The Club (25 page)

‘Will you quit freaking out,’ she snapped, annoyed that he was more concerned about saving his own skin than the shit
she
was going through. ‘He doesn’t suspect you of anything. And, for your information,
no
, I
won’t
neck half of this now, because it’s got to last until Tony comes back.’

‘From where?’

‘How the hell should
I
know? You don’t seriously think he tells
me
anything, do you? He’s the most secretive bastard I’ve ever met. All I know is, him and Eddie are pissing off for a couple of days and I’ve got to stay at the hotel like a good little girl. And this –’ Melody patted her breast ‘– is the only thing that’s going to keep me sane. So,
sorry
for being such a pain, Fabian, but it’s not exactly a barrel of laughs for
me
right now, either.’

‘Yeah, I know,’ he murmured, running a hand over his face. ‘Sorry, but I’m just really wound up about your boyfriend’s goon following you. I was about to leave the country.’

‘Leaving me to get mauled by those losers,’ Melody reminded him sourly. ‘Yeah, well, thanks for that, Fabian, ’cos I was this close to getting raped.’ Raising her hand, she pinched her fingertips together. ‘They wouldn’t have stopped if Eddie hadn’t made them. They’d have probably dragged me into the toilets, or waited for me outside, or something.’

‘You can’t blame me for that,’ Fabian said indignantly. ‘I had no idea what was going on.’

‘Oh, forget it.’ She sighed. ‘But next time you see me getting followed, do me a favour and tell me, yeah?’

‘Sure,’ he agreed. Then, ‘
Now
can we go?’

Nodding, her eyes clouded with disappointment that he could be so dismissive, Melody walked out with her head held high.

Strolling to the downstairs bar as she dashed back up to the VIP toilets, Fabian told Maurice to get him a large brandy. He felt guilty now. The look on Melody’s face had got to him. She’d looked so defeated and let down, and he supposed he
had
let her down, because this wasn’t all her fault. Under different circumstances, he’d have been delighted to be involved with her, because she was gorgeous, and sexy, and really quite nice once you scraped the Hollywood gloss off. But she was just too dangerous to be around. And
he
was too damn handsome to risk having his face scarred for life over her.

Tony looked at Leonard with a wry smile on his face. Maybe the guy wasn’t quite as stupid as he looked, after all. He’d just made a suggestion that was so obvious, Tony didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it himself.

‘You know what?’ he said approvingly. ‘That’s not such a bad idea.’

‘Well, I did a lot of thinking after we spoke last night,’ Leonard said, feeling more than a little pleased with himself. ‘I was trying to think of anybody I know who might be looking for investors, and Jenna came to my mind. I’m not sure what her status is regarding finances, but it occurred to me that she must have spent rather a lot to overhaul this place, because her father certainly didn’t leave it like this. It was a bit of a mess when he had it, actually. But that’s by the by. I just thought it might be worth asking her.’

‘Well, there’s only one way to find out,’ Tony said, pushing his chair back when he spotted Jenna making her way to the bar just then. ‘Let’s go ask her.’

‘You want me to come with you?’ Leonard said, a little surprised because he’d thought that Tony would want to keep this between himself and Jenna.

‘It was your suggestion, so why not?’ Tony shrugged. ‘Anyway, she doesn’t really know me, so she might get a bit nervous about me launching something like this on her. But you’re an old friend of her dad, so she’s bound to feel safer with you there. Don’t mind, do you?’

‘I’d be delighted,’ Leonard agreed proudly.

Jenna was in no mood for talking. She’d spent the whole day moping about, first at her apartment, where she’d wandered restlessly from room to room, and now here at the club, where she just couldn’t seem to escape Vibes’s presence.

She’d been thinking about him all day, wondering if he’d got any sleep; if he’d made his flight on time; if he’d got through Customs without being hassled about the watch.

Desperate for the night to finish so that she could go home and escape in her dreams, she’d come up to the bar now to have a quiet drink to see her through the next two torturous hours. But no sooner had she got her glass of wine in her hand than Tony, Leonard, and Eddie came over.

Going with them to an empty booth when they said they had something to discuss with her, Jenna frowned when Tony sat on one side of her and Leonard on the other. And Eddie dragging a chair up to the table so that he was facing her just completed the claustrophobic circle.

