the Croatian girl who’d worked at the Health Farm. Their lawyer had soon got that sorted. Though she’d heard later that the girl had disappeared again and Freddie’s boys were looking for her. She shivered - it wasn’t a life she could fancy for herself. Once caught the girl would be sent away before she could get to know anyone for long. There were too many girls like her trapped by the Kaufman’s.
*
Jude came out of the shower and joined Erik in the opulent cream and gilt decorated bedroom where he was watching the local news on TV. There was a brief announcement about the death of the young woman police officer. He grinned sardonically, switched it off and turned his full attention to Jude. ‘Come here, lover.’
She dropped the fluffy peach bath towel she had around her immediately. She posed for him for a minute or so in the open doorway, her dark hair falling loosely about her shoulders.
‘Freddie’s downstairs, honey. You should be at the Casino ...’
She knelt down in front of him and kissed him tenderly. He could feel his body stirring as she nuzzled him tantalizingly on his heavy muscular neck.
He groaned, ‘Jude, honey.’
‘Screw, Freddie,’ she said and slowly unbuttoned his silk shirt, unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. ‘He can wait - this can’t,’ she whispered. She licked his damp warm skin; as she nuzzled and teased his nipples with her tongue sending shivers down his spine.
‘Jude...’ he groaned.
The small diamonds in the gold pendant sparkled and dangled in front of his eyes as he reached up for her roughly. He couldn’t get enough of her.
‘Erik...’
Her damp, silky hair brushed against his navel. He could smell her sweet musky scent, as her tongue licked him tenderly. He groaned loudly with pleasure.
‘Don’t go ... Stay with me, honey.’
He was strong. He wanted her and it was tempting. He was a good lover and despite his limitations, he knew how to please her. Jude shook her head and gently lifted his hands to her mouth and kissed them tenderly. He moaned again with pleasure.
‘Jude…’
‘Sorry baby.’ She kissed him on the mouth and then pulled away out of the reach of his arms.
‘A few minutes longer ...’
Laughing she said, ‘I can’t. I’ve got to get dressed. I have work to do. We’d better go see Freddie.’
Ten
Freddie was waiting for them downstairs. Irritation served to enforce the mean look in his eyes as the lift opened in the large open plan living room. He’d brought his heavy boys along with him - big Dave Pullman with his ‘rough house’ build and thick pony tail of bleached blond hair and ‘Clark Gable’ moustached Ollie Grant - which meant he wanted to talk business with Erik. He’d have been left naked without them.
He pointedly ignored Jude which amused her. She alone knew that he’d tried it on with her big time as soon as he could get her onto the velvet couch in the Orchid Club office; it was used often by Freddie and the young girls he usually preferred to shag.
She glided across the floor to pose deliberately by the open French windows leading to the expansive garden and lawns and examined the gold extensions she wore on her slender fingers. She knew his eyes were on her. She had sliced Freddie savagely with them. He’d never risk it again unless he held a shiv or an automatic in his hand. She smiled at him venomously. She knew he’d do almost anything to bitch things up between his brother and her.
Did Freddie know about the meeting she’d had yesterday evening with Linda? Jude knew that he made it his daily business to find out what she was doing. If he had felt their business threatened by her would he have ordered Linda’s death? She wouldn’t put it past the bastard.
She’d had a different kind of relationship with Linda. They’d met at the Orchid club and their immediate mutual attraction had grown from that first meeting. Both trying to keep what they had together separate from