Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [88]
‘What are you doing?’ Bobby wanted to know, leaning over her shoulder.
‘Just checking on work.’
‘No,’ he said firmly.
‘No, what?’
‘Not while we’re on our first vacation.’
‘Bobby,’ she reminded him gently. ‘This is not a vacation, it’s a weekend.’
‘And our first one away together,’ he pointed out, kissing her neck.
‘Okay,’ she said, clicking her phone off. ‘Whatever my Lord and Master wants.’
‘Easy!’ he laughed. ‘I’m not that bad.’
‘Well, you are being kind of overbearing.’
‘Thought I was being romantic.’
‘You’re right,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll leave work alone until later.’
‘Later I might have more surprises.’
‘Hmm . . . something to look forward to?’
‘You’ll just have to wait and see.’
* * *
‘I appeared at the Maracana Stadium in Rio once,’ Venus informed Jorge who was now massaging her feet after their stint in the casino. She’d won twenty-five thousand dollars at blackjack, so she was on a high. ‘Thousands of people, and little old me,’ she reminisced. ‘It was a fantastic night. Very memorable.’
‘Ah . . . Maracana,’ Jorge murmured. He spoke more English than Venus thought, and he understood plenty, but he’d decided it was prudent to pretend he had yet to master English. It was also prudent not to mention that he was ten years old when he and some friends had sneaked into the famous Maracana Stadium and watched her perform. He could still remember the hard-on she’d given him that night.
Growing up in a two-room shack with seven brothers and sisters, no father, and a mother who lived only for Carnival, Jorge had been forced to take care of himself. At the age of ten he’d started stealing from tourists in Rio, and from fourteen on he’d been robbing and fucking them, picking up a smattering of English along the way. The moment he’d stashed away enough money, he’d gotten himself a passport and purchased a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. At least he had ambition.
Now what? He might be only nineteen (Venus thought he was twenty) but he was smart enough to know that being with this platinum-blonde superstar might be his only opportunity to score big.
He didn’t know what, but this weekend he was determined to do something to cement their connection.
* * *
Determined not to feel sorry for herself, Max entered the elevator which zoomed her upstairs. Harry and Paco had stopped off at the drugstore to pick up God only knew what. Harry was acting totally lovesick, she could hardly stand it.
Betty was sitting in her usual place. Max gave her a quick hug. ‘Is Cookie here yet?’ she asked.
Betty nodded, a disapproving glint in her watchful eyes. ‘Indeed she is. With that new boyfriend of hers.’
‘Oh yes, Frankie,’ Max said, with a knowing grin. ‘Cookie hit the jackpot, right?’
‘Seems too old for her,’ Betty remarked. ‘And smarmy with a smart mouth.’
‘Hey – we all know Cookie,’ Max said, grabbing a handful of M&Ms from Betty’s desk. ‘This is way better than her dragging random dudes up here every night.’
‘I have never approved of that girl’s behaviour,’ Betty said, tight-lipped. ‘She needs discipline. Where are her parents?’
‘You know where they are, we’ve had this conversation before,’ Max said. ‘By the way – be prepared. Harry has a uh . . . boyfriend too. They’ll be checking in any minute.’
Betty’s eyebrows shot up. ‘A boyfriend?’
‘Oh c’mon, Bets,’ Max giggled. ‘You know Harry’s gay.’
‘He is?’ Betty said dryly.
‘Please don’t tease me. It’s almost my birthday and they’ve both got boyfriends, while I’m all alone. Charming, isn’t it?’
‘Don’t worry, dear,’ Betty assured her, thinking of the boyfriend all set to surprise her. ‘You’ll still have a lovely time.’
‘Thanks, Bets,’ she said, as she headed down the corridor to her suite.
Slipping her entry card into the door she walked inside.
‘Hey,’ Ace said, jumping up to greet her with a big smile on his face. ‘Happy Birthday, sweet eighteen!’
Chapter Thirty-Two
Getting thrown out of The Keys was without doubt the most insulting thing that had ever happened to Armand