Goddess of Vengeance (39 page)

‘I keep business separate from social occasions,’ Armand stated. ‘And since you are one of the few people who know about my imminent purchase of such a prestigious property, I would appreciate your discretion, and trust that you will not mention it to anyone.’

‘Naturally,’ Annabelle agreed, quite flattered that she was in the know, although disappointed that Armand obviously did not have an invite to the party.

She threw him a sideways glance. He was an attractive man – not handsome like her dad, who was a well-established movie star – but not bad-looking in a buttoned-down way.

The moustache would have to go, a new haircut might help, and the way he dressed was old-fashioned and too formal. But she could get him into shape. He’d be quite a prize to return to New York with.

Yes. Tonight she would seal this deal. No doubt about it.

Chapter Forty-Three

I
f there was one thing that turned Gerald M. on, it was holding court with an attentive audience hanging onto his every word. He revelled in the spotlight – it shored up his escalating fear that his kind of music was becoming irrelevant. Diddy, Jay-Z and Akon ruled. Plus every week a new rap sensation hit the street.

Gerald M.’s manager had not so subtly suggested that he might like to try taking a different direction – maybe make a CD of old standards like Rod Stewart, or perhaps invite some happening rapper to join him on a track or two. But Gerald adamantly refused to even consider the idea. Soul was his thing. Good old-fashioned soul which got the women hot and horny and the men laid.

In Europe he was still an enormous star. In America – not so much. Although tonight his fans had come out in force and his assistant had collected an array of panties thrown on stage to prove it.

Gerald M. was feeling on top of everything.

Cookie wasn’t. Max was so right, Frankie Romano was a major star fuck. He was all over her dad as if Gerald M. was the Second Coming. She was being ignored, and it was pissing her off bigtime.

Max – who was now back at the table – bit her tongue so as not to blurt out
I told you so. Frankie’s always been this way. He’s a major loser.

‘What’s up with his crap?’ Cookie complained. ‘He’s all actin’ like a freakin’ fan. I can’t even watch it!’

‘Most people get like that around stars,’ Max offered matter-of-factly. ‘When Lucky owned Panther Studios, kissing ass was a daily occurrence.’

‘He’s like so ignorin’ me,’ Cookie said, her eyes flashing daggers.

Although Max was trying to concentrate on what Cookie was saying, to her horror she suddenly observed Venus making a grand entrance.

OhmiGod. Lucky’s best friend. Billy’s soon-to-be ex. OhmiGod!!

Quickly turning to Cookie she said, ‘Y’know what, we should take off, teach your boyfriend to pay you more attention. Besides, Bobby’s getting all uptight ’cause he doesn’t want us in the club on account of his precious licence, so we can’t even dance or score a drink, plus my parents are all over me, so whyn’t we hit one of those clubs where we can do what we like an’ not be under constant scrutiny?’

‘Yeah,’ Cookie agreed, still shooting Frankie dirty looks. ‘Let’s go. I’ll show Frankie Romano who he’s screwing with!’

*   *   *

Sitting next to Lucky Santangelo Denver felt all her insecurities come rushing back. Bobby had just told her he loved her, followed by the instant intrusion of the irritating and rude Max, and now Lucky and Lennie Golden had joined them. She was overwhelmed, even more so because Lucky was extremely friendly and nice, not to mention totally stunning.

Likewise Lennie.

It was all too much.

‘So . . .’ Lucky said to Bobby, while smiling warmly across at Denver. ‘
This
is the woman you’ve been keeping a big secret.’

‘No secret,’ Bobby replied with a sheepish grin. ‘You’ve met, haven’t you?’

‘Maybe once,’ Lucky said, sipping a Martini. ‘Very briefly.’

‘Well,
we
certainly haven’t met,’ Lennie said, extending his hand to Denver. ‘It’s a real pleasure. Where has Bobby been hiding you?’

