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?”

but under the circumstances, for the sakes of

He levels a finger at me… “…are going to let Doctor Polinski examine that eye. Along with any other damage you might have taken last night. I can see for myself

*****

I pull my

at me. “Well, if it ain’t my old friend Capt’n Bluebeard.” He elbows me in the ribs.

“Please don’t.”

in a smile from her place at the table. “It suits

when I can take the bloody thing off.” The tang of onions rides up my sinuses and I try to rub my nose, then realise my damn

to cook for me, James. I’ll be happy with a cheese

enjoy cooking. It helps me relax. I

turns, grunting

with her eyes. “Larry, why are you moving like that?” She looks

down at himself, seeming surprised. “Oh! Must have done.

me look…” She plucks at the top he's wearing, Michael's, and the fabric gapes open

are

has a trace of panic on her face. Klempner watches her, apparently unconcerned by the damage to

these off,” she says. “Let me have a

to pull them up, fingers tugging at the bottom hem,

me.” Mitch hooks fingers under,

the gash underneath; a wicked slice, six inches long, scored from shoulder to chest. At the edges, blood crisped dry resists, plucking at the wound as she peels away the garment. But liquid blood, dark and

needs a doctor. I’ll go

“They have an annoying habit of wanting to know who you are. Just

soap, clean rags and a tube of antiseptic cream on the table. Then he rummages through drawers before producing gauze, bandage and

removed, Klempner's naked chest is smeared in blood, red by the wound, black

than it is,” he comments. “My clothes... Sorry... Your clothes... soaked up the blood and spread

starting at the outer edge, working

or two, silently, Michael fills

slicing deeper. Mitch slaps a pad of clean cotton over the top, pressing it in place with her

her hand, replacing it with his own, face

done this before…” She halts in mid-sentence, staring at his chest. “Good God, Larry. What have you

in.

and leather, Klempner’s chest is crisscrossed with scars, slices and punctures. Some deep and red, some fine white lines. Trying not to be obvious about it, I steal a look to the rear. His

show. Mitch, just dress it and then I

left of my fleece. “Not in these clothes, you

stitches,” insists

going any deeper. It does need stitching, yes.” He presses pad and fingers

forehead. “You telling me he keeps

I shrug.

a dot wherever you would stitch but keep to the edges. If it gets onto raw flesh,

at the wound. Looks at the tube. Bites a