Page 36 of Deadly Misfortunes

Despite wanting to help him with his situation, Sascha said, “I was thinking I should be home reading my romance book.”

“I’m that bad company?”

She smiled. “No, you’re too good.”

“I can be a bit more wayward.” He leaned over to kiss her lips, but she stopped his forward motion with her fingers.

Stephanie scoffed. But she didn’t tell them to get a room. Maybe she was afraid they would retire to his bedroom, though she wouldn’t have.

“Is Damon the reason for your reluctance?” Gregory leaned back against the sofa and released his hold of her.

Sascha looked at Rose. “Damon isn’t the right one for me, Gregory. I can’t explain any further.” She couldn’t tell him about the issue she had with being with someone who wasn’t her soulmate. He wouldn’t believe her.

Turning her gaze on him, she took a deep breath. The tension eased out of his shoulders. She knew she’d somewhat relieved his mind about her interest in Damon, even though it didn’t mean Gregory was interested in her long-term. But she didn’t want to talk about Damon any further. She was certain the topic would come up again.

What she wouldn’t give to know who the right one for her would be. In fact, she’d had the idea to do some serious online dating next. Though Katrina had warned her against the dangers. Still, meeting guys who might be interested in her proved to be a hit-and-miss proposition in her line of business. And as happy as Katrina was with Prescott, Sascha wanted what she had.

Stephanie crossed her legs and folded her arms. It hadn’t even occurred to Sascha why Stephanie stayed with Gregory before now. But now, this put a new lump in the pudding. He didn’t seem to be willing to tell her to go home.

Stephanie turned to Gregory. “Our friends said they wanted you to invite them again to another one of these parties, but this time to be sure and bring the entertainment. Well, those were the men’s sentiments. A couple of other women weren’t as pleased.”

Like Stephanie?

Looking at Gregory’s hand in Sascha’s, Stephanie tilted her head back. “Since the entertainment was canceled that night because Sascha went for a swim instead, why don’t we do some more future readings? What do you see in Gregory’s future as far as a girlfriend goes?”

Hadn’t Sascha already told her he would end up with a redhead? Okay, so that wasn’t anything she had truly envisioned. But the reference to Sascha swimming in the river, annoyed her.

Sascha smiled. Stephanie was trying to put her on the spot. “Not you.” Sure, Sascha was being catty, but Stephanie could see Gregory wanted time alone with Sascha. Stephanie was being rude.

“Oh? And I suppose you are?”

“Truly, I can’t see my own future…except what I plan to make of it. It’s just the way it works for us.”

“So what do you see?”

“I see a spoiled rich heiress who is being a very rude guest of Mr. Landry’s, who wasn’t invited and has overstayed her welcome.” Sascha almost said "lady," but that would have implied Stephanie was a lady, not a spoiled brat.

Stephanie turned to Gregory. “Are you going to allow her to say that to me? All she is…is a…a⁠—”

“A woman who has many special…talents.” Sascha’s lips turned up considerably as the spirit moved her. She knew Gregory wasn’t interested in Stephanie. Sascha had no claim to him either—not that she was even interested in him if she did. Well, maybe a little bit.

Still, the natural instinct to protect him as if he were her property overwhelmed her better judgment. Sheesh, she acted as she had with Damon when she’d fallen for him. She slipped her fingers between Gregory’s and pressed them warmly. “Be careful what you say.”

Sascha fought the urge to cast a curse on Stephanie. Something gentle, just a little fun. She’d received the ability from her Aunt Meg’s genes, something Katrina had never had. Still, Sascha knew she had to use the ability only in the most extreme circumstances. Wasn’t this one?

She waited patiently. Just one more word of Stephanie taunting her, and she’d do something. She wasn’t sure what yet as she considered her adversary.

Stephanie’s blue eyes stared back at her with irritation. She figured Stephanie thought she was a nobody and shouldn’t have had Gregory’s attention as she did. Just like Stephanie felt about Kat and her interest in Prescott.

Stephanie’s thin, pink, glossy lips twitched slightly as if she considered what kind of comeback she could make that would do the most damage.

Sascha sensed Gregory enjoyed the sport—two women fighting over him. No, it was something more than that…it was that…the redhead had claimed him for her own. That was what amused him so, when she had denied her interest in him all along. Yeah, so she was making a total fool of herself over him.

Okay, so when it came to redheaded charmers, she lost control. Though in her twenty-seven years of life, there had only been two she had really lost her head over. She knew from experience, despite her extra abilities, that when it came to men, she didn’t have a clue about what made them her soulmates.

“Okay, since the clinging vine isn’t leaving, and though I thought we would discuss this in private, with Rose in attendance, of course, because this affects her, I’ll change the subject and discuss something that needs to be handled,” Sascha said.

Changing the subject to the attempted murderer was next in her game plan. Initially, she hadn’t planned to get really involved in the whole sordid mess, since Gregory had been getting PIs and the police involved and had said he didn’t need her help. But the killer had drawn her into it, whether he had planned to or not. It wasn’t that she was a vengeful person…well, maybe a tad unforgiving. Now she had a stake in the situation, too, though.