Lovers and Gamblers (62 page)

‘So?’ questioned Dallas impatiently. She didn’t want his life history, she wanted him to get to the point.

‘I make the final decisions, but there is a family board of directors at Mack Cosmetics. They are happy that you are to be the Mack girl, but any scandal…’

Dallas laughed. ‘I thought we had a contract?’ she questioned mockingly.

‘Oh yes,’ agreed Aarron, ‘with options, of course.’

‘Of course.’

‘If anything Lew Margolis is saying about you is true… then you would be paid up to the first option…’

‘And not used.’ She finished for him.

‘Exactly.’

She sipped her champagne, her green eyes glinting dangerously. ‘So tell me, Aarron, what exactly is Lew saying about me?’

He looked uncomfortable. ‘I don’t believe it. I know it can’t possibly be true.’

‘But you felt you had to ask me anyway, just in case.’ Suddenly she hated him, sitting in his Palm Springs mansion so rich and secure.

‘Yes.’ He was relieved she was so understanding.

‘Spit it out, Aarron, I can’t wait to hear.’

‘He said that you were a prostitute. That you and a coloured girl used to work together. Also that you were a lesbian and the two of you used to give shows.’

Dallas threw back her head and roared with laughter. ‘He said
that
– about
me
. It’s unbelievable! And anyway, even if there was the slightest bit of truth in it, how the hell would
he
know? The whole thing is utterly ridiculous – I mean it’s absolutely laughable!’

‘I knew it couldn’t possibly be true,’ said Aarron quickly. ‘I just wanted to hear you deny it.’

‘Deny it? It’s hardly worth denying, it’s so ludicrous. Who could possibly believe it? I told you the man is getting senile.’

‘If you wish, I can have my lawyer draft a letter on your behalf to restrain him from repeating such a vicious story. It would be best to stop him now.’

‘Yes. I think we should.’

Aarron leaned across the table and patted her fondly on the shoulder. ‘I knew there was no truth in it. I remember in New York when we first met how you wouldn’t even let me touch you.’

She lowered her eyes. ‘I’m like that, Aarron. A man must be prepared to wait with me.’

He sighed happily. ‘Yes, yes. I understand. In spite of your looks, at heart you are really just an old-fashioned girl.’

She hid a smile that threatened to break into uncontrollable laughter.

‘Yes, Aarron, you are so right. At heart I’m really just an old-fashioned girl.’

At Aarron’s request she decided to spend the night. Why go rushing back to LA? For what? Anyway, she wanted to wait until Lew received the photos. Let him stew a little before she contacted him. Let him call Cody and beg to have her back on the series. Let him suffer when he saw the intimate pictures of his wife.

Aarron wanted to take her out to dinner, but she pleaded a headache and retired to the guest suite, where she sat in bed watching TV and smoking another joint.

There was an interview with Al King arriving in Las Vegas. He was there for a big charity concert the next day. She stared at his image on the screen, dragging on the joint, and beginning to get the feeling that seemed reserved only for him. He was a bastard. He had stood her up for a skinny bag. Screw him.

Why not? He was available. Why not get him out of her system once and for all?

Yeah – why not? She had nothing better to do.

She grinned. She could just imagine his surprise when she turned up in Las Vegas.

Cristina telephoned Louis Baptista. He was delighted to hear from her, even though she had given him a most abrupt and hurtful brush several months previously.

‘Can we see each other again, Louis?’ she asked sweetly. He was hesitant; he had started to date other girls, started to forget the hurt. ‘What did you have in mind?’ he questioned falteringly.

‘I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about you a lot. Maybe we could go riding in Tijuca forest like we used to.’

‘Yes, all right.’

‘If you
want
to, that is.’

‘You know I want to.’ His voice was gruff.

‘Tomorrow?’

‘I’ll collect you from your house at noon.’

‘That would be fine.’ She banged the phone down and stuck her tongue out at Nino, who stood by her side. ‘Satisfied?’

‘Excellent. I bet he was thrilled.’

‘Of course.’

‘Is he still mad for your childish body?’

‘I expect so.’

‘I told you it would be easy.’

