seen nothin' yet."
"I don't like it when you speak to me like that," she
complained.
"You'd better go, before I say something I might regret," Vincent
said, waving her away with a dismissive gesture.
Jenna's blue eyes filled with tears. Sometimes she didn't
understand her husband one little bit. He wasn't her boss, and it was
about time he stopped treating her like an employee.
The two women left.
"What's on your mind?" Vincent asked, turning to his partner.
Nando picked up his champagne glass and took a long swig. "Got a
proposition."
"Yeah?"
"We've always been partners an' shit," Nando continued, "so I
didn't wanna do something without givin' you a chance to get in on
the action."
"What action?"
"I got a couple of acquaintances who own the Manray strip joint.
You know the place I mean?"
"Yes, it's a real sleazy dive."
"Sure it is," Nando agreed. "Half the girls are hookin' on the
side, an' the rest are busy doin' drugs. Only, we got an
opportunity to buy it—make it a classy operation. YTcnow, put
in a hot restaurant, topof-the-line girls. Vegas is changing, Vin.
For the last ten years it's been all about family. Now, fuck
family—it's back to the basics. Girls an' gamblin'. Whaddaya
think?"
"Who owns the place?"
"Leroy Fortuno and Darren Simmons."
"Jesus, Nando," Vincent said in disgust. "Those guys are bad news.
We run a clean operation. Why ruin our reputation?"
"I'm talkin' plenty cash," Nando said persuasively. "The Manray
could be a moneymaking machine."
"Hookers and drugs," Vincent said, shaking his head. "Not my
scene."
"Like we don't have hookers workin' the hotel an' casino now?"
Nando questioned.
"Every place does. The difference is they're on their
own—we're not taking a cut."
"Hey, Vin," Nando said restlessly. "I'm not plannin' on blowin'
this deal. You don't wanna come in, I'll partner with them."
"Does Jolie know about it?"
"You think I tell my wife about business? I'm not completely loco." He laughed his crazy laugh. "Women got a
purpose in life—an' it sure as hell ain't business."
As Jolie and Jenna headed for the ladies' room, they had to pass
through the casino.
Jolie nudged Jenna. "Look who's over there," she said, purposely
causing trouble.
"Who?"
"Your boyfriend, Andy Dale."
"Don't say that!" Jenna said, blushing. "He's not my
boyfriend."
"Just effing with you," Jolie answered with a secretive smile.
"Anyway," Jenna asked, trying to sound casual, "where is he?"
"At one of the blackjack tables."
"Oh goodness!" Jenna exclaimed excitedly, unable to help nerself.
"Perhaps I should go over and apologize."
"For what ?" Jolie asked, amazed at Jenna's level of
complete naivete.
"For whatever my husband said to frighten him off."
"You were flirting," Jolie pointed out.
"I was not," Jenna objected.
"Looked like it to me."
"I think I will go over," Jenna decided. "I should tell him that
Vincent didn't mean it."
"Whatever," Jolie said casually. "Only remember—if Vincent
finds out, you will be in deep trouble."
"You wouldn't tell him, would you?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you two are old friends," Jenna said quickly. "You knew
him before I did."
"I won't tell him, okay?" Jolie said impatiently. "Go over there
if you must, only try not to make a fool of yourself."
"Where will you be?"
"In the ladies' room, having a smoke," Jolie replied. "And don't
keep me waiting too long. It wouldn't be wise for me to go back to
the table without you."
Jenna nodded, and face flushed with anticipation, she set off to
apologize to Andy Dale.
* * *
"Don't hurt me," Dani gasped. "Please don't hurt me, I'll do whatever
you say."
Her heart was thundering in her chest as the intruder held her
from behind. He was strong and tall, she could feel the power in his
arms.
Without saying a word his hands dropped to her breasts.
Oh God! Was he going to rape her? Was this what it was about?
