That deep, dangerous voiceâ¦
The humidity closed in despite the air-conditioning and cut off the words in Kateâs throat. Sweat beaded at her temple and on the back of her neck. He was still the best-looking man sheâd ever seen.
âI, uh,â she stammered. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin. âHello, Chase. You took me by surprise. Itâs been a long time. Howâve you been?â
âConsiderably better than last time we saw each other, chère.â
âAll right, Chase. What do you want here?â
It took a few seconds for him to answer. She couldnât breathe.
âEverything, Kate,â he finally told her. âI want it all.â
Dark, dangerous street corners and after-hours sounds of jazzy blues playing eerily in the distance meant nothing to Passionata Chagari.
She stood quietly in the shadows, awaiting the arrival of the lost heir to the gypsy legacy, Chase Severin. His grandmother, Lucille Steele, was long buried in her grave. Yet just today, Chase had been informed of his status as heir to her fortune.
Now, after a long night of revelry, Chase would receive a bequest that was much more valuable than all of Lucilleâs money. Passionata patted the deep pocket in the long, flowing silk of her favorite scarlet dress and smiled.
This young man would be the most difficult one to help, she knew. Yet Passionata had given her father her word. No matter what the circumstances, the lost Steele heir was to receive the gift that was meant for him.
Chase Severin wandered out of the French Quarter bar right at closing, mulling over the events of the last couple of days and feeling staggered by everything heâd learnedâand perhaps by that last straight shot of bourbon.
He wasnât just the wayward son of a small-town drunk as heâd believed for all of his life. Son of aâ
He had actual relatives and shared family trees. And on top of the new fortune, Chase had also inherited an exalted social standing.
Stopping at an empty street corner, Chase lit up one of his long thin cigars and blew a fragrant, gray circle of smoke out into the darkness. Heâd meant to quit this nasty habit, and had cut way down. But just now he needed all the help he could get.
His whole lifeâ¦everything heâd ever believed about himselfâ¦most of it simply wasnât true. The secrets and the misunderstandings were still not all clear to him. But he knew things would be different from now on.
Still cloaked by the darkness, Passionata read his mind. She chuckled at the thought of just how truly different this young manâs life was about to become.
âCelebrating, Severin?â she said aloud as she stepped into the yellow lamplight. âYou have reason.â
Chase nearly choked on his own smoke when the strange and creaky voice came unexpectedly out of the shadows. He turned to face one of the oddest women heâd ever seen. She was dressed up in wild colors like a fortune-telling gypsy. The hair that hung loose beneath a deep-purple head scarf was a mottled salt-and-pepper color. And her watery eyes gleamed strangely bright under the streetlight.
âDo we know each other?â he asked when he found his voice.
âI am Passionata Chagari, and I have a debt to repay.â
âNot to me, you donât. I keep careful records of my accounts.â Chase took a long, thoughtful drag and flipped the cigar in the gutter.
She smiled a partially toothless grin. âThis debt is to be repaid in the form of a legacy left to you by your grandmother Steele and by my father, the king of the gypsies.â
Most of what sheâd said was too weird for Chase to fathom. Heâd only been aware of his grandmother Steeleâs existence for a few days, and the only reason he knew now was because sheâd died and left him part of her fortune.
So he took the old womanâs arm and held her close. âDonât play with a player, Passionata,â he whispered hoarsely. âYouâll only lose. What exactly do you want?â
âYour grandmother Steele was a great lady. She would not care for you to treat your elders with such disdain.â The old woman pulled her arm from his grip. âLucille Steele saved my life, the life of my family. She was kind to strangers when no other would take the time.â