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 it

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

the knack

Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems

speaking

bit thick but perfectly

my benefit? Put up

he knows she’s screwing

matters when they’re all already

dangerous can he

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

them all of them, did you?

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

a little.

dense can he

Seriously?

it be for her to

bit of something different for

has

him a

Superman complex?

smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks.

a user too? Sorry. My

talking to buy time, time

Deja vu…

second time I’ve been found at the spot, and under just

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for the

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me off

Or try to…

a security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to a camera

she’s tapping

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

face twists. “Don’t

problem.” He raises the

I told you. I want him

any good for up close?” He grins, advancing,

teeth. It’s not a bad match for the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I

raising the gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

the other way. Sure

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

a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance and

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

Snatching at it with my free hand,

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

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

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

Is she armed?

see anything except the mobile

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

you ask Speeding Gonzales

if I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she

to figure what the card is she holds

Someone else here?

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

infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry,

his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied

her chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a look.” She’s not

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 with

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

muzzle to the base of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

button,

moving: a live feed. And of a view

bright sunshine, looking up 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 language relaxed. James and Michael stand nearby, leaning against a wall, mugs in hands,

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

feed

wide and she giggles again: an infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take the

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

him for

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

Christ…

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

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters into

she give

my surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255