Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Chapter 37

“Charlotte, could you set an extra place at the table, please.”

“Sure.” She pauses, her hand full of cutlery. “Who are we expecting?”

“Georgie’s joining us for lunch…”

Her mouth opens in a silent Ahhh…

“… Is that alright with you?”

She moves table-mat, knife and fork to one side, clearing enough space for another setting. “Of course it is, Master. I know how much it means to you to have Georgie speaking to you again. I’ll do my best to make friends with her.”

“Thank you.” I kiss her forehead, tilt her chin up. “For what it’s worth, she said something similar.”

*****

The doorbell rings.

Charlotte stands. “I’ll go.”

She returns a minute later with Georgie, who offers her a bottle of wine. “I wasn’t sure what everyone likes, red or white, so I brought a rosé.”

“Good choice.” I gesture towards the fridge. “It’ll go well with the salmon we’re having. Just pop it in the fridge for now to chill, then take a seat.”

She hovers by the table. “Any particular place I should sit?”

“I set your place there...” Charlotte points. “… next to your Dad.”

Georgie takes a seat, having the look of one floundering. Then, spotting Cara on her playmat on the floor, patting at a dangling pink and blue ladybird. “Are you enjoying being a Mom?”

Charlotte beams. “Oh, yes. But I'll be glad when I’m back to my proper shape again.”

“I suppose you can use the gym in the hotel. Get plenty of exercise.”

“There's that. And I can ride too. That's good exercise.”

“Ride? You have a horse?”

“That’s right. She was a Christmas present. Can you ride?”

Georgie blows air. “I’ve never been on a horse.”

Credit where it’s due, Charlotte’s hesitation is infinitesimal. “Would you like to try? You could… You could borrow Charlie. I'm sure my Ma.. your dad would teach you.”

Georgie swings around to me. “Would you?”

“If Charlotte is happy for you to ride Charlie, I’d like that very much.”

“When can we try?”

“No time like the present. After lunch?”

*****

 

Klempner

Abandoning the abattoir above me, I make the quick climb down again, hanging from the rail of the lowest balcony to let myself drop to the ground. Landing on my toes, the rifle swings against my shoulder then jogs against me.

“Ah, there you are, Larry. I was beginning to worry you might have taken a wrong turn.”

The voice comes from behind me and despite myself, I startle, spinning to face the grinning Juliana and, by her side, a stranger with a gun in his hand. In the poor light, I can’t make out the model, but since the dangerous end is waving at me, that’s by the by…

I look more closely, but not at the weapon: his face.

A bit of a pretty boy: his hair is slicked back to a fetching ponytail and he has that slightly oily look that says Pimp.

No… not a stranger…

Now I look again, it’s Cash-Counting-Man from the night Wonder Boy led me here the first time.

While Juliana was making cow’s eyes at another gang member…

Cash-Man hovers close to Juliana with a slight proprietorial air…

Thinks he’s got her?

Another one?

Must have worked her way through half the fucking city…

Be walking bow-legged if she’s not careful…

And now I think on it, I have Cash-Man’s photo in my phone…

Wonder if Hickman made any progress on that?

Juliana’s wearing that manic grin that is so much a part her sexual allure and Femme Fatale appeal. “So sorry, Larry. Weren’t you expecting me?” She fishes into a shoulder bag, producing a mobile, then tapping the screen to life.

WTF?

Calling for backup?

She’s opted for redhead this evening…

Deliberate?

Probably…

… with green eye make-up which I’m guessing is supposed to give her a delicate mermaid air, but in reality reminds me of one of the characters I saw in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie.

Oddly, Cash-Man seems attracted to her. I cannot see why. But she’s repeated this pattern now again and again.

the fuck does

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

the knack to

He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems genuinely

he speaking

is a bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put up a

if he knows she’s screwing

when

sweetly at him. “… how dangerous can he be when I have you to protect

I raise a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends up there

You killed them all of them, did you? All by

is the one responsible. Did you

fuck are you talking about?” His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer, I

dense can he

Seriously?

for her

bit of

While she still has

him a high?

Superman complex?

with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You think I’m

a user too?

I’m talking to buy time, time to think. My

Deja vu…

the spot, and

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the

Or me…

stop me halfway down? Throw me off

Or try to…

camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

to a

she’s tapping at

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

at something on her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t let him get away,

problem.” He raises

told you.

his chin at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He grins, advancing, pistol in hand.

off his teeth. It’s not a bad match for the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And how much use is

snarls, raising the gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall of the

his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him time to regret his

I swing a

For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit of padding against blows, but short enough to

fashion statement follows him down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his fall…

his two feet, firmly on the ground. But dangling where I hold him by the hair, he’s almost horizontal from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and now, shoving

into the ponytail, I jerk his head up, hard enough to make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if

his body is shielding

Is she armed?

anything except the mobile in her

reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it,

don’t you ask

to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I know you don’t care if I blow his brains out, but after he’s

I’m playing for time, trying to figure what the card is she holds in her

Someone else here?

right… back, front…. up. There’s no-one

giggle. That fucking infuriating Juliana giggle.

hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied holding

slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a

knows something

gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail with the other. “On your knees, hands clasped behind your

obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down,

his skull, I fish

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's

live feed. And

up towards the terrace of James’ home in the mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body language relaxed. James and Michael stand nearby, leaning against

all, making my gut tighten and my mouth dry, crosshairs hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over Jenny. And

live feed from rifle

infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take the

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his

gut him

Juliana sniggers. “Who's first? Jenny? Or Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at a

Christ…

overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

watch as Juliana mutters into her phone,

give

my surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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