‘I
knew
it would be easy. I just didn’t want to do it.’ She threw her arms around Nino. ‘Do I
have
to see him?’

‘Only for a few weeks. It won’t be so bad. Then when it’s all over, if you still want to, we can go to your parents and tell them we want to get married. And if they don’t approve, we’ll do it anyway.’

She hugged him. ‘I wish we could do it now.’

He removed her arms. ‘You know that’s impossible. Listen, I have a meeting this afternoon. You had better run on home.’

‘Can’t I come with you?’

‘No.’

‘Why not? If I’m going to be a part of it, why can’t I come?’

‘Because they wouldn’t like it.’

She pouted. ‘Who are
they
? And why wouldn’t
they
like it?’

‘How many times do I have to explain things to you? Before you can become a member of the organization, you have to have
proved
yourself. After all, you are not one of us.’

‘I should think setting up these two burglaries would have proved whose side I was on.’

‘I know whose side you are on, and after the kidnapping – if all goes well – you’ll be accepted. But not now – not yet. Don’t push.’

‘All right. But when I’m your wife they’ll
have
to accept me.
Then
I’ll be one of you.’

He laughed bitterly. ‘Yes. Poor.’

‘I’ll go home now. Shall I come over after seeing Louis tomorrow?’

Nino hurriedly said, ‘No. Certainly not. Concentrate on Louis. I don’t want to see you for a week.’

‘A week! Nino, that’s impossible. I couldn’t live that long without seeing you.’

‘In three weeks, if this is successful, you won’t have to live two minutes without me. Isn’t that worth giving up something for?’

She sighed. ‘I suppose so…’

He cupped her face and kissed her gently. ‘A little something to be getting on with. Well – child, I’ll see you in a week.’

‘If I live, and don’t call me child.’

‘I’ll call you woman when you have proved that you are.’

‘I thought I had done
that
.’

‘Maybe – we’ll see how you get on with Louis.’

She stuck out her tongue again. ‘Pig!’

‘Child!’ He guided her to the door.

‘I’ll phone you every day,’ she said.

‘No. Not even that. I want
all
your energies to go in his direction.’

‘But, Nino…’

He placed a finger on her lips and moved her gently out the door. ‘Goodbye, my love, do a good job.’

When she was finally gone he let out a groan of relief. A whole week! It was too wonderful to contemplate. He would be free to see Talia, spend some time with her, sleep with her. A solid diet of Cristina was so boring. Now if it had been her mother…

Louis was essential to the plan. As Carlos Baptista’s son he would obviously have access to places Al King would be – and access was the most important part. Unbeknown to Cristina the kidnap had been planned. Why should he tell her? Who was she but a stupid little rich girl whose mind could be manipulated by his body. And his body was going to become famous and powerful as a result of the Al King kidnap.

He smiled. When this plan proceeded to its triumphant conclusion he would no longer have to tout his body. He would automatically become one of the leaders. He knew it would be so. Besides, his fortune had been told, and it was in the cards.

Nino was confident that the cards never lied.

* * *

The week dragged by as far as Cristina was concerned. Louis, thrilled to be reinstated in her life, was happy to spend every day with her.

They went riding in Tijuca forest twice. They took the cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain, which was a really tourist thing to do but which Louis said would be fun. They went to the Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Modern Art, the Jockey Club, the Yacht Club.

Cristina found herself mixing once more with all her old friends. How childish they all seemed to her. How unaware of what was happening in the world. All they seemed concerned with was parties, new cars, and having fun.

The girls would group together and giggle about the boys. ‘
He
tried to put his hand up my shirt.’ ‘Santiago is a
great
kisser.’ Such silly things. Cristina could hardly believe that only months before
she
had been a part of this juvenile group. Oh, the things she could tell them now! How she could shock them!

One afternoon she was cornered by Marella Bogato who insisted on telling her the gory details of the robbery her family had experienced. ‘It was so dreadful, Cristina, you just can’t imagine. They cut off the poor dog’s head –
cut it off
. Then they wrote terrible things all over the walls
in his blood
.’

Cristina shuddered. She was sure Marella must be exaggerating. Nino and his partners in crime couldn’t possibly be that cruel. Thank God she had never allowed them to rob
her
house.

