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

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

the knack to sucker

dangerous.” Cash-Man seems genuinely

he speaking in

a bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put

he knows she’s screwing

it matters when they’re all

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

pointing skyward.

Right… You killed them all of them, did you? All

poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her dole out whatever they were taking

about?” His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving

dense can he

Seriously?

it be for her to slip a little something extra into the mix for the

bit of something

she still has a use for

him a

Superman complex?

fiddling with her phone as

You? A pusher who’s a user too?

to buy time, time

Deja vu…

the spot, and under just these

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies,

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for

Or me…

stop me halfway down? Throw

Or try to…

a security camera

Ah… the phone…

linked to a

she’s tapping

have thought of

No-one’s infallible…

something on her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t

He raises the

that. I told you.

shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up

the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And

snarls, raising the gun.

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

a startled glance her way, and it’s all I need. Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall

And I’m not about to give him time to regret his moment

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

I’ve nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit

Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his fall…

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,

him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if you

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

Is she armed?

don’t see anything except the

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

ask

I’m disinclined to murder the poor sap if I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she wants.

figure what the card

Someone else here?

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

That fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry,

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

your phone. You've got incoming, Larry.

knows

hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of

suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and now she’s definitely

to the base of his skull,

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's

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

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 a wall,

my mouth dry, crosshairs hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael,

feed

again: an infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore

Where the hell's Hickman?

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 a time. Or my sniper

Christ…

in an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

my Glock still to Jose’s head, I watch as

give

then murder

Mitch…

Jenny…

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