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

his head. ‘You should hook up with a girl like Tina. She’s the greatest.’

‘I did. Remember?’

Max preferred to forget that Michael had once dated his future wife. It wasn’t something he cared to think about.

‘So,’ Michael asked, purposely needling his friend, ‘she puttin’ out yet?’

‘Like I’d tell you.’

‘How come?’

‘Can it, Mike. We’re talkin’ about the girl I’m gonna marry.’

‘Oh, now I get it,’ Michael said, with a knowing grin. ‘You knocked her up, right?’

‘No freakin’ way,’ Max said, his face reddening.

‘Okay, okay,’ Michael said, starting to laugh. ‘Hey, remember the time you was workin’ at that fleabag hotel, an’ I came in with Polly? You was green with envy.’

‘I was?’

‘Bet your ass you was.’

‘What happened to her?’

‘Married some jerk an’ went to live in the suburbs. She’s probably a fat old bag with a houseful of screamin’ kids by now.’

‘It was only a coupla years ago,’ Max pointed out.

‘Those kinda women, they go downhill fast,’ Michael said, turning into one of their regular hamburger joints. He winked at the girl behind the counter and ordered his usual–a double cheeseburger with everything on it. Max went for a grilled ham sandwich.

‘So…you’re gettin’ married,’ Michael said, as they sat at the counter, waiting for their food.

‘Yup,’ Max said sheepishly. ‘Guess I am.’

‘Jerk!’

‘Asshole!’

‘I’ve been thinking,’ Michael said, on a sudden impulse, ‘how about I treat you to a plane ticket to Vegas an’ we celebrate your bachelor night there?’

‘Why d’you keep on goin’ to Las Vegas?’ Max asked, swigging a Coke.

‘Business.’

‘Business my ass.’

‘No, really,’ Michael insisted. ‘I gotta take care of stuff for Mr G.’

‘What kinda stuff?’

‘Don’t worry, it’s legit.’

‘Says you.’

‘You wanna come or not? My treat all the way.’

‘Vegas,’ Max said, deeply tempted. ‘Tina’ll kill me.’

‘Run it by her,’ Michael said, as the girl behind the counter slid their orders in front of them. ‘Maybe she wants her own night out with her friends.’

‘You think?’ Max said hesitantly.

‘Yeah,’ Michael said, reaching for the ketchup. ‘I’m sure she does.’

‘Maybe…’

‘Look, you’re comin’. I don’t want no argument.’

Later, Michael hooked up with his hot date, an Asian waitress with a penchant for gymnastics.

She arrived at his small, one-room apartment carrying cartons of take-out food and an insatiable sexual appetite. They fucked, then ate, three times in a row. She was so agile that she managed to tire him out, and that was some feat.

Eventually she went home. He liked a girl who knew when it was time to leave. Clingy females were not for him: he appreciated his freedom too much.

Now that he’d invited Max to Vegas he had to figure out a way to mention it to Mr G. Then he decided no way was the best way. Since he was paying for his friend to make the trip, there was no reason he had to tell.

A week later he picked Max up in a cab and they headed for the airport.

Max was excited. ‘I didn’t tell Tina where we’re goin’,’ he confessed. ‘She thinks we’re on our way to Atlantic City.’

‘Atlantic City?’ Michael said, raising a quizzical eyebrow.

‘Yeah, an’ let me tell you, she wasn’t too happy about that.’

‘How come?’

‘Considers you a bad influence.’

‘Jeez!’ Michael exclaimed. ‘She got you by the short and curlies already?’

‘It’s not like that,’ Max said quickly. ‘It’s just that I don’t want her feelin’ left out. She’d kill t’go to Vegas.’

‘She would?’ Michael said, not convinced. When he’d been dating Tina she’d never wanted to go anywhere.

‘Yeah, she’s into all those Rat Pack movies, so I couldn’t let her know I was goin’ without her–right? An’ who knows? Maybe I’ll get to take her one of these days.’

‘On your salary? Forget it.’

‘I ain’t always gonna be workin’ in a shoe store,’ Max responded indignantly.

‘I should ask Mr G to hire you. That way you can make some real money.’

‘I wouldn’t work for that scumbag.’

‘You wouldn’t, huh?’

‘No way.’

‘He’s sure bin good to me.’

‘Read the papers. Mr Giovanni is bein’ accused of all kinda shit.’

Michael knew exactly what Mr G was being accused of–extortion, blackmail, loan-sharking, even murder. None of it had been proven, so he chose to ignore it.

‘Aw, c’mon,’ he said. ‘You don’t believe that crap they write, do you?’

Max thought it prudent to drop the subject; pissing Michael off was not a good idea–especially since he was paying for the trip.

By the time they arrived in Vegas it was late afternoon. Michael swaggered off the plane feeling quite proud that he was about to show his friend the sights. ‘I got a room at the Estradido Hotel,’ he announced, showing off. ‘You’ll bunk in with me. An’ if you score a little honey to have fun with before Tina cuts off your nuts, I’ll hang out in the casino till you’re finished.’

‘I’m not lookin’ t’get laid,’ Max objected.

‘You’re not, huh?’ Michael said, poking him in the ribs. ‘Wait till you get a load of the girls in Vegas. Not only will you wanna get laid but, believe me, you’ll be beggin’ t’spend the rest of your sorry days here.’

‘Not me,’ Max said firmly.

Michael grinned. ‘We’ll see.’

Vito Giovanni’s right-hand man, Tommaso, had issued explicit instructions about how Michael was supposed to handle delivery and collection of all packages. The package on this trip was bigger than usual, so instead of carrying it on his person, he’d had to stuff it into a nylon carry-on bag. ‘Do not let it outta your possession,’ Tommaso had warned. ‘Not until you make the switch.’ Boldly, Michael had inquired what was in it. ‘Ask Mr Giovanni,’ was Tommaso’s cryptic reply.

Yeah. Sure. Like he’d dare to do that.

The routine was always the same. Meet Manny Spiven for a drink and dinner, spend a few hours with him, make the switch, and be on the early-morning plane back to New York.

Michael failed to understand why he was supposed to spend time with Manny. It was dumb, but Tommaso had assured him it was necessary.

This time he’d make the exchange and split. Manny wouldn’t care: their dislike of each other was mutual. That way he