Goddess of Vengeance (52 page)

*   *   *

Ellie was clicking away. ‘Plenty of activity going on here,’ she remarked, almost to herself. ‘I’m just taking pictures, we’ll see what we’ve got later. I think we have a definite bonanza.’

‘You think?’ Kev said, attempting to stretch his aching legs. Crouching in the bushes was not for him, although it didn’t seem to bother Ellie. She was into all the comings and goings, and there were plenty. It seemed there was a party taking place in the villa across from Billy’s, and Ellie was capturing plenty of images as people came and went.

‘We need to know who the girl is with Billy,’ Ellie said. ‘Think you can find out?’

‘I’ll do my best,’ Kev replied. ‘It shouldn’t be a problem.’

*   *   *

After a while Ace realized it didn’t look like Max was getting back to the hotel anytime soon. Cookie had told him she’d had to meet Lucky, but he wasn’t sure he believed her. Now it was past one in the morning and he’d had it. He hadn’t driven all the way to Vegas to be treated like this. After all, it wasn’t as if Max had acted like she was thrilled to see him. No. He’d had to hang out with her crazy friends all night, sit through a painful concert, and then she’d taken off to do what?

He didn’t know, and he didn’t care any more. She was treating him as if he didn’t matter, and he wanted out.

He took the present he’d brought her and placed the box on the bed. Then he wrote
Happy Birthday
on a piece of hotel stationery and left it on top.

After that, he grabbed his overnight bag and took off.

Max was no longer his problem.

*   *   *

And still Fouad found it impossible to sleep. He’d tried everything – watching a movie on TV, ordering a hot drink from room service, lying perfectly still and allowing his mind to go blank.

Nothing worked.

Somehow he couldn’t shake the thought that something was going on with Armand, something bad.

Over the past few weeks Armand’s drug use had escalated to the point where he did not seem to be in control of his actions any more. Sleeping with Martin Constantine’s wife, then throwing her out of his apartment was a prime example of behaviour gone wild. And then there was the embarrassing scene with Lucky Santangelo and the empty threats Armand had hurled at her. Not to mention his ongoing addiction to prostitutes.

Armand was in a bad place, and although Fouad resented the way he’d been treated lately, he still felt a certain responsibility toward Armand. Perhaps this was not the right time to desert him.

On a whim, Fouad decided to get dressed and take a walk.

What harm would it do to stroll past Armand’s villa and make sure everything was all right?

Chapter Sixty-Two

A
lways expect the unexpected
was one of Lucky’s mottos, along with
Never fuck with a Santangelo
. So she wasn’t surprised to observe the tableau that greeted her when she entered Armand’s villa. A man awash in cocaine, a crack pipe and champagne. That would be Armand. Another man – big and brawny, perhaps a bodyguard – joining in the activities. And a naked woman.

It occurred to Lucky that this was not the perfect moment to tear him a new asshole. He wouldn’t understand, he wouldn’t get it. Armand Jordan was completely trashed. If asked, he probably wouldn’t even remember his own name.

What a shame, she’d been so looking forward to putting him straight.

She stood stock still, staring at the scene that greeted her. The woman, with mammoth breasts, noticed her first. ‘Wanna join?’ the woman slurred, waving her over. ‘Plenny fer everyone.’

Lucky shook her head and thought how pathetic Armand Jordan was. He didn’t deserve her wrath. Who would believe anything he said anyway? He was a nothing, a nobody, he wasn’t worth her time.

She turned around and started to leave, only to find the man she’d first encountered blocking her way at the door.

He wasn’t wasted like the others. He was stone cold sober and he wanted to know who she was and what exactly she wanted.

‘You first,’ she said, unable to stare him down because of his dark glasses which she found most irritating.

‘I asked what you want here,’ Mikey repeated. ‘This is a private party.’

‘Didn’t you just tell me that I’d fit right in?’ Lucky said, noticing the bulge of a gun at his waist.

‘Don’t get cutesy with me,’ Mikey said, signalling Luscious. ‘What you come here for?’

Luscious rushed to his side, gave Lucky a filthy look and said, ‘Who’s this?’

‘That’s what I’m tryin’ t’find out,’ Mikey said, fast losing patience. ‘’Cause she don’t belong here.’

‘You’re so right, I don’t,’ Lucky agreed amicably. ‘Only I’m beginning to think that neither do you.’

*   *   *

‘Why’re you takin’ photos of other people?’ Kev asked Ellie, who was snapping away. ‘You’ve got what we came for, time to split.’

‘I’m liking this other stuff,’ Ellie said, concentrating on catching images. ‘The dude with the sunglasses is classic. And there’s some hot woman who just went inside the house.’

‘Jesus,’ Kev grumbled. ‘You’re such a voyeur.’

‘Don’t you know – that’s what real photographers do, they take pictures of interesting people. It’s not all about dumb celebs and who they’re sleeping with – those are my money shots. It’s the unexpected shots of real people that turn me on.’

‘I could think of somethin’ else that’d turn you on,’ Kev said, realizing it was time he climbed out of the bushes and got some action going. He put his hand on the back of her neck, and gave her a little rub.

‘I’m not sleeping with you,’ Ellie announced, still clicking away. ‘So don’t go getting any ideas.’

‘You’re not?’ Kev said, deflated. ‘Why not?’

‘Because,’ Ellie answered, ‘in case you don’t get it, I don’t play on your team.’

For a moment Kev was not sure what she meant, then it sank in and he couldn’t believe his lousy luck. Only he would hit on a dyke! Damnit, why hadn’t she told him before?

‘Don’t sweat it,’ Ellie assured him. ‘You might not be getting laid tonight, but at least you’re making money.’

‘Thanks a lot,’ Kev said, wondering if it was too late to score a replacement.

