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 she pull it

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

has, she has the knack to sucker a certain kind

Sola. He’s dangerous.”

speaking

is a bit thick

Put up

he knows

it matters when

him. “… how dangerous can he be when I

is it?” I raise a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your

them all of them, did you?

one responsible. Did you let her dole out whatever they were

a little. He glares,

can

Seriously?

“How difficult would it be for her

a bit of something

While she still has a use

Give him a

Superman complex?

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

a user too?

time, time to think.

Deja vu…

is the second time I’ve been found at the spot, and under just

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

of balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for

Or me…

not stop me halfway down? Throw me off

Or try to…

security camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

to a camera

enough, she’s tapping at the

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

her screen, then her face

He raises the

that. I told

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

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 that when she wants me alive? It’s

raising the gun. “She said

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way.

it. And

to recover from his mistake, but as I swing a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance and he topples, ponytail

the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer

Snatching at it with my free

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 the knife into my belt

enough to pull him upright now that

that I think she gives a shit about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while

Is she armed?

don’t see anything except the mobile in

so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You think you have

you ask

to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I

what the card is she holds

Someone else here?

and right… back, front…. up. There’s

That fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

my right hand tighter into his hair, keeping

her chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone.

knows

of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on

he obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows

of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

button, there's

live feed. And of a view I

are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking

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

live feed

again: an 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

him for

Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at a time. Or

Christ…

you going to be a good boy

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

head, I watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning

she give

then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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