Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [70]
‘Will everyone please take their seats, turn off their cell phones and buckle up,’ Gitta announced. ‘We are preparing for take-off.’
Denver fastened her seat belt.
Bobby reached for her hand. ‘Happy flying, sweetheart. We’re about to set off on a memorable weekend. Prepare yourself for plenty of fun.’
The plane roared down the runway and soon they were on their way to Vegas.
* * *
‘Wassup with you, man?’ Kev inquired. ‘Your mind’s like on a trip somewhere in space.’
‘Yeah,’ Billy answered distractedly. ‘I’m kinda thinkin’ we might wanna make a Vegas pit stop.’
‘Vegas!’ Kev snapped to attention. Vegas was his kind of town. ‘I’m way down with that. When we gonna do it, bro?’
‘Today,’ Billy said, making a decision on the spot.
He’d been thinking about Max all morning. Truth was, he’d been thinking about her ever since Kev had dragged him out to a club the previous night, and as usual there’d been dozens of girls draping themselves all over him, but he simply wasn’t into any of them. He’d promised Max dinner, and somehow with Kev arriving unexpectedly, he’d allowed her to slip off, and that wasn’t what he’d wanted at all.
It was his own fault. She was so young that he’d gotten kind of scared and guilty; he hadn’t quite figured out how to handle the situation. Then Kev arriving had given him a convenient out. But after thinking about it, he hadn’t wanted a convenient out; what he’d really wanted was to spend more time with Max. Yes, she was young, but she was special and fresh, and maybe it was too soon to know – but he had this weird feeling that she was his soulmate, the girl he was supposed to be with.
And yet . . . he’d let her go, and now she was probably pissed at him, for girls were sensitive in that way. Especially as the sex they’d had together was her first time.
He was mad at himself. And how to make it up to her?
Vegas. Her birthday. Show her that he cared.
Not that he could simply turn up unannounced at her birthday party, that would not fly at all. He could imagine Lucky’s face if she got even a tiny hint that he was screwing her daughter. And Lennie too.
But . . . he could be in Vegas and meet up with Max on the sly. Lucky didn’t have to know.
It seemed like a way to go. He’d do it, and he’d take Kev along for the ride.
* * *
After breakfast with Venus, Lucky set off for her meeting with Jeffrey Lonsdale and the people from Jordan Developments. Since she didn’t have any current projects in mind, she wasn’t at all sure why she’d agreed to meet with them. Raising money was never a problem, but Jeffrey seemed to think that they might be useful if, for instance, she decided to build a version of The Keys in Atlantic City or any other big American city where gambling was legal. Jeffrey never allowed her to invest a dime of her own money. Not that he was in control, but she always listened to his sage advice. Jeffrey was smart.
Danny arrived to escort her to her office.
‘Newsflash,’ Danny announced, looking all pleased with himself.
‘What?’ Lucky asked, striding to the elevator, chic in black leather pants, boots, and a cashmere shell top, her long hair wild and falling around her shoulders, large yellow diamond studs affixed to her earlobes.
‘It’s juicy,’ Danny exclaimed, hopping to keep up with her.
‘Give it up, Danny, or shut it up,’ Lucky said.
‘The perv in the Presidential Suite I was telling you about earlier is the man you’re on your way to meet.’
‘Huh?’
‘Armand Jordan. Jordan Developments.’
‘You’re kidding?’
‘One and the same.’
‘Remind me again what the story was.’
‘Apparently,’ Danny said, savouring every morsel, ‘Mr Jordan hired a couple of expensive call girls – made them do all kinds of unspeakable acts – then refused to pay extra for ah . . . certain acts that apparently require more money.’
‘Nice.’
‘Are you sure you should meet with him?’
‘Why not?’ Lucky replied with a casual shrug. ‘It’s quite likely I can embarrass him into paying up. Wouldn’t that be fun.’