Hot Revenge Box Set 2

Chapter 34

Meg drops her stick, curls back her lips to display teeth, bristling and growling.

Klempner frowns…

“Shhh… It’s alright.” I scratch her ears, calm her down. “As I said, she's a shelter dog,” I explain. “A rescue. And they know, more than almost anyone else, that there are monsters in the world...”

His eyes dart between me and Meg…

Dare I say it?

“… And some of those monsters walk around looking just like real people.”

I stoop, pick up Meg’s stick and throw it overarm as far as I can. She races after it, scattering snow behind her, the rest of the dogs in her wake.

Klempner relaxes, drooping his eyelids, head shaking so slightly.

Apology?

“Self-knowledge can be unsettling, can it not?” he comments. But his voice is mild. “So… given that you claim to have the answer to the perfect relationship, returning to the start of our conversation, why are you out here? Agonising over the right thing to do with your Ryan?”

I don’t have an answer. I settle for prevarication. “Why are you out here?”

“If you insist, I’m trying to decide how to go forward with Mitch.”

That was settled…

… Wasn’t it?

“You don't know? I thought you and she were…”

“No, I don’t know. You’re right. Mitch was a hooker. But what I wanted from her was never for sale. Not until the day Jenny was in danger. Then she offered herself to me.”

“And...?”

“And... I didn't accept. I didn't want her on that basis.”

Enthralled by the revelations coming from this dangerous, fascinating man, “What did you want?”

“I wanted her to want me. That's all I ever wanted.”

Meg returns, carrying her stick, to drop it at Klempner’s feet. He ignores her and she yaps, lashing her tail.

“So, what’s your problem now?” I ask. “The pair of you looked pretty chummy to me when we were inside.”

He grimaces. “I… never expected to get this far. I’m not sure what comes next.” He grins, quite disarmingly, then, “Why are you talking to me like this, Kirstie?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

not as though we know each other. Yet you seem prepared to trust me with… personal stuff…

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He casts startled eyes down at my barrel-bodied little girl, then around at the other dogs, cavorting in the snow. “Anyway, I could ask you the same question. Why are you talking

to know. And considering what Haswell is trying hard to put your way,

*****

dogs collapse in a heap and

all four legs in the air; doing his best ‘Dead Bluebottle’ impression. Archie nudges up beside him trying, unsuccessfully, to

pair, expression neutral. “Is that a natural

say. “When he’s chilled out.” Mac’s tail twitches and his lips

in that position

until someone offers him food or another…” I mouth the word silently…

Kirstie? You were outside a long time talking

fine. We were just

Michael, on top of a stepladder, places a final branch of

looks up from her

was sure we’d

as I do so. “I’ll go get some more. The dogs would enjoy

“Thanks, Kirstie. I’ve still not

if I

sure. If you’d like to. You can reach higher branches than

starts yapping and Scruffy, Meg and Emma appear

stares into the fire. “No, I think I’ll stay

door, blocking my way to the hall. “Let me past,

*****

branch there?” I point up at a bough, glossy green with leaves, cheerful and

it back down. I lay it on the stack in my basket, then

of themselves. Until, with a sharp yap,

next tree and away. The dogs

“Is it

That branch there would be a good one. It’s covered with

with the

“Something wrong?”

eyes

His expression is

Baxter…

he grabs me by the wrist and tugs, pulling me backwards, placing himself between me

from behind me, there's a Crack! Then

sound and he stares, intent in the spot. Leaves quiver, shedding their load of snow. Reaching into his

brought that

“That bastard's still on the loose,” he mutters. Then, gun levelled, he stalks to within a few feet of the bush. “Out! Right now. Hands

another shiver of the

It’s too low…

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