Free Goddess of Vengeance by Jackie Collins Page B

asked, shooting her a meaningful look.
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘What kind of incentive is that?’
    ‘Knock it off, Alex. You’re doing this for me. Okay?’
    ‘Whatever the Lady Boss says.’
    ‘Fuck you, Alex.’
    ‘Anytime, Lucky.’
    ‘Then you’ll come?’
    A lascivious grin. ‘If only.’
    Lucky ignored his double entendre. ‘I’ll book you a suite. Don’t let me down.’
    ‘Jesus Christ! You’re so fucking bossy,’ Alex complained. ‘But I guess I’ll be there. For you – I’ll always be there.’
    ‘Thank you, Alex.’
    *   *   *
    As soon as Max was sure that Lucky had left the house, she began texting friends about the Malibu party she was planning. Never mind Vegas, she’d have her own crazy celebration, and with the house all to herself it should be a major blast.
    To invite Ace, or not to invite Ace, that was the question. She wasn’t sure what to do about him. Ace could be totally great, or as Cookie and Harry had pointed out – totally controlling. Besides, it wasn’t as if she was in love with him.
    Max had imagined she was in love only once, and that was in high school with a boy called Donny Leventon who’d broken her heart and left her crushed and disillusioned.
    She’d never told anyone he’d broken her heart. She’d laughed off the fact that she’d caught him in Houston’s of all places with another girl.
    She was sixteen at the time. Donny was seventeen, and they’d never slept together, although they’d done plenty of other things. Experimenting with sex was fun. Going all the way was not an option, not until she found The One.
    Discovering that Donny was seeing another girl was a shattering experience. It had driven her to the internet where she was determined to hook up and lose her virginity to a suitable candidate – whether he was The One or not. She’d set up a meeting with a twenty-two-year-old boy who’d posted a major hunk photo. After arranging to meet him in Big Bear, she’d turned up, only to find that the major hunk was a disgusting ugly perv, who’d then kidnapped her and locked her up in some deserted cabin in the woods.
    She shuddered at the memories. Thank goodness for Ace, who’d come along at exactly the right time and rescued her.
    She wasn’t in love with Ace. She liked him in small doses, and that was okay because he didn’t live in L.A. They hadn’t slept together, but as with Donny they’d done plenty of other things.
    Yes, she was still a virgin, and it was becoming an embarrassment, especially as Cookie had slept with an army of guys and boasted about them constantly.
    But she wasn’t Cookie, and she didn’t want to be.
    She was waiting – for what?
    She didn’t know, but when it happened she’d be all over it.

Chapter Nine
    W ith Bobby in Vegas, Denver decided to have a night at home by herself. She was happy when he was in town. But she was also happy when he wasn’t.
    I’m confused , she thought. I love him but I don’t want to love him. I don’t want to get hurt. I don’t want to make myself vulnerable.
    BUT I LOVE HIM!
    She thought about calling Carolyn, then remembered her friend was out on a gay date. How random was that ? Carolyn had never indicated a yen for the same sex, but everyone had their secrets . . . and if taking the lesbian route was what she wanted, then so be it.
    She put on the TV and checked out the news. The stand-off with the Mexican man and his baby – the two of them barricaded in a house – was all over the news. Denver hoped that Leon was all right; she’d grown quite fond of him, and everyone knew that a crazy man with a gun was always a dangerous situation. She’d worked with Leon on a couple of cases – both drug related – and won both of them. They made a good team. He caught the bad guys, she prosecuted them. Currently Leon was tracking a drug trail that he was hoping would lead him to the big guys, and then she would really have an important case to work on.
    Throwing open the freezer