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?”

we know each other. Yet you seem prepared to trust me with… personal

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Meg, her toothy grin as she pushes her stick at him again. “Because they do.” 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

“James thinks well of you. That suggested to me that you're worth getting to know. And considering what Haswell is trying hard to put your way, James isn’t the only one to hold you in

*****

apparently exhausted, the dogs collapse in a

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

regards the pair, expression neutral. “Is that a natural position for a

“When he’s chilled out.” Mac’s tail twitches and his lips pull back in an

in

him food or another…” I mouth

“Is everything alright, Kirstie? You were outside a long time talking with…” He

fine. We were just

stepladder, places a final branch

up from her paper-folding. “What’s

run out. I was sure we’d

up his ears as I do so. “I’ll go get some more. The dogs would enjoy another walk.” As I utter the W-Word, Mac revolves through one-eighty into an upright position and is back on his

a smile. “Thanks, Kirstie. I’ve still not defrosted after the last

if I

you’d like to. You can reach higher branches

I wind the scarf around my neck, Archie starts yapping

into the fire. “No, I

tornado barges past me to the door, blocking my way to the hall.

*****

I point up at a bough,

the branch and passing it back down. I lay it on

making a nuisance of themselves. Until, with a sharp yap, Archie announces, Squirrel! And the troop of five bolt off,

safety of thirty feet or so, the squirrel chitters down, spitting insults, then leaps to the next tree and away. The dogs give

eyes the performance. “Is

branch there would be a good one. It’s

out with

“Something wrong?”

but his eyes are scanning the

expression is savage,

Baxter…

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

there's a

shedding their load of snow. Reaching

brought that

on the loose,” he mutters. Then, gun levelled,

is another shiver of

It’s too low…

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