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.

does

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

has the knack

Sola. He’s dangerous.”

he speaking in

accent is a bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put

he knows

matters when they’re all already

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

pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends up there are

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

the poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her dole

just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer, I see

dense can

Seriously?

it be for her to slip a little something extra into

a bit of

she still has a use for

Give him a high?

Superman complex?

nothing, simply smirking and fiddling with her phone as

who’s a

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…

of balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

for the police

Or me…

stop me halfway down? Throw me

Or try to…

camera

Ah… the phone…

linked to a camera

enough, she’s tapping at

thought

No-one’s infallible…

stares at something on her screen, then her face twists.

problem.” He

I told you. I want him

over my shoulder. “You think that’s any

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

gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round

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

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

to his own. For myself, I prefer

down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting

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 speed, I have the

head up, hard enough to make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control.

think she gives a shit about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I figure how to get to

Is she armed?

except the mobile in

don’t think so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You think you

don’t you ask

what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I know you

I’m playing for time, trying to figure what the card is she holds in her hand that I don’t know

Someone else here?

and right… back, front…. up.

fucking infuriating Juliana giggle.

hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left

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

but… she knows

With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail

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

his skull, I fish the phone from my

… and turn cold…

the usual accept/deny button, there's an image on

not an image. It’s moving: a live feed. And

towards 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 together, body

move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over Jenny. And

feed from

it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his

him

Or Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can simply mow them all down in

Christ…

“…. Or are you going to be a good

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

the muzzle of my Glock still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana

she give the

then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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