Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [43]
Max sat up with a start. Wow! She’d downed a beer, closed her eyes and zoned out. Talk about an escape hatch!
‘I’m uh . . . fine, thank you,’ she said stiffly, somewhat embarrassed.
He proffered his hand.
She took it and he pulled her up.
‘What’re you doing down here by yourself?’ he asked.
‘Same as you, probably,’ she said, pushing clouds of hair off her face. ‘Getting away from all those morons.’
Billy laughed, and took a second look at the sexy young girl with the jet-black curls and the exceptionally pretty face. She was clad in rock ’n’ roll torn jeans, a midriff-baring white shirt knotted under her breasts, with multiple silver chains and crosses hanging around her slender neck. He narrowed his eyes. ‘I know you,’ he said, thinking she looked vaguely familiar.
‘And I know you,’ she responded, staring at the studly, tousled-haired movie star with the piercing blue eyes and rippling torso nicely displayed in a tight black T-shirt and black pants. Of course she knew him. Everyone did.
‘Saw my movie, huh?’ Billy said, thinking that his fame was such a useful conversation opener. And this girl was major hot – in a very un-bimbo like way. He’d left the bimbo squad cavorting naked in the pool with Willow, and he couldn’t care less about any of them.
‘I didn’t, actually,’ Max lied, thinking that he looked way better off screen, because she’d seen his latest movie. Twice. But she wasn’t about to tell him that.
‘Then where do we know each other from?’ Billy asked, realizing that he’d smoked too much weed and downed too many vodka shots, which was another reason he’d headed to the beach to chill out.
‘Um . . . you were married to my mom’s best friend,’ Max blurted out.
‘Who’s your mom’s best friend?’
‘Venus.’
Billy’s face registered shock. ‘You’re—’
‘Yeah, I’m Max. Lucky’s daughter.’
‘You gotta be shittin’ me!’ he exclaimed.
‘Now why would I do that?’ she asked innocently.
‘Jeez!’ he said, his mind taking off in many different directions. ‘Thought I recognized the house. I must’ve been here a couple of times.’ A short beat – then – ‘Where’s Lucky and Lennie?’
‘Lucky’s in Vegas. Lennie’s shooting a movie,’ Max said, slightly breathless because this was Billy Melina, and along with Johnny Depp and Rob Pattinson, he was one of her favourites. She’d harboured a secret crush for months ever since seeing his latest movie.
‘Don’t tell me this is your party?’ Billy said, gesturing up toward the distant house where music was blaring and lights were flashing. Someone had added fireworks to the mix, so every few minutes the sky lit up and the noise was out of control.
‘Unfortunately, yes,’ she admitted. ‘It’s a total bad scene, right?’
‘Let me get this straight,’ Billy said, somewhat perplexed. ‘So even though it’s your party, you’re down on the beach because?’
‘’Cause I just told you – it’s a freaking nightmare,’ she said with a helpless shrug. ‘I made a daring escape. Can you blame me?’
‘Hmm . . .’ he said, giving her a long quizzical look. ‘Do Mommy and Daddy know you’re entertaining?’
‘What do you think?’ she replied, gazing directly into his electric blue eyes.
‘I’m taking a wild guess an’ saying they don’t.’
‘And you’re so not about to tell them, are you?’
‘Hey,’ he said, with a casual shrug. ‘We’re hardly on speaking terms, what with Venus badmouthing me big time.’
‘Oh yes,’ Max said tartly. ‘Auntie Venus.’
‘Shit!’ Billy mock-groaned. ‘Don’t say that, you’re makin’ me feel old.’
‘You are old, aren’t you?’ she said boldly.
‘Thirty, chicken. An’ you?’
‘Eighteen,’ she answered, which wasn’t such a huge lie, because there were only three more days to go.
They exchanged a long look, one that sent shivers up and down her spine.
Was this really happening?
Yes. Absolutely.
‘Hey,’ he said, breaking the look. ‘Wanna take a walk?’
She nodded. Like it was Billy Melina, there was no way she’d turn him down.
They started strolling along the sand, close to the shoreline, and after a while Billy began to talk. The more he talked