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

‘Nice Italian name.’

‘He’s a nice Italian boy,’ she said, smiling softly.

‘Boy? How old is he?’

‘Thirty.’

‘Uh-huh. What business is he in?’

‘Investments. Dean, I know you’re trying to be helpful, but I do not appreciate this third degree.’

‘Then I’ll drop it.’

‘Good.’

The moment he got back to his hotel room, Dean called his office in Houston.

‘Put a search out on this name,’ he said. ‘Michael Castelli. Find out everything you can. It’s a priority.’

If Dani was thinking of marrying someone, he needed to know everything about him.

Vincent was upset that his mother was going away without him, even though he was very fond of Reggie, their housekeeper, a cheerful Jamaican woman with children of her own.

‘It’s only for a week,’ Dani assured him. ‘You can manage without me for a week.’

‘Can’t,’ Vincent said stubbornly.

‘Yes, you can.’

‘Can’t!’

‘Can!’

‘Can’t!’

‘You impossible little monkey,’ she said, wrestling him to the ground.

He giggled and fought back.

She’d made up her mind that it wasn’t fair keeping Vincent from his true, biological father. When she got to New York, she’d decided to tell Michael the truth.

‘Can I come with you, Mommy?’ Vincent pleaded.

‘No, darling, I’m sorry you can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s not a trip for little boys.’

‘I’m not a little boy, I’m a big boy,’ he said indignantly.

‘You’re almost ten, that’s not big enough.’

‘I wish Nando was here,’ he said mournfully.

‘I know, sweetheart. As soon as I get back I’ll call his grandfather in Colombia, see if we can arrange for him to come visit.’

‘Nando’s my friend. The other boys at school are stupid.’

‘Why are they stupid?’ she asked patiently.

‘’Cause they call me names.’

‘Why would they call you names?’

‘’Cause of you.’

‘Me?’

‘Mark Timson says you show your boobies on the stage.’

Oh, God, this was exactly what she hadn’t wanted to hear.

‘What did he say?’ she asked.

‘He told everyone his parents went to your show, an’ they all saw your boobies. Do you show them, Mommy?’

‘It’s not like that, darling. I wear a beautiful costume. It’s very glamorous and…let me put it this way, what I do is work. It’s how I make money so that we can live in this nice comfortable house and have Reggie to look after you.’

‘Can I come see your show, Mommy?’

‘When you’re older, of course.’

‘When?’

‘I just told you, when you’re older.’

‘Okey dokey,’ he said, getting bored. ‘Can I go watch TV now?’

‘No more than half an hour. Then it’s homework time.’

‘Done it, Mommy.’

Of course he had. Vincent was always ahead of everyone.

Now she had the new worry of him knowing that she appeared on stage topless. She’d realized that she’d have to face up to it eventually, she simply hadn’t expected it to be so soon.

She decided to discuss it with Michael, see how he suggested she handle it. Lately she’d been talking to him about everything. She’d mentioned the magazine that had asked her to pose. He’d warned her against doing it. ‘They’ll use the photos out of context,’ he’d said. ‘Don’t start appearing in those kind of magazines, ’cause one of these days you’ll regret it.’

She’d taken his advice and turned the magazine down. They’d retaliated by asking Penelope to pose.

‘Guess you couldn’t cut it,’ Penelope had jeered.

She’d ignored her.

She had no idea what to pack. Michael had told her it was raining in New York, and the last thing she possessed was rainy-weather clothes. She didn’t even own a raincoat.

This was the first time she’d be getting on a plane, and she was excited. Michael had offered to fly out and fetch her. ‘I’m a big girl, I can do it all by myself,’ she’d assured him.

‘Then I’ll meet you at the airport,’ he’d said.

She was leaving the next morning. The company director had generously allowed her a week off. Tonight she had one more show to do before she left. Vegas was experiencing a boom, and lately she’d been getting offers from other hotels. Even though she was being tempted with more money, she was happy at the Magiriano. Who knew what her future held, anyway? She suspected that Michael might possibly be planning on asking her to marry him. And if he did? Well, she was prepared to say yes.

Dean had called earlier to ask if he could take her to dinner again after the show. ‘I have to pack,’ she’d told him. ‘Anyway, we had dinner two nights ago.’

‘I know,’ he’d said. ‘However, I have something important to tell you.’

She’d finally agreed, meeting him in the cosy, all red barroom restaurant at the hotel. It was one of her favourite places, where she and Michael had enjoyed several meals together.

Dean seemed agitated. She wondered if something was going on in his marriage. She hoped not, because she wasn’t in the mood to start handing out advice.

‘I can’t make this a late night, Dean,’ she warned him, as soon as she sat down. ‘I’m leaving early tomorrow.’

‘That’s why I had to talk to you tonight,’ he said, and ordered a bottle of wine.

‘Concerning what?’ she asked.

‘Concerning your new friend.’

‘Do you mean Michael?’

‘Yes.’

She tapped her fingers on the table. ‘You don’t know Michael.’

‘I know plenty about him.’

‘What’s on your mind, Dean?’ she asked, sighing.

‘Dani,’ he said, trying to keep his voice in neutral, ‘how much do you know about his past?’

‘I don’t think that’s any of your business,’ she said, beginning to get angry.

‘You’re my business, Dani,’ he said earnestly. ‘We’re best friends, remember?’

She sighed again and attempted to remain calm. Dean was only trying to do what he thought was best for her, which wasn’t such a bad thing, because at least he genuinely cared.

‘If you’re talking about the time he was in jail for hijacking a truck, I know all about it,’ she said. ‘Michael told me everything.’

‘I wasn’t talking about that.’

‘Then what are you talking about?’

‘He has a daughter, right?’

‘Yes.’

Dean cleared his throat. ‘Do you know what happened to the child’s mother?’

‘She died.’

‘Are you aware of how she died?’

‘No, actually I don’t know, because Michael doesn’t like to talk about it. I assumed it was an illness.’

‘You assumed?’

Now she was getting