Diamonds Forever (Diamond Trilogy 3) - Page 66

‘Ah,’ he said, pausing to try and regroup. ‘Get rid of me. I see.’ He took a breath and looked long and hard at Jason.

‘The thing is, Jason, she’ll never be rid of me.’

Jason clenched his fists. Deano felt the exhilaration of combat fire up inside him.

‘The thing is, mate,’ said Jason, ‘she’s with me now.’

‘How long has it been? A month? Six weeks?’

‘Long enough.’ Jason’s voice was little more than a growl.

‘Long enough to forget twenty amazing years?’ said Deano. ‘That’s what we had. Well, eighteen. Nearly nineteen. All the same, a long time. Longer than six weeks. And you don’t forget something like what we had in six weeks. I can guarantee it.’

‘She ain’t forgotten the way you treated her,’ said Jason. ‘No way.’

‘I was an idiot,’ Deano conceded. ‘I lost sight of what I had. But I’ve got that sight back now, Jason. You’re a rebound job. She’s flattered – younger man, talented, good-looking, all that. But it doesn’t compare to twenty years of the most incredible rollercoaster you can ever imagine. Nothing could.’

‘Where’s my fucking drink?’ said Jason, suddenly punching the upholstery. ‘You said you’d get me one. Instead I’m getting fucking earache. Drop me off at this corner. I’m done.’

‘Go on, Jason, hit him. Hit him hard.’

The voice came from the front seat, surprising both the back seat passengers.

‘I beg your pardon!’ exclaimed Deano, while Jason shouted, ‘Jesus Christ!’, having presumably worked out the real identity of the ‘chauffeur’.

‘I’m sorry, Deano,’ said Harville, steering the car around a corner and into a driveway. ‘I thought that’s what you were aiming for. And it’s a good idea. Might solve a few of our problems all at once.’

‘Wouldn’t be great for my face, though,’ said Deano, although he could see the value of Harville’s reasoning. Really, wouldn’t it

be rather satisfying to see this little upstart … this man who was cuckolding him … put away for assault? And after all, that was the kind of man he was. Council estate dregs. It was mortifying, to be replaced by such a … specimen.

‘What the fuck are you doing with this low-life anyway?’ exploded Jason. ‘Don’t you know about him?’

‘Oh dear, somebody can’t let bygones be bygones,’ sighed Lawrence, parking the car outside some kind of old vicarage that had seen better days. ‘Let’s talk over a few drinks, shall we? I’ve got the most divine single malt inside. I’m sure we can … thrash a few things out. Eh, Deano?’

‘He’s the local mafia,’ said Jason desperately. ‘Are you OK with that? Are you OK with that kind of company? Oh, of course you are, I forgot. Jenna told me you preferred hanging out with drug dealers to being with her. No wonder she’s all over me now.’

Deano punched a fist into his open palm.

‘Now, now, boys,’ said Lawrence with a nervous laugh. ‘Let’s not get into the red and blue corners just yet. Nice and calm, nice and calm.’

He opened the front door and led them into a mildewed vestibule, in need of some tender loving care.

‘It’s not what you’re used to, I expect,’ he said apologetically to Deano. ‘I’ve been having some property issues. Basically, I’m camping out until I can get the Hall back.’

‘Harville Hall?’ said Deano, in some surprise.

‘Well, the clue’s in the name,’ said Lawrence, taking them into a living room. A wood-burner was on the go and Deano looked around for whoever had performed this domestic task.

‘Oh, the boys are around somewhere,’ said Lawrence vaguely. ‘Out chopping wood, I expect.’

‘The boys?’ said Jason.

‘Friends. You know.’ Lawrence smiled in a manner that could only be described as fiendish and took a bottle from a shelf. ‘Do sit down. The furniture might be old but it’s clean and comfortable.’

‘I’m not drinking with you,’ said Jason, remaining on his feet.

‘Oh, don’t worry. I’m not partaking,’ said Lawrence, pouring a hefty measure into a tumbler. ‘I need to keep a clear head. Meetings later, that sort of thing. You artistes live according to different rules than we business types, though, or so I hear.’

Tags: Justine Elyot Diamond Trilogy Erotic
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