Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [9]
She gestured toward the entrance of the new club where a restless gathering of girls dressed to seduce, and a rowdy bunch of guys hoping to get laid, attempted to talk their way past three burly security doormen. ‘Can you get me and my friends in?’ she asked, throwing Frankie a winning smile.
‘Hey,’ Frankie said, with a nod of his head. ‘If I can’t, nobody can. Follow me.’
Max grabbed Cookie and Harry’s arms, and without hesitation they marched in behind Frankie.
The doorman gave him a respectful salute.
‘Wow!’ Max exclaimed, suitably impressed. ‘They’re acting as if you own the place or something.’
‘I do,’ Frankie boasted, although not truthfully. ‘It’s mine, all mine.’
Max widened her eyes. The last she’d heard of Frankie, he’d been dumped by Annabelle Maestro, his longtime girlfriend, and was looking for a job. Now he claimed to own this happening new L.A. club. She wondered if Bobby was aware of it, because as far as she could recall, the two of them had fallen out due to Frankie’s over-the-top drug habit. Too bad. She’d always sort of liked Frankie in a weird way, even though he’d tried to letch after her when she was sixteen and staying with Bobby in New York.
‘Does Bobby know you’re in the club business?’ she asked, as Frankie guided them straight to a booth.
‘You think Bobby has dibs on running clubs?’ Frankie responded, his left eye twitching beneath his shades. ‘I was dee-jaying before he ever got into the whole club scene. I would’ve given him a chance to invest in River, but we’ve been out of touch. His loss.’
‘Guess he missed out,’ Max said vaguely, checking out the club, which resembled a poor rip-off of Mood.
‘Since your brother hooked up with that lawyer bitch, you gotta know he’s totally pussy-whipped,’ Frankie said gruffly. ‘We no longer connect.’
‘Denver’s not a lawyer, she’s a Deputy D.A.,’ Max pointed out.
‘Even worse,’ Frankie snorted. ‘She’s got his balls in a clench. Came between us big time.’
‘I thought it was—’
‘What?’ Frankie said, shooting her a sharp look.
‘Nothing,’ she mumbled, biting down on her bottom lip. Bobby had told her that Frankie’s addiction to coke was not something he could deal with any more, especially as Denver was a Deputy D.A.
‘So . . . little Max, all grown up,’ Frankie said, moving close, his thigh pressing up against her leg. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while. How’ve you been?’
‘Amazing,’ Max replied, edging away because the last thing she needed was Frankie coming onto her.
‘You’re looking hot,’ he continued. ‘Smokin’ hot.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, feeling uncomfortable. Was he stoned? Probably.
‘Wow!’ Cookie exclaimed. ‘This place is totally bangin’.’
Frankie turned his attention to her. ‘You like?’ he said. ‘I designed the place myself.’ Another lie.
‘We like,’ Cookie answered, nudging Harry while wondering how old Frankie was, and if he was too old for her. ‘Can we score a drink?’
‘You got it,’ Frankie said, snapping his fingers, grabbing the attention of a half-naked waitress with long talon-like nails and a fixed smile. ‘You all have your fake I.D.s on you, I hope.’
‘Wouldn’t be without them,’ Cookie replied, licking her generous lips and fluttering her purple-tipped eyelashes.
‘That’s what I like to hear,’ Frankie said, thinking that this one might be young, but she was certainly ready.
And what the hell – young was his flavour of the night.
* * *
Pizza and a movie turned out to be sushi at Matsuhisa, a favourite of Denver’s.
‘I love this restaurant,’ she said, helping herself to a California roll.
‘Why do you think I chose it?’ Bobby said, reaching for her hand across the table.
‘’Cause you wanted to surprise me?’
‘Ah, but she’s so smart,’ he said, dazzling her with one of his special smiles.
‘And she’s dressed for pizza and a movie,’ Denver said ruefully.
‘And she looks gorgeous,’ he assured her.
‘Thanks, Bobby,’ she said, taking a sip of warm Sake.
‘For what?’
‘For always making me feel good.’
‘That’s easy.’
‘It is?’
‘You know it is.’
‘Well, don’t you always know the right