Forcing herself to smile politely, she looked from one to the other of them, saying, ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Remember when I called you?’Tony said, taking the lead. ‘Said I needed advice about some business ideas I had going?’

‘Friday,’ Jenna murmured, remembering it clearly, because that was the same day that Vibes had told her he was leaving.

‘Yeah, Friday,’ Tony said, frowning because her eyes had clouded over. ‘You all right, Jen?’

‘Uh?’ Snapping her gaze back to him, she nodded. ‘Sorry . . . yes, I’m fine. What were you saying?’

‘Well, you suggested I talk to Lenny,’ Tony continued, watching her carefully. ‘And we did have a chat that night, which kind of put me right about a couple of things.’

Cutting in here, oblivious to Jenna’s distracted state, Leonard said, ‘You see, Tony was having a little difficulty knowing what to do with his money.’

‘I want to set something up over here,’ Tony jumped back in. ‘And I was thinking along the lines of a casino, to start with, but Lenny pointed out that I’d be wasting my time pursuing that, because—’

‘Oh, it’s an incredibly tough procedure,’ Leonard chipped in. ‘Terribly difficult.’

‘So,
any
way . . .’ Tony said, frowning at Leonard to shut him up. ‘Then I was thinking along the lines of opening up something like
this
place. As you know, I’ve had one of my own already back home, so it seems kinda logical to stick to what I know best.’

‘Yes, I remember you saying,’ Jenna muttered, feeling a little sick from having to twist her head from side to side to look at each of them as they spoke.

‘Well, Lenny kind of scotched that for me, as well,’ Tony said.

‘Because that’s equally hard for a man in his position,’ Leonard interrupted. ‘
Sorry
,’ he said then, holding up an apologetic hand.

‘Anyway, like he said, it seems
that
might be a bit of a problem, too,’ Tony went on. ‘Me being foreign, and all. But then he suggested I should think about investing in a going concern, instead of trying to set something up from scratch. And I’ve been mulling it over all night, but I couldn’t think where to start, ’cos I don’t really know anyone well enough yet to approach them. But then he suggested I talk to you.’

‘I don’t think there’s anything I can tell you that Leonard probably hasn’t already,’ Jenna said. ‘I’ve already told you that I don’t really know very much about the business side of things yet.’

‘No, you don’t get me,’ Tony said, smiling now. ‘He meant talk to you
about
you. Well, not
you
personally,’ he added quickly, ‘but this place.’

‘Oh, you mean as in talk to me about investing in the club?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Well, I’m flattered that you thought of me,’ Jenna said, smiling apologetically. ‘but I’m not really looking for a partner right now.’

‘I’m not suggesting leaping headlong into a fifty-fifty deal, or anything like that,’ Tony assured her, sensing that she needed convincing. ‘It’s just that
I
need something to put my money into, and I’m pretty sure
you
could do with an injection of ready cash. I know you inherited the place, and Lenny’s told me how much work you’ve done to get it like this, so I figure you must be up to your neck in it with the bank.’

Choosing her words carefully, because she didn’t want to offend him, Jenna said, ‘That’s not something I feel entirely comfortable discussing, actually, Tony. With respect, I like to keep my business private.’

Looking at her, Tony said, ‘I understand that, and I wouldn’t want you to think I was trying to pressurise you. But will you at least think about it?’

Sighing, Jenna shrugged. ‘There doesn’t seem much point when I already know the answer.’

Looking at her for a moment, Tony nodded respectfully. ‘I appreciate the honesty, but don’t rule it out altogether, yeah? If you ever think about taking a partner in the future, you know where I am.’

‘Of course,’ Jenna said, relieved that he wasn’t going to push it. ‘I doubt it’ll happen, though,’ she added, just to be sure that he wouldn’t go away thinking it was a done deal. ‘And you might not even be here by then, anyway. But if you are, you’ll be the first to know.’

‘That’s good enough for me,’ Tony said, smiling again. ‘Me and Lenny will put our heads together and come up with something else in the meantime. Right, Len?’

‘Absolutely,’ Leonard agreed, feeling as if he’d let Tony down somehow. ‘Anything I can do – you know that.’

‘Well, good luck with that,’ Jenna said, standing up. ‘And I’m always willing to talk if you ever want to discuss anything – not that I’ll be much use to you. But, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’d better get back to work.’

