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?”

palms… “It’s settled and she’s fine, but under the circumstances, for the sakes of both Elizabeth and Charlotte, and considering Charlotte’s feelings regarding hospitals right now, I have

in the hotel for the next few weeks and are on 24/7 call should we need them. Meanwhile you…” He levels a finger at me… “…are going to let Doctor

*****

I pull my ingredients

in, inspects my work area and Hmmms, then grins as he gets a look at me. “Well, if it ain’t my old friend Capt’n Bluebeard.” He elbows

“Please don’t.”

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

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

“You don’t have to cook for me, James.

relax. I could do with some relaxation

enough.” Klempner turns, grunting as

“Larry, why are you moving like that?”

“Oh! Must have

incredulous. “And you forgot something like that. Let me look…” She plucks at the top he's wearing, Michael's, and the fabric gapes open at a clean slice. Mine is underneath and

are

face. Klempner watches her, apparently unconcerned by the damage to himself. Quite the opposite. He seems gratified by her

says. “Let me have a proper

them up, fingers tugging at the bottom

hooks fingers under, then

At the edges, blood crisped dry resists, plucking at the wound

needs a doctor.

“They have an annoying habit of wanting

bowl, dumping bowl, soap, clean rags and a tube of antiseptic cream on the table. Then he rummages

is smeared in blood, red by the wound, black

“It looks worse than it is,” he comments. “My

gives him a look calculated to swat flies then, starting at the outer edge, working in, she wipes and cleans, squeezing the

silently, Michael fills another bowl

shallow, but slicing deeper. Mitch slaps a pad of clean cotton over the top, pressing

removes her hand, replacing it with

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

in.

scars, slices and punctures. Some deep and red, some fine white lines. Trying not

“I'm not a bloody circus show. Mitch, just dress it and

up what’s left of my fleece. “Not in these clothes, you won't. I'll get you

stitches,”

peels the cotton pad from Klempner’s reluctant fingers and peers close. “Stopped by the breastbone from going any deeper. It does need stitching, yes.”

“You telling me he keeps sutures in

I shrug.

wherever you would stitch but keep to the

the wound. Looks at the tube. Bites