‘You’re too kind,’ Danny said with a snippy edge. ‘But believe me – most men are nasty little piggies.’
‘Do you really think that?’ Lucky asked mildly.
‘Oh yes, indeedy,’ Danny responded. ‘I could tell you a thing or two about men. You know, before Buff and I got together—’
Lucky cut him short. ‘Much as I would love hearing your life stories, Danny, I’d prefer you go pick up Venus and escort her here.’
‘One day,’ Danny said, slightly put out that Lucky didn’t want to hear what he had to say, ‘you should listen to my stories.’
‘One day I will,’ Lucky assured him. ‘But not today.’
‘You’re such a machine,’ Danny said with a knowing nod. ‘Everything and everyone has to be on time – no room for error.’
‘And fortunately for you, Danny, you never make errors,’ Lucky said briskly. ‘So I suggest you move your tight little ass and go fetch Venus.’
‘In some circles that remark might be construed as sexual harassment,’ Danny sniffed. ‘Besides, you know Venus will keep me waiting, she’s such a diva.’
‘Goodbye,’ Lucky said, thinking that one of the reasons she got along with Danny so well was that he wasn’t scared of her. Because of everything she’d achieved, some people viewed her as intimidating. Danny was never intimidated; he had a sweet but sometimes perverse nature, plus he was efficient and full of energy. He was the perfect assistant for her.
Danny reappeared with Venus fifteen minutes later. Venus, a vision in an all-white workout outfit trimmed with gold braid, her platinum-blonde hair piled on top of her head.
Danny escorted her onto the terrace to join Lucky, then left. The two women exchanged a warm hug. ‘I’m so glad you made it,’ Lucky said. ‘Wasn’t sure you would.’
‘You know I love Vegas,’ Venus remarked. ‘And I was thinking we could work out after breakfast.’ She did an elaborate twirl. ‘You see, I dressed the part. This is from my new clothing line – Body By Venus. You like?’
‘Sensational, but I can’t get sweaty today,’ Lucky said, wishing she had the time. ‘Got a meeting, followed by the board meeting with potential investors you promised to show your face at. Remember?’
‘I did?’ Venus said innocently.
‘You did,’ Lucky assured her.
‘Damn!’
‘Suck it up, superstar,’ Lucky said, laughing. ‘You know you get off when everyone’s creaming all over you. You’re an attention junkie and it shows.’
Venus smiled. It was true, she never tired of being in the spotlight. ‘I guess Danny can work out with me,’ she said, checking out the table of food. ‘Right, Danny?’
‘Sorry to disappoint you,’ Lucky said, helping herself to a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. ‘But Danny will be with me, taking notes.’
‘You’re no fun,’ Venus said, opting for a dish of yogurt and blueberries. ‘At least you could lend me Danny.’
‘Don’t tell me you flew in by yourself?’ Lucky questioned, as they sat down. ‘No entourage to attend to your every need?’
‘Do I need one?’ Venus questioned, lowering her Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses.
‘Apparently yes. You can’t go wandering around on your own. Where’s your stylist? Your hair person? Your usual glam squad?’
‘I thought this weekend was all about family, so I came alone.’
‘How adult of you.’
‘Actually,’ Venus admitted, ‘got me a surprise package who’s even now on his way here.’
‘Ah!’ Lucky exclaimed. ‘I knew it!’
‘Of course you did.’
‘And who might it be?’
‘Well . . .’ Venus said, an evil smile hovering on her luscious lips. ‘Yesterday at the shoot for my new clothing line, they hired a very buff stud to be in the shot.’ A pause for effect. ‘Well . . .’ she continued, ‘I couldn’t let the poor guy go to waste, now could I?’
‘You’re incorrigible,’ Lucky said, laughing.
‘Oh, like you weren’t when you were single?’ Venus shot back. ‘I seem to recall you would fuck ’em an’ leave ’em quicker than any guy.’
‘Single,’ Lucky protested. ‘I was single. And please – don’t ever mention that to Max.’
‘Well, now I’m single,’ Venus said, ‘which means I will not be wasting a minute of my time.’
‘As if you ever do,’ Lucky said dryly.
