Page 131 of Lethal Obsession

I shake my head, laughing, and turn to Lourdes. “I hope you’re going to stay here for the rest of the summer now? I feel like I’ve barely seen you at all.”

“I know! I’m so sorry.” She gives me a rather guilty look. “My cousin’s London club has been busy because it is still new, and he has so much trouble finding musicians, so I am helping out, just for now. But enough about me.” She gives me a mischievous smile and puts her mouth close to my ear. “If one week of hooking up with the Pirate makes you play so well,” she murmurs in Spanish, “then you need to do more of it.”

I laugh as she pulls away, not daring to look at Deda Sergei, who fortunately is deep in conversation with Mickey.

“Oh, what the fuck?” Benny’s voice is suddenly cold. “What is that witch doing here?”

I turn to find Seline, in a tight-fitting red dress with matching lipstick and killer heels, sashaying toward us. “Be nice,” I hiss to Benny as I step forward to greet her.

“Whatever.” He turns huffily to Mickey, effectively giving Seline his back.

“Chérie.” She kisses my cheeks and beams at me. “C’est magnifique.”

“Thank you.” I smile at her. “And thank you for coming! I know I sent you a ticket, but I truly didn’t expect you to come.”

“Ah.” She shrugs. “In Paris I am always busy, but here, I have nothing but time. And I have been busy with my tunnel guide these past days, so when you message that you are playing, I think I must come.”

“Your tunnel guide!” I can’t help but laugh. “I take it you two are still hot and heavy, then?”

“Darling.” She gives me a salacious wink. “You have no idea how fascinating those tunnels are. But back to your performance,” she says in a louder voice. “Now I understand all the fuss, no? You are superb, chérie. Your Alexei would be in love forever if he sees this, I think.”

Unfortunately, she says the last sentence just loudly enough to make Deda Sergei’s head snap around, his eyes suddenly laser sharp as they home in on Seline.

Oh, fuck.

“Family,” I hiss, giving her a warning look.

“Oh, of course. I am sorry.” She gives a rather dismissive shrug, not looking apologetic at all. “Call me,” she says imperiously, kissing my cheeks again. “I think it is time for another reading, no? It is free, this one.” She gives me the ghost of a wink. “I have to tell you all about tunnel boy.”

“I can’t wait.” I press her hands, suppressing a gurgle of laughter. “And you don’t have to read for me every time we meet, you know.”

Seline shrugs. “It is what I do. And let us face it—you are by far my most fascinating client, darling.”

I giggle. Since I left Alexei on the Quantum Drift, Seline’s readings have literally become my lifeline. Every time I ask her the same thing: When will I see him again?

But after that first time, she has never given me a time again, only told me to be patient—and that I have lessons to learn. It drives me crazy, but then I’m guessing my questions drive her crazy too, so I’m just grateful she still reads for me.

“Ofelia.” Deda Sergei appears at my side just as Seline is turning away. “Would you introduce me to your friend?” He speaks French with an almost perfect accent. I sometimes forget he spent years living there and was raised speaking both Russian and French, as was customary among the old Russian nobility.

“Of course.” Slightly surprised, I draw Seline forward. “Deda Sergei—my grandfather,” I explain, “this is my friend from Paris, Seline Duval.”

“Duval?” He regards her with interest. “Ah! You must be Romany, no?”

I cringe with embarrassment as Seline’s polite smile fades. “Must I,” she says, dangerously quietly.

“I traveled often to Paris when I was a younger man.” Deda is clearly oblivious to having given offense. “There was always a Duval Gypsy telling fortunes in the Place du Tertre. I remember one in particular who could be your sister, you look so alike. Now what was her name?” He looks away, clicking his fingers as he tries to recall. “Solange,” he says finally. “That was it. I remember now. Solange Duval.” He turns back to Seline. “She must be a relation of yours, is it not so?”

“Must she, indeed.” Her expression has gone from cool to ice-cold. “But then I suppose that to some, we gypsies all look the same.” She glares at him, then nods peremptorily to me. “It was a pleasure to hear you play, my friend.”

She walks stiffly away before I have a chance to apologize, her heels clacking angrily across the stone patio.

“Deda!” I shake my head. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to give offense, but that was very rude.”

“Oops.” Benny gives him a conspiratorial wink. “Better be careful, Sergei. It looks like you pissed off the witch.”

“That was not my intention.” Deda Sergei is still watching Seline walk away. His face is oddly grim. “Do you allow that woman to read your fortune, Ofelia?”

Oh, no.