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 sucker

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.”

he speaking in

accent is a bit thick but

benefit? Put up a

if he knows she’s

that it matters when

how dangerous can

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

them all of

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

His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward

can he

Seriously?

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

a bit of something different

she still has a use

Give him a high?

Superman complex?

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

pusher who’s a user

to buy time, time to

Deja vu…

and under

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

for the

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me

Or try to…

likely a security camera

Ah… the phone…

to a camera

she’s tapping at

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

then her face twists. “Don’t

He

like that. I told you. I want him

“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 how much use is that when she wants

gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

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

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

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

a mistake. I’ve nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my

with my free hand, I yank

his body weight 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 get up, can’t get down and now, shoving the knife into my belt for

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

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

Is she armed?

I don’t see anything except the mobile in her

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

you ask Speeding

He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling.

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

Someone else here?

glances left and right… back, front…. up. There’s

Juliana giggle.

hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the

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

but… she knows something

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

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

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

… and turn cold…

button, there's an image

It’s moving: a live feed. And of

backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body language relaxed. James and Michael

it 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 then, finally, they settle

live feed

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

gut him

picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can simply mow them all down in a

Christ…

dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a good boy

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

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

she give

my surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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