‘These people must be sick,’ Marella continued. ‘They must be animals. Mama has had a complete breakdown and we are selling the house. It’s not what they took, Cristina, it’s just the horrible feeling that their senseless violence has left.’

For a moment Cristina felt sorry for what she had done. Then she thought of Nino – of his impassioned appeals for equality – his sincereness about his cause. He was right. To redistribute some of the wealth was a good thing.

She ached to be with him. Louis was sweet, he had always been sweet. But he was a baby. A rich, spoiled baby.

On the day before she was due to see Nino, Louis took her to an open-air concert outside the Opera House. After, he said he wanted to surprise her, and he drove his red sports car up into the mountains to a small country house his parents kept there. He had obviously been there earlier in the day because the table was laid for two, with candles waiting to be lit, and a cold supper in the fridge.

‘Surprise!’ he said. ‘I wanted tonight to be special.’

‘But I thought we were going dancing.’

‘We can go later if you want. I just thought it would be nice if we were alone together. We always seem to be surrounded by people.’

Suddenly he was all over her. ‘I like you, Cristina. You know how much I like you. I thought for a while that we were finished – you became so cold. Now we’re together again I want to ask your father’s permission for us to be married next year.’ He reached into his jacket pocket and produced a small box. ‘Here, I’ve brought you a ring. I love you, Cristina, I always have. We were meant to be married.’ He plunged his mouth down on hers, kissing her frantically.

Nino had not instructed her how to deal with
this
situation. She had another two weeks to go. If she shoved Louis away and told him her answer was no, that might spoil everything. Instinct told her she had to play him along. So although she didn’t feel like it, she kissed him back and let his hands linger for a moment on her breasts before pushing him away.

‘Don’t, Louis,’ she reprimanded him sharply.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to take liberties with you. It’s just that I want you so much, I always have.’

Idly she glanced at the ring he had presented her with. It was a heart-shaped sapphire surrounded with diamonds. It must have cost a fortune. It
was
beautiful. She took it from the box and slipped it on her finger. It fitted perfectly. She could wear it for two weeks… Give it back to him when she told him that they couldn’t marry.

‘Do you like it?’ Louis asked anxiously. ‘If you don’t, we could change it.’

‘It’s very pretty.’

‘
You’re
very pretty.’ And he was grabbing her again, exploring her mouth with his tongue, allowing his hands to slip from her shoulders to her breasts.

In spite of herself she felt excited. He wanted her so much that she couldn’t help feeling a surge of power. She was a woman and he didn’t even know it. How surprised he would be if he knew how experienced she was.

She had noticed the bulge in his trousers, and that gave her a feeling of power too.

Louis was a good catch. Marie Therese had been mad about him for years, and Marie Therese was much prettier than she was, but it was
she
he wanted.

‘Have you ever been with a woman?’ she gasped, pushing him off once more and watching him to gauge his reaction.

‘No,’ he said, flushing.

‘But you must have,’ she insisted. ‘All boys of your age must have had
some
sort of experience.’

He turned away from her. ‘I don’t think I should tell you.’

‘Of course you must tell me. If we are to be engaged, I must know everything. There can be no secrets.’

‘When I was seventeen my father took me to a whore house.’

‘How exciting!’

‘Cristina! It wasn’t exciting. It was disgusting. Old women with floppy bellies. I did what I had to do and never went back. My father thought that made me a man.’

‘And did it?’

‘It made me sick. I swore I would wait until I found the girl I loved.’

‘And here I am,’ Cristina teased.

Louis was very serious. ‘Yes. Here you are. And I am glad that I have waited, because we will be able to start out together. It’s the way it should be.’

She wanted to laugh in his face. How young and naive and romantic his words were. Poor Louis. He was such a baby.

* * *

Evita could not understand it. One moment her daughter was starry-eyed about the boy called Nino – the next, Louis was back in her life.

Jorge was triumphant. ‘I told you not to worry about her,’ he crowed. ‘She probably quarrelled with Louis because he tried to take liberties with her. Now he realizes he cannot get away with that kind of behaviour. Our daughter is a good girl.’