Hot Revenge Box Set 4

“Is good, Senhor?” Rheumy eyes crinkle in a face like a Roman mosaic.

“Yes, very good,” I cough into a napkin. “Just… surprised me, that’s all.”

The crinkles deepen. “Americano?”

For a moment, my mind blanks out…

Who the hell am I supposed to be?

… then the information surfaces. “No. English.”

“Ahhh…” The brows rise, then, “Senhor, Você quer nosso vinho local?” He stares into air for a second. “Our wine locale… You try?”

“Yes, please.” I cough again into the napkin, clearing a final fiery fragment from my throat. “Your local wine would be good.”

He offers up a bottle: the contents pale, a plain white label and a heavy-duty waxed cork. “Is of the … wine garden…” He gives me a questioning look…

“Vinyard.”

“… The vinyard of my brother. Is good. You want? Yes, no?”

“Yes. Yes.”

The wine is indeed good: nominally a sparkling white but in fact the palest of primrose yellows when held up to the sunshine. Medium-dry and lightly fragranced, it’s perhaps a little light to go with the volcanic salsa, but works well with the bread. By the time I’ve worked through all of the meal and most of the bottle, I’m feeling well-fed, slightly tipsy and brimming with bon ami.

“Você quer café, senhor?”

“Yes, coffee would be good, thank you.”

The sunshine warms my face as I sip at the excellent coffee. This place is everything I ever enjoyed about travel and I’m developing a kind of holiday mood. Perhaps it’s inappropriate, but you can’t keep your guard up all the time.

No-one knows I’m here…

What’s to worry about?

truthful with myself, I’ve learned to chill out in the days spent

… and with Jenny…

… and her family…

James too?

I know it wasn’t really me

Was it?

?

else have

it right with

When I get back…

too, I could call a friend. He seemed to thaw out after Jenny’s rescue. I couldn’t have handled

Haswell gave

buddy Stanton, the police

have arrested

… locked me up.

He didn’t.

It feels good.

the psychologists and the

Alice in her Wonderland - another book I never rated - for

But now, it’s different.

Mitch…

wearing my

…

eyes outshining any gem I

that cloud of copper

I make love to

broad, bright smile as I let you take me,

last of the coffee then set the cup on

what I have to do. I have a situation to deal with. That’s fine. I can handle it. I’ll get this sorted

After that…

Is it possible?

A normal life.