*   *   *

‘We’re takin’ care of Arnie,’ Luscious said, swiping her hand across her nose. ‘He’s havin’ himself a good ole time. I don’t remember nobody invitin’ you.’

‘May I ask what’s in the suitcase?’ Lucky said, pointedly staring at the case Mikey had managed to drag outside the door.

‘That wouldn’t be your concern, now would it?’ Mikey said flatly.

‘Maybe I should ask . . . Arnie,’ Lucky said, her face betraying no emotion. ‘What do you think?’

‘I think you should get the fuck outta here if y’know what’s healthy f’you,’ Mikey said. ‘An’ forget ’bout anythin’ you seen here.’

‘Is that what you think?’ Lucky said, wondering exactly what was going on. ‘Really?’

Mikey hated the fact that he didn’t seem to be getting through to this cunt. She was standing in front of him chill as a fuckin’ tall glass of lemonade. She should be running her ass for the hills, not sassing him with her rich bitch demeanour.

He stepped aside to let her pass through the door. Best to get rid of her, she reeked of trouble.

‘Like I told you – get the fuck outta here,’ he said in his most menacing voice.

‘I’m not sure I’m planning on doing that,’ Lucky replied, cool as an ice cube, still standing in the doorway.

Mikey stepped close to her, so close she could smell his vile breath. ‘Listen, bitch. Go,’ he said, adding a threatening, ‘while you still can.’

Lucky gave him an implacable look and didn’t budge.

This infuriated Mikey, who was shocked that she possessed the gall not to run – which is exactly what she should be doing. He frightened people, they were supposed to be scared. But not this one. Oh no, fuckin’ Miss Movie Star was unafraid.

‘I’ll go when I’ve talked to Arnie,’ she said.

‘What’re you, his fuckin’ wife?’ Mikey exploded.

‘Would that be a problem if I was?’

Mikey didn’t know what to say. If she
were
the john’s wife, she’d know about the money – or would she? And if she knew about it that wouldn’t be good, for in Mikey’s mind the money was already his, and nobody else was getting their hands on it.

‘I don’t wanna hurt you,’ Mikey threatened. ‘But hear this – if you don’t haul your ass outta here, you’re likely t’make it happen, an’ it’d be a shame t’mess up your pretty face.’

Lucky felt her adrenalin rise. Nothing and no one frightened her, she’d been through too much in her life. She’d discovered her mother’s brutalized body floating in the family swimming pool when she was five. She’d seen her brother’s dead body thrown from a moving car. She’d watched her fiancé, Marco, shot to death in front of her. Did this two-bit punk and his scrawny girlfriend honestly think they were scaring her? No way.

It wasn’t that she gave a damn about Armand Jordan and what he’d gotten himself into. But the situation intrigued her. And it had been a while since she’d been faced with an element of danger. She felt invigorated and ready for anything.

‘I don’t know what scam you’re pulling – and believe me I don’t particularly care,’ she said evenly. ‘Only I’m not leaving until I talk to Armand, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back inside.’

Mikey put his hand on her arm to stop her.

She shook it off and gave him a look that clearly said –
Do not touch me. Or you will regret it.

There was something in her dark eyes that made him think twice about messing with her. Fuck it. If she wanted to go back inside, let her. He had the money, why hang around? This bitch was about to cause nothing but trouble, so the smart thing would be to get out while things were relatively calm.

‘Let’s go,’ he said to Luscious, as Lucky moved past them back into the house.

‘Huh?’ Luscious responded. ‘You’re gonna let her—’

‘I told you,’ Mikey snarled. ‘We’re outta here. Now help me with the goddamn suitcase.’

*   *   *

Billy and Max stayed by the window, observing the goings-on at the villa across from them. They’d watched as Lucky had marched up to the front door and encountered a man dragging a suitcase out. They’d both assumed that once she realized she was at the wrong villa and that Billy wasn’t there, she would leave. But that hadn’t happened. She’d gone inside, then reappeared at the door and was now involved in some sort of animated discussion with the suitcase man and a woman. Unfortunately, neither Billy nor Max could hear anything except the blaring music.

‘What is she
doing
?’ Max said, peering to get a better look.

‘Beats me,’ Billy replied.

And then they saw her vanish back inside the villa.

‘Where do you think Lennie is?’ Max said. ‘This is like so weird.’

‘Hey—’ Billy replied. ‘It’s kinda obvious she’s not onto us. It looks as if she’s got her own thing goin’ on.’

‘What do you mean by
that
?’ Max asked, wide-eyed.

‘I mean it’s a coincidence that we happen to be in the next villa. Ther e’s some all-night party goin’ on over there, an’ uh . . . Lucky’s obviously into it.’

‘Are you crazy?’ Max exclaimed. ‘Why would my mom be at a party without Lennie?’

Billy shrugged. ‘Sometimes married couples do things on their own . . . I dunno, Green Eyes, you just gotta be thankful she’s not stalkin’ us.’

But Max wasn’t thankful, not at all. Something was going on, and she was determined to figure out what it was.

Chapter Sixty-Three

M
artin Constantine was not a violent man. Ruthless perhaps, but when building a business empire one had to be uncompromising and tough. And since he’d come up the hard way, those were two qualities Martin possessed in abundance.

Business, making deals and accumulating a fortune was Martin’s life. That and his exquisite wife, Nona.

Nona and he had been introduced by a mutual acquaintance in New York, and Martin was immediately smitten with the exotic-looking Slovakian beauty queen. So much so that it didn’t take long before he’d divorced his original wife of thirty years and promptly married the delectable Nona. Martin was sixty-five and Nona was twenty-five. The discrepancy in their ages made no difference to Martin. What was forty years between soulmates?