Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [165]
Billy was rushed to the emergency room, and the finest plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills was flown in to consult on his damaged face. The cut on his cheek turned out to be a surface wound, and within weeks Billy was back to his handsome self, a handsome self whose advisors (lawyers, PR people, the studio, etc.) had warned him to stay under the radar until his divorce from Venus was finalized, and not to see Max.
Reluctantly he’d agreed it was for the best. After all, he was getting a divorce from an icon, and already carrying on with a teenage girl was not the image his people wished him to project. ‘The public can turn on you like a dime,’ they warned him. ‘Do not screw with a brilliant career. Not at this time.’
He spoke to Max on the phone and told her they should cool it for a few weeks. She wasn’t heartbroken, too much was going on and she needed to get her head straight. She was a big girl now. Eighteen. And although Lucky had decided the right thing to do was cancel the Vegas party, she’d been okay with it. Especially when Lucky suggested that they take a family trip to the South of France instead.
Her mom had turned out to be way cooler than she’d ever thought. Lucky didn’t berate her about Billy, she’d merely shrugged and said, ‘We cannot help who we fall for. But maybe Billy wasn’t the best choice.’
Max still thought about Billy.
She thought about Ace too.
Ace had left her such a thoughtful gift and a sad little note. She knew he had to have seen the photos of her and Billy, and it tore her up imagining his reaction.
Ace had always been her rock, and she’d let him down, but as Lucky said, ‘We cannot help who we fall for.’
* * *
After giving in to the L word, Denver and Bobby returned to L.A. and settled into the new house Bobby purchased. ‘No huge mega-mansions,’ Denver had warned him. ‘Something manageable, please. And not in any fancy area. I like normal.’
Normal turned out to be a one-storey house in the Hollywood hills with three bedrooms and a panoramic view of the city. It had a reasonable-size garden and a simple lap pool. Amy Winehouse was in dog heaven!
Denver finally introduced Bobby to her family, not without a great deal of trepidation. Surprise! They all loved him! And as her mom said, ‘What’s not to love? He’s a great guy.’
Yes, Bobby was a great guy, and she was happy that they’d moved in together. She was also happy with her new position in the Drug Unit. Working closely with Leon was a kick, and they had a lot going on. Leon had been tracking a Colombian drug lord, Pablo Diego, for months, and they were near to closing in on his U.S. connections. Pablo’s son, Alejandro, was one of their main targets, along with all the dealers he supplied. A series of arrests were imminent.
Denver was well aware that one of their upcoming arrests would be Frankie Romano. Ethics prevented her from mentioning this to Bobby. What he didn’t know he couldn’t do anything about, and even though Frankie was no longer his close friend, Bobby had an innate sense of loyalty, and could possibly try to warn Frankie, enabling him to skip town.
This could not happen, so silence ruled.
Denver loved Bobby so much. She’d even attended a few of his family events, and managed to forge a warm relationship with Lucky – who was not as intimidating as she’d imagined. She also adored Lennie, who was so smart and acerbic in a delightfully clever way. And she and Max were warming up toward each other slowly but surely.
All in all Denver felt nothing but positive thoughts about her future with Bobby.
* * *
Things were going so well that Bobby had a plan. He’d pulled off buying a house and moving into it with Denver, and