"She's apparently the girlfriend of Max's boss's friend."

"Sounds like a party."

"Yeah, an' talkin' of parties, instead of hanging around waiting, we should go hit a club," Cookie suggested.

"Why'd we wanna do that?" Harry asked.

"To have fun," Cookie replied, fishing out a hand mirror from her Birkin purse-a present from Daddy-and inspecting her pretty face. "We're totally capable of gettin' trashed without her, aren't we?"

"Sure, 'cause you just wanna go somewhere to pick up some random dude and get laid," Harry said accusingly.

"Don't you?" Cookie questioned. "We're in Vegas. We gotta totally go for it."

"I can go for it on Grindr, thankyouverymuch," Harry reminded her. "Best app ever."

"Does that mean I've gotta make do with Tinder?" Cookie groaned. "That's so loser city."

"Better than a club. At least you know you're getting a sure thing."

"You're such a perv."

"Oh," Harry said. "An' I suppose you're not?"

They both giggled. For their generation, getting laid was so damn easy.

With a throaty "Bobby," there she was. His boyhood crush. His mom's best friend. The delectable, gorgeous, ageless, sexy Venus.

"Hey," he managed, remembering the things he'd done staring at her photos in magazines when he was just a kid.

Auntie Venus. Superstar. Lounging by the pool in a barely there bikini when he was fourteen.

Auntie Venus taking it all off for Playboy and showing just enough to make a teenage boy never forget.

Auntie Venus onstage in Vegas cavorting half naked with the best-looking male backup dancers ever to grace the stage.

Eventually he'd grown up and dropped the Auntie, and they'd become casual friends, running into each other at family events, always polite. She'd usually been with a boy toy or a husband. Never alone.

Now here was Venus on the night before Gino's funeral looking like a million bucks, and she was indeed alone. And so was he. No more Denver. No more commitments. He was a free agent and so, apparently, was she.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you," Venus said with a wicked glint in her eye. "You're off-limits."

"So I heard," Bobby replied, grinning.

"From whom?"

"From Brigette, who was put in charge of keeping us apart."

"She was, huh?"

"Apparently so."

"Where is dear Brigette?"

"Gone to bed, like everyone else around here," he said, indicating the banquet room, which was emptying out fast. "How come you're still here?"

"I was having a drink with Charlie Dollar. That man talks a blue streak until he's just too stoned to go on."

"What happened to him?"

"He fell asleep in a booth."

"You're kidding. And you left him there?"

"Oh, someone will mop him up," she said with a casual wave of her manicured hand. "Old movie stars are hardly my responsibility."

"Okay, then."

Her startling blue eyes met his. "Okay, then," she said, gently mimicking him. "Are you up for a drink?"

"Where?" he asked cautiously.

"My suite."

"The last time I accepted a drink in a woman's suite, I got roofied."

"Yes, I read about that," she said with a slight smile. "Does that mean that if I promise not to roofie you, we're on?"

"Depends what 'we're on' means."

Leaning toward him, she lightly touched his arm. "You're a big boy now, Bobby. No explanations needed."

He experienced a sharp jolt of electricity mixed with unforgettable memories of his horny teenage years.

Venus was his fantasy. And he was about to step into fantasyland.

At last they were off, Alejandro roaring out of the underground garage as if he were being chased by a dozen police cars, bragging about how much speed he could summon from his new toy in less than six seconds. Gangsta rap blared from the multiple speakers.

Max curled up on the backseat and shut her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep. But sleep refused to come; her mind was too full of random thoughts.

Would she ever see Billy again?

Why was Dante such a miserable pain?

What were Cookie and Harry up to?

Did Athena even miss her?

How was Lucky dealing with Gino's murder?

Eventually she fell into a half sleep, waking when they hit the freeway and she felt her phone vibrating.

Retrieving it from the pocket of her jacket, she noted that it was Lennie.

"Daddy," she whispered tentatively. "Can't wait to see you."

"Where the hell are you?" Lennie demanded.

"On my way."

"What? By horse and carriage?"

"By car. I'm with my boss from Dolcezza."

"Your boss, huh?" Lennie said, frustrated. "That would be the asshole who was supposed to get you here by helicopter. What happened to that plan?"

"I dunno."

"I'll be speaking to him when you finally arrive."

Great, she thought. You can tell him what a dick he is.

"What's all that noise?" Lennie growled. "Sounds like a party."

"It's just car music," she said lamely.

"Well, take it easy."

"Yes, Daddy."

"See you soon, sweetie."

Up in her suite, Venus offered Bobby a drink.

He declined.

"You still think I might drug you?" she murmured teasingly.

"I thought we covered that," he said.

"Oh yes, we did, didn't we?" she drawled. "Why don't you open us a bottle of champagne."

She was treating him as if he was one of her fans, and he didn't like it. She was toying with him, probably wondering what kind of move he was about to make.

"I didn't come up here for a drink," he said.

"No? What did you come up for?"

As if she didn't know. Auntie Venus. Famous. Beautiful. Talented. Sexy. A tease.

He refused to let her intimidate him.

"Come here," he commanded.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard."

"I don't take kindly to orders."

He'd had enough. Years of lusting after her propelled him into action. He wanted her. He wanted all of her. And he wasn't waiting any longer.

"You wanna fuck or you wanna play games?" he said.

"My oh my, the little boy has a mouth on him."

He strode across the room and grabbed her hard, ripping the revealing jacket off her.

She wore nothing underneath.

He cupped her breasts, pushing them together, shoving her up against the wall, bending to suck on her nipples until she cried out.

Within seconds they were in the bedroom, clothes falling off along the way.

Then he was rolling around with Mommy's best friend, and he didn't give a damn about upsetting Lucky. Some things were bound to happen, and this was one of them.

Venus. All soft blond curves, sweet-smelling and succulent. Naked, she did not disappoint. Pilates and daily workouts had kept her body in pristine shape. Being in bed with her was like taking a luxury trip to heaven.

"To think I knew you when you were a little boy," she purred, her long, manicured fingers raking his chest. "Now look at you, all grown up."

"Cut the shit, Venus," he said, climbing on top of her and spreading her golden thighs. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do this?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

"It might take too long."

And as he spoke, he plunged inside her, reliving every lustful teenage memory.

Denver was forgotten. Denver was yesterday's news.

He was a man with no ties, and he could do exactly as he liked.