Christine Feehan - Dark Melody (Dark Series - book 12)

Corinne sighed softly. “I’m awake, I promise. I’m awake.”

“Did you see Dayan last night?” With great determination Lisa perched on the edge of the bed, retaining possession of Corinne’s hand. She wasn’t certain she wanted Dayan anywhere around Corinne. Corinne looked fragile, pale, more vulnerable than Lisa had ever seen her, even after John had died. Lisa wanted to take Corinne and run home. She was suddenly very afraid of Dayan. He seemed to have some kind of mystical power over Corinne; how else could her behavior be explained? Corinne

never

was impressed by men, by fame or money or good looks. Corinne was always the rock, the logical voice of reason. Dayan was too good-looking and talented to be trusted, too wealthy, a foreigner, too charming with women.

She had to admit that Dayan didn’t have a reputation with women. Even the tabloids had been unable to exploit his sexual prowess in any way. His public appearances were not scheduled or publicized, and most reporters who had attempted to get interviews and pictures had written articles on how frustrating it was to find facts on him. Corinne had read every article she could get her hands on, because she had been such a serious fan, and she had shared that information with Lisa. Now Lisa wanted to go back and change the fact that she had taken Corinne to the bar.

Lisa frowned. But there was Cullen. She really thought Cullen was an exceptional man, not at all dangerous or mysterious, not the type to steal a woman’s heart and leave her cold.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Corinne whispered. Her voice was slumberous, drowsy, very sexy.

Lisa had never noticed that about Corinne before. She didn’t think of Corinne as being sexy. She looked down at Corinne’s face, really looked at her. Corinne had her eyes closed and she looked serene, her long lashes two thick, dark crescents on her face. Her abundance of silky hair spilled around her like a halo. She looked innocent in her repose, yet

Lisa

thought her so beautiful, it was almost as if she were seeing Corinne for the first time. Seeing Corinne the way Dayan had seen her.

“I want to go home. You scared me, Rina, when I couldn’t wake you up. I want to go with you to the doctor and hear his prognosis about the pregnancy,” Lisa said as firmly as she could.

“I’m too tired,” Corinne said softly. “Let me sleep for another couple of hours, and then we’ll decide what to do.” She pulled the covers up to her chin.

Lisa glanced up at Cullen. “She never sleeps during the day. Corinne must be sick, really, Cullen. Maybe we should take her to a hospital.”

Corinne roused herself enough to lift her long lashes and peer at Lisa. “I’m not sick — in fact, I’m breathing easier than normal. I stayed up all night, that’s all. What time is it?”

“It’s nearly six-thirty.”

Corinne groaned. “Why are you waking me up, then? No one but a lunatic gets up that early. I think I went to bed at six.”

“It’s six-thirty in the evening,” Lisa emphasized. “You’ve been in bed all day.” She didn’t admit she had slept most of the day snuggled right beside Cullen in the other bedroom. Lisa just wanted to go home and shut her front door, closing out the entire world.

Corinne’s eyelashes fluttered in surprise. She forced herself to sit up, blinking as she looked around the unfamiliar room. “I can’t believe it’s so late.” Shoving a hand through her thick, dark hair, she glanced over at Cullen. “Lisa worries endlessly about me, but really, I’m perfectly fine. I don’t know why I slept so long.” She was still exhausted, her arms and legs, heavy. All she wanted to do was go back to sleep.

Cullen smiled at her. “Lisa was frightened when she couldn’t wake you up. Would you like something to eat or drink? I could make you tea or coffee,” he offered.

“He makes great tea,” Lisa confirmed. “Rina loves tea, don’t you?”

“That would be wonderful,” Corinne agreed. Lisa was looking at Cullen with her heart in her eyes, something Corinne had never seen before. It wouldn’t hurt to drink a cup of his tea to please her. “Where’s Dayan?” She tried to sound casual, but it must not have come off that way, because Lisa glared at her, and Corinne couldn’t help blushing.

“Just what went on last night?” Lisa hissed when Cullen stepped out of the room. “Don’t you think you’re in enough trouble without getting mixed up with a rock star?”

“He doesn’t exactly play rock,” Corinne answered mischievously.

Lisa frowned in reprimand. “Don’t joke about this, Corinne. It isn’t funny. You know very well you’ve always had an aversion to being in the public eye. What do you think is going to happen if you start running around with that man? The tabloids love people like him. Forget about him.”

Corinne reached out and gently took Lisa’s hand. “This isn’t about Dayan at all, is it? I’m not going to die, Lisa. I won’t. I’m a fighter, you know that. This baby is going to be a part of us — both of us, our family. You aren’t going to lose me.”

Instant tears were swimming in Lisa’s blue eyes. Her fingers closed convulsively around Corinne’s as if her grip could somehow keep death at bay. “You always overestimate your strength, Rina, you do. Even John said so. I want the baby too, but not at your expense. I don’t want to be all alone. I couldn’t stand that. I’ve already lost John.” She laid her head in Corinne’s lap for comfort. For the first time, she could feel the baby there, lying between them. She moved her head and placed her hand over the small mound. “It’s moving,” Lisa said with a kind of wonder.

“She’s kicking,” Corinne confirmed, stroking Lisa’s hair. “A little girl, Lisa. It’ll be okay, you’ll see. I know I can do this. I want the baby so much.”

“I’m sorry, Rina, I didn’t mean to sound so awful about the baby. I really do want it too. I want to be excited. She’ll be the only thing I have left of John, but I love you. I can’t stand the thought of anything happening to you. I’m sure Dayan’s a really nice person. Cullen says he is. And he doesn’t have the reputation of being a womanizer. I didn’t mean to imply that. I don’t know why I was saying all those

crazy

things.” Lisa wailed the words, ashamed of herself.

“I know, Lisa,” Corinne crooned soothingly, “you’re afraid of losing me. But I’m really not going anywhere. You just have to believe we’ll be all right. It’s natural, after what happened to John, to be afraid of losing family, but it won’t happen. I’m

very

strong. I feel better than I have in years.”

Lisa sat up slowly, taking a deep breath and giving Corinne a tentative smile. “So was there really someone in our house last night? Cullen didn’t say one way or the other.” She glanced toward the door and lowered her voice. “I thought it a little strange he didn’t want to call the police or go back to help his friend, didn’t you?”

Corinne leaned against the headboard of the bed. She was beginning to wake up, the heavy, fuzzy feeling was fading away. “Dayan talked to me about it last night, Lisa. He thinks we’re both in danger from the same people who murdered John.”

Lisa was silent for a moment. “You know more about John’s death than you let on, don’t you?” She looked down at her hands. “You never told me, because I never ask questions. I’m like an ostrich.”

“You’re not an ostrich,” Corinne denied gently, refraining from smiling. “You’re a beautiful young woman who suffered far too much trauma as a child. John and I both got in the habit of trying to protect you.”

“We’re the same age,” Lisa pointed out, “but you’re the one who always took care of the details of our lives. You’ve had to battle the same trauma as I have, and you have a heart condition. John may have been my brother, but he was your husband. We both loved him. We both lost him. Why am I such a chicken about life? Why am I so afraid to hear anything that might upset me? That’s why you didn’t tell me what you knew about John, and it’s why you didn’t tell me about the baby. You were afraid I’d fall apart.” She looked down at her hands. “I would have fallen apart.”