'Anyway, your insane brother has requested that you and Jonas join us in Vegas.'

'Why?' Amy said, completely unfazed. 'Are you two getting married?'

'No,' Cat answered, choking with laughter at the thought. 'I'm not even divorced, and somehow I don't get the vibe that your brother is the marrying kind.'

'Stop speaking for me,' Nick interrupted. 'You never know, I might marry you.

Stranger things have happened.'

'Ooh, I'm so excited,' Cat drawled sarcastically. 'Try not to forget that I'm still married.'

'Shut up!'

'Anyway,' she added, talking into the phone. 'Hop on a plane and meet us at the Hard Rock. We're driving.'

'You're actually risking your life in a car with my brother?' Amy questioned.

'He's a lunatic driver.'

'We've risked more than that tonight.'

'I'll run it by Jonas, but you do know that he's not a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy.'

'Tell him that we're celebrating the end of our movie,' Cat said, 'and that I'm begging him to come. That should do it. Wait a sec - talk to your brother,' she added, passing the phone to Nick.

'Hey, little sis,' he said, one hand off the steering-wheel as they zoomed down the highway. 'You gonna make it?'

'If you say so, big bro.'

'I say so.'

'Having fun, are you?'

'Oh, yeah?

'Told you she was a keeper.'

'Right as usual,' he said, clicking off the phone.

'Can we stop by my apartment?' Cat pleaded. 'I need to grab some clothes. Look at me. I vaguely resemble a drowned rat.'

'I'm looking at you,' he said sincerely. 'It's a beautiful sight.'

Matt emerged from the kitchen. The party was in full swing, crowded with guests laughing, talking and clinking glasses. A classical guitarist played inspirational music, only Matt was not in an inspirational mood. He was severely pissed as he began searching for his wife, his lovely, gorgeous, famous wife - his delectable, unfaithful bitch of a wife.

Finally he spotted her, talking to Tony Alvarez. He walked over purposefully, his bland face grim. 'We're going,' he said, roughly taking her arm.

'Excuse me?' she said, shading free.

'We're leaving,' he repeated.

'I didn't say I was ready to leave.'

'I want to go now: 'I don't think so, Matt,' Lola said, her brown eyes flashing. 'Go back and watch your precious ball game. I'll let you know when I'm ready.'

'Don't talk to me like that,' he said angrily. 'I'm your husband. Your legal husband.'

She could see he was angry. Taking him back had been a major mistake. Now she'd have to get rid of him all over again, and she was sure her lawyer would not do it for her a second time.

Tony was watching both of them, his dark eyes cool and appraising.

She wondered if he'd dispose of Matt if she asked him to. Tony was a dangerous man - he'd probably do it. Not that she'd ever consider asking him. The only way she'd get Matt out of her house was to promise him another settlement, exactly like she'd had Otto arrange the first time. 'Go home if you must,' she said.

'Send the car back for me.'

'You'd like that, wouldn't you?' Matt said, glaring at Tony. 'You'd like to stay here with your boyfriend.'

'What did you say?' Lola demanded.

'Everyone at this party knows the deal. You were caught in the bedroom with him earlier.'

'Hey, man,' Tony said, 'this is not a conversation to have in public - cool it.

People are starin'.'

'Like you give a shit,' Matt said belligerently.

"Scuse me?' Tony said, his face darkening.

'You're a two-bit druggie loser. A-'

'Enough, Matt,' Lola said quickly, putting her hand on his arm. Enough, or you could end up like Tyrell White - falling from a nineteenth-floor window. An unfortunate suicide. 'We'll leave, if that's what you want.'

Matt shot Tony a triumphant look, while Lola made a face as if to say, 'What can I do?' She wanted Matt out of her life, but certainly not as the result of violence.

Unfortunately Tony was capable of anything, so to defuse the situation, she would leave with Matt before the two men got into a fight. A fight that Tony would surely win.

Tomorrow she'd call Tony and make everything right. Come what may, their future was together.

The phone awoke. Shelby at three a.m. She groped for it in her sleep.

'Yes?' she mumbled. 'Who is it?'

'Shelby, this is Connie.'

She couldn't imagine why Linc's sister was calling her in the middle of the night.

'Connie,' she said, struggling to wake up, 'is everything all right?'

'No, I'm sorry, it's not.'

'What happened?'

'It's an emergency, Shelby. A few minutes ago I received a call from a New York hospital.'

'What about?' Shelby asked, starting to panic.

'It's Linc,' Connie said. 'He overdosed on drugs.'

'He did what?

'Right now he's in intensive care. Suki and I are on our way to the airport.

They're, uh... not exactly sure he's going to make it.'

Im dreaming, Shelby thought. This is all some horrible nightmare.

Then she realized this was no dream, and her world started to collapse.

Chapter Forty-Three.

'Tell me more,' Cat said, her feet propped on the dashboard.

'Jeez!' Nick answered, racing his Maserati past a sporty Mercedes. 'I've told you everything about myself. You give a third degree like nobody I know.'

'I'm excellent at it, aren't I?' she boasted, with a wicked grin. 'I should've been a prosecuting attorney.'

'You would've killed.'

'Thanks,' she answered proudly. 'Are we nearly there?'

'I hope so.'

'What a night,' she said, yawning loudly. 'I never thought I'd meet anybody who'd want to do the crazy stuff I do.'

'I never met a girl like you either,' he agreed. 'It's a kick.'

'So, may I hear the rest of the Nick Logan life story?' she said encouragingly.

'The rest starts now,' he replied. 'I'm sitting in my new car with my new girl.

And I like it!'

'Hmm... do you think Amy and Jonas have arrived yet?'

'They've probably checked into the hotel and hit the sheets. It's some ungodly hour. Sleep seems like a plan.'

'Sleep would be nice,' she agreed, thinking how much she liked him.

'In a bed - with you next to me.'

'What?' she said, mocking him lightly. 'You didn't enjoy the sand?'

'I can safely say I'll never forget it.'

'Nor will I. It was good, huh?'

'It sure was. Did you-'

'Of course I did. How about you?'

'Like I could fake it.'

'Men do, you know.'

'You've really been mixing with a strange group of guys.'

'Yeah, I should've stuck to the classy type of person you hang with.'

'You're talkin' about my nefarious past,' he said, changing CDs.

'I am?'

'Right on.'

'Thank God we're almost there,' she said, checking out a passing billboard.

'When was the last time you were in Vegas?' he asked, pumping up the volume on Kid Rock.

'Don't recall ever coming here. Isn't that sad?'

'A Vegas virgin,' he said, whistling. 'Wow!'

'Let's not get carried away. When were you last here?'

'I sometimes fly in for the fights with some of my pals. It's a regular party scene. Booze, babes, and two monsters knocking the shit outta each other.'

'Sounds delightful.'

'It's a diversion.'

'And you always win at blackjack?'