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The Americans were about to discover a new sex symbol. She would bowl them over. In England she was just another little starlet. In America she had the potential to become a big star. Giles was sure of this. With the right exposure and the right publicity, she had it made.

Of course he would have to watch her closely, see she didn’t drink too much, didn’t get laid by the wrong people.

She smiled sexily at the photographers, head thrown back, lips parted, slanty green eyes shining. She blossomed even more in the limelight. Her bosom strained to escape the thin confines of her sweater, her legs were long and shapely.

‘Come on, baby, we’ll miss the plane,’ Giles said at last.

She gave the photographers one last provocative pose, then took his hand, squeezing it firmly.

‘This is a ball!’ she exclaimed. ‘I love it, baby.
Love
it!’

* * *

In another part of the airport Linda and Jay sat in a VIP lounge sipping coffee. Jay’s was laced with a good stiff shot of whiskey. He hated flying and found the only way he could climb on a plane was to be mildly drunk.

Linda admired her wedding ring, a thin band of perfect diamonds. She could hardly believe how much she loved this man. After David, the thought of being able to pick up the pieces and start again had seemed impossible. Now, the ten years with David seemed almost nonexistent.

Jay took her hand. ‘You look beautiful today.’

She smiled. ‘Thank you.’

A stewardess arrived and told them it was time to board the plane. A lone photographer stopped them in the hall. ‘Is it possible to have a picture, Mr. Grossman?’

‘Sure.’ Jay smiled amicably and put his arm around Linda.

She was surprised. ‘Why do they want your picture?’ she whispered.

‘The studio usually arranges it. Another plug for the movie.’

‘Oh.’ She nodded wisely.

They sat in comfort on the plane, Jay taking furtive swigs out of a silver hip flask. Then the great engines began to roar, and the plane taxied gently off down the runway.

* * *

One morning David woke up in a particularly foul temper. His head ached, and the room smelled of stale sex – Harriet never seemed to open any windows. He reached for her at once, his physical feelings overcame anything else.

After satisfying himself, he felt even worse.

She made him coffee and gave him the morning paper. He smoked a cigarette and glanced at the paper. On the front page was Claudia. She faced the camera three-quarters on, bosom thrust out, hair long and wild, amused, knowing smile. She looked gorgeous, shapely legs disappearing into a short skirt.

Beautiful model and actress Claudia Parker (21) leaves for New York today. Miss Parker plans to discuss film offers. She is travelling with Giles Taylor, well-known fashion and society photographer. Both deny a romance.

David felt anger that she should look so good and appear so happy. After he had left her he had imagined she would go to pieces, vanish from his life. But here she was on the front page, off to America, without, apparently, a care in the world.

Bitch! She had ruined his marriage.

He turned the page in a fury. Why couldn’t she just have faded into oblivion?

There, on the next page, was a small picture of Linda with a man. She looked calm and smiling. The man held her arm protectively.

Mr. Jay Grossman, well-known Hollywood director, and the new Mrs. Grossman leave for a honeymoon in Jamaica. Mr. Grossman has just finished making
Besheba
here and on location in Israel.

Mrs. Jay Grossman – it was impossible. How dare she! He studied the picture intently, searching her face for signs of unhappiness, but there were none – she was serene and confident and very attractive.

How could she do it without telling him?

Then he remembered. Last week she had left three messages at the office for him to phone her, and he hadn’t bothered to return her calls.

‘Goddamn!’ he swore angrily. He had always imagined that Linda would be available when he
did
decide to settle down. She would take him back. Harriet Field had delayed his thoughts about getting back with her. He had drifted into a sordid affair and everything else had been neglected. He hadn’t even thought about seeing his children.

He felt trapped. What could he do? There was no Linda to save him now. The time had come to run.

Desperately he thought of the words of a children’s song –
Run Rabbit
–
run rabbit
–
run run run
– and they repeated in his mind with an insistent monotony.

There were retching sounds coming from the bathroom. Soon Harriet came into the room. Unusual for her, she hadn’t dressed yet, but was clutching her faded woollen robe around her.

She stood in front of him, white and wretched-looking. ‘We are with child,’ she stated blankly.

He stared at her in a panic. And slowly he realized it was too late to run – the trap had closed.

JACKIE COLLINS

There have been many imitators, but only Jackie Collins can tell you what really goes on in the fastest lane of all. From Beverly Hills bedrooms to a raunchy prowl along the streets of Hollywood; from glittering rock parties and concerts to stretch limos and the mansions of the power brokers – Jackie Collins chronicles the real truth from the inside looking out.

Jackie Collins has been called a “raunchy moralist” by the late director Louis Malle and “Hollywood’s own Marcel Proust” by
Vanity Fair
magazine. With over 500 million copies of her books sold in more than 40 countries, and with some twenty-nine
New York Times
bestsellers to her credit, Jackie Collins is one of the world’s top-selling novelists. She is known for giving her readers an unrivaled insider’s knowledge of Hollywood and the glamorous lives and loves of the rich, famous, and infamous! “I write about real people in disguise,” she says. “If anything, my characters are toned down – the truth is much more bizarre.”

Jackie Collins started writing as a teenager, making up steamy stories her schoolmates paid to devour. Her first book,
“The World is Full of Married Men,”
became a sensational bestseller because of its open sexuality and the way it dealt honestly with the double standard. After that came
“The Stud,”
“Sinners,”
“The Love Killers,”
“The World is Full of Divorced Women,”
“The Bitch,”
“Lovers And Gamblers,”
“Chances,”
and then the international sensation,
“Hollywood Wives”
– a #1
New York Times
bestseller, which was made into one of ABC’s highest-rated miniseries starring Anthony Hopkins and Candice Bergen.

