mud. Nikki gasped, remembering a horror film she’d once seen as a child about a swamp creature that had terrified a town. She knew he was a man, but he didn’t look like one. He resembled some dark creature of brutish strength rising from the underworld. He had a large gash, with a thin stream of blood running from it, on the side of his head, and his cream shirt and dark trousers were soaking wet. But there was still something captivating about him that kept her gaze transfixed. He rested on his knees and reached inside his shirt and pulled out a little object. It looked like a drowned rat, but Nikki guessed it was Pauline. It lay lifeless on the ground.
“Poor thing,” Kontos said with a sad shake of his head.
Callia cried out in despair and escaped his reassuring grasp. She pushed through the crowd and fell on her knees beside the body. “She killed her.”
The other man silently picked up the kitten and blew into its mouth and nose and pumped its chest. It gasped, then threw up water, but remained limp in his large hands. The man began to rub it.
“What the hell is he doing?” Kontos said.
Nikki knew, but she also knew that his hands were too large to perform the delicate task. She pushed through the small crowd and took the kitten from him. She didn’t know if he spoke English or not, but she didn’t feel in the mood to explain herself. She knelt in front of him and rubbed the kitten, then shook it up and down. Come on, she silently prayed, hoping that she was doing it right. She’d once seen Monica’s friend Treena, a veterinarian, do this on a runt puppy. Slowly she felt life returning, and the kitten opened its eyes and released a weak cry.
“You saved her!” Callia said, giving Nikki a quick hug. She kissed the other man on the cheek, took an offered towel and wrapped the kitten, then raced away. Kontos handed the man the wooden cane.
The man turned to Nikki. “Thanks for all your help,” he said softly. He had ruggedly handsome features, ink-black hair, compelling green eyes, a hard mouth, and slowly a realization surfaced. Yes, this was the type of man who would stay in the shadows, who would shy away from photographs. His commanding stance was a clear indication that he was a man of power, used to having people follow his orders. She saw scars on his arm and another on his neck. This must be Lucian.
Nikki stared at him, knowing she should say something, but unable to get her lips to move. This was the man her sister had spoken about in such glowing terms? It had been a strange first encounter. Even though she couldn’t speak, she forced her mouth into a smile.
That effort caught his attention and his piercing emerald eyes turned to her. “You must be the goddess Artemis,” he said, his beautifully accented voice now taking on a husky tone. “You’ve made a young girl very happy. I know that it’s customary to worship at your feet, but please allow me this one little exception.” He drew her close and kissed her.
Nikki was too surprised to protest and expected to be disgusted by his bold action, but she wasn’t. His mouth, which she’d only seconds ago thought hard, was as supple and sweet as melted caramel. Then, too soon, it was over, and he drew away, leaving her lips warm and tingling.
“Thank you,” he said, his eyes blazing. “I’ll make sure to get you a new uniform.”
Nikki blinked. Her voice hoarse, she said, “Uniform?”
“Yes, your clothes are ruined.”
Nikki glanced down at her blouse and skirt,
which were covered in mud and muck. “Oh, that’s okay. It was all for a good cause.”
He stiffened, surprised. “You’re American?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you might be—” He stopped and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Maybe I should make some introductions,” the other man she’d mistaken for Lucian said, amused. “I’m Basilio, Lucian’s brother.”
Lucian kept his gaze on her. “It’s rare to have an American working here.” He shrugged. “But the economy is so bad, people get work where they can. Where are you staying?”
“Here,” Nikki said.
“On the island?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
She gestured to the mansion. “At the house.”
He rested a hand on his chest. “My house?”
“Yes.”
He tilted his head to the side. “I thought I’d seen you before. There’s something familiar about you. We must have met in passing?”
“No, but you met my sister, Monica Rozan.”
His face split into a warm smile. “Yes, that’s it. I see the resemblance.”
“Few people do.”
“Then they are blind.”
Nikki blushed and looked away.
“What brings you to the island?”
Basilio broke in. “Why don’t you get changed first, then talk?”
Nikki frowned. “I came because of you.”
Lucian raised a dark eyebrow. “Me?”
Basilio shivered. “Don’t you think it’s gotten a little chilly? We should go inside.”
Nikki ignored him. “Yes, to design a few rooms for you.”
Lucian sent his brother a hooded glance. “Yes, the rooms,” he said in an odd tone, the warmth in his gaze swiftly disappearing. “I’d forgotten about them. Let me change. Then we’ll talk. Excuse me.” He walked away.
Nikki felt her heart sinking as she watched him go. “He didn’t know I was coming.”
“No,” Basilio said quickly, keeping his voice light. “As he said, he just forgot.”
“He’s not the type of man to forget anything. He didn’t expect me to be here.” She turned to Basilio. “What’s going on?”
