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 it

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

she has the knack to

He’s dangerous.”

speaking in

is a bit thick but

benefit? Put up

if he knows she’s

that it matters when they’re all

how dangerous can he be when I

finger, pointing skyward. “D’you

all of them, did you? All by

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

just a little. He glares, moving

dense can he

Seriously?

for her to slip a little something extra into the mix

bit of

she still has a

him

Superman complex?

with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You think

A pusher who’s a user too? Sorry.

time, time

Deja vu…

at the spot, and under just these conditions,

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the

Or me…

me halfway down?

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

linked to a camera

she’s tapping

have thought

No-one’s infallible…

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

problem.” He raises

I told you. I want

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

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

raising the gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

glance her way, and it’s 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 the wall of the apartment block before skittering to ground

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

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

nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair long

with my free hand, I yank

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

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 my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if you don't

at least his body is

Is she armed?

I don’t see anything except the mobile in

so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking.

ask Speeding

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 unsettling. “I know you don’t care if I blow his brains out, but after

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

Someone else here?

glances left and right… back,

fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

hair, keeping Jose immobile,

“Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a

knows

is vibing. With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back

calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him

his skull, I

… and turn cold…

the usual accept/deny button,

It’s moving: a live feed. And of a view I

are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body

all, making my gut tighten and my mouth dry, crosshairs hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men:

live feed from rifle

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

his fucking

gut him for

I can have them picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can

Christ…

“…. 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

she give the

surrender, then murder

Mitch…

Jenny…

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