Hot Revenge Box Set 2

James

And now, for the first time, I push the door, quiet as I can, looking in.

Mitch is there, a pad on her lap, sketching. She sits by Charlotte; sleeping, so pale.

No, not pale; pallid.

What they did to you…

But she’s clean and warm and comfortable. And by the side of the bed, within touching distance, also sleeping…

Cara…

My daughter…

And in a chair by the window, a hawk-eyed nurse.

What’s been happening?

Mitch smiles, holding up her pad: a half-drawn sketch, in pastels, of mother and baby. Then she looks me up and down, pulling a face.

?

I mouth silently. “What?”

She nods me to the mirror and I see myself.

Oh, My God…

Even though I changed, brushed my hair, I can’t let Charlotte wake up to see me like this. Or Cara…

The eye is not a pretty sight. It’s not so swollen now and it’s beginning to open again, but the colour, a kind of reverse rainbow in blue, green and sickly yellow, is enough to put anyone off their… milk… There’s not too much I can do about the bruising, but at the least, I should clean myself up.

I stoop, kiss Charlotte’s cheek. She stirs, mumbling something soft. I can’t make out the words, but sleeping, her lips are curving.

I stroke Cara’s tiny face, and eyes-closed, she blows a bubble.

Then, with a nod to Mitch, I turn to leave. And Michael’s there. He too holds the pair in his gaze, then with a tap to my chest. “Let’s let them sleep.”

Mitch follows us out, picking up a baby monitor en route and popping it in her pocket.

*****

A hot shower and I feel more myself. Then Richard snags me, bullying me through to where the doctor I saw is waiting.

“I’m sorry… What’s happening?”

happened is that last night, Elizabeth went into premature labour.” He holds up palms… “It’s settled and she’s fine, but under the circumstances,

Meanwhile you…” He levels a finger at me… “…are going to let Doctor Polinski examine that eye. Along with any other damage you might have

*****

the kitchen, I pull my ingredients together. Prawns, ginger,

a look at me. “Well, if it ain’t my old friend Capt’n Bluebeard.” He elbows me in the ribs. “Oohhh, Aaarrr!” Then, slaps his

“Please don’t.”

at the table. “It suits you.

my sinuses and I try to rub my nose, then realise my damn eye is watering

don’t have to cook for me, James. I’ll be happy with

enjoy cooking. It helps me relax. I

enough.” Klempner turns, grunting as he

her eyes. “Larry, why are you moving like that?” She looks closer. “You're bleeding. Did Baxter get

down at himself, seeming surprised. “Oh! Must have done. Um, yes, he did, now I think

plucks at the top he's wearing, Michael's, and the fabric gapes open at

these are soaked through

to himself. Quite the opposite. He seems gratified by

“Let me have

at the bottom hem, then hisses, eyes

me.” Mitch hooks fingers

chest. At the edges, blood crisped dry

the briefest of looks. “That needs a doctor. I’ll go get him…” He makes

you.” Klempner calms, then apologising with his eyes, says, “They have an annoying habit of wanting to know who you

runs warm water into a bowl, dumping bowl, soap, clean rags and a tube of antiseptic

naked chest is smeared in blood, red by the wound,

looks worse than it is,” he comments. “My clothes... Sorry... Your clothes...

then, starting at the outer edge, working in, she wipes and cleans, squeezing the cloth into the bowl which swirls

silently, Michael fills another bowl with fresh water and

wound can be seen as a clean slit, starting shallow, but slicing deeper. Mitch

replacing it with his own,

before…” She halts in mid-sentence, staring at his chest. “Good God, Larry. What have you been doing the last few years? You look

in.

of any trace of flab, apparently constructed from whipcord and leather, Klempner’s chest is crisscrossed with scars, slices and punctures. Some deep and red, some

not a bloody circus show. Mitch, just dress it and then I can get some clothes on again. I’m bloody freezing

of my fleece. “Not in these clothes, you won't. I'll get

needs stitches,” insists

by the breastbone from going any deeper. It

forehead. “You telling me he keeps sutures

I shrug.

hands it to Mitch. “Superglue. Use a dot wherever you would stitch but keep to the edges. If it gets

at the