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?

it is she has, she has the knack to sucker a

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems genuinely

he speaking

a bit thick but

benefit? Put

he knows

matters when they’re all already

can he

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

them all of

poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her

is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me

can

Seriously?

at Juliana, “How difficult would it be for her to slip a little something extra into the mix for

of something different

she still has a use

him a high?

Superman complex?

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

who’s a user too?

to buy time, time to think. My mind’s

Deja vu…

at the spot, and under just these

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies,

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for the police

Or me…

down? Throw me off the

Or try to…

a security camera somewhere…

Ah… the phone…

linked to

she’s tapping at the

thought of

No-one’s infallible…

then her face twists. “Don’t let him get away, Jose,” she

He

that. I told you.

his chin at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He

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.

raising the gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

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 of the apartment block

it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him time to regret

swing a foot around

For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide

it with my free

is taken by 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

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 you don't want to lose

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

Is she armed?

anything except the mobile

She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking.

don’t you ask Speeding Gonzales

to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s

playing for time, trying to figure what the card is she holds in

Someone else here?

and right… back, front…. up.

Juliana giggle.

Knotting my right hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the

“Yes, your phone. You've got incoming,

but… she knows something I

the phone is vibing. With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of

calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and

gun muzzle to the base of his

… and turn cold…

button,

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

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

hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as

feed from rifle

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

his

him for

waiting, 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 can simply mow them all

Christ…

Or are you going to be a good boy and put the

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters

give

my surrender, then murder

Mitch…

Jenny…

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