Dangerous Kiss by Jackie Collins Read Free Book Online

date.'
    'So?' he'd said.
    'So,' she'd answered, 'you get to fuck 'em. I've got to talk to them!'
    Alex had roared with laughter.
    Lucky smiled at the memory.
    'Where's Lennie?' Alex asked, looking around.
    'Working,' Lucky explained. 'He'll be here shortly.'
    'Shame!' Alex said.
    'Will you stop?' Lucky said.
    'Never,' Alex said.
    There was a sudden commotion and turning of heads as Venus Maria made her way to the table, accompanied by her extremely smart movie-star husband, Cooper Turner.
    Venus was huffing and puffing, all platinum hair, luscious cleavage, and glossy lids and lips. 'Jesus!' she exclaimed, finally reaching the table. 'It took us twenty-five minutes to negotiate the press line. The things one does for friends!'
    'What did they ask you?' Lucky said.
    'What didn't they ask me?' Venus replied. 'Am I pregnant again? How's my marriage? Do I consider Madonna competition? If I was single would I date Brad Pitt? The usual crap.'
    'No, I mean what did they ask you about me? This is my evening, remember?'
    'I thought you hated publicity.'
    'I do.'
    'So I tried not to mention you - except to say that next to Sherry Lansing you're probably the smartest woman in Hollywood, and that under your amazing guidance Panther makes the best movies. Lucky Santangelo is the queen of equal sexuality, I said. How's that for a killer quote?'
    Lucky grinned and kissed Cooper, who was his usual smooth self. Before marrying Venus he'd been the number-one playboy in Hollywood. Now he was Mr Married and revelling in it. Fatherhood suited him, and had certainly calmed him down. Chyna, their five-year-old daughter, was the pride of both their lives.
    'Hi, Alex,' Venus said, kissing the director on both cheeks. 'When am I going to star in your next movie?'
    It had become a joke between the two of them that since she'd been nominated for her small role in his film, Gangsters, he'd never asked her to work for him again.
    'Dunno…' he said hesitantly. 'Can you play a flat-chested psycho with a penchant for cutting off men's balls?'
    'My dream!' Venus squealed, her animated face lighting up. 'You won't find another actress more suited to the role!'
    'Well…' Alex said thoughtfully. 'Would you be prepared to shoot a test?'
    'Hmm…' she said, pretending to think about it. 'I guess it would depend on whose balls you wanted me to chop!'
    Everyone laughed.
    Lucky looked around. At least I'm surrounded by friends, she thought. People who genuinely love me. And that's a good thing considering the announcement I'm about to make concerns all of them in one way or the other.
    She wished Lennie would hurry up and arrive. He was all she needed to make the evening complete.

Chapter Ten
    Finally Lennie said the magic words: 'Cut. Print. That's a wrap, everyone.'
    'Thank goodness,' Mary Lou said, rushing to her trailer, unbuttoning the suit she'd worn in the scene on her way.
    Terri, one of the wardrobe assistants, ran behind her. 'Can I help?' Terri asked.
    She was black, overweight and out of breath, but full of enthusiasm. Like everyone else on the set, she adored Mary Lou and would do anything for her.
    'Yes!' Mary Lou said. 'I need to be ready, like, an hour ago!'
    'You got it,' Terri said. 'I'm here to assist.'
    'How's that little brother of yours?' Mary Lou asked, as they reached her trailer.
    'Doin' okay, thanks,' Terri answered, marvelling that Mary Lou even remembered her confiding about her sixteen-year-old brother, who'd recently been arrested for vandalism. 'They gave him three months probation.'
    'That should teach him a lesson.'
    'My mama taught him a lesson,' Terry said, rolling her eyes. 'She paddled his ass so fine he couldn't sit down for a week!'
    'Good,' Mary Lou said. 'Now he'll think twice next time he plans on getting out of line.'
    'Ain't that the truth,' Terri said, hanging up Mary Lou's skirt after she stepped out of it.
    'Y' know,' Mary Lou said, opening the small fridge where she'd hidden her heart-shaped diamond earrings and