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

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

it is she has, she has the knack to sucker a

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

he speaking

is a bit

Put up

he knows she’s

that it matters when

him. “… how dangerous can he be when I have you to protect

skyward. “D’you

Right… You killed them all of

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

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

dense can

Seriously?

her to slip a little

of something different for

has a

him

Superman complex?

says nothing, simply smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You

who’s a

talking to buy time, time to think. My mind’s

Deja vu…

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

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies,

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for the

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me off

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

to a camera

she’s tapping at the

thought

No-one’s infallible…

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

He

that. I told

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

my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And how much

gun. “She said

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

one side, I lean the other

it. And I’m not about to give him

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

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 against

down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank

on the ground. 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 for speed, I

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

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

Is she armed?

except the mobile in

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

ask Speeding Gonzales

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 after he’s

trying to figure what the card is she holds in

Someone else here?

right… back, front…. up. There’s

infuriating Juliana

my right hand tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the

lifts her chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your

but… she knows

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

gaze

gun muzzle to the base of his skull,

… and turn cold…

button, there's an image on the

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

terrace of James’ home in the mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are

move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by

live feed from rifle

will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his

gut him

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

Christ…

you going to be a good boy and put the gun

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

watch as Juliana

she give the

surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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