Page 44 of Deadly Misfortunes

She burrowed her head into his chest deeper without saying a word. He ran his hand over her hair. He had to think of something else that would get a response from her…before she fell asleep. Something that would convince him she could read his mind.

I love you, Sascha.

“Yeah, right, and tomorrow you would say it to some other woman.”

Jeez, she could read his mind. He wrapped his arms around her and held on tightly. He knew there was something different about the gypsy cousins…something mysterious, something binding. “And your cousins? Can they also read minds?”

Sascha didn’t respond.

He sighed deeply. He would dig deeper. Much deeper. He had to know all there was about the gypsy family. He knew she was special. But this, well, this certainly turned out to be some new kind of development he’d never foreseen.

The next morning, a rapping on his bedroom door woke Gregory, and as he attempted to extricate himself from his redheaded goddess, he realized her naked skin rested against his. Instantly, his body warmed with the concept, but then suddenly chilled with concern. Jeez, what had happened? To his relief, he still had his boxers on. He knew he hadn’t made love to her. He would have remembered every moment. She must have gotten hot.

He breathed deeply. She was something hot.

He slipped out from under her, kissed her cheek, then climbed out of bed. He opened his door a sliver. “Good morning, Maria. What’s up?”

“The police are here, sir. The young woman’s apartment was ransacked after they went to check it out the first time last night.”

He ran his hands through his disheveled hair. “Last night? Why didn’t they contact me?”

“Not last night. They didn’t find anything amiss then, but they drove by there early this morning, just to recheck the place.”

“All right. Tell them I’ll be down in a minute.”

He closed his door tightly as his blood pulsed in anger. The maniac must have been waiting for her to return home, and when she didn’t, he showed what he thought of her thwarting him.

There was no way Sascha could return to her apartment now. She would stay with him until they resolved the situation. And Rose would return to their family’s home, pronto. He didn’t want her in harm’s way either.

As soon as he’d showered and dressed, he walked over to the bed and kissed Sascha’s cheek. She sighed deeply, her red curls now resting on his pillow, her bare arm lying against the comforter. She was definitely a keeper.

He hurried out of the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him so as not to wake her. Then he headed down the hall to Rose’s room. He knocked, but there wasn’t any answer.

When he arrived downstairs, he found the police officers eating breakfast. They instantly stood. “Mr. Landry.”

He waved at them to finish their breakfast.

“Maria insisted we have some eggs and toast.”

“I’m glad.”

Maria served Gregory a plate covered with a ham-and-cheese omelet and an assortment of fruit, from watermelon to cantaloupe.

“Have you seen Rose?” he asked her.

“She’s over at your parents’ place. She ate and then said she needed to speak with them. Stephanie came by.”

“And she’s not here still?” That wasn’t like her. Gregory knew she wanted to know if Sascha had stayed with him in his bed. He didn’t want her to cause problems between him and Sascha. However, the maniac on the loose posed an even greater concern.

“I told her that you both were in bed asleep.” Maria smiled and poured him another cup of coffee.

Maria would never normally have done that. But he was amused that she was ready to annoy Stephanie for staying last night for supper when she hadn’t been invited. Damon either.

Gregory turned his attention to the police and asked about the break-in. “How did he get in this time?”

“He jimmied the front door lock and then trashed the whole place. He cut all her furniture, smashed her dishes, lamps, anything he could destroy.”

“Great.”