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

at her quizzically. ‘That’s not you at all, is it?’

‘No, Dean, it’s not,’ she said, dazzling him with her smile. ‘Gemini’s the sophisticated one. I’m just a mommy.’

‘Which makes you a very lucky woman indeed.’

‘Why?’

‘To have given birth to a child at such a young age. I’ve never found a woman I want to be with.’ He gave her a meaningful look. ‘Until now.’

She knew what was coming, hence the romantic setting. And, much as she liked him, she dreaded allowing him to get any closer.

‘I’ve ordered all your favourite foods,’ he said. ‘Caviar to start, lobster, and then a chocolate soufflé–the chef’s speciality.’

‘Those are not my favourite foods,’ she said, toying with her glass.

‘They will be after tonight.’

‘I’ve never tasted caviar.’

‘Then this will be a first, won’t it?’

Over dinner she brought up the subject of hiring a lawyer.

Dean listened to her carefully. ‘Are you divorced yet?’ he asked.

‘No.’

He leaned forward, watching her carefully. ‘Do you want to be?’

‘Yes.’

‘Unfortunately, your ex will have some visitation rights.’

‘He will?’

‘Of course. He’s Vincent’s father.’

She hesitated for a moment. ‘What if he isn’t?’ she ventured.

‘Excuse me?’ Dean said, looking puzzled.

Should she tell him her whole sorry story?

Why not? She had nothing to lose.

‘Dean,’ she began. ‘I’ve only ever told one other person this, and that was Gemini.’

‘What is it?’ he asked, anxious to hear what she had to say.

‘Here goes,’ she said, taking a long, deep breath. ‘Sam is not Vincent’s father.’

‘He’s not?’

‘No.’ And then she proceeded to tell him everything.

‘So,’ he said, when she’d finished, ‘I could be the father figure Vincent never had.’

‘He already thinks you’re the best.’

‘Yes?’

‘That’s because you spoil him.’

‘I know. He loves it, and so do I. He’s a great little kid.’

‘All those toys,’ she scolded. ‘What were you? A deprived child?’

‘Not at all. I simply enjoy giving.’

‘That’s nice.’

‘Now,’ he said slowly, ‘rather than waiting for the soufflé, I have something to ask you.’

‘You do?’

‘Dani,’ he said, fumbling in his pocket and producing a Cartier ring box, ‘will you do me the honour of marrying me?’

He popped the box open, and she found herself gazing at a magnificent emerald cut diamond solitaire ring.

She’d suspected it was coming, yet it was still a surprise. After all, she’d done no more than kiss this man good night, and now he was asking her to marry him.

‘I can give you the life you’ve always dreamed of,’ he continued, taking the ring out of its box and offering it to her. ‘And not only you–Vincent too. He’ll attend the best schools, the finest colleges. He can do whatever he wants. He can become a lawyer, a scientist, a football star, whatever.’

‘I…I’ll have to think about it,’ she murmured, holding the ring.

Yes, I’ll have to think about it, because my sex drive is in neutral–and I’m not sure I ever want to be with another man.

‘What is there to think about?’ he said, looking perplexed. ‘Put the ring on, see if it fits. Let’s get engaged, at least.’

‘You have to give me time, Dean,’ she said, handing him back the ring. ‘I’m not even divorced yet.’

‘I’ll get you the best divorce lawyer in town.’

She lowered her eyes. ‘Please know that I’m very flattered you’ve asked me.’

‘Is that a no?’

‘It’s a maybe.’

He smiled. ‘I can live with that.’

‘I hope so,’ she said softly. ‘Because that’s the way it has to be.’

‘For now?’ he said, taking her hand in his.

‘Yes, Dean, for now.’

Chapter Twenty-six

Tuesday, 10 July 2001

‘Get the damn van here!’ Madison yelled into the phone. ‘Stop screwing round. We’re in a life-and-death situation. Two people are dead. Can you understand that? They’ve killed two people. Get it here now! Or, believe me, you’ll be damn sorry. I’m a journalist, and I can promise you that I’ll make sure your screw-ups appear on the front page of every newspaper in America. Now, do it!’

‘Hey, baby,’ one of the gunmen said, loping over and staring at her admiringly, ‘you got stones.’

The ringleader shot him a warning look. But the gunman, who’d followed his leader and also removed his ski mask, was not to be stopped. ‘Smokin’ body, too,’ he said, rubbing his crotch suggestively. ‘This shit’s makin’ me horny.’

‘You’re not here t’get laid,’ yelled the ringleader. ‘You’re here to get the fuckin’ money. Now look in the sack, see what we scored.’

‘We did good,’ said the third bandit, the one who’d been collecting the loot in the black plastic garbage bag. ‘There’s a coupla Rolexes, eight cellphones, jewellery an’ plenty of—’

‘We gotta get the fuck outta here before they hang our asses,’ the ringleader interrupted.

‘They don’t hang people any more,’ Madison said, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. ‘They fry them in the electric chair, and that’s where you’ll all end up if you shoot anyone else.’

‘You think I give a shit?’ he said. ‘We could waste all you mothafuckers now, an’ it wouldn’t make no difference t’me.’

Madison realized they didn’t care. This was just another day on the job to them, and if people got killed, too bad.

‘Is this some kind of gang initiation?’ she asked, noting that they were all young, white, and stoned. ‘Because if it is, you’d be better off hitting a bank.’

‘You dumb rich people make me laugh,’ he sneered. ‘Why bust a bank when you’re all sittin’ here with your rings an’ your bracelets an’ all your fuckin’ shit?’

‘Have you done this before?’ she asked, ignoring Cole, who was over in the corner with the other hostages and silently signalling to her to shut up.

‘It’s so fuckin’ easy,’ the ringleader boasted. ‘Walk in, zoom a few bullets in the ceilin’, everybody on the floor, grab whatever they got, an’ take off. If it wasn’t for that mothafucker cocksucker pullin’ a gun, we’d be gone.’

‘Well, you’re not,’ she pointed out.

‘So who’m I gonna take out next?’ he said, his stoned eyes boring into hers. ‘You?’

She refused to allow him to intimidate her. ‘The