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.

fuck does she pull

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

she has the

Sola. He’s dangerous.”

speaking

is a bit

Put

knows she’s

when they’re all

him. “… how dangerous can

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

killed them all of them, did

Your lady of the poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you

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

dense can

Seriously?

finger at Juliana, “How difficult would it be for her to slip a

a bit of something

still has

him a high?

Superman complex?

phone as he speaks. “I don’t

a user

to buy time, time to think. My mind’s

Deja vu…

I’ve been found at the spot, and under just these conditions, as I

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for

Or me…

not stop me halfway down?

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere…

Ah… the phone…

linked to

tapping at

thought

No-one’s infallible…

her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t let him get

He

like that. I told you. I want

that’s any good for up close?”

for the glint on 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

snarls, raising the gun.

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

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 before

broken his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m

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

against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit of padding against blows, but short enough to

with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his

he’s almost horizontal from the knees

looped tight into 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

him, but at least his body is

Is she armed?

I don’t see anything except the mobile in

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

ask Speeding

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

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

Someone else here?

I dart glances left and right…

That fucking infuriating Juliana giggle.

hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the

jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone.

she knows

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

obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him

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

… and turn cold…

button, there's

live feed. And of a view I know

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

men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over Jenny. And then, finally, they settle squarely on Mitch's

feed from rifle

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

him for

the guys? I can have them picked

Christ…

you going to be a

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning as her eyes flash

give the order

then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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