Jessie Keane: Ruthless

Treat ’em mean, keep ’em keen.

Wasn’t that what his old man had told him? Oh yeah, and Keep ’em well fucked and poorly shod. That was another favourite of his.

Fat chance of keeping Annie Carter poor, she liked the high life too much for that.

He was drifting off into a light doze, perfectly relaxed, when someone kicked his sun bed, hard.

‘What the fuck ?’ he asked, springing into a sitting position.

Someone was standing over him, blocking out the sun. He squinted, unable to see a face.

‘Is this all you’ve got to do out here? Lie in the sun all day?’ demanded a very familiar female voice.

‘Well what would you like me to do?’ he asked her. He could feel a grin forming on his face: couldn’t stop it.

‘You could say hello, that’d be a start.’

He grabbed her hand and yanked her down so that she was sitting on the sun bed in front of him.

‘Hey!’ Annie protested, suddenly on his level. ‘Not so rough.’

‘You want me to say hello or don’t you?’ he asked, looking her over. The dark green eyes, the mouth that was now beginning to smile. Her long dark hair was moving gently in the breeze. She was wearing a cream linen sun dress, and a large gold cross he hadn’t seen her wearing before glinted in the valley between her breasts. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?’

She shrugged. ‘Wanted to surprise you.’

‘Missed me, yeah?’

‘Not especially.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Really.’

‘Yeah, really.’

Max stood up. Reached down, pulled her to her feet and into his arms.

‘You’re hot,’ she murmured, feeling the warmth radiating from his sun-heated skin. She twined her arms around his neck. Later, she was going to have to break the news about Layla joining up with Alberto – she knew he was going to be spitting mad about it – but for now she just stood there and enjoyed the feel of his arms around her.

‘So are you,’ he said, running his hands down over her body. ‘Let’s go inside, where it’s cooler.’

He picked her up.

‘What the hell ?’ protested Annie.

‘Ah, shut up,’ he said, and took her into the villa.

Annie shrieked with laughter as he tossed her on to the bed.

‘Bastard,’ she said, opening her arms.

‘Bitch,’ said Max, and kissed her.

To all the usual suspects – you know who you are: love & thanks for your support, laughs and general cheerleadership.

Also to Andy Woodward, External Communications Manager of the Cessna Aircraft Company, for the advice.

Jessie Keane was born rich. Then the family business went bust and she was left poor and struggling in dead end jobs, so she knows both ends of the spectrum and tells it straight. Her fascination with London and the underworld led her to write the No.1 Heatseeker Dirty Game , followed by bestsellers Black Widow , Scarlet Women , Jail Bird , The Make , Playing Dead and Nameless . She now lives in Hampshire. You can reach Jessie on her website www.jessiekeane.com.