Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [156]
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 .