‘By the way,’ Venus added, ‘he’s twenty, Brazilian, and hardly speaks a word of English.’ Once again she paused for effect. ‘I think I’m in love!’
‘Does that mean I’ll hear no more moaning and groaning about Billy?’ Lucky said hopefully.
Venus gave another deliciously evil smile. ‘Billy who?’
* * *
Frankie drove his Grand Sport convertible Corvette like a maniac, all the while speaking on his BlackBerry, reaching over to change a CD, texting, manoeuvring in and out of traffic lanes like he was playing dodgem cars.
Cookie didn’t care, she was down with a touch of danger, and Frankie offered her all that and then some. When he’d picked her up they’d done a couple of lines of coke to prep themselves for the four-hour drive, then she’d gone down on him, and promised that when they hit the desert she’d do it again.
‘While I’m driving,’ he’d said, salivating at the thought.
‘What do I get in return?’ she’d demanded.
‘Depends on how you do it.’
‘Ha!’ Cookie exclaimed. ‘Who’d you think won the blow-job competition at school when I was fourteen?’
Frankie was intrigued. Teenagers indulging in blow-job competitions, he’d thought it was an urban legend. Satisfying to know it was true, and that his girl was the champ. How about that?
His girl. His first steady since Annabelle Maestro, who in the end had treated him like a piece of shit. He would never forgive her for that. Annabelle had even written about him in her dumb book, and not in a flattering way. He’d thought about suing, but everyone had warned him against it. Not worth the time, the money for lawyers, and the pure frustration that it would entail, so eventually he’d decided against it.
If only he’d had the foresight to make a sex tape while he and Annabelle were together. What a financial bonanza that would’ve been.
But no, he hadn’t done that; he’d blown a major opportunity to score. Vivid Entertainment would’ve paid big. They’d forked out millions for Paris Hilton and the Kardashian broad with the big ass – he could have made a killing. Colin Farrell, here I come!
Too late now.
Then the thought occurred to him – how about a sex tape with Cookie? She was certainly adventurous enough. And if he assured her they were making it just for their own private viewing pleasure . . .
Yeah. Like Annabelle, whose dad was action movie star Ralph Maestro, Cookie had a famous father too – Gerald M., soul singer supreme. Although since rap and hip-hop had taken over the airwaves, Gerald M. was not exactly at the top of his game. However, he was still a huge star in Europe, where they loved all that Lionel Richie, Barry White style of sexual healing.
First order of business when they hit Vegas. Buy himself a Flip video and get to work.
Yeah, it was a plan.
* * *
‘Let’s work out Plan B,’ Bobby said. He was feeling bad about letting Denver down and wanted to make it up to her. ‘When do I get to meet the family?’
‘There is no Plan B,’ Denver responded, as they sat in the back of a town car on their way to the airport and Bobby’s plane. ‘You had your chance.’
‘Not my fault,’ Bobby objected. ‘If there’s one thing I can’t control it’s the airlines.’
‘Apparently you can,’ Denver argued. And then she couldn’t help going there. ‘Where was your plane when you needed it? And how come we’re using it today? Isn’t it a somewhat extravagant move?’
‘Questions, questions,’ Bobby teased, trying to get her to lighten up. ‘My girlfrie
nd the D.A. gets off on asking questions.’
‘Deputy D.A.,’ Denver corrected. ‘And your girlfriend is extremely disappointed you didn’t show.’
‘But sweetheart, I tried,’ he said artlessly. ‘My intentions were on the right track.’
‘Sometimes the best of intentions don’t cut it,’ Denver pointed out, deciding that in spite of the great morning sex, she was still somewhat annoyed that he hadn’t made it in time to meet her family. ‘I really wanted you to be there – everyone was expecting you. You not turning up made me look stupid.’
‘C’mon, babe,’ he said, throwing her a quick glance. ‘You could never look stupid. You’re the smartest girl I know.’
‘Says you.’
‘You gotta stop breaking my balls,’ he insisted. ‘This is supposed to be the start of a romantic weekend, so don’t go ruining it.’
Very romantic, Denver thought, surrounded by your entire family who will be judging me to see if I’m suitable girlfriend material for the heir to – who the fuck knows what?
