Poor Little Bitch Girl by Jackie Collins Page A

Washington hostess, and even more important, she hailed from a powerful and extremely affluent family, the Bamberrys.
    Evelyn’s father was a Judge, her mother the heiress to a textile fortune. The Bamberrys represented old money and excellent breeding.
    Gregory would never give that up, especially as he came from more modest stock. His father was a car salesman, and his mother was a former nurse. Quite frankly he regarded his family as an embarrassment, and the less he saw of them the better.
    Meeting and marrying Evelyn had boosted his political career no end, allowing him to move into social circles that before Evelyn had been beyond his reach.
    Apart from that, he had his children to consider – eleven-year-old Clarence and seven-year-old Miranda. The two shining stars in his otherwise complicated life.
    Well . . . only complicated because of his needy assistant pulling the oldest stunt in the business. “I’m pregnant,” she’d said – the words no man wants to hear from a woman he’s banging on the side.
    What to do now?
    Offer her money for an abortion?
    No, he understood Carolyn well enough to know that she would never agree to an abortion.
    Set her up in an apartment, wait until she gave birth, and have the baby adopted?
    No way would she accept adoption.
    What then?
    Carolyn Henderson wanted him to leave Evelyn and marry her . He had no doubt that was exactly what she expected him to do.
    She’d maneuvered him into a corner and now there was no escape.
    Or was there . . .
    * * *
    “Hi,” Kerri Tyson called out as Carolyn passed by on the way to her apartment.
    Carolyn stopped short. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed her neighbor emerging from the apartment opposite hers.
    Kerri was half-African-American and half-Asian. Plump and pretty with short curly hair and an appealing personality, she was a legal secretary who went through boyfriends, most of whom she found on-line, at an alarming rate.
    “You look as if you just won the lottery,” Kerri remarked. “Either that or you’re getting royally laid.”
    As Carolyn considered her answer, she wished she could tell Kerri everything. They were friends – not close – but they’d been out to dinner a few times, hit a couple of bars, exchanged ex-boyfriend horror stories.
    “Wouldn’t that be nice,” Carolyn sighed. “But unfortunately, it’s not true.”
    Kerri raised an eyebrow. “No new stud on the horizon?” she inquired. “’Cause you got the glow goin’.”
    “It must be my new make-up,” Carolyn answered modestly. “NARS Blush. It’s called Orgasm. It’s obviously working.”
    “You bet your ass it is,” Kerri giggled. “Got to grab me some of that. If you’re free tomorrow, maybe we can hit the mall. Whaddya think?”
    “I’ll have to let you know,” Carolyn replied, stalling. Now that she’d told Gregory she was carrying his baby, she expected things to change. Even if he didn’t tell his wife immediately, he would probably want to spend more time with her.
    “Call me,” Kerri said, heading for the stairs to the street. “I’ll be home later.”
    “I will,” Carolyn said, unlocking the door to her apartment.
    God! She was so excited, she had to tell someone . But whom could she trust? Not her mother, who wouldn’t approve. Certainly not her father, who’d be shocked and disappointed in his little girl.
    Then how about Denver, her best friend since school?
    Unlike most people, Denver could keep a secret, and she’d be totally thrilled, although she’d also be major surprised since Carolyn had never mentioned that she was involved in a hot and heavy affair with the Senator.
    Oh my God ! Carolyn thought excitedly. I cannot keep it to myself any longer! I’m going to tell Denver. I’ll call her tonight.
    * * *
    “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” Miranda squealed, hurling herself against her father’s legs.
    “How’s my girl?” Gregory said, bending down to sweep his cute little daughter up