Lucky by Jackie Collins

returned on vacations he was always there. When Gino took her to Las Vegas for her sixteenth birthday and announced he was marrying her off, she had thought for one wild and wonderful moment he meant to Marco. But that was not to be, and it was Craven Richmond, Washington, and Marco out of her life – perhaps forever.
    Occasionally, along the path of an annihilatingly boring marriage, she met a man or two who reminded her of Marco. Maybe it was the dark eyes, or the way his hair curled over the back of his collar, or perhaps just a gesture. Whatever. It was enough to send her into their beds. But Marco clones were never the real thing.
    With Gino out of the country, and her marriage behind her, she tried to forget him and threw herself into solving the problem of the reluctant investors. Costa was a nice man, and a brilliant lawyer, but obviously not a man of action. It was imperative that work on the Magiriano continue and she had to make sure it did, so she went to see Gino’s old business partner, Enzio Bonnatti. Costa had taken her to meet him months before, and they hit it off immediately. At their first meeting he had declared himself her Godfather, and as such she felt she could go to him for his advice and help.
    ‘Costa will not act,’ she said, after explaining the situation, ‘but I am prepared to do whatever my father would do. ’
    Enzio chuckled. ‘Gino never took no shit from no one – excuse my language. You want to be like him, why not? I lend you a couple of soldiers. You frighten the crap outa number one on the list, you ain’t got no problems with the rest. You want I should take care of it for you, my pleasure. ’
    She shook her head. ‘Just let me have the assistance. ’
    She started off with the biggest investor, paying a visit to Rudolpho Crown, a slick-haired ‘investment banker’. He sat behind a massive desk in his office and leered insolently while she discussed the money he had promised but failed to put up.
    ‘You gave your promise, Mr Crown,’ she said coolly. ‘You are part of a syndicate. If you try to drop out, others will follow, and then work on the hotel will have to be stopped. ’
    ‘I gave my word to Gino. And when he comes back I’ll honour it.’
    Her voice was very soft. ‘It makes no difference where Gino is. You gave your promise. He wants it honoured – now.’
    Rudolpho grinned. ‘He’s hardly in a position to want anything. Word is out he won’t be back for a long long time – if ever.’
    She smiled sweetly. ‘Risk it, Mr Crown.’
    A week later he was wakened at midnight by the touch of cold steel on his balls. He opened his eyes, panic-stricken. Two men were holding knives to his shrivelled penis. He started to scream, to cry, to beg.
    He saw a shadow by the door and a woman’s voice said, ‘This is only a dress rehearsal, Mr Crown. If your money isn’t forthcoming immediately, opening night will be next week.’
    Rudolpho Crown put his money up – fast. Other investors followed equally fast. The Magiriano was back in business.
    Shortly after settling the business of the reluctant investors, Lucky flew to Las Vegas to see for herself the building progress being made on the Magiriano. Naturally enough she stayed at the Mirage. And there was Marco to greet her. She hadn’t seen him since her wedding day.
    ‘You look sensational,’ he said.
    ‘You look a little ragged yourself Quickly she worked out how old he must be now: forty-one. His exceptional good looks had not faded at all. He was still the most attractive man she had ever seen, and she burned to go to bed with him.
    ‘How long are you staying?’ he asked politely.
    Just as long as it takes me to get you into bed. She gestured vaguely. ‘A few days, maybe a week. ’
    ‘Good. I want you to meet my wife. ’
    His wife! ‘How long have you been married?’ she asked, hardly able to catch her breath.
    ‘Exactly forty-six hours. You just missed the wedding. ’
    It took time for Marco to