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

The last two years had been a living nightmare. Coming home that night drunk, getting hit on the head, and then, when he regained consciousness, he’d been holding a gun–his gun. And the police were standing over him.

Beth was dead, shot in the back of her head. Madison was asleep in her crib, the press were outside the house, and he was read his rights and arrested for Beth’s murder.

It wasn’t true. He hadn’t done it. Once more, he’d been set up, and once more he’d had to struggle to prove his innocence.

This time Vito Giovanni supported him, hiring the best criminal defence attorney and paying for everything.

Vito was a wise man. He knew Mamie was in some way responsible, and because he was genuinely fond of Michael, he’d felt a sense of guilt.

Mamie denied she’d had anything to do with it. Not that Michael had had a confrontation with her, but Vito had, and she’d sworn she was not involved.

They both knew she was lying.

‘My lawyers will get you off,’ Vito had promised. And they did.

He’d still had to go through the media blitz. The press anointed him Vito Giovanni’s blue-eyed boy. Except that he didn’t have blue eyes, and he wasn’t anybody’s boy. So, not only did he have to bear the grief of Beth’s death, he’d also had to endure the constant exposure that the press decided to bestow upon him.

The day he was arrested was a slow news day, and his extreme good looks put him right on the front pages.

The headlines were lurid and without merit.

PRETTY BOY KILLER THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN SMILE

Fame, even if it was only transient, was horrifying. Women began to write him–thousands of letters, sending pictures of themselves in scanty outfits–claiming they wanted to marry him, have his children, save him. There were a lot of nuts out there.

He endured it–what else could he do? He had no choice.

After spending several months in jail there was a trial, and eventually he was acquitted.

He’d never forget Catherine’s face the day she stood in the witness box claiming he’d told her that if Beth so much as looked at another man he’d kill her.

Sure he’d said it, he’d been angry that day. But he hadn’t meant it. And Catherine knew that.

Other witnesses came forward. People he didn’t know, people who’d attended the fashion institute with Beth. Many claimed she’d often said that the man she lived with was insanely jealous. He could just imagine Beth saying that–it was her way of getting attention. She’d always got off on creating havoc.

His lawyer destroyed the witnesses one by one.

Tina and Max took Madison in, treating her as if she were one of their own children. He’d never forget their kindness.

After Beth’s death, Catherine had attempted to gain custody of Madison. She had not succeeded.

He had no idea where Catherine was now. He hated her. She actually believed he’d killed Beth–the love of his life. It was unthinkable she could believe such a thing.

Sometimes, when he relived that night, the horror was too much to bear. And the sadness…

Now time had passed since he was acquitted, and he wanted his daughter back.

‘She’s better off staying with us,’ Tina informed him.

‘No, she’s not,’ he argued. ‘She should be with me.’

‘You live in some crummy hotel,’ Tina pointed out. ‘Who’ll look after her?’

‘I’ll get an apartment, hire a nanny.’

‘Is that how you want your daughter raised, by a nanny? That’s not fair to Madison. She’s happy round Susie and Harry.’

‘I know, Tina, and I appreciate it, only I gotta claim my life back–and Madison is my life.’

After his acquittal he’d legally changed his name from Castellino to Castelli. He’d torn up all the letters and photos he’d received, and tried to stay out of the limelight. People had short memories: it was only a matter of time before they’d forget the notorious headlines and he could slide back into obscurity.

Bone had left town. According to Gus, he’d moved out to the west coast. He knew beyond a doubt that Bone and Mamie were responsible for Beth’s murder. The two of them together had hatched some kind of diabolical plot. But why? That was the question. What had Beth done to them? Did they hate him so much that they had to murder the one woman he loved?

Vito Giovanni had counselled him. ‘Look at it this way,’ Vito had said. ‘You whacked Roy. Then someone did this unfortunate thing to you. Now ya gotta leave it alone–you’re even.’

Even! Was Vito fucking crazy? They’d never be even.

‘Michael,’ Tina said, interrupting his thoughts, ‘can you help me bring out the cake?’

‘Sure,’ he said.

‘Can’t wait for Vegas this weekend,’ she said excitedly, as he followed her into the kitchen. ‘It’ll be so much fun!’

What was fun any more? He didn’t know. He didn’t care. He’d promised Tina and Max a weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and he would try to make it fun for them.

Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ while Madison jumped up and down squealing with excitement. Harry made a futile attempt to shove her face in the cake. Susie slapped him away. Tina began yelling at them both. There were kids and toys and balloons everywhere.

‘Love you, Daddy,’ Madison lisped, bestowing a big, sticky kiss on his mouth. ‘Love you sooo much!’

He picked her up and hugged her to him. ‘You’re my world, baby,’ he said. ‘You know that? You’re my whole wide world.’

‘I’m my daddy’s whole wide world,’ she repeated proudly. ‘Love you, Daddy.’

‘Yes, kitten,’ he said, putting her down. ‘Ain’t that the truth.’

He’d never get over Beth, but at least he had his precious daughter. That was something.

Returning to Vegas with Max and Tina brought back a rush of memories. Fortunately, none was of Beth. He’d managed to compartmentalize his life, and Beth was not part of his memories of Vegas.

They’d left the children with Tina’s parents, so he felt secure that Madison was in good hands.

The