Why hadn't she invited Dean up to her apartment? If he was with
her this would never have
"I don't like it when you speak to me like that," she
complained.
"You'd better go, before I say something I might regret," Vincent
said, waving her away with a dismissive gesture.
Jenna's blue eyes filled with tears. Sometimes she didn't
understand her husband one little bit. He wasn't her boss, and it was
about time he stopped treating her like an employee.
The two women left.
"What's on your mind?" Vincent asked, turning to his partner.
Nando picked up his champagne glass and took a long swig. "Got a
proposition."
"Yeah?"
"We've always been partners an' shit," Nando continued, "so I
didn't wanna do something without givin' you a chance to get in on
the action."
"What action?"
"I got a couple of acquaintances who own the Manray strip joint.
You know the place I mean?"
"Yes, it's a real sleazy dive."
"Sure it is," Nando agreed. "Half the girls are hookin' on the
side, an' the rest are busy doin' drugs. Only, we got an
opportunity to buy it—make it a classy operation. YTcnow, put
in a hot restaurant, topof-the-line girls. Vegas is changing, Vin.
For the last ten years it's been all about family. Now, fuck
family—it's back to the basics. Girls an' gamblin'. Whaddaya
think?"
"Who owns the place?"
"Leroy Fortuno and Darren Simmons."
"Jesus, Nando," Vincent said in disgust. "Those guys are bad news.
We run a clean operation. Why ruin our reputation?"
"I'm talkin' plenty cash," Nando said persuasively. "The Manray
could be a moneymaking machine."
"Hookers and drugs," Vincent said, shaking his head. "Not my
scene."
"Like we don't have hookers workin' the hotel an' casino now?"
Nando questioned.
"Every place does. The difference is they're on their
own—we're not taking a cut."
"Hey, Vin," Nando said restlessly. "I'm not plannin' on blowin'
this deal. You don't wanna come in, I'll partner with them."
"Does Jolie know about it?"
"You think I tell my wife about business? I'm not completely loco." He laughed his crazy laugh. "Women got a
purpose in life—an' it sure as hell ain't business."
As Jolie and Jenna headed for the ladies' room, they had to pass
through the casino.
Jolie nudged Jenna. "Look who's over there," she said, purposely
causing trouble.
"Who?"
"Your boyfriend, Andy Dale."
"Don't say that!" Jenna said, blushing. "He's not my
boyfriend."
"Just effing with you," Jolie answered with a secretive smile.
"Anyway," Jenna asked, trying to sound casual, "where is he?"
"At one of the blackjack tables."
"Oh goodness!" Jenna exclaimed excitedly, unable to help nerself.
"Perhaps I should go over and apologize."
"For what ?" Jolie asked, amazed at Jenna's level of
complete naivete.
"For whatever my husband said to frighten him off."
"You were flirting," Jolie pointed out.
"I was not," Jenna objected.
"Looked like it to me."
"I think I will go over," Jenna decided. "I should tell him that
Vincent didn't mean it."
"Whatever," Jolie said casually. "Only remember—if Vincent
finds out, you will be in deep trouble."
"You wouldn't tell him, would you?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you two are old friends," Jenna said quickly. "You knew
him before I did."
"I won't tell him, okay?" Jolie said impatiently. "Go over there
if you must, only try not to make a fool of yourself."
"Where will you be?"
"In the ladies' room, having a smoke," Jolie replied. "And don't
keep me waiting too long. It wouldn't be wise for me to go back to
the table without you."
Jenna nodded, and face flushed with anticipation, she set off to
apologize to Andy Dale.
* * *
"Don't hurt me," Dani gasped. "Please don't hurt me, I'll do whatever
you say."
Her heart was thundering in her chest as the intruder held her
from behind. He was strong and tall, she could feel the power in his
arms.
Without saying a word his hands dropped to her breasts.
Oh God! Was he going to rape her? Was this what it was about?
Why hadn't she invited Dean up to her apartment? If he was with
her this would never have
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