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 she pull

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

is she has, she has the knack to sucker

Sola. He’s dangerous.”

he speaking in

a bit

my benefit? Put up a

if he knows

matters when they’re all

can he be when I have you to protect

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

all of them,

of the poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did

slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now,

dense can he

Seriously?

difficult would it be for her to slip a little something extra into the mix for the

of something

still has a use

Give him

Superman complex?

and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I

You? A pusher who’s a user too? Sorry.

time, time

Deja vu…

and under just these conditions, as I descended

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

of balconies,

All overlooking this alley…

for the police

Or me…

down? Throw me

Or try to…

security camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

to

enough, she’s tapping at the

thought

No-one’s infallible…

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

problem.” He raises the

that. I told you. I want

any good for up close?” He

not a bad match for the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up

the gun.

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

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

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

but as I swing a foot around his ankles,

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 padding

with my free

But dangling where I hold him by 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

enough to make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that

him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I figure how to get to

Is she armed?

I don’t see anything except

nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it,

ask Speeding Gonzales

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

I’m playing for time, trying to figure what the card

Someone else here?

I dart glances left and right… back, front….

infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look at

hair, keeping Jose immobile, the

“Yes, your phone. You've got incoming,

but… she knows

into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail with the other. “On your knees, hands clasped behind your

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

muzzle to the base of his skull, I fish the

… and turn cold…

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

It’s moving: a live feed. And of

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

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

live feed from

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

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

gut him for

first? Jenny? Or Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off

Christ…

you going to be a good boy and

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

head, I watch as

give the order

surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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