Deadly Embrace by Jackie Collins (ebook reader for manga TXT) 📕

‘No, Mr G.’

‘You’d better learn. I’ll set you up with someone who’ll teach ya.’

‘D’you really think—’

‘Ya work for me now, kid,’ Vito interrupted. ‘These are tough times, ya gotta be prepared for anythin’, an’ I do mean anythin’. Get it?’

He got it.

Chapter Thirteen

Dani: 1964

When Dani was a few weeks shy of her seventeenth birthday, she realized that continuing to depend on Sam’s companionship was not healthy for either of them. They both had to move on.

The big problem was that every time she mentioned moving out, Sam broke down in tears, which made her feel totally guilty.

Angela, her friend in the chorus line, counselled her. ‘Sam’s not your responsibility,’ Angela said. ‘He expects you to do everything for him, and that’s crazy. It’s not like he’s your boyfriend or anything, is it?’

‘No,’ she answered hesitantly.

‘Then you gotta dump him,’ Angela said, a decisive tilt to her chin. ‘I need a new roommate, and you’re it.’

Angela’s motives were obviously selfish, but all the same, Dani knew she was right. Continuing to live with Sam was not a good idea, and even though they weren’t girlfriend/boyfriend, he was horribly possessive. Every day he insisted on taking her to work on his motorcycle, and every evening he was waiting outside the stage door to bring her home. She couldn’t do anything without him questioning her, and she was beginning to feel stifled. As Angela had pointed out, it wasn’t as if he was her boyfriend, and although she’d made it her business to steer clear of men, she’d decided it might be interesting at least to try going out on a date. All the other girls in the chorus talked about men constantly–it was their obsession. After a while she had felt totally left out.

Most days she practised conversations in her head about how she would inform Sam of her imminent departure.

Oh, hi, Sam. I think it’s better for both of us if I move out. That way, we can have a more normal relationship.

Hmm…

Y’know, Sam, isn’t it about time you started seeing other girls? After all, Emily’s never coming back.

No, not so good. Any mention of Emily and he’d go berserk.

Reluctantly she decided the truth was best: Sam, I’m leaving. It’s the right thing to do.

Still, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him, it was too awkward. Emily’s disappearance was exceptionally sad for both of them, and because he’d loved her so very much, even more difficult for Sam to bear.

The chorus line at the Estradido Hotel was by no means the classiest line in town. The hotel itself was hardly on the same level as the big hotels such as the Stardust, the Sands and the Desert Inn. The Estradido was Mob-owned, and everyone knew it. Low-level gamblers came there and lost their money. This suited Philippe Estradido fine. All he wanted was their money; he didn’t need movie stars and moguls hanging out.

Dani was by far the most beautiful girl in the chorus. This didn’t make her particularly popular with the other women, who were mostly veterans, apart from Angela, who was young enough not to feel threatened.

‘Here’s what you need,’ Angela informed her one night, as they sat in front of their communal dressing-table mirror preparing for the evening show. ‘A handsome stud who’ll sweep out the cobwebs and wake you up. My God, sweetie, if you don’t do something soon, you’ll end up an old maid.’

Angela had no idea that Dani was still only sixteen: like everyone else, Angela was under the impression she was almost twenty.

‘Actually,’ Angela continued, ‘a guy stopped by the stage door the other night who’d be perfect for you.’ She paused for a moment. ‘Course, I kinda went for him myself, but if he comes back I’ll be generous and let you have first shot.’

‘Who was he?’ Dani asked curiously, not at all sure that she wanted first shot.

‘Gorgeous!’ Angela exclaimed, applying thick black fake eyelashes with a practised hand. ‘That’s all you need to know.’

‘I’m not sure I’m ready,’ Dani began.

‘Oh, please,’ Angela said, spidery eyelashes firmly in place. ‘I’m sick of hearing you say that.’

‘Sorry,’ she murmured.

‘Now,’ Angela said, reviewing her reflection. ‘When are you telling Sam you’re sharing my apartment? ’Cause if you don’t do it soon, I gotta get someone else.’

‘This week,’ she said quickly.

‘Promise?’ Angela said, reaching for her scanty costume.

‘Yes, I promise,’ Dani said, deciding that she’d tell Sam soon.

A few days later, she cooked Sam his favourite meal. They sat at the kitchen table eating chicken and french fries, while Frank Sinatra serenaded them on the stereo. After a while she broached the subject. ‘Sam, I’m, uh…moving out,’ she ventured.

He pretended he hadn’t heard her.

‘Are you listening to me? I’m leaving,’ she repeated. ‘Angela needs a roommate, and I’ve decided it’s a good idea for me to move in with her.’

‘What?’ he said, crinkling his forehead.

‘I’m sharing an apartment with Angela,’ she said, speaking fast. ‘I mean, you and I–we’ll still be friends and everything, and I’ll see you all the time, but we’ve both got to get out and meet other people.’

‘Why?’ he said, putting down his fork.

‘Because right now we depend on each other too much.’

He stared at her for a few moments. ‘Is this how you want to treat me?’ he said at last. ‘By telling me that you’re leaving me by myself?’

‘Of course not,’ she said patiently. ‘It’s just that I feel it’ll be better this way.’

‘No, Dani,’ he said fiercely, ‘it won’t. You’re too young to be on your own. It’s my job to make sure you don’t get into trouble.’

‘I keep on telling you, Sam,’ she said, quite exasperated, ‘I might be young in years, but I do know what’s going on. I can look after myself.’

‘Emily thought she could look after herself, and look what happened to her,’ he pointed out. ‘You need my protection.’

‘We don’t know what happened to her, do we?’ Dani