She let out a long, deep sigh. ‘Whatever,’ she murmured.
Bobby couldn’t help laughing. ‘Now you sound as if you’re twelve,’ he remarked.
‘Sometimes,’ she said wistfully, ‘I wish I was.’
Chapter Twenty-Four
‘Good afternoon!’ Bright-eyed and full of good cheer, the two flight attendants, Hani and Gitta, welcomed Bobby and Denver aboard the Stanislopoulos plane.
Denver had flown on it a couple of times before, but not when she’d been Bobby’s actual girlfriend. She wondered if Hani or Gitta knew that she and Bobby were now a couple, then she decided that they probably did, because they looked like the kind of women who made it their business to know everything.
Max, Harry, and Paco were already on board. Harry was in a state of delight to be sharing the pleasures of a private jet with his new friend, while Paco was somewhat in awe. Meanwhile Max had already launched into a depression about the way Billy had ended up treating her. How dare he! She wasn’t a one-night conquest. She wasn’t some random girl he could screw and walk away from. And he’d taken her virginity. Snatched it from her like a thief in the night. She was mortified.
Lurid thoughts of punishment crossed her mind. She could tell Lucky and Lennie that Billy had forced himself on her. Ha! If Lucky thought he’d done that she’d blow his balls off. Her mom took no prisoners, everyone knew that about Lucky.
Or . . . she could mention it to Bobby, who was practically ignoring her now that he had a steady girlfriend.
Crap! She hated the fact that Bobby seemed really into this Denver person. Why couldn’t he have just gone on being a player? Girls were always chasing after Bobby. With his dark good looks and appealing personality, he could take his pick. So why had he picked Denver?
After a while she decided it was time to assert her authority, show Denver who really mattered in Bobby’s life. ‘Big brother!’ she squealed, dashing toward him and flinging her arms around his neck. ‘I haven’t seen you in ages. I’ve missed you sooo much!’
A startled Bobby extracted himself from her cling. ‘You remember Denver?’ he said pointedly.
‘Oh yeah, sure,’ Max said, purposely making it sound like she didn’t.
‘Hello, Max,’ Denver said, already sensing trouble ahead. ‘It’s nice to see you again.’
‘Hey—’ Max said, with a vague wave in her direction.
Damnit, Denver thought. Now I’ve got to deal with a truculent teenager who is not at all thrilled I’ve hooked up with her brother, whom she obviously adores. Great start to a weekend I didn’t want to come on in the first place.
‘Will everyone please take their seats, turn off their cell phones and buckle up,’ Gitta announced. ‘We are preparing for take-off.’
Denver fastened her seat belt.
Bobby reached for her hand. ‘Happy flying, sweetheart. We’re about to set off on a memorable weekend. Prepare yourself for plenty of fun.’
The plane roared down the runway and soon they were on their way to Vegas.
* * *
‘Wassup with you, man?’ Kev inquired. ‘Your mind’s like on a trip somewhere in space.’
‘Yeah,’ Billy answered distractedly. ‘I’m kinda thinkin’ we might wanna make a Vegas pit stop.’
‘Vegas!’ Kev snapped to attention. Vegas was his kind of town. ‘I’m way down with that. When we gonna do it, bro?’
‘Today,’ Billy said, making a decision on the spot.
He’d been thinking about Max all morning. Truth was, he’d been thinking about her ever since Kev had dragged him out to a club the previous night, and as usual there’d been dozens of girls draping themselves all over him, but he simply wasn’t into any of them. He’d promised Max dinner, and somehow with Kev arriving unexpectedly, he’d allowed her to slip off, and that wasn’t what he’d wanted at all.
It was his own fault. She was so young that he’d gotten kind of scared and guilty; he hadn’t quite figured out how to handle the situation. Then Kev arriving had given him a convenient out. But after thinking about it, he hadn’t wanted a convenient out; what he’d really wanted was to spend more time with Max. Yes, she was young, but she was special and fresh, and maybe it was too soon to know – but he had this weird feeling that she was his soulmate, the girl he was supposed to be with.
And yet . . . he’d let her go, and now she was probably pissed at him, for girls were sensitive in that way. Especially as the sex they’d had together was her first time.