‘Take it easy,’ Tony said.

Having got up to let Jenna out, Leonard sat back down and sighed heavily. ‘Sorry about that. It probably wasn’t one of my better suggestions.’

‘Hey, don’t knock yourself,’ Tony told him. ‘It was a good idea. Anyway, who knows . . . she might still go for it at some point.’

‘Yes, but what are you going to do now?’

Winking at him, Tony said, ‘Don’t you worry about me, Lenny. Something will come up. And you’ve been a great help already.’

‘I tried,’ Leonard murmured dejectedly, wishing there was something more that he could do.

Sitting back, Tony sipped at his drink, narrow-eyed as his mind ticked over new possibilities. He liked the idea of hooking up with Jenna, but that wasn’t going to happen for a while, if at all. But Leonard was a different matter. Tony had a feeling he’d be a pushover if he was handled right, and he sure had the necessary qualities to make him useful: came from a moneyed background; owned a mansion; had been something of a name in politics. But, best of all, Leonard was so desperate to
be
somebody that he’d probably agree to just about anything Tony asked now if it meant being allowed to bask in his limelight.

‘You know, you’ve surprised me,’ he said, switching the charm on and looking at Leonard with respect. ‘First time I met you, I thought you were a bit flaky.’

‘Flaky?’ Leonard repeated, wondering if that were good or bad.

‘Yeah, you know, sort of out there,’ Tony elaborated, leaving Leonard none the wiser. ‘But you’re a pretty astute guy when you get right down to it, aren’t you? Real keen business sense.’

Flattered, Leonard gave a modest shrug. ‘Well, I do all right, I suppose.’

‘Better than all right from what I’ve heard,’ Tony said. ‘I mean, politics is a tough business, what with all the corruption you hear about. But to come out the other end as straight as you, that takes something extra. I really admire you for that.’

‘Well, it’s not easy,’ Leonard admitted. ‘I’ve already told you how much – shall we say –
underhanded
stuff goes on in government. So, yes, it is rare to come out untarnished.’

‘Takes special smarts, if you ask me,’ Tony said, tapping a finger on his temple. Taking his cigars out then, he offered one to Leonard. ‘Which kinda makes me wonder,’ he went on, lighting his own and holding the flame out to Leonard, ‘why you retired so young. I mean, look at all that experience, all that nous,
wasted
. And you’re only, what – forty-four, forty-five?’

‘Well, actually, I’m a little closer to fifty,’ Leonard admitted, puffing the cigar to life.

‘Sure don’t look it,’ Tony told him. ‘But, whatever, I’d still say you was too young to be putting yourself out to graze like that. Don’t you reckon, Ed?’

Nodding, Eddie smiled. ‘I reckon.’

Taken aback as much by the smile as by the fact that it was the first time he’d ever heard Eddie speak, Leonard blinked rapidly.

‘Know what I think your problem is?’ Tony gazed at him thoughtfully. ‘I don’t think you’ve ever let yourself be who you really are. Am I right?’

Dropping his gaze, Leonard reached for his glass as the heat rose to his cheeks. ‘I, um, don’t really know what you mean.’

‘Sure you do,’ Tony said, his voice soft and low. ‘See, I knew what you was from the off.’

Leonard’s hand was trembling now.
Please, God, no . . .

‘But I think other people misunderstand you,’ Tony went on, in full schmooze mode now. ‘They see the politician, and assume you’re the same as all the rest. But you’re not the same, are you, Lenny? You’re decent, and honest, and generous enough to spare a stranger like me the benefit of your knowledge.’

Still shaking, Leonard glanced up. He’d been so sure that Tony was going to mention the ‘Q’ word again, and he didn’t think he could have coped with an outright confrontation.

‘Hey, see what a good guy this is?’ Tony said, turning to Eddie and shaking his head incredulously. ‘Give him a fucking compliment, and he gets all choked. Now, that’s a
real
man.’

‘Sure is,’ Eddie agreed, playing along. He didn’t know quite where this was headed yet, but if he knew Tony – and he did, better than anyone – he was setting the guy up for some kind of sting.

‘Yep,’ Tony murmured, sighing now. ‘Just a shame you’re retired, ’cos I reckon we could kick some serious ass if we put our heads together. But you’ve still done something good for me tonight, Lenny.’