Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [33]
Lucky often wondered if Max had any idea about their family history. Max never asked questions, she didn’t seem interested. One day Lucky planned on sitting her down and telling her everything. Max needed to know the battles the Santangelos had gone through and emerged from triumphant. And she had to be made aware of their famous motto – Never fuck with a Santangelo.
So far Lennie had prevented her from filling Max in on the family saga. ‘Let her grow up first,’ he’d said. ‘There’s plenty of time.’
Lennie Golden. Her husband. The best man on the planet. When she’d first met him he was a stand-up comedian at her hotel. She’d propositioned him. He’d turned her down. And when they’d next run into each other, she was married to Greek shipping billionaire Dimitri Stanislopoulos, and by some weird coincidence, he was married to Dimitri’s spoiled daughter, Olympia. A crazy situation.
But in the end it had all worked out and she could honestly say that Lennie was the love of her life. They were compatible in every way. True soulmates.
Before setting off for Vegas, she peeked in on Max who was still asleep. Her child appeared so innocent when she was sleeping. Long-lashed eyelids covering brilliant green eyes, dark curly hair fanning out over the pillow.
Lucky stared at Max for a moment, remembering the day she was born, and Lennie’s expression when he’d held his daughter for the first time. They’d named her Maria after Lucky’s mother – a name Max changed in her teens because she felt Max was more her. So little Maria had become little Max. The new name suited her style, she’d always been an assertive child and quite a tomboy. Max Santangelo Golden.
Lucky sighed. Soon Max would be out on her own. They all grew up too quickly; time moved at such a lightning pace.
‘Bye, sweetheart,’ she whispered, bending down to kiss Max on the forehead. ‘See you soon.’
* * *
The moment Lucky left her room, Max – who’d been faking sleep – jumped out of bed and ran to the window to witness her mother’s departure. She’d pretended to be asleep because she hadn’t wanted to get involved in a conversation about what she was going to do while everyone was away. Too risky, considering she was not the world’s greatest liar, and unfortunately Lucky possessed an extraordinarily keen shit detector.
Soon enough she observed Lucky striding out of the house and getting into a waiting town car to take her to the airport.
Max immediately reached for her cell and called Harry and Cookie, giving them the all clear. ‘Get your asses over here, we’ve got much to do,’ she said excitedly.
Her next job was getting rid of the two housekeepers, who might present a problem. They were recent hires, sisters from Guatemala. Fortunately, twenty-four hours of freedom suited them just fine. Lucky did not believe in keeping a large staff around – she was very down-to-earth in that respect, she preferred doing things for herself. She’d also never cared to raise her children in a pampered environment.
Cookie arrived at the house first, a blissful smile on her pretty face. ‘No more boys for me,’ she announced with a dismissive wave of her hand. ‘It’s men all the way.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ Max responded, rolling her eyes. ‘It’s Frankie. Get a grip. He’s a major loser.’
‘He is so not,’ Cookie argued. ‘You don’t know him.’
‘I’ve known him longer than you, thankyouverymuch,’ Max retaliated.
‘Not in the way I know him,’ Cookie said with a secretive smile.
‘Don’t tell me you had sex again?’ Max said, hoping she was wrong, but sure that she wasn’t.
‘Wouldn’t you like to know,’ Cookie giggled.
‘Not really,’ Max said, hurrying over to the window to make sure the two young housekeepers got into the cab she’d ordered to take them to their families. She’d instructed them not to return until noon the next day, and she’d given them each fifty bucks cash, plus cab fare, to make sure they understood. The older sister had been worried about Lucky finding out, but Max had assured the girl in her best high-school Spanish