Hot Revenge Box Set 4

“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, she has the knack to sucker a

Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man

speaking in

is a bit thick but perfectly

Put up a

he knows she’s screwing

that it matters when they’re

She smiles sweetly at him. “… how dangerous can he be

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

them all of them,

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

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

dense can he

Seriously?

would it be for her to slip a little

a bit of something different

she still has a use

Give him a high?

Superman complex?

as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You

A pusher who’s a user too? Sorry.

to buy time, time to think. My mind’s

Deja vu…

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

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows

All overlooking this alley…

for the police

Or me…

halfway down? Throw

Or try to…

security camera

Ah… the phone…

to

tapping

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

her screen, then her face twists.

problem.” He raises

that. I told you.

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

blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol.

raising the gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

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

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

his mistake, but as I swing a foot around his ankles, he’s

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

fashion statement follows him down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank

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

creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my

least his

Is she armed?

anything except the mobile

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

you ask Speeding

struggles under me. 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. But, something about Juliana’s manner is

what the card is she holds in her hand that I don’t know

Someone else here?

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

giggle. That fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look at your

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

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

knows something I

vibing. With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging

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

the base of his skull,

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button,

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

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 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 squarely on

feed

“Which will it be, Larry? Your

Where the hell's Hickman?

his fucking

him

I can have them picked off

Christ…

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

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

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

give the order

then

Mitch…

Jenny…