“The Stud,”
“The World is Full of Married Men,”
and
“The Bitch”
were also filmed – this time for the big screen. And Jackie wrote an original movie,
Yesterday’s Hero
, starring Ian McShane and Suzanne Somers.

Readers couldn’t wait to race through
“Lucky,”
her next book – a sequel to
“Chances”
– and the story of Lucky Santangelo, an incredibly beautiful, strong woman, another
New York Times
number one. Oprah had one word for the book
“Lucky,”
and that was –
“Hot!”

Next came the bad boys of Hollywood in the steamy
“Hollywood Husbands”
– a novel which kept everyone guessing the identities of the true-to-life Hollywood characters.

Jackie then wrote
“Rock Star”
– the story of three rock superstars and their rise to the top, followed by the long-awaited sequel to
“Chances”
and
“Lucky”
–
“Lady Boss”
 – tracking the further adventures of the wild and powerful Lucky Santangelo as she takes control of a Hollywood studio.

Both
“Lucky”
and
“Chances”
were written and adapted for NBC television by Jackie, who also executive produced the highly successful six-hour miniseries
Lucky/Chances
, starring Nicollette Sheridan and Sandra Bullock.

In the nineties, she produced and wrote the four-hour miniseries,
Lady Boss
, which became another huge ratings success for NBC.
Lady Boss
starred Kim Delaney.

Next came
“American Star,”
a love story, which the Los Angeles Times described as
“classic Collins.”

Then the dangerously close to the truth
“Hollywood Kids”
– a story of power, sex, danger and ambition among the grown offspring of major celebrities.

In 1996
“Vendetta – Lucky’s Revenge”
was published – and became an immediate
New York Times
bestseller.

And in 1998, Jackie hosted her own daily television show for CBS,
Jackie Collins’ Hollywood
. A combination of fun, style and interviews, Jackie talked to everyone from George Clooney to Jennifer Lopez.

After that she wrote
“L.A. Connections”
– a four-part serial novel published one per month –
“Power,”
“Obsession,”
“Murder”
and
“Revenge.”

In 1999 came
“Dangerous Kiss”
– the return of Lucky Santangelo in a bestselling novel about relationships, addiction, fear and lust.

In the year 2000,
“Lethal Seduction”
became the first bestseller for Jackie Collins in the new millennium. This tale of erotic suspense and glamorous intrigue featured Madison Castelli, a character first introduced in the
“L.A. Connections”
series.

“Hollywood Wives – The New Generation”
became a blockbuster bestseller in 2001, following in the footsteps of the original
“Hollywood Wives.”
“Hollywood Wives – The New Generation”
featured a brand new cast of characters and a totally fresh perspective on how women pursue power, love, sex, and success in Tinseltown today.

In 2003 Jackie produced the TV movie of
“Hollywood Wives – The New Generation”
for CBS.
Wives
starred Farrah Fawcett, Robin Givens, Jack Scalia and Melissa Gilbert.

In June 2002, New York flash, L.A. trash and a Mafia don meet head-on in
“Deadly Embrace.”
This sexy tale of dangerous passion and suspense features heroine Madison Castelli and is both a prequel and a sequel to her adventures in the bestselling
“Lethal Seduction.”

In 2003 came another
New York Times
bestseller,
“Hollywood Divorces,”
the story of three very different women. Followed in 2005 by
“Lovers and Players”
– a story of family conflicts, three brothers and their billionaire father, a beautiful heiress, a hip-hop mogul, Russian call girls, illegitimate children and two murders. This all takes place over seven days in New York, and yet again hit the
New York Times
bestseller list.

“Drop Dead Beautiful – The Continuing Adventures of Lucky Santangelo”
was published in 2007. Lucky came back with a vengeance – bolder and more beautiful than ever! In
“Drop Dead Beautiful”
Lucky meets old friends and enemies, and deals with her wild teenage daughter, Max, who is as stubborn and strong as her mom. Lucky plans to return to Las Vegas and build an amazing billion-dollar hotel complex. But when she does… the trouble really begins…

Next came
“Married Lovers,”
a powerful look at the ins and outs of marriage in L.A. It’s also the story of an under-age Russian girl who becomes involved in the sex trade, and eventually arrives in Hollywood and causes major trouble.

“Poor Little Bitch Girl”
followed
“Married Lovers,”
another
New York Times
bestseller. It is the story of three very different women who all went to high school together. Denver Jones – a twenty-five-year-old kick-ass associate lawyer in L.A. Carolyn Henderson – assistant to a powerful married Senator in Washington. And Annabelle Maestro – daughter of movie star parents, who has carved out a niche for herself as a much-in-demand New York madame running call girls.

And then there is Bobby Santangelo – Lucky’s Kennedyesque hot sexy son, with mucho style, great looks and plenty of money. Everyone wants Bobby…

Throw into this mix a raunchy agent, a sixteen-year-old gangbanger’s girlfriend, an older superstar on the prowl, a lethal murder… and
“Poor Little Bitch Girl”
becomes a guilty pleasure for everyone to enjoy.

Jackie’s next novel,
“Goddess of Vengeance,”
is the continuing adventures of Lucky Santangelo – much beloved by Jackie’s legion of fans – who makes a triumphant return in this story of lust, power and revenge set between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The Daily Mail
called
“Goddess of Vengeance”
“the book of the year.” Also returning in
“Goddess of Vengeance”
are Lucky’s gorgeous son, Bobby, with his girlfriend, Denver, and Max, Lucky’s wild little teenage daughter. And along for the thrilling ride is Armand Jordan, and to quote Jackie – “Armand is the nastiest villain I have ever created.But he was fun to write!”