If she was intimidated before, Denver now felt completely out of her depth. Lennie Golden was a force unto himself. She was a longtime fan of his movies, which only made things worse. How embarrassing to find herself trapped in this situation. Wasn’t it enough that they would all be together the following night?

Oh God! Why hadn’t she pursued a relationship with laid-back uncomplicated Sam? Why had she picked Bobby?

Or had
he
picked
her
?

She didn’t know. She wasn’t sure. She was confused.

‘Bobby tells me you’re a D.A.,’ Lucky said, leaning toward Denver as if she was really interested in hearing her reply.

‘Uh . . . Deputy D.A. actually – that’s what they . . . uh . . . call us.’

Oh great, now I sound like the idiot girlfriend who comes to Vegas with one dress – and now what am I supposed to wear tomorrow night? And Bobby’s mom is too gorgeous for words – slim and sexy in a sliver of a top and black leather pants, with numerous diamond bracelets stacked up her toned and tanned arm, and a huge emerald ring on her engagement finger. She looks like some kind of exotic supermodel.

‘You should meet my brother, Steven,’ Lucky said. ‘He’s living in Rio at the moment, but when he visits, we must all get together.’

What the hell – was Lucky trying to fix her up?
Please no!

‘Steven used to be a lawyer, then switched and became a D.A.,’ Bobby hurriedly explained, noting her confusion.

‘Really?’ Denver murmured.

‘Yeah,’ Bobby said. ‘You two probably do have a lot in common. Steven started out as a defence attorney, then felt it wasn’t right for him – just like you.’

‘You were a defence attorney?’ Lennie asked, and he too seemed genuinely interested.

‘Yes,’ she managed. ‘With Saunders, Fields, Simmons and Johnson in Beverly Hills.’

‘And you switched because?’

‘I was . . . uh . . . one of the defence attorneys for Ralph Maestro. It became . . . complicated.’

God, she was actually sitting in a nightclub in Vegas chatting away to
the
Lennie Golden.

‘I can imagine,’ Lennie said, reaching for Lucky’s hand and squeezing it.

Apparently they are the perfect couple
, Denver thought.
Still in love and don’t care who knows it.

Could she and Bobby ever achieve that kind of closeness?

Yes! Stop wimping out and embrace what we have together.

Before she could give herself more of a pep talk, here came a test in the form of a curvy brunette poured into an equally curvy outfit. The girl approached Bobby from behind, covered his eyes with her well-manicured hands and cooed – ‘Guess who?’

To his credit Bobby didn’t panic, he stayed calm, removed the girl’s hands and glanced up at her. ‘Hey, Gia,’ he said, without taking a beat. ‘Have you met my girlfriend, Denver?’

Gia’s smile froze. Denver could almost see the thoughts flying through the girl’s head.
Girlfriend? What’s that about? Bobby’s a player. No fun to be had here.

‘No,’ Gia said at last. ‘I wasn’t aware that you—’

Not allowing Gia to finish her sentence, Bobby was on his feet, walking her away from their cabana.

‘Hazard of the business,’ Lucky remarked dryly, noting Denver’s discomfort.

‘Excuse me?’ Denver said, trying to sound light-hearted.

‘Girls throwing themselves at the good-looking boss,’ Lucky said.

‘It doesn’t bother me,’ Denver said, attempting to sound breezy and unconcerned. The last thing she wanted was Lucky feeling sorry for her.

‘It doesn’t bother me either,’ Lucky replied. ‘Girls are always coming onto Lennie. Or at least they used to.’

‘Hold up,’ Lennie interrupted, shaking his head. ‘Waddya mean – used to? I gotta fight ’em off with a stick.’

‘Sure, baby,’ Lucky crooned. ‘And you better make sure that stick stays in your pants or else!’

‘Or else what?’

‘You know what.’

The two of them giggled like a couple of in-heat teenagers. Denver felt like an intruder on their intimacy, she’d never witnessed two people so into each other.

Bobby returned to the table. Handsome Bobby, so damn hot in a black shirt and pants. Dark hair, intense eyes, strong jaw-line. Yes, he was a babe magnet, no doubt about it.

