What felt like minutes passed, yet probably was only seconds, and Kevin found he was waiting, holding his breath until at last her shoulders and upper body began to sway to the rhythm of drums. Gradually the tempo increased and tauntingly she began to strip, the skirt flung off to reveal long, shapely legs encased in black net stockings and suspenders. She paused for a moment, posing, her smile mocking as though totally aware of her extraordinary sensuality.
Tantalisingly, she took off her top and then knelt on the stage, leaning towards her audience with her breasts oozing out of a tight, black basque. Slowly she ran the tip of her tongue over her lips and then flipped over onto her back, one long leg raised as she peeled off one stocking, then the other.
Though he was longing to see more of her stunning body, Kevin found he didn’t want her act to end, but then she was on her feet, the basque flung off and all that was left was a tiny thong. With a smile she swung around, bending at the waist to wriggle her magnificent rear end before she turned back, and with a final flourish left the stage, waving like a queen to her subjects.
Kevin was hardly aware of the whistles, the shouts for more as the breath left his body in a rush, his voice a rasp as he leaned over the bar. ‘That stripper, I’d like to meet her. What’s her name?’
‘Adrianna, but forget it, mate, you haven’t got a chance.’
‘I’d like to buy her a drink.’
‘I told you to forget it. She never mixes with the punters.’
Kevin wasn’t about to give up and moving to a table, he waited, knowing that shortly a hostess would sidle up. Sure enough, he didn’t have to wait long before a brassy, scantily dressed blonde appeared to sit by his side.
‘Hello, handsome,’ she said as her hand found his thigh. ‘Would you like a bit of company?’
‘Sure, and I expect you’d like me to buy you a drink?’
‘Yes, please.’
‘What would you like?’
‘Champagne would be lovely.’
Kevin smiled wryly. It was no more than he expected and of course the price would be exorbitant, but as long as he got what he wanted it would be worth it. ‘Champagne it is.’
She introduced herself as Yvette, but Kevin guessed that the name was fake, just like her hair. Not that he cared. He wasn’t interested in her. She was just a means to an end.
‘That last stripper was good,’ he said casually. ‘It explains why this place is so busy.’
‘Yeah, Adrianna always pulls them in.’
‘If she likes champagne too, perhaps you could invite her to join us and I’ll buy another bottle.’
‘Take my advice and stay well away from Adrianna. She’s the exclusive property of someone you wouldn’t want to upset.’
Kevin scowled. He didn’t know how he was going to do it yet, but he was going to find a way to get close to Adrianna, exclusive property or not. ‘Will she be on again?’ he asked.
‘No, Adrianna only does one turn a night.’
Did that mean she’d be leaving soon, Kevin wondered. He stood up abruptly, leaving Yvette to the cheap plonk that was supposed to pass for champagne as he drawled, ‘See you,’ before heading for the door.
It was past two in the morning as Kevin stepped out of the club. There was an alley to one side and glancing down it he saw a side exit. As though the gods were smiling on him, Kevin saw that Adrianna was just coming out, her fantastic body now hidden by a fur coat, her slanted, cat-like eyes becoming wary when she saw him.
Kevin’s mind worked quickly, searching for a way to stop her from walking straight past him. ‘Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you but I’m afraid I’m lost. Can you direct me to the nearest Underground station?’ he asked appealingly, with what he hoped was a charming and unthreatening manner.
‘Go away,’ she hissed urgently, her eyes wide with fear as a large, dark car pulled into the kerb.
The door was flung open and a voice ordered, ‘Adrianna, get in.’
As she bent to get into the car, Kevin heard the menacing question from the man inside. ‘Who’s that geezer, Adrianna? Do you know him?’
‘No, it’s just a bloke asking for directions.’
Taking a chance before the car door closed, Kevin leaned in and though many, many years had passed, he instantly recognised the face that looked back at him. He quickly recovered, saying, ‘Sorry, but do you by any chance know where the nearest tube station is?’
‘Sod off!’ the voice growled.
Kevin did just that, his face sombre as he headed for Ealing. That hostess, Yvette, was right – he didn’t want to mess with Vincent Chase.
But he still wanted to mess with his bird.
Chapter Ten
‘Thank goodness Nora’s still asleep,’ Derek said on Sunday morning. ‘She hardly leaves your side and we don’t get a minute to ourselves nowadays.’
‘I know, but it’s because she’s still unsettled. She’ll be a lot better when we move to Battersea,’ Pearl said, feeling awful that she couldn’t say the same for John. He’d taken the news that they were moving badly, though he had seemed somewhat mollified when Pearl had told him that he could spend every weekend with his grandmother in Winchester. As he’d been upset enough, Pearl hadn’t told him the truth about Kevin, but she knew it was something she had to face.
John came downstairs only moments later, mumbling a reply to their greetings. He sat at the table and poured himself a bowl of cornflakes, then paused. ‘Mum, I know you said that when we move to Battersea I can spend every weekend here, but you seem to have forgotten something.’
‘Have I?’
‘I spend one Saturday a month with my grandparents in Southsea.’
‘We’ll work something out,’ Pearl said. She hadn’t forgotten. It was another thing that lay heavily on her mind. One complication seemed to follow another and Pearl was at a loss to know what to do.
‘Well, Dad, if you ask me, it sounds like you’ll be spending hours every weekend driving me around,’ John commented, his eyes on Derek.
‘Yeah, but I don’t mind,’ he replied.
Pearl smiled at Derek and knowing that she had to get it over with, she took courage from his presence as she said, ‘John, I have something to tell you. It … it’s about Kevin … your real father. He’s been released from prison.’
She watched her son’s eyes light up, heard the excitement in his voice. ‘He has? Where is he now? Can I see him?’
‘Before we get into that, I’m afraid I have to tell you something about your father that I had hoped to keep from you …’
John’s brow creased as Pearl hesitated and he urged, ‘What is it, Mum?’
‘When I felt you were old enough to understand, I told you that your father was sent to prison for robbery, but I’m afraid there was more to it than that. You see … he … he tried to steal jewels from a shop, but the old man who owned it tried to stop him and your father, well, he …’ Once again, Pearl floundered to a halt.
Pearl saw the bewilderment