Nykyrian pushed Kiara into the house. Curiously, she glanced about the main room. A child sat on the floor, looking up at them with large, lum inous green eyes. Her eyes widened even m ore as she studied Nykyrian, and she clutched her rag doll to her chest.
"I'm not dangerous," he said in a gentle voice, brushing his fingers over the girl's hair in a way that made Kiara yearn to tell him about their child.
The girl looked to her mother for confirmation.
"He's a good m an, Thia. Now run along to your room ."
The girl shot from the floor like a doom squad was hot on her heels. Kiara frowned, wondering why a child so young would be that afraid of strangers.
Driana held her hand out to the couch. "You two have a seat, and I'll go get the disks."
Kiara didn't move. Instead, she watched the odd way Nykyrian stared after the little girl.
"How old is she, Driana?" Nykyrian faced the woman with a stern frown.
Kiara wondered at the strange em otion darkening his face. Driana shifted uncomfortably under his stare. "Is she mine?" he asked and Kiara felt her world tilt.
Kiara's eyes widened as she looked back at Driana, and the beautiful grace ingrained in the woman's face and mannerisms.
"No," Driana replied.
Nykyrian sighed. "You never could lie worth a dam n. Your nose always crinkles."
Self-consciously, Driana rubbed her fingers across the bridge of her nose. Tears gathered in Driana's eyes as she looked back at Nykyrian. "Thia knows Aksel isn't her father. I couldn't bear the thought of her calling him Papa."
Nykyrian met Kiara's gaze. What she wouldn't give to know what thoughts were playing through his mind. For that matter, she wished she could sort through her own feelings about this discovery.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Nykyrian asked, his voice brittle.
Anger clouded Driana's eyes. "To what purpose? After what your father did to you when he found out we were lovers, I didn't dare tell anyone I was pregnant. I still have nightmares over the beating you received." She rubbed her arms and looked at the floor.
"Aksel isn't sure you're the father. He suspects. I have no idea what he'd do to her if he ever learned the truth."
"Is she why you asked me here?"
Driana glanced at Kiara. "Who is she?"
"My wife."
Kiara jumped in alarm, surprised he would bother claim ing her after the way he'd treated her since he saved her at the station.
Driana nodded glumly, tears spilling down her cheeks. "No wonder Aksel's been trying to get to her. He raved all night because he couldn't get her yesterday."
Kiara wanted to say something to make everything better, to soothe some of the pain in Driana's voice, but couldn't think of anything that wouldn't sound patronizing.
"Can I spend time with Thia?" Nykyrian asked, picking up a picture of his daughter from the low table.
Driana wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I would like that. Aksel has her afraid of everything. He reminds me so much of your father." Driana broke off into a sob. "I think I might be able to arrange something in a week or so." She faced Kiara. "That is, if you don't mind."
Kiara glanced at Nykyrian who was studying her intently. "I don't mind at all," she said, amazed by the honesty of the response.
Driana nodded. "If you want, you can see her now while I get the disks."
Kiara followed Nykyrian as Driana led them down the hallway to a back bedroom. As they entered, Thia jumped up from her miniature desk with a startled gasp.
"Oh Mama," she breathed, covering her chest with a tiny hand.
Kiara saw Nykyrian tense at the gesture.
"Thia, these are some friends of mine. Will you keep them company while I do something."
"Okay," she said, returning to her chair.
Driana smiled at them, then made her way out of the room. Kiara stayed in the doorway, not wanting to impose on Nykyrian's precious time with his daughter.
She bit her lip, knowing this would enable her to tell how receptive he would be to her own condition. Reflexively, she rubbed her hand across her stomach.
Thia scratched her head, studying Nykyrian's tall stature. "Are you a friend of Aksel's?"
"No," he answered, sitting down on the floor.
"Good."
Nykyrian rubbed his right biceps and by that gesture, Kiara knew he was uncomfortable.
"Don't you like Aksel?"
She shook her head, her blond hair tumbling while she continued to write on a tablet.
"He's mean to Mama."
Nykyrian glanced around to Kiara. She offered him a smile of encouragement. He gave her a strange look she didn't understand and turned back to face Thia.
He brushed his hand over a stack of books piled next to her desk. Picking one up, he thumbed through it. "Do you read these?" he asked, replacing it on the stack.
Thia shifted indignantly in her chair as if his question insulted her. "Yes," she said, making a note on the ledger. "I study languages in school, but no one other than my instructors can talk to me in them."
Nykyrian said something Kiara couldn't understand.
Thia's eyes widened as she responded in the same language. Warmth rushed through Kiara when Thia smiled and displayed a set of dimples identical to Nykyrian's.