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

‘She could be anywhere,’ he answered, grim-faced. ‘She could’ve been white-slaved and taken off to…I dunno–one of those countries where they keep girls in brothels. Do you even know what a brothel is?’

‘Yes.’

‘Is that what you want for yourself?’ he said sternly. ‘Somebody to stick a needle in your arm, smuggle you on to a boat, and take you off to a foreign country?’

‘What’re you talking about?’

‘That’s probably what happened to Emily,’ he said dourly.

‘Look, Sam,’ she said, determined not to weaken, ‘I love you very much. You rescued me, and I’ll never forget it. Now I have to go.’

‘No, you don’t,’ he said stubbornly. ‘’Cause if you do, I’ll tell them how old you are, an’ you’ll lose your job.’

‘I’m almost seventeen, Sam,’ she said, upset by his weak attempt at blackmail. ‘I can work then.’

‘Yes, but they’ll realize you’ve been lying to them all this time so they’ll fire you anyway.’

‘Please don’t threaten me,’ she said, close to tears. ‘I want us to stay friends.’

He pushed his plate away and stood up. ‘And what if I want more than that?’

‘Excuse me?’ she said, startled.

‘What if I want to be more than friends?’ he demanded. ‘Don’t you think you owe me that?’

She tried to pretend she didn’t understand what he was getting at, but she understood only too well, and it made her cringe. Sam was Emily’s husband, and she had never thought of him in a physical way.

‘I’ll be moving next week,’ she said, starting to stack the dishes.

‘You can’t do this to me,’ he said plaintively.

‘I’m not doing anything to you,’ she said, wishing he would stop making her feel so guilty.

‘Yes, you are.’

She took a long, deep breath and uttered her final words on the subject. ‘Next Monday, Sam. You’ll just have to accept it.’

A week later she moved.

‘So you’re actually doing this?’ he said, fixing her with a malevolent glare as she carried her two suitcases to the front door.

‘I told you I was.’

‘I don’t believe it,’ he muttered.

‘It’ll work out fine,’ she assured him. ‘I’ll probably spend more time over here than at my place.’

‘Don’t bother,’ he said sulkily.

Angela’s apartment was on the fifth floor of a smart building complex. Dani was impressed and also a little surprised that Angela could afford such a nice place. They’d discussed how much rent she’d contribute, but as soon as she saw the apartment, she knew it couldn’t possibly be enough.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ Angela said airily, when Dani brought up the subject. ‘One of my boyfriends owns the building. He gave me a sweet deal.’

Angela had plenty of boyfriends, but, as far as Dani could tell, none of them meant much to her. ‘Horny guys are a dime a dozen,’ Angela explained. ‘Use ’em for what you can get out of the poor bastards, then move on.’

‘I’d like to find someone special,’ Dani said wistfully, remembering what Sam and Emily had once shared.

‘Dream on!’ Angela exclaimed. ‘Guys are only after one thing. An’ once they get it, they are history.’

‘Surely there’s some nice ones out there?’

‘You are so naïve,’ Angela said scornfully. ‘I bet you’ve never even slept with a guy, have you?’

Dani shook her head.

‘Ha! You must be the only twenty-year-old virgin in Vegas.’

For a moment Dani was tempted to tell her how old she really was, then decided against it. Angela might not want her as a roommate if she revealed the truth.

Two nights later Angela informed her they were going out on a double date.

‘We are?’ Dani said, wide-eyed at the thought.

‘Two hot guys, it’ll be a blast,’ Angela assured her.

For almost four years Dani had been repelling all advances; now Angela was expecting her to go out with a stranger on a blind date. It didn’t make sense, and yet she feared coming across as a bad sport. Besides, she’d made up her mind to discover what all the fuss was about concerning the male sex.

Angela lent her a sexy gold lamé top and jangly rhinestone earrings. ‘Be nice to the guy,’ Angela instructed. ‘Tell him he’s a stud an’ shit like that. They get off on flattery.’

‘I don’t even know him,’ Dani demurred.

‘You will!’ Angela said, with a coarse giggle.

Dani’s half of the double date was short and overweight, with greasy hair and the biggest sticking-out ears she’d ever seen. His name was Manny Spiven, and the moment he opened his mouth she knew she’d made a big mistake agreeing to accompany Angela on this adventure.

Henry, the guy with Angela, was scrawny, with lank blond hair and tinted aviator glasses perched on the end of his long, pointed nose.

‘Henry’s training to be a dealer,’ Angela boasted. ‘That’s a pretty important job.’

‘Don’t make that my claim to fame,’ Henry objected, winking knowingly. ‘I got other assets, y’ know.’

‘Oh, yes,’ Angela said with a low, sexy chuckle. ‘And I’m lookin’ forward to seeing them!’

‘That can definitely be arranged,’ Henry said before switching his attention to Dani. ‘So how long you bin’ in town, cupcake?’ he asked.

‘Long enough to know it’s safer to avoid you,’ Angela said, giggling.

‘Why?’ he said proudly. ‘You think I got me a reputation?’

‘You know you have,’ Angela retorted, which pleased Henry no end.

Manny decided it was time to join in the conversation. ‘How ya doin’?’ he said, leering at Dani. ‘Feelin’ good? ’Cause I’m feelin’ real good. We’re gonna rip the town tonight, little lady. You an’ me, Dani an’ Manny–some combination!’

Trapped, Dani thought. I’m trapped. Why did I allow myself to get in this position?

Because I wanted to please Angela. I wanted to show her that I’m not some naive girl who doesn’t know how to behave.

‘Where are we having dinner?’ Angela asked, clinging to Henry’s arm.

‘Wherever you want, doll,’ he replied.

Not to be left out, Manny grabbed Dani’s arm. ‘I could go for a big juicy steak,’ he announced. ‘Me an’ my girl, we’re gonna need all the strength we can get, don’t we, babe?’

As the evening progressed, Dani decided that things were going rapidly from bad