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

‘What would that be?’

‘Something mutually advantageous.’

‘So spill.’

‘I’ll give you a number to call. When you’re out, you’ll contact this number and we’ll take it from there.’

He wasn’t sure whether he trusted Karl or not, but he wrote down the number and stashed it in a safe place.

Sometimes, late at night when he wasn’t able to sleep, his thoughts turned to Dani. He had an urge to write to her, but what good would that do? He was a convicted felon, and as such he should do her a favour and stay away. Dani was an unforgettable memory of better times–and that’s the way it had to be.

The only person who came to see him in prison was Max. Good old Max. Married man, best friend and staunch supporter, Max never missed a visit.

On the day of his release, Max was waiting for him outside the prison. He was driving a second-hand Ford Mustang and looking very pleased with himself in his Paisley shirt, bell-bottom pants, a shaggy duffel coat and Beatles-style haircut.

‘What the fuck happened to you?’ Michael said, choking back laughter. ‘That’s some pansy outfit.’

‘Screw you,’ Max retaliated. ‘It’s the fashion.’

‘Fashion, shit!’ Michael said, taking a deep breath of cold, fresh air. He was free. What a feeling!

‘Forget about the outfit,’ Max said, clapping his friend on the back. ‘How about the wheels?’

‘Not bad,’ Michael said, circling the Mustang before climbing into the passenger seat. ‘Things must be goin’ your way.’

‘They are,’ Max said enthusiastically. ‘Tina’s dad made me a partner in his car dealership, which means that one of these days I’ll be takin’ over.’

‘Cushy deal.’

‘Now listen t’me,’ Max said sternly. ‘You gotta stay away from those low-lifes you was mixin’ with before you got locked away. Look what happened to you. If you hang out with them, it’ll happen again.’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ Michael said, hardly in the mood for a lecture.

‘You’ll stay with us,’ Max continued, revving the engine. ‘Tina’s makin’ up the couch for you.’

‘Wait a minute,’ he said. ‘I haven’t got out of jail to sleep on your freakin’ couch.’

‘You’ve done it before, an’ you’ll do it again,’ Max said, driving like an old fart, with both hands on the wheel. ‘Y’know, till you get yourself settled.’

‘Maybe for a night or two,’ Michael said, suddenly aware that he had nowhere else to go. ‘Hey,’ he added, ‘this piece of tin got any juice under the hood?’

‘You prick!’ Max said, putting his foot down. ‘Course it does.’

Max had turned into a family man. He and Tina had two children, four-year-old Harry, named after Tina’s father, and Susie, aged three. With the help of Tina’s dad, they’d purchased a small house in the old neighbourhood.

Proudly Max drove Michael there, and parked outside, showing off the tiny patch of grass in the small front yard, which was blanketed in snow and ice.

Tina came to the door and greeted Michael with an awkward embrace. Then she proceeded to tell Max off about tracking snow into the house. It was glaringly obvious that she ruled the household, and wanted everyone to know it.

Michael noticed that, although she was still very pretty, she’d definitely put on a few pounds. It didn’t matter, because she smelt delicious and felt even better. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to be close to a female. Had to do something about that.

‘What are your plans?’ Tina asked, linking her arm through his.

‘Dunno,’ he answered vaguely. ‘Haven’t thought about it.’

‘Sure,’ Max said, joining in. ‘Shut away for five years and you haven’t thought about what you’re gonna do the moment you get out.’ A dirty laugh. ‘I know what I’d do.’

‘Max,’ Tina said, in a bossy voice, ‘make Michael feel at home–ask him if he wants a drink.’

‘He’s not a freakin’ guest,’ Max said. ‘He’s my best pal. I got no need to ask him, he knows he can help himself to anythin’ he wants.’

Tina shot her husband a vengeful look. She didn’t appreciate the way he was speaking to her, especially in front of her former big crush.

‘Where are the kids?’ Michael asked, tripping over a toy truck sitting in the centre of the floor. ‘I wanna meet ’em.’

‘Max thought it would be a good idea if they spent the night at my mom’s,’ Tina said, ‘so you can kind of get used to being out…Oops!’ she exclaimed, clapping a hand over her mouth. ‘Is that okay for me to say?’

‘Sure,’ he answered easily. ‘I’m not sensitive.’

‘What was it like being locked away all that time?’ she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. ‘Was it the same as prison in the movies?’

‘Don’t ask questions like that,’ Max snapped. ‘He don’t wanna talk about prison.’

‘That’s okay,’ Michael said. ‘It’s not something I’d recommend.’

‘I’m dying to know,’ Tina said. ‘Why did you hold up that truck and threaten the driver with a gun? I mean, it was kind of a stupid thing to do, wasn’t it?’

‘Yeah, Tina,’ he said ruefully. ‘I guess I learned me a lesson.’

And the lesson was that the next time he got involved in something that wasn’t legal, he’d check out his associates and make sure they weren’t selling him out.

‘Good,’ she said, playing wife-of-the-best-friend. ‘Now–I’ve been thinking about your future. You’ve got to be more like Max. We’ll find you a nice girl, get you married, you’ll have a couple of kids, and settle down to a proper life.’

Yeah, he thought. And get myself nagged to death.

Max went into the kitchen, opened the fridge and removed a couple of cans of beer.

Michael followed him in. ‘I guess bein’ in the joint is one way of gettin’ out of Vietnam,’ he remarked. ‘How come you didn’t get your sorry ass drafted?’

‘On account of my asthma,’ Max replied, handing him a beer. ‘Didya hear about Charlie?’

‘No, what happened to him?’

‘Did a tour of duty an’ got his leg shot off. Now he’s on disability. Poor bastard can’t find a job. He’s livin’ at home, boozin’ plenty. It ain’t a happy