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

‘Why are you telling me?’ Angela said brusquely, not exactly full of sympathy. ‘Why aren’t you telling the stupid dick who knocked you up?’

‘Because…because…after that one night I never heard from him again.’ A lone tear slid down her cheek. Michael had taken her virginity and never so much as sent her a flower. Maybe she’d been reading too many romance novels, but surely he should at least have called her?

‘Men!’ Angela snapped. ‘They’re all the same. Selfish users.’

‘There must be some nice ones.’

‘You gotta be joking,’ Angela said, with a brittle laugh. ‘They’re all rats, and now we’ve got to track your rat down.’

‘Why?’ Dani asked, alarmed.

‘So the bastard can pay for the abortion.’

‘I…I don’t want an abortion.’

‘Get real, kiddo,’ Angela said briskly. ‘It’s your only answer, unless you want to have the kid an’ sell it. Believe me,’ she mused, her expression turning thoughtful, ‘that’s not such a bad idea–some some rich couple would pay plenty for a kid that looks like you.’

Dani stared at her in horror. ‘I can’t believe you said that.’

‘Why? It’s the truth. And you’d better face up to it. You can’t afford to have a baby.’

‘Who said I can’t?’

‘You know it’s true. You got no savings, nothing. And as soon as your belly starts to show, you’ll have to give up work. Then what?’

‘I’ll find a different job,’ she said quickly. ‘One where it doesn’t matter what I look like.’

‘This is Vegas, hon. Wherever you go, it’ll matter.’

Unfortunately, Dani realized, Angela was right. The workforce in Vegas consisted of girls who looked good. Being pregnant and landing a high-paying job was a no-go situation.

‘I suppose the daddy is Mr Handsome,’ Angela said scornfully. ‘I coulda told you that one was no good. I bet the bastard didn’t even wear a rubber, did he?’

‘It–it was my first time,’ Dani confessed. ‘I didn’t think I could get pregnant.’

‘Ha!’ Angela snorted. ‘Whoever told you that is a big fat liar!’

‘Michael didn’t say that,’ she whispered.

‘What did Mr Handsome tell you?’ Angela demanded.

‘That he’d be back soon.’

‘And that was how long ago?’

‘Seven weeks.’

‘Typical!’ Angela exclaimed, full of disgust. ‘One dip in the honeypot an’ they run for the hills. Y’see, I know what they’re like, so I make sure they pay.’

‘That’s what prostitutes do,’ Dani muttered.

‘And what do you think opening your legs is all about? Get real, sweetie. It’s all one great big barter system, and the smart ones end up getting paid–not pregnant.’

‘He seemed so…so wonderful,’ Dani said sadly.

‘When they’re tracking pussy, they all seem wonderful.’

‘You’re so cynical, Angela.’

‘Yeah. I’m cynical and you’re pregnant. So tell me–who’s got the right take on it?’

Dani sighed. She wished she had Emily to talk to. Emily would know what she should do, because Emily was the only living person who’d ever cared about her and, of course, Sam, whom she hadn’t heard from in weeks. She’d tried calling him on several occasions, but he was never home.

She decided that after the show tonight she’d go to his apartment and wait outside until he appeared.

Sure, her inner voice whispered, because you need his help.

No, I don’t. I can manage without anyone’s help.

If only she could get over a broken heart. Because that’s how Michael had left her–pregnant with a broken heart.

Dani waited outside Sam’s house for over two hours before he appeared. She was sitting on the ground, her back against the door when he finally showed up.

He was drunk and not alone. He was accompanied by a short, bleached-blonde with black roots and wide hips.

‘Who’s this? Your wife?’ the woman cackled.

Dani stood up. ‘Sam,’ she said, ‘I’ve tried calling you back, you never answer your phone. Are you all right?’

‘Jeez, honey,’ the woman said, throwing her arms round his shoulders. ‘It’s two in the morning. Whyn’t you go home? This one is taken.’

Staggering slightly, Sam began groping for his keys. ‘Whatcha doing here, Dani?’ he asked, slurring his words.

‘I wanted to see you,’ she said.

‘Get lost,’ the woman interrupted. ‘Him an’ me–we got business to conduct.’

‘Yeah, yeah, go home,’ Sam said, waving his hands in the air.

‘You mean me?’ Dani asked.

‘No, I mean her,’ he said.

‘And how’m I supposed to get home?’ the woman shrieked, furious at the way things were turning out.

‘Give her some money,’ Dani said quickly.

‘Yeah, yeah,’ Sam said, pulling out his wallet. ‘Money.’

Dani took his wallet from him, extracted ten dollars and handed it to the woman, who rewarded her with an angry glare.

‘You know,’ Dani scolded, helping Sam inside, ‘you shouldn’t be drinking.’

‘I know,’ he said miserably. ‘I got nothin’ else t’do.’

‘Sam,’ she said earnestly, ‘I’ve been thinking.’

‘’Bout what?’

‘Maybe you were right. Maybe I should be here looking after you.’

‘You moved out on me, Dani,’ he said accusingly. ‘Dumped me flat.’

‘I didn’t dump you. I simply didn’t think it was healthy for us to live together.’ She hesitated a moment before continuing. ‘When I see you like this, I realize you do need someone to look after you, and…perhaps that someone should be me.’

‘Really?’ he said hopefully.

‘We shouldn’t talk now,’ she said. ‘I’ll come back in the morning when you’re sober. We’ll go out for breakfast.’

‘Sure,’ he mumbled, as she helped him into the bedroom and got him on to the bed, where she proceeded to take off his shoes and socks and loosen his pants.

Within minutes he was snoring loudly.

Was she being unfair? Was she running back to Sam because she was pregnant and she wanted him to look after her? Or was it the other way round? Would she have come back if things had worked out with Michael?

Probably not.

Angela was right about men. They were only after one thing. And when they got it, they took off.

Sam was different. Maybe she could have a life with him.

It was worth a try.

Two weeks later Dani and Sam were married in one of the local wedding chapels. She’d wanted to tell him about the baby, but Angela had persuaded her not to.

‘It wouldn’t be fair to him,’ Angela had