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?

she has the knack to sucker a certain kind

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.”

speaking

bit

benefit? Put up a

knows

when

can he

pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends up there are

snorts. “Yeah… Right… You killed them all of them, did you? All

responsible. Did you let her dole out whatever they were

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

can he

Seriously?

Juliana, “How difficult would it be for her to

a bit of something

still has a use for

him a high?

Superman complex?

says nothing, simply smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You

A pusher who’s a user too? Sorry.

time,

Deja vu…

spot, and under just these conditions, as I descended from the fourth

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

of balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to a

tapping at the

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

face twists. “Don’t let him get away,

problem.” He raises

that. I told you.

over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He grins, advancing, pistol in hand. I reach

“No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down

gun. “She said alive, not

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

need. Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it

screams. The blow may have broken his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m

from his mistake, but as I swing a foot around his

prefer my hair

with my free

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 the knife into my belt for speed, I have the Glock in my

his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle

about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I figure how to

Is she armed?

see anything except the

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

don’t you ask

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

time, trying to figure what the card is she holds in her hand that

Someone else here?

glances left and right… back, front…. up.

infuriating Juliana

tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is

chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a look.” She’s

she knows something I

the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the

calm as he obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and now she’s

gun muzzle to the base of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

the usual accept/deny button, there's an image on the

an image. It’s moving: a live feed. And of a view I

mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are

between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over Jenny. And

live feed

“Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

him for

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

Christ…

in an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a good

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning

give

my surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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