Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [102]
When Lennie had first started practising it a couple of years earlier she’d been highly suspicious that he’d hooked up with some twenty-year-old yoga fanatic who was teaching him all the moves. But after experiencing it herself she was into it too. What woman could resist endless foreplay with a man who knew how to do everything right?
She often thought how far Lennie had come from the brash stand-up comedian she’d first met. Age and a series of traumatic experiences had mellowed him into a special and extraordinary man.
She loved him so much that sometimes it scared her. It was always somewhere in the back of her mind that the three people she’d loved the most had all been taken from her. Her gentle mother – Maria. Her brother – Dario. And the love of her life before Lennie, her fiancé – Marco. Each one of them murdered on the orders of one man, her Godfather, Enzio Bonnatti.
She’d shot and killed Enzio in what was seen as an act of self-defence.
Self defence. Sure. If that’s what everyone believed.
The truth was she’d set up the appropriate scenario, and blown the motherfucker away. He’d deserved it.
True Santangelo justice. And she didn’t regret it. Not for one single minute.
‘How’s little Max?’ Lennie asked. ‘Excited about her party?’
‘She’s a teenager, Lennie. The only thing that excites teenagers is getting away from their parents or a night of lust with Ian Somerhalder.’
‘Who’s Ian Somerhalder?’
‘The Vampire Diaries on TV. Sex and vampires. Guaranteed to get any teenager hot.’
‘I’m in the movie biz – it’s a different scene.’
‘Really?’ Lucky drawled.
‘Yes, really.’
‘I’d never have guessed.’
‘Shut the fuck up.’
‘Here’s what I love about you, Lennie,’ Lucky murmured softly. ‘You do exactly what you want to do, and so do I.’
‘Which is the reason our marriage works so well,’ he responded. ‘No ties. No petty jealousies.’
‘Amen,’ Lucky agreed.
‘And we have a daughter who takes after both of us,’ Lennie said with a grin. ‘Little Max. She’s a maverick. Gotta let her go do her thing.’
‘Are you intimating that I’m stopping her?’
‘Well, sweetheart, you can be kind of controlling when the mood hits you.’
‘Ha!’ Lucky exclaimed.
‘Ha what?’ Lennie retaliated.
‘Ha! It’s amazing that I still love you after all these years.’
‘All what years?’ Lennie questioned. ‘Seems to me like we’ve only been together a couple of months.’
‘Sweet talker.’
‘An’ doncha love it!’
‘Sometimes.’
‘Sometimes, she says,’ Lennie said affectionately, pulling her close.
‘Okay,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll admit it. All times.’
‘That’s my Lucky.’
She smiled, dark eyes flashing. ‘Always.’
* * *
At the same time as Billy was contemplating leaving the restaurant, Venus was enjoying her time with Alex and Jorge. Two extremely attractive men, generations apart. Jorge was a young stud, bursting with testosterone. While Alex was world weary, but filled with stories and life experiences Venus was dying to hear about.
Out of nowhere she suddenly found herself crazily attracted to Alex. He had a Jack Nicholson kind of vibe going, and even though he was getting up there, he was still wildly sexy in a dissolute kind of way.
Of course it was a well-known fact around Hollywood that Alex only went for Asian women; he’d already started hitting on the waitress, a petite girl from Thailand with appealing slanted eyes and a sheet of black hair that hung halfway down her back. But Venus was privy to the information that he’d always had a thing about Lucky. And since Lucky was forever faithful to Lennie, what would be wrong with her taking a shot?
After two extra-strong Lychee Martinis she felt the need to share. Jorge was busy stuffing his face with spare ribs and seaweed. Young, handsome, and dumb. Why was she even bothering?
Oh yes, sex with a studly stranger. Always a kick.
‘You know, Alex,’ she murmured, leaning toward him, her tone low and