But back to the pink ladies. The pretty pink color, the taste, the warm glow-that was all good. But the best part came when a guy asked her if he could get her a drink. Tell a guy you wanted a pink lady, and he kind of looked at you in a different way. Angel really believed that was true.
And that was the first thing Tony Katt asked her. “Can I get you a drink?”
Angel said, “A pink lady would be lovely.”
“How about for your dog?”
“Oh no, he’s driving.”
Ha ha ha ha. They had a real good laugh over that one. Tony went for the drink. He was gone for quite a while. The party was really slammed. A big New Year’s Eve deal at the Skull Island Hotel amp; Casino. Angel had lost track of all her friends at the celebrity wingding at the Mirage. Way too many mellow LA rockers at that one for her taste, so she’d cut out on her own.
Along the way she had a couple more pink ladies. And now the heavyweight champion of the world was getting her another. She couldn’t fucking believe it.
She waited for Tony to return. God, he was the heavyweight champion of the world. And in a room filled with women who would probably sit up and beg just to talk to him, he was getting a drink for Angel Gemignani.
Angel felt the glow. Suddenly she felt really pretty, which she usually didn’t. But right now she knew that she was pretty, wearing a little sleeveless Versace number that was as black as sin.
The dress was very expensive. Anyone would look hot in it.
Image was everything. Image could cover up a lot.
And here came Tony with her drink, and he was staring at her. Like, right at the rattler tattoo.
“Watch out,” he said. “A buddy of mine gave me a serious warning about girls with snake tattoos.”
“Yeah,” she said, all throaty like Lauren Bacall. “You’d better watch out.”
Tony gave her biceps a little squeeze and she kind of laughed. “You’re Angel Gemignani, right?”
“Yeah,” she said, all surprised. She couldn’t believe that the heavyweight champion of the world knew who she was. “Angel,” he said. “That’s a pretty name.”
“Thanks.” Angel’s real name was Angela. But she hated it. Angela sounded so clunky.
“We’ve got a few mutual friends.” Tony ticked off five or six names, mostly guys Angel had dated at one time or another, a couple girlfriends, too. “Vegas is really a small town, isn’t it?” He took her hand and kissed it. “I’m surprised we haven’t met before.” He held her fingers in his. “By the way, my name is Tony Katt.”
“Like I don’t know who you are.” Angel didn’t know what else to say.
But that was okay because Tony did. He could really talk. He sounded like he’d been to college and then some. He sure didn’t sound like a guy who’d come out of a state prison in California.
But Angel knew that Tony had done just that. She’d seen him win the heavyweight championship. Grandpa Freddy was a big boxing fan. He went to all the fights. He took Angel to see that one.
She remembered watching Tony in the ring that night. She remembered his muscles, and his tattoos, and the way he looked so tough, so. . confident.
But he didn’t seem egotistical at all. Not now. Not like he did on TV. Maybe that was all an act, because he seemed really nice.
They danced a little, but it was hard to hold Spike and dance at the same time. Tony got Angel another pink lady. She didn’t really want another drink. She barely sipped it. Tony set Spike on his lap and started petting him. He talked and talked.
But then Tony started glancing at his watch, and she couldn’t help but notice that.
“Sorry,” he said finally. “I realize that it’s terribly rude of me. But I’m supposed to meet my fiancee at another party before midnight. And it’s almost eleven now.”
“Oh,” Angel said. She didn’t know what else to say, because she had started to think that. . well, maybe.. but if Tony had a fiancee and-
“Hey,” Tony said. “Why don’t you join us?”
Angel wasn’t sure. Tony seemed like a really nice guy. But going off with him when they’d just met-
“I’m sure my fiancee would love to meet you,” Tony said. “Her name is Porschia Keyes. She’s a dancer here at Skull Island.”
That was different. If Tony’s fiancee was going to be at the party-
“It’s mostly a celebrity crowd. Nothing but fun people. So you know you qualify on both counts.”
Angel felt that glow. He really did like her.
“C’mon,” he coaxed. “It’ll be fun. Really.”
“Sure.” She rubbed the rattlesnake tattoo like it was Aladdin’s lamp. “Why the hell not. I’m always up for fun.”
New Year’s Eve on the Las Vegas Strip was really slammed. No way you could drive anywhere. Still, Angel was really surprised when Tony took her to the roof of the hotel, where they boarded a Skull Island corporate helicopter.
They flew above the lights of Vegas. It was really special. All those people partying down on the Strip. Soon they were over a neighborhood Angel didn’t recognize. A golf course surrounded by super-nice houses. Mansions, really.
The chopper hovered lower, passing over the roof of a mansion. Angel was kind of surprised. It didn’t look like there was a party here. Only two cars were parked in the driveway.
Angel was a little worried. Her Versace dress was riding up, and she pulled it low on her thighs. As low as it would go, anyway.
“Is this the right place?” she asked.
“This is my house,” Tony said. “I need to pick up a few Christmas gifts that I haven’t had a chance to deliver. Then we’ll drive over in my car. The party isn’t far.”
The chopper touched down on the golf course next to the house. Tony opened the door and stepped out before Angel could say a word.
He offered her his hand.
Just like a real gentleman.
The Christmas tree that stood in the domed living room was nearly twenty feet high. Angel stared at the twinkling white lights and decorations, cradling Spike in her arms. She wished Tony would hurry up. It was almost midnight. Even if they left his place right now, they would probably be late for the party. Angel was worried about that. Tony’s fiancee would be really mad. She’d probably take it out on him, but she might take it out on Angel.
Either way, Angel didn’t want to be with a bunch of strangers right now. But how could she get back to the Strip? The chopper was long gone. .
Maybe Tony would call a cab for her. She’d say that the pink ladies were hitting her a little too hard, and that she wasn’t feeling especially well. .
No. That wouldn’t work, either. The Strip was jammed with people. Getting to the Casbah by cab would be impossible. Tony knew that as well as she did. No way she could get back home until-
A pair of strong arms encircled her from behind.
“Tony. Hey. . Tony. Don’t.”
Tony didn’t listen. He pulled Angel against his belly, and she was so surprised that she nearly dropped Spike.
“Tony. . stop!”
His hand was under her dress, between her legs and- “Surprise, surprise,” Tony said. “The Tiger didn’t figure you for the panty-wearing type, bitch.”
“No!” Angel shouted, and Spike jumped from her arms.
She spun away from Tony. He let her go. She gasped for breath. Spike was over by the Christmas tree. In a second she’d pick him up and head for the door-
Tony was wearing a black silk robe. Nothing else. He let the robe fall open. “You might as well get down on the floor and spread your legs, Angel. It’ll go a lot easier that way.”
She was still a little drunk. She tried to think logically. She said, “But your fiancee. . the party-”
“There is no party. Except for the one we’re having here.” He smiled. “I do have a fiancee, though. I didn’t lie about that. The bitch walked out on me last night. It’s not the first time she’s done it, and it won’t be the last.”