He was mad at himself. And how to make it up to her?
Vegas. Her birthday. Show her that he cared.
Not that he could simply turn up unannounced at her birthday party, that would not fly at all. He could imagine Lucky’s face if she got even a tiny hint that he was screwing her daughter. And Lennie too.
But . . . he could be in Vegas and meet up with Max on the sly. Lucky didn’t have to know.
It seemed like a way to go. He’d do it, and he’d take Kev along for the ride.
* * *
After breakfast with Venus, Lucky set off for her meeting with Jeffrey Lonsdale and the people from Jordan Developments. Since she didn’t have any current projects in mind, she wasn’t at all sure why she’d agreed to meet with them. Raising money was never a problem, but Jeffrey seemed to think that they might be useful if, for instance, she decided to build a version of The Keys in Atlantic City or any other big American city where gambling was legal. Jeffrey never allowed her to invest a dime of her own money. Not that he was in control, but she always listened to his sage advice. Jeffrey was smart.
Danny arrived to escort her to her office.
‘Newsflash,’ Danny announced, looking all pleased with himself.
‘What?’ Lucky asked, striding to the elevator, chic in black leather pants, boots, and a cashmere shell top, her long hair wild and falling around her shoulders, large yellow diamond studs affixed to her earlobes.
‘It’s juicy,’ Danny exclaimed, hopping to keep up with her.
‘Give it up, Danny, or shut it up,’ Lucky said.
‘The perv in the Presidential Suite I was telling you about earlier is the man you’re on your way to meet.’
‘Huh?’
‘Armand Jordan. Jordan Developments.’
‘You’re kidding?’
‘One and the same.’
‘Remind me again what the story was.’
‘Apparently,’ Danny said, savouring every morsel, ‘Mr Jordan hired a couple of expensive call girls – made them do all kinds of unspeakable acts – then refused to pay extra for ah . . . certain acts that apparently require more money.’
‘Nice.’
‘Are you sure you should meet with him?’
‘Why not?’ Lucky replied with a casual shrug. ‘It’s quite likely I can embarrass him into paying up. Wouldn’t that be fun.’
‘And you’d do that, wouldn’t you?’ Danny said, delighted at the prospect of watching his boss in acti
on.
Lucky grinned. ‘Working girls deserve every red cent they make. Maybe I should consider it my good deed for the day. Whaddya think, Danny?’
‘Oh yes, I think definitely yes!’
* * *
Cruising down the highway with Cookie’s head in his lap, and his cock in her mouth, Frankie couldn’t have felt more on top of the world.
What could be better than this? Cee Lo Green – loud and sexy on the sound system. The hot sun burning down on them. The smooth thrust of his Corvette as the speedometer hit 80. Plus the insane sensation of holding back from what he knew was about to be a mind-shattering orgasm.
Man, Frankie was flying and then some.
Until . . . the goddamn siren. The cop car drawing alongside them. And a red-faced motherfucker of a cop frantically signalling for him to pull over.
He did so, and the cop marched up to his window.
‘Sorry, officer,’ Frankie said, attempting to seem contrite. ‘Music too loud?’
‘Licence and registration,’ Angry Cop said. ‘And get out the car.’ He peered suspiciously over at Cookie. ‘You too.’
Cookie, who was busy applying a fresh layer of sticky lip-gloss, frowned. ‘What’ve I done?’ she asked petulantly.
‘Lewd behaviour in a moving vehicle,’ Angry Cop announced. ‘I’m thinking of booking both of you.’
Frankie tried to remember where he’d stashed the coke and the grass and the pills he’d brought along on the trip – the main reason he hadn’t wanted to fly. Then he remembered that all his drugs were in his overnight bag along with his shaving kit.
Oh shit, this could still be bad.
As Cookie climbed out of the car, Angry Cop gave her a hard piercing look. ‘How old are you?’ he demanded. ‘And have you been drinking?’
* * *
Once they were airborne, Denver decided to make an effort to be nice to Bobby’s truculent little sister. She moved over to sit next to her. ‘Bobby tells me you’re planning on relocating to New York,’ she said. ‘Sounds like an exciting thing to do.’