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?

is she has, she has the knack to

He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems

speaking

a bit thick

Put

if he knows she’s

it matters when they’re

sweetly at him. “… how dangerous can he be

skyward.

them all of them,

Your lady of the poisoned pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her dole out

a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer, I

can he

Seriously?

would it be for her

of something

has a use

him a

Superman complex?

smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe

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

I’m talking to buy time, time to think. My

Deja vu…

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

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for

Or me…

not stop me halfway down? Throw me off

Or try to…

camera

Ah… the phone…

to a camera

enough, she’s tapping at

thought

No-one’s infallible…

then her face

He

that. I told you. I want

think that’s any good for up close?”

bad match for the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod

gun.

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall of the apartment block before skittering to

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

recover from his mistake, but as I swing a foot

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

fashion statement follows him down. Snatching at it with my free hand,

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

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

least his body is shielding mine while I figure how

Is she armed?

see anything except the mobile

there, all nonchalance,

ask Speeding

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 after he’s

the card is she holds in her hand that I

Someone else here?

and right… back, front…. up. There’s

infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look

tighter into his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied

your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a look.” She’s not exactly

but… she knows something

of my gun into the back of

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

of his skull, I fish the phone from

… and turn cold…

accept/deny button, there's an image on

a live feed. And of a view I know

up towards the terrace of James’ home in the mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body language relaxed.

men: first Michael, then James.

feed

smile cracks wide and she giggles again: an infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

gut him for

guys? I can have them picked

Christ…

in an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

my Glock still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning as

she give the order

my surrender, then murder them

Mitch…

Jenny…

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