Goddess of Vengeance - Jackie Collins [97]
‘I’d be delighted,’ Peggy responded. ‘Tell me where and when, and I will be there.’
* * *
Armand flicked through the dossier Fouad had sent him on Lucky Santangelo. The only thing he found interesting was that she had children – two sons and a daughter.
Ah . . . children . . . a weakness he could use against her if he had to. But unfortunately they were not little children; two were teenagers, and one a grown man.
But still . . . children made a person vulnerable. And yes, most people would do anything to protect their offspring. It was a basic human instinct.
Peggy phoned, interrupting his train of thought. He’d forgotten about his mother, she was the furthest thing from his mind.
‘What?’ he said curtly.
Peggy did not appreciate his tone of voice, but she chose to ignore his gruffness.
‘Fouad told me you have moved to a villa at my hotel,’ she said. ‘I hear the villas are lovely.’
Armand was immediately furious. What was wrong with Fouad? Couldn’t he keep his stupid mouth shut about anything? Now he’d have Peggy turning up, infuriating him even further.
‘Yes,’ he said flatly. ‘However, I cannot take you to dinner tonight. I have business to attend to.’
‘Not to worry, dear,’ Peggy said, sounding surprisingly mellow. ‘I wasn’t asking you. I already have plans.’
‘You do?’ he said, quite surprised. ‘With whom?’
‘Old friends from my past have invited me to dine with them.’ A pause, then, ‘Perhaps I can come by for breakfast tomorrow?’
‘We’ll see,’ Armand replied, relieved that he didn’t have to bother getting rid of Peggy tonight; it seemed she could look after herself.
‘I’ll phone you in the morning,’ Peggy said. ‘Fouad told me we may be staying longer than anticipated, and I’m open to that. Are your meetings going well?’
‘I have to go,’ he said abruptly. ‘I’m running late.’
‘Very well, Armand. Tomorrow.’
‘If I can,’ he said, banging down the phone.
Peggy. His mother. Why had she insisted on coming to Vegas? She brought him nothing but aggravation and bad luck. Between her and Fouad they were both bringing him down. He hated them both. The two of them reeked of bad karma.
If it wasn’t for them The Keys would already be his.
* * *
Armand Jordan had requested big breasts. In that case Yvonne Le Crane decided she would find him big breasts. And while she was about it – how about enormous breasts? Breasts of a ludicrous size? Fake shockers?
She’d informed Armand she would accommodate him, dispatched a messenger to pick up the cash, and soon the two women she’d booked would be on their way to his hotel.
She’d ordered them from a strip club in town called Dirty Den’s, Yvonne was on cordial terms with the owner, a former boxer. She’d called him up, offered him a thousand apiece for two of his freaks, and he was more than happy to oblige.
It was a done deal.
This would teach Armand Jordan for calling her girls filthy whores when they were the crème de la crème of Vegas talent.
Now she was about to walk away with a twenty-eight-thousand-dollar profit, so Armand Jordan could go piss in the wind.
Once again it gave her extreme satisfaction to know that Mister Sicko was about to get exactly the kind of girls he deserved.
Chapter Thirty-Six
The secret to a sensual, sexy marriage is knowing when to leave children, pets, family commitments, and business affairs at the door.
Lucky had the knack of being able to do just that. She and Lennie shared a bond that dated back to the first time they’d met. It was a true bond that neither of them had ever allowed to slip away. Sex was sex, and they’d both decided early on that if they expected their marriage to stay hot, then they had to work at keeping the passion on permanent sizzle. They both knew how to do that. Sometimes it involved role-playing. Sometimes it didn’t. But whatever it took, they were into it 100 per cent.
Rule number one: Leave any family problems outside the bedroom.
Rule number two: Remember the first time.
Rule number three: No inhibitions.
And rule number four – the most important rule of all: Absolutely