Part 9 (2/2)
In her mind's eye, she saw a happy couple curled up romantically in front of the stone fireplace. She tried to smother the ugly, bile-inducing images of Kira and Mike laughing, touching, kissing, but they continued blinking inside her head as vividly as the lightning flas.h.i.+ng outside the house.
She shook her head, berating herself for wasting energy on such thoughts. A nervous breakdown must be heading her way. Rather than worrying about being tied up in some strange house with no one knowing of her whereabouts, she was consumed by a ferocious jealousy. If one of her hands was free, she'd use it to slap herself out of it.
There were windows everywhere, and Nicole could see that the rain had finally begun to fall, large, heavy drops that splattered violently against the huge panes of gla.s.s. Over the sound of the rain, she heard what sounded like a garage door opening and a car door slamming shut. Nervously, she bit her bottom lip as a wave of fear swept through her.
It wasn't Kira she was afraid of, but rather her response to seeing her. She'd fought her emotions the entire week, torn between despising the deceitful woman and falling in love with her.
Chapter Fifteen.
”We meet again.”
Nicole lifted her head and felt her breath catch in her throat. If possible, Kira was even more beautiful than she remembered. She looked ethereal, almost unreal in the dim light. She was dressed in a simple white cotton sundress that revealed the suntanned length of her legs, her silky blond hair stylishly windblown from the stormy weather.
”Far too soon for me,” Nicole spat defiantly, despite the fact that every atom in her body seemed to explode with a quiet elation.
”You're angry.” The beginning of a smile tipped the corner of Kira's pink lips as she tucked a wave of hair behind one ear. ”And here I was hoping you might be happy to see me.”
”Happy? I was never as happy as the day I left Kenya and thought I'd seen the last of you,” Nicole heard herself reply viciously. She had to be careful. Thou doth protest too much, an inner voice warned.
”Surely you didn't think I'd let you go so easily.” Kira looked at her intently. ”Not when I knew you would lead me to exactly what I've been searching for.” She sauntered nonchalantly into the room, stopping mere inches in front of Nicole. ”I see Bogie and Stella felt it necessary to tie you up?”
”Yeah, right. As if you didn't order them to do it.”
Kira's eyes slid to the key on the table. ”I'd free you, but I'm beginning to see the wisdom of their decision.” Her expression turned stern. ”You can save us both a lot of time and unnecessary anguish by simply telling me what it is you found in the safe deposit box. C'mon, Nicole,” Kira reached out, gently cupping Nicole's chin in her hand and searching her upturned face, ”what was in it?”
Nicole tried to breathe.
Kira's proximity and touch was overwhelming. For the first time since leaving the hidden bunker in the hills of Mount Kenya, Nicole felt alive again. It was as if her soul had been closeted in some cold, dark abyss and was now free to drink in the abundant warmth of the sun.
”If it's a contest of wills you want, so be it,” Kira said, dropping her hand and retreating a few steps backward. ”But you'll lose. I'm quite a skilled interrogator, and I warn you now, I won't play fair.”
”That I can believe.”
Kira seemed amused. She turned her back and Nicole watched as she slid her sandals from her feet before falling gracefully into one of the leather sofa's thick cus.h.i.+ons. ”You've a very low opinion of me.”
”Need you ask why?” Nicole tugged at her handcuffs to remind the woman that she was being held against her will. ”Never mind the fact you've kidnapped me twice now, what you did to my mother was horrible!”
Kira looked bewildered.
”The letters from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the numerous bank notices. Preying upon a widow? That's pretty low, even for you!”
Kira chose to ignore the allegation altogether. ”Just tell me what you found, Nicole. We don't have much time.”
Nicole recalled Stella yelling those exact words at Bogie before she got into the helicopter. ”What's the rush? Are the feds after you?” She watched for a reaction but there was nothing. ”Forget it, Kira. No matter what you and your people do to me, I'm never going to tell you anything.”
”My people?” Kira questioned with a raised brow, lifting her feet off the floor and propping them atop the iron and wood coffee table juxtaposed between the fireplace and sofa. ”You make it sound as if I'm part of the mafia.”
”I know you're not working undercover for the government like you've claimed to be.”
”Really? And please tell me just how it is you've arrived at that conclusion?”
”No federal employee would ever be able to afford a place like this.” Her brown eyes darted around the room. ”And no government agency would authorize this type of commando operation.”
”Ah yes, I forget you're still living in the blissfully naive two-dimensional world of textbook and theory.” Kira's mouth twisted wryly. ”Do you want me to call Amnesty International and report my misdeeds?”
”I'd prefer you call the police. You and your husband belong in jail.” Nicole tossed a lock of dark curls away from her face. ”By the way, Mike mentioned it was you I had to thank for the scenic tour I received before I left. Glad I got to see something of Africa after blowing almost four thousand nonrefundable dollars”-she paused at each syllable and raised her voice to give the number more weight-”for an interns.h.i.+p I didn't get to even start, let alone complete. So, thank you.”
”Husband?” That perfect mouth broke into a wide, white smile and Nicole hated herself for being captivated by it.
”Studly Do-Right? The human Ken doll? Whatever.” Her gaze went to the pictures atop the mantel. ”You'd think you would've remembered to remove anything of a personal nature before bringing me here. Although I'm surprised someone as cold as you even has someone who cares about her.”
Kira rose from the sofa in one fluid motion. She stretched her arms wide, stifling a yawn. Nicole watched her smooth feminine biceps go taut and again wondered how long ago it was they'd flown in from Kenya-all three of them had that worn, jet-lagged look.
”Oh, Nicole, I do admire your wild imagination.” Kira's movements were languid and relaxed like an advancing cat's as she slowly moved toward her. Lightning shattered the night sky and the lights powered off and on. They both stared at each other until Nicole had to break the spell by looking away.
”Do you think I would have kissed you the other night,” Kira's blue eyes were now a shade darker and fixed unwaveringly upon Nicole's lips, ”if I was married or otherwise romantically involved?”
Nicole felt her mouth throb and tingle, but she cleared her throat, pretending not to be affected. ”I think you'd do just about anything to get what you're after.”
Kira's gaze moved from Nicole's lips to roll lazily down the creamy expanse of collarbone the yellow blouse she was wearing revealed. ”My actions have always been in line with my code of ethics.”
”You act as if you have morals.”
”I have more than some people.”
”And just who might they be? Hitler? Saddam Hussein?” Nicole boldly challenged her, her tone heavy with sarcasm.
”Your girlfriend, for one.”
”Girlfriend?”
”I see you could hardly wait to make contact with Danielle Taylor,” Kira cast a withering glare at Nicole. ”You're in over your head with that one.”
”You're still listening in?”
”Never stopped.”
”And I suppose you'll tell me again that the Patriot Act ent.i.tles you to commit acts that are blatantly unconst.i.tutional?”
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