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

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

is she has, she has the knack to sucker a

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems

speaking in

bit thick but

Put

if he knows she’s screwing

when they’re

can he be

a finger, pointing skyward.

Right… You killed them all of them, did you?

one responsible. Did you let her dole out whatever they were taking

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

can he

Seriously?

her to slip a little something

of something different for

has a

him a

Superman complex?

and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I

a

time, time to think. My

Deja vu…

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

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the

Or me…

stop me halfway down? Throw

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to a

tapping at the

have thought of

No-one’s infallible…

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

He raises

like that. I told you. I want

his chin at the rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He grins, advancing, pistol

on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what

raising the gun. “She

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the

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

from his mistake, but as I swing a foot around

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 be

Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards,

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

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

least his body is shielding mine while I figure how to get to

Is she armed?

except

nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You

ask Speeding Gonzales

struggles under me. I’m disinclined to 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

card is she holds in

Someone else here?

dart glances left and right… back, front….

fucking infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

tighter into his hair,

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

she knows something I

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

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

gun muzzle to the base of his skull, I

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's

an image. It’s moving: a live

one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body language relaxed. James

hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then

feed

sound. “Which will it be, Larry?

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

gut him for

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

Christ…

“…. Or are you going to be a good boy and put

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

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

she give

surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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