‘Sorry, sweetie,’ he said, sitting down.

‘Old girlfriend?’ Denver questioned, although
old girlfriend
sounded all wrong – shouldn’t it be
young sexy girlfriend who looks like she recently stepped out of a Victoria’s Secret catalogue
?

‘We went out a coupla times,’ Bobby admitted. ‘Nothing serious. And I can assure you it was way before you and me.’

‘You and I,’ Denver murmured, adding a succinct, ‘I have ex-boyfriends too, you know.’

‘I do know that,’ Bobby said, playing along. ‘And I’ve got the urge to smash ’em in the face if they ever put in an appearance.’

‘You do?’

‘If I have to.’

They exchanged a knowing smile.

‘So what am I supposed to do about
your
exes?’ she asked, feeling better already.

‘Ignore ’em,’ Bobby said. ‘It’s you I’m with, and that’s the way it’s meant to be.’ He put his arm around her and pulled her close. ‘I’m hoping you feel the same way.’

‘Yes,’ she murmured. ‘You know I do.’

*   *   *

Giggling hysterically, Cookie and Max piled into a cab, a dour-faced Ace along for the ride. He wasn’t happy about getting stuck with Cookie, but he was pleased enough to escape from Gerald M. and his adoring entourage. Hanging with those kind of people was not his ideal. ‘Where we going?’ he asked.

‘There’s this club for under twenty-ones. No alcohol served, but awesome sounds,’ Max offered, thinking that a riotous time on the dance floor was exactly what they all needed. ‘Harry’s new friend, Paco, is deejaying there sometime tonight. We gotta go check him out.’

‘What’re we waitin’ for?’ Cookie said, scrolling through the messages on her cell to see if Frankie had missed her yet.

He hadn’t.

Well, he wouldn’t, would he? Too busy paying homage to Gerald M.

‘Who wants a joint?’ she asked, digging in her purse.

Ace shook his head as Cookie found what she was looking for and lit up.

‘In a cab? Really?’ Ace said to Max in a disgusted tone.

‘She’s upset,’ Max whispered. ‘Besides, it’s only one little joint. Nobody’s going to throw us in jail for
that
.’

‘You’re unbelievable,’ Ace grouched. ‘I drive all this way, and this is what we end up doing.’

‘Sorry,’ Max retorted. ‘But you know I wasn’t expecting you.’

‘Thanks a lot,’ he said restlessly. ‘You’re making me feel so frigging welcome.’

Ace’s bad mood was getting to her. Wasn’t it enough that she’d gotten dumped by Billy? Now she had to put up with Ace and his complaints.

Why couldn’t he relax and simply go with it?

Chapter Forty-Four

‘D
id I just see little Max running out of here?’ Venus asked, as she joined Babby’s fast-expanding table in his poolside cabana at Mood.

‘Don’t tell me she left?’ Lennie said, frowning. ‘That damn kid – I hardly got to see her.’

‘Ah, the doting daddy,’ Venus sighed, as she slid into the booth beside him. ‘And may I say that you, Mr Golden, are looking great as usual. In all the time I’ve known you – you
never
change.’

‘I could say the same for you, Venus.’

‘Then say it.’

‘You look incredible for an old—’

‘Lennie!’ Lucky warned.

‘I’m teasing her,’ Lennie said with a big grin. ‘She knows it.’

‘Of course I do,’ Venus said, smiling. ‘Lennie and me – we’ve got a special relationship.’

‘Not too special, I hope,’ Lucky said.

‘What do
you
think?’ Venus said. Then, turning back to Lennie, she added, ‘How’s your movie going?’

‘Two more weeks of hard labour and I’m back in L.A.,’ Lennie said, picking up his drink.

‘For about five minutes,’ Lucky quipped, joining in. ‘We all know Lennie – he’ll be off again soon. It’s impossible for him to stay in one place for long